Spirit E310 v Geneis E310


 
K

kmurray

New member
Good afternoon. I am new to the forum and I look forward to being part of the community. Regrading these 2 grills, I have never owned a Weber before but can't wait to get one! So, with either of these 2 grills I will not be doing a great deal of grilling, just the usual burgers, steaks and hotdogs every couple weeks, and I want the 3 burner to do indirect cooking of briskets and ribs. I understand the Spirit is made over seas and not quite the same material. With what I want to do, should I get the Spirit or Genesis? Will the quality of the Spirit make a huge difference with what I want to do? Thanks!

Kenneth
 
I'm in the market for a Weber also, I won't be getting the Spirit, the Genesis is made in the USA and the Spirit in china, they may cost a bit more but I feel its worth it, just my opinion Welcome to the forum from another newby...:)
 
I would suggest going to a local dealer and seeing them side-by-side.

The Genesis is build better, IMHO. The cabinet is better, and more importantly the hood has a liner that will help keep the heat in better, although I doubt the difference would be huge.

So my take is that the user experience on any given cook won't be much different, but that the Genesis will look better and last longer. Or to put it differently , durability rather than performance.

The Genesis IS assembled in the USA, and while some of components are US-made, many are Chinese. So they really aren't entirely "Made in the USA" although they are obviously much more American than the Spirit.

So factor in the US content and likely increased durability and price difference and make your call. Both will perform similarly when you use them and the food will taste the same.

My $0.02 -- YMMV!

-Tom in SoCal
 
IMHO the Genesis is much better built, especially if you go for the "Special Edition" which is only available from Weber dealers not big box stores.

It only costs $50. more than the standard Genesis and has SS flavorizer bars and SS grill grates.

I looked at the above Genesis, SS Genesis and Spirit and ended with the SE Genesis. My dealer said the painted version was easier to care for than the all SS model. A little pricey compared to some others but worth it. It's the best cooking gaser I have ever had and I've had some pricey ones.
 
another thing to consider is if you buy it at home depot they'll come with the PCI grates (porcelain enameled cast iron). If you go to the post office and ask for a change of address packet there will (was) be a 10% off coupon to Lowes that HD will honor.
 
Another vote for the Genesis here. I was in Lowes last night drooling over a Summit and took a look at a couple of Spirits they had out. Nice grills for sure, but not nearly as sturdy as the Genesis E-330 sitting right next to it. In fact, I was actually quite shocked how wobbly the Spirits felt when you shook them. Maybe it was just in the assembly? I would assume that's the case.

How about finding an older Genesis for a rehab project? Those older Genesis grills were built and cook very well. You could buy one of Craigslist, rebuild it, and still be cheaper than a new Spirit.
 
While the new Genesis is a very nice product (along with the new Summits) there are some definite "cheaping out" signs by Weber that do disappoint me compared to the older grills.
1. The overall gauge of the metal used (cookbox castings, frame legs, and so on) are definitely not like the older products in both lines. Also another disappointment to me is the "pitch" of the grates (spacing between bars). I noticed on the Summit for instance the space was big enough to put my whole finger through! Worse on the Genesis. Comparing this to my older Summit which is only half the distance. On the newer ones you could literally have an entire steak fall through. While if doing larger stuff it's not a big issue doing anything like shrimp, delicate food like fish, or things like zucchini slices, asparagus and so on I could see a lot of headaches there. So if dropping the $1000 + I would definitely be considering my options carefully. Someone suggested rehabbing an older product. Not a bad idea IMO given the definite quality drop Weber seems to be going through.
Don't get me wrong they are still a WAY better bet than the import junk but compare new to old and you can definitely see some quality dropping off with price going up
 
Thanks for all the responses. I am surprised with all the suggestions to go with the Genesis. Like I said, I will just be doing burgers, steaks and probably just a few times a month. The Spirit must be a huge step down from the Genesis in terms of quality/durability, even with the grilling I plan on. I have looked on Craigslist, but haven't seen too many options. So, just to be clear, the price jump of $200 for the Genesis is well worth it? Thanks again!
 
