With A Touch Of A Button, New Weber® Genesis® and Spirit® Smart Gas Grills Help Grillers Create The Perfect Meal Every Time With Ease

[Rich Dahl]

Most of the folks on here are not as stated Weber's target. Most of us have the ability to keep our aging Weber's going and they work well.
We have figured out that there are other sources for parts and accessories beside Weber.
Also if I was going to spend $1400 it would not be on a new grill. Although some of you do a whole lot more grilling than Barb and I.
Like Larry said I want the technology used for safety and reliability not for gee whiz gizmos.
When I grill, smoke or whatever I want to be part of the end result. That to me is part of the fun. Yes I have a set it and forget it pellet grill and for some things it's great, but it's a basic model and my only link with it is my smoke to monitor temps and that's all I need or want.
For those that want the newest and the greatest with all the bells & whistles Weber just delivered it.
It will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

 

[Bruce]

It will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

Well, I have a feeling most companies in this price range will take a wait and see approach before they start going crazy with the electronics. Even if all this tech does catch on with consumers, I am still concerned that three years from now, that grill that has been parked out next to the garage is going to behave like most electronic gizmos would if they were left out in the rain, snow and cold and every so often put through severe heating and cooling cycles. With Weber seeming vacating the $500-$900 market, it is going to make these chinese tin cans a lot more popular.
This is my HD last week.

 

[Brian B Atlanta]

Bruce, I had a thread in the grilling forum was at HD on Tuesday and your picture pretty well mimics my store. I would be concerned with electronics also but need the pellet guys to comment that does not seem to be a problem with them as pellet grills have been around for many years and they rely on Tech. This is a new beast though, I guess I was under the assumption maybe incorrect that they were not abandoning that 500 to 900 market. That you could still buy those grills without all the Tech but if you wanted it and were willing to pay up you could buy the new grills. Maybe wrong on that.

 

[Bruce]

Maybe so. I assumed that Weber was basically going Generation 3 and making all their grills high tech. Also, the SMokefire grills have only been around for a year. Give it two more, even 5 years.

It is just tough to sell a $1000 grill when they have one for $200 with the side burner sitting right next to it. I know most people buy those $200 grills and don't expect them to last more than 2-3 years. They know they won't ever change burners, flavorizer bars or cooking grates. They just wheel them out to the curb every third March and head to Home Depot for another $200 grill and three more years.

Again, two completely different markets. But I just think Weber is pushing higher and higher into a market that rapidly declining members. I do hope they keep some of their Genesis line up in the $700-$800 range.

 

[timothy]

Grilling to me is always a hands on experience. I don't know if I would trust a app on a phone to tell me when to flip or serve.
I mean how does it know where your hot or cool spots are if doing multiple cuts.

 

[Shane - glitchy]

It's a Genesis with a Weber connect attached to it and a digital gas gauge added. I don't see any information about it controlling anything on the grill but instead the mind of the person running it if they following a cook 'recipe'. It's no different than anyone here using a Maverick or Fireboard with their gasser, just put into a combined package. I never once tried the recipes or smart cooks on the SmokeFire as I have at least a small idea how to cook AND the software was the weakest part of that product. This is most likely the exact same software (minus any controls for the grill). However, all that being said, I think it's pretty cool and think it will be very popular. I also think once Weber gets better at software development, it will likely work very well. If I ever had a full size gasser again, I'd love to have a temp readout on the shelf to know more accurately what the cooking temp is versus a cheap inaccurate dome thermometer.

What I'm actually bothered by is that Weber is yet again increasing profit margins on products. For the existing E-335 vs this new EX-335, they took a product they make (I'm guessing a very healthy) profit at selling for $949 and another product they profit on at $129 and weld the two together then charge $1199. Another 10-15% price increase is what I really see and very little new. The paint job and new hubcaps are much sexier though and sex sells, right?

 

[Brian B Atlanta]

Here is a good write up and I take their inference to mean that Weber is not getting rid of the non wifi grills they have different model numbers. As Shane said and the article points out it does not cook your steak for you. I think their are plenty of people with money who will shell it out we will have to see when the product finally launches what the reviews are. I wonder if the notifications for the propane getting low will be accurate that surely is a nice feature. I always have an extra tank lying around so no big deal to me but its a nice feature even with the extra tank.

I will be riding my Silver C till it melts or whatever so I am not a buyer anyway. My kids down the road might be though.

Weber’s latest gas grills have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and digital displays

The smart grills come with a price increase, though.

www.theverge.com

 

[Bruce]

Guys, I just did a little more looking at that TRAVELER grill. I think Weber might have hit on something here. With a portable grill that has about 15% more cooking space (320 sq in) than a Q2200 (280 sq in) and is only about 11% higher in price($269 vs $299). You are essentially getting more SQ Inches of cooking space per dollar with the Traveler plus you are getting the built in cart.

Weber Q 2200 Portable Gas Grill | Weber Grills

The Weber Q 2200 portable gas grill includes push-button ignition, durable cooking grates, two folding side tables, & one stainless steel burner. BBQ on the go!

www.weber.com

Weber Traveler Portable Gas Grill | Weber Traveler Series | Portable Grills | Weber Grills

The Weber Traveler* portable gas grill is for anyone who wants delicious grilled food away from home. Whether you’re camping, tailgating or picnicking, its sturdy, compact design makes for a seamless experience, from setup to storage. Savor the journey with backyard quality food, no matter where...

www.weber.com

I honestly was expecting the Traveler to be priced in the $400-$500 range.

