Weber bringing back Spirit SP-310 and SP-330 for 2020


 
Chris Allingham

Chris Allingham

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Those who've seen the Weber sales rep presentation say that the company is re-releasing the Spirit SP-310 and SP-330 gas grills for 2020. These will feature stainless steel exterior and cooking grates and will look very similar to the previous SP-310/330 with a few design differences, mainly metal knobs and all stainless side tables without the end cap trim.
 
That’s really interesting. I wonder what niche it will be filling? Sounds like maybe with the stainless upgrades (and the Spirit II getting color reductions - maybe not even stainless?) this will be a “transitional” grill between the Spirit II and Genesis II. Still, if the Spirit II took sales from the Genesis II, wouldn’t this have the potential of doing the same?
 
Yah, I don't understand the reasoning for continuing the regular Spirit line along side the Spirit II line. It seems to me with making the Spirits all stainless like that, they are trying to battle the Chinese tin can crowd. But it still seems like Weber is being indecisive and floundering a bit with their offerings and where they are headed with the gas grills.
 
I really like that 330. If I ever come across one of those cheap,
I will grab it and keep it for a year or maybe longer.
 
I know in Europe people prefer the older Spirit over the new Spirit II. Mainly because of the cabinet and the optional enclosed gas tank. I just wonder if these will also get the 10 year warranty on everything like the new gen has. The current older Spirit don’t have it and rust is an issue on these cabinets.
 
The more I think about it, the more I agree with Bruce's assessment. A cheap all-stainless grill. A Weber answer to the CharNexMasterForgeryWhatever grills for sale next to their products in the big box stores.

That isn't to say that the previous Spirit is a terrible grill. I have a three-burner Spirit of that vintage that someone gave me awaiting a cleanup and quick restore. It is interchangeable in size with the classic Genesis, so I lifted the decent condition cast iron grates with the GBS center for use on something better. I will put one of my lesser leftover stainless rod grates in its place. It's not a half bad grill, but I prefer the model before it that still had the horizontal burners and classic Genesis crossover set up.
 
Jon I agree with you but I think there are not many dinosaurs like us left who prefer the older style grills. My experience as a seller: The younger folks want more modern design with SS bling, closed cabinets and controls at the front. People have actually told me that they don’t really like the grills with the controls on the side. Just from aesthetic point of view. And I have been told several times that they don’t like open cabinets either. And many of the younger folks not necessarily have the connection to the Weber brand and the quality they once were.
All my buyers of the classic restored grills have been in their 50s or 60s. This was the grill they knew from their own past. I had a young lady recently who was interested in my SS S330. But it was too large for her balcony. I offered her my smaller Genesis 1000 which also working on and she declined. She really did not like that design. The arguments about good old quality aren’t flying anymore.
 
Yah, clearly Weber keeps making cabinet grills and bling grills simple because people demand them. The younger generation generally doesn't care or know about E/W vs N/S burners and their overall grill experience is very limited. When they shop for a grill, it is a matter of looking at it and kicking the tires and making a choice.

I have a guy coming up on a two hour plus drive to see my Skyline and my almost done Silver B blue head. He has a SS Spirit right now and says it is falling apart. I asked him if it had a cabinet, and I asked him if the cabinet is all rusted out. He said YEP, he couldn't even put the propane tank inside any more. So, yah, he probably went for the bling last time and realized that might not have been a good choice. He wants a quality Weber without paying $800 and he will get that when he leaves Saturday from my place.
 
Stefan H said:
I know in Europe people prefer the older Spirit over the new Spirit II. Mainly because of the cabinet and the optional enclosed gas tank. I just wonder if these will also get the 10 year warranty on everything like the new gen has. The current older Spirit don’t have it and rust is an issue on these cabinets.
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Yes , you are right. By us in Europe are the old Spirits very popular. The possibility to get gas bottle in to the cabinet is really strong benefit. It is the same by Genesis series
 