Again look around at other quality USA stuff. The price differential is not great if at all. And don't fall for more BTU = better grill, more xxxx = better grill. For instance this year I got a Broilmaster P3 grill. It may only be 2 burners but it is no slouch and lately I find it my "go to" grill. I wish this board was not in the dark ages on ease of posting photos. I would post some stuff that would knock your socks off. Suffice to say there are very good products built here. Go to a quality grill dealer and have a look. You may still find the Weber line best for your needs but you might just discover something different
 
kmurray said:
Thanks for all the responses. I am surprised with all the suggestions to go with the Genesis. Like I said, I will just be doing burgers, steaks and probably just a few times a month. The Spirit must be a huge step down from the Genesis in terms of quality/durability, even with the grilling I plan on. I have looked on Craigslist, but haven't seen too many options. So, just to be clear, the price jump of $200 for the Genesis is well worth it? Thanks again!
Click to expand...
You may even consider an used Genesis Silver A with two burners, it all depends of your needs.
 
Just saw the Spirit E310 side by side with Genesis E310. Obviously Genesis model is much heavier and solid, but I am thinking the Spirit model is all I need. Not sure the $200 is worth it for what I be grilling. Will make a decision in the next couple weeks. Hoping something comes on Craigslist.
 
kmurray said:
Just saw the Spirit E310 side by side with Genesis E310. Obviously Genesis model is much heavier and solid, but I am thinking the Spirit model is all I need. Not sure the $200 is worth it for what I be grilling. Will make a decision in the next couple weeks. Hoping something comes on Craigslist.
Click to expand...

Km,

It comes down to a question of cash flow versus value, as well as intended life of the grill. Many of us have Weber Genesis grills that are at least 10 - 15 years old and we expect to have them for another 10-25 years. Yes, with normal maintenance and some minor costs here and there, I fully expect my Genesis grills to last at least 25 years.

The Spirit grill will serve your purposes as far as actual grilling goes. The question many are addressing is: How long will the Spirit last?" IF a Spirit will last 5 years or so and a current Genesis will last at least 10 years, is it worth the additional $$$ up front ? If you have the money to spend (cashflow), the answer for most is a definitive YES.

It's basically the same type of calculation that has you looking at a Weber in the first place, as opposed to some throwaway $200 grill that will probably only last 2 or 3 years if you are lucky.


All that said, if you are on somewhat of a budget, the suggestion to grab an older Genesis off of Craigslist is spot on. For $250 or less, you can usually find a 3 burner Genesis and restore it to almost new condition and get 10+ years out of it.
 
For another option, you may look at the Broil King line. They are made in USA or Canada and have some nice features and some very attractive prices.
As for your original question, Genesis.
 
kmurray said:
Thanks for all the responses. I am surprised with all the suggestions to go with the Genesis. Like I said, I will just be doing burgers, steaks and probably just a few times a month. The Spirit must be a huge step down from the Genesis in terms of quality/durability, even with the grilling I plan on. I have looked on Craigslist, but haven't seen too many options. So, just to be clear, the price jump of $200 for the Genesis is well worth it? Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Have you considered a charcoal grill? If you're doing it so infrequently (I guess once a week isn't so infrequent) you might go with a one-touch silver - at $79 that throws the $$$ out of the equation, and you might find it to be a more memorable experience. Or even the Q line. But if you're forking out $500, what's another $200 to get you where you want. Personally I'd look for one with a sideburner (wish mine had one).
 
I grill 2-3 times per week (year-round). I viewed my grill purchase under the same lens as a major appliance. No way would I buy a cheap range/oven. That said, I elected to go big and buy the genesis. Of course, I found a used/mint Genesis E-310 for $65 which made the decision a lot easier.
If I only grilled 2-3 times a month, I'd probably had gone with a Spirit (if buying new).
 
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