Weber Grill Covers: quality?


 
R

Ron A

TVWBB Fan
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Weber products. I currently own a Genesis e-310, a Smokey Joe (circa 1989), a 22.5" Kettle and a 18.5" WSM.

But.... (isn't there always a "but"?) I wish Weber put the same type of quality into their covers as they do their grills and smokers. The rubberized fabric cover custom-made for the Genesis is (quite frankly) a P.O.S. After two seasons, the cover has cracked, ripped and faded to the point of it being useless. The same is true for the kettle and WSM covers (same "fabric", different shape). My WSM is only 5 months old and I am already seeing similar wear and erosion in the cover. I don't use my Kettle cover anymore because the Kettle gets so little use. I simply store it in the tool shed covered by a small canvas painters tarp.

Yes, I store the other cookers in a shed during the winter months as well. But from April to November, they are outside (covered patio) and used weekly. The "cloth" covers do not handle climate extremes very well. So if the Weber product design team read these message boards, perhaps they can come up with a different, better cover for their cookers. Perhaps something made of heavy grade tent canvas? I'd willingly pay a little extra for something that would last as long as the grill itself.
 
I would pay more for one that was actually water proof, I just bought 4 new covers and to think that I need to water-proof them or put a lawn and garden bag under them is crazy.
 
I have to agree, the original cover I had for my 1993 Gen 1000 was heavy and had like a cotton liner and was water proof and lasted 5-6 years. The new ones are thin and you can see light coming through the seams right out of the box and last about a year. Not good!
 
UPDATE: I sent a message similar to my post above to the Weber Customer Service e-mail address this morning. To my surprise (or maybe not, since it IS Weber), they wrote me back almost instantly and offered to replace my Genesis cover free of charge. I sent them back a very polite "thanks but no thanks" e-mail that praised all of their products EXCEPT their protective covers.

Ya gotta love the Weber folks. They really do under the concept of "Customer Service". Now.. if they would only design and manufacture a better cover......
 
I've always felt the same way about Webers covers, and I used to just buy the cheap home depot covers and replace them every year or two. But this year I heard about the Classic Accessory covers, and so far I've been very impressed. It's a heavier duty material than the Weber covers, but I guess only time will tell how they last. I may have to add the smoker cover so both grills match now!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HCNEWM/?tag=TVWB-20
 
Jay Crihfield said:
I've always felt the same way about Webers covers, and I used to just buy the cheap home depot covers and replace them every year or two. But this year I heard about the Classic Accessory covers, and so far I've been very impressed. It's a heavier duty material than the Weber covers, but I guess only time will tell how they last. I may have to add the smoker cover so both grills match now!

Jay, I ordered one of these right after my post on Wednesday. My neighbor has one and it's WONDERFUL. It's a heavy grade canvas-like material that is also waterproof and has a venting system that does not allow any water seepage (remember the old Weber vented covers???). It slips on and off the Genesis easily and it has clamps/straps at eh bottom to secure it in place if needed (windy weather?). The "Medium" fits the Genesis perfectly and it costs $10 less than the Weber branded cover.
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Ron A said:
Jay Crihfield said:
I've always felt the same way about Webers covers, and I used to just buy the cheap home depot covers and replace them every year or two. But this year I heard about the Classic Accessory covers, and so far I've been very impressed. It's a heavier duty material than the Weber covers, but I guess only time will tell how they last. I may have to add the smoker cover so both grills match now!

Jay, I ordered one of these right after my post on Wednesday. My neighbor has one and it's WONDERFUL. It's a heavy grade canvas-like material that is also waterproof and has a venting system that does not allow any water seepage (remember the old Weber vented covers???). It slips on and off the Genesis easily and it has clamps/straps at eh bottom to secure it in place if needed (windy weather?). The "Medium" fits the Genesis perfectly and it costs $10 less than the Weber branded cover.
Click to expand...

I just wish they came in a darker color! The clamps and straps were a big selling point for me too. Seems like at least once a year we'd get a huge storm or a super windy day and our cover would wind up in our neighbor's back yard, even if the velcro straps were on pretty tight. With this one I just clamp one or two ends to the deck rail pickets and I'm all set!
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Dear Board,

If you don't know about them check out Cover Bonanza.com. They sell the Classic Accessories covers for much less money than Classic Accessories. I ordered a kettle grill cover and a large cover for my Genesis and the total came to $ 72.00 with free shipping.

Hope this helps!

Regards,

Tim Murphy ;)
 
if you need covers of color or ones that will last then have some made by an auto upholstery shop using boat cover material. that stuff lasts.
 
I have never had an issue with the cover that came with my 2007 Genesis E320 gasser or my WSM or my Platinum. I have always purchased the deluxe covers from Weber and they have done the job nicely. Of course, I dont live in Seattle but they do stay outside most of the time.
 
Tim Murphy said:
Dear Board,

If you don't know about them check out Cover Bonanza.com. They sell the Classic Accessories covers for much less money than Classic Accessories. I ordered a kettle grill cover and a large cover for my Genesis and the total came to $ 72.00 with free shipping.

Hope this helps!

Regards,

Tim Murphy ;)
Click to expand...

They're even cheaper through Amazon.
 
Ron A said:
I wish Weber put the same type of quality into their covers as they do their grills and smokers. The rubberized fabric cover custom-made for the Genesis is (quite frankly) a P.O.S. After two seasons, the cover has cracked, ripped and faded to the point of it being useless.
Click to expand...

I have had the same experience with Weber premium cover on my Genesis EP-330. There are numerous threads on TVBB about poor Weber cover quality in recent years. Based on comments on TVWBB, I purchased the Veranda cover a month ago for $30.00 on Amazon. Also a cover for my Weber 22.5 Kettle for $19.00. Shipping was free.
The premium Weber cover on Amazon costs $44.00.

What a difference between the two covers. The Veranda is heavier material, has two padded handles, air vents, interlocking seams, and a large zippered front pocket, along with four straps with clips that can attach around the legs.
I haven't had it long enough to know how it will hold up. But 2,630 out of 2,960 reviewers on Amazon gave it a 4 or 5 star rating.

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Acces...eNumber=2&tag=tvwb-20&linkId=CM73U2JWQJ5E4ZDC

I have read numerous threads where some are not impressed with Weber covers:

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?42333-Weber-Spirit-Cover
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?37879-Weber-cover-or-not-
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?13402-Weber-S310-Grill-Cover-Suggestions-(OEM-is-Crap)
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?5616-What-is-the-best-option-for-new-18-WSM-cover
 
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