Stefan H said:
Jon I agree with you but I think there are not many dinosaurs like us left who prefer the older style grills. My experience as a seller: The younger folks want more modern design with SS bling, closed cabinets and controls at the front. People have actually told me that they don’t really like the grills with the controls on the side. Just from aesthetic point of view. And I have been told several times that they don’t like open cabinets either. And many of the younger folks not necessarily have the connection to the Weber brand and the quality they once were.
All my buyers of the classic restored grills have been in their 50s or 60s. This was the grill they knew from their own past. I had a young lady recently who was interested in my SS S330. But it was too large for her balcony. I offered her my smaller Genesis 1000 which also working on and she declined. She really did not like that design. The arguments about good old quality aren’t flying anymore.
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Stefan,

Yes, I think you are probably right for the vast majority of people. On my side here is South Florida is the demographics where there are a high percentage of well-off people in that age bracket. Still, I am reluctantly becoming more convinced that the niche market for classic Genesis grills is pretty small. My own personal life with too many jobs, complicated family dynamics, and lack of space to work efficiently has never allowed me the privilege of putting the kind of time I would like into redoing a bunch of grills and really finding out what how my market will respond. Between that reality and some of the conversations here, I am coming to realize I probably will need to content myself with being a collector and an occasional restorer of a grill here and there. Steady production isn't in the card for me right now, and I am not sure anymore that there is a demand for what I would be creating.

It is a little like the collector car hobby (which I can't afford to participate in). The magazines are full of articles about the future of all these restored older cars that the younger generation mostly is uninterested in.
 
Part of me thinks that people don't necessarily care for the doors/cabinets as much as Weber thinks they do. I think people just want a "New Weber" and pick out the one that fits their style. I think the doors are just an option that are included by default. If you say, hey here's a grill with doors and a grill without doors for the same price, which do you prefer - people will get the one with the door. I personally can't stand the doors, and hiding the propane tank is something I find to be annoying. I can replace my propane tank on my chargriller and genesis 1000 like a nascar pit crew, but bring one of those doors in the way, I'll be cursing and knocking my head into things.
 
LOL, I agree Edd. And the whole time you will be dodging the rust in the bottom of that cabinet after a few years as well.

If people up north here saw a picture like this and was told "your cabinet grill will start to look like this in a few years" they wouldn't sell any of them.

IpIVSho.jpg


The funny thing about this grill is that the owner clearly didn't abuse the grill by letting the inside get all gunked up and full of trash. It is pretty clean aside from the rust. Just a shame.
 
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Jon Tofte said:
Stefan,

Yes, I think you are probably right for the vast majority of people. On my side here is South Florida is the demographics where there are a high percentage of well-off people in that age bracket. Still, I am reluctantly becoming more convinced that the niche market for classic Genesis grills is pretty small. My own personal life with too many jobs, complicated family dynamics, and lack of space to work efficiently has never allowed me the privilege of putting the kind of time I would like into redoing a bunch of grills and really finding out what how my market will respond. Between that reality and some of the conversations here, I am coming to realize I probably will need to content myself with being a collector and an occasional restorer of a grill here and there. Steady production isn't in the card for me right now, and I am not sure anymore that there is a demand for what I would be creating.

It is a little like the collector car hobby (which I can't afford to participate in). The magazines are full of articles about the future of all these restored older cars that the younger generation mostly is uninterested in.
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In our area we have a young population. People in their 50s and older meanwhile only make up about 20% of the population. We had so many large or high tech companies moving here to the Dallas area who brought a huge amount of young and wealthy employees from all over the world with them. It has been absolutely crazy in the last few years.
 
That's crazy! I knew they were bad, but that's BAD. They would have been better off making the bottom out of a.) pressure treated plywood with vents for drainage or b.) Creating an angled base with drains, similar to the genesis 1000 grease catcher. I bet they outsourced the sheet metal from CharGriller lol
 
Here in Prescott Valley / Prescott it's mostly retired people and a lot of them don't have or want a grill. As the population ages even more here the ability to flip older grills is becoming almost impossible.
Those that have older grills I'm thinking when it becomes time to get rid of them they just have them hauled to the dump instead of putting them up for sale.
 
HMartin: I have actually been there when it was still Checkoslavakia. Back, just after the wall fell. I was in the US Army stationed in Augsburg and we used to go over to Karlovy Vary. It was a cool city and we loved going there. I still have ceramic figurines, dinnerware and other things from there. I had a great crystal chandelier, but my son broke that.

I am sure it has changed a lot since, but we loved going there back in the early 90's.
 
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