 

[BobbyG]

Guys, I just did a little more looking at that TRAVELER grill. I think Weber might have hit on something here. With a portable grill that has about 15% more cooking space (320 sq in) than a Q2200 (280 sq in) and is only about 11% higher in price($269 vs $299). You are essentially getting more SQ Inches of cooking space per dollar with the Traveler plus you are getting the built in cart.

Weber Q 2200 Portable Gas Grill | Weber Grills

The Weber Q 2200 portable gas grill includes push-button ignition, durable cooking grates, two folding side tables, & one stainless steel burner. BBQ on the go!

www.weber.com

Weber Traveler Portable Gas Grill | Weber Traveler Series | Portable Grills | Weber Grills

The Weber Traveler* portable gas grill is for anyone who wants delicious grilled food away from home. Whether you’re camping, tailgating or picnicking, its sturdy, compact design makes for a seamless experience, from setup to storage. Savor the journey with backyard quality food, no matter where...

www.weber.com

I honestly was expecting the Traveler to be priced in the $400-$500 range.

I may get a traveler, thats great for camping, and more portable than my 2000

 

[Bruce]

Yah, sure seems like a slick system and looks pretty darn sturdy as well. I wouldn't pay for a new one when I have three or for Q2xxx grills laying around and 4 or 5 carts, but I would snag a used one in a couple years for the right price.

 

[Brian B Atlanta]

Bruce that $269 is without a cart and if I am not mistaken the cart is $89 bucks. If you added a cart then the Traveler would be less expensive.by about $59 bucks. Not sure why you would not want a cart but I am not a camper or an RV guy.

I get you have the carts so no money out of your pocket. Can you throw a 2200 with a cart in the trunk of your car like you can the Traveler?

 

[Bruce]

Exactly. This thing is likely to be really popular at that price point. The only downside I can see is that the cart on the Traveler is not removable. But, for most, that isn't an issue. I will be looking forward to seeing one in a store so I can see what the construction quality is like. It is definitely sexier than a Q2000.

I am assuming that frame and table are aluminum. And it runs on the 1lb propane bottles like the Q2000. An adapter hose or regulator conversion would be in order if I owned one.

 

[Bill NC]

We take our Q2200 on the Q portable cart just about anywhere in the back of our Nissan Pathfinder. I find it interesting that Weber specifically says "Traveler Series." That makes me think they will have other models coming out in the future. At $299, I will probably drop the cash on one to join my family of Weber grills. My wife doesn't get my obsession and I don't expect her to .

 

[Brian B Atlanta]

I'm just hoping they get some distribution with the Traveler and I think they will since its only 300 bucks cause I want to see one. Got one of my daughters with a birthday in June who camps a few times a year has a boat thinking this would be a nice gift which they can get a good amount of use out of.

If they could get it into Bass, Cabela's or Academy sports and the product has good reviews they should have no problems moving a lot of units.

 

[Bradley Mack]

The more and more I look around on this forum, the more inclined I am to purchase a Summit E6 or kettle. My Genesis is great, but it’s mindless cooking for the most part. I don’t “enjoy” BBQ-ing on it as much, ever since getting my WSM 18.5.

The Genesis is great for gatherings and my kids birthdays when I have to cook for a crowd, but I feel like a charcoal grill really changes the dynamic and makes summer feel like... well, summer. We’ll see what happens. The weather has been so cold lately that the dials on my BBQ were actually frozen (inner pins) and as such, had to use the oven to make chicken legs for the family. Had I a charcoal Q available, or thought to use the lower portion of my WSM with the top grate (...as I am typing this)- I would have been much happier.

These new offerings from Weber are not for me. If I needed something for travel, I‘d likely go with the “Go-anywhere” option.

 

[Jon Tofte]

Exactly. This thing is likely to be really popular at that price point. The only downside I can see is that the cart on the Traveler is not removable. But, for most, that isn't an issue. I will be looking forward to seeing one in a store so I can see what the construction quality is like. It is definitely sexier than a Q2000.

I am assuming that frame and table are aluminum. And it runs on the 1lb propane bottles like the Q2000. An adapter hose or regulator conversion would be in order if I owned one.

It does LOOK cool. I hope you are right about the aluminum aspect. My big concern about this new grill is how much painted steel there is that will ultimately rust out - especially being toted around. The aluminum and plastic construction of the Q grills is one of their major selling points to me. That, and the fact that they cook very well, of course.

 

[Stefan H]

For me that Traveler is way too big as a camping grill. I try to travel light when camping. When we bought our Popup trailer many years ago it came with a free Thermos grill2go which looks to be a similar size than than the Traveler. It took up way too much space. We only took it on a trip once or twice and sold it again.
A camping stove where I can cook is more important to me than a grill and adding a griddle almost makes it a grill where I can do egges, veggies, bacon, sausages,... And if I really need to bring a dedicated gas grill I would opt for something like the Weber Go Anywhere.

 

[Bruce]

It does LOOK cool. I hope you are right about the aluminum aspect. My big concern about this new grill is how much painted steel there is that will ultimately rust out - especially being toted around. The aluminum and plastic construction of the Q grills is one of their major selling points to me. That, and the fact that they cook very well, of course.

Yep, I was worried they might have used carbon steel on the frame, but the fact that it is portable makes me think they needed to use aluminum for the weight aspect as well.

For me that Traveler is way too big as a camping grill. I try to travel light when camping. When we bought our Popup trailer many years ago it came with a free Thermos grill2go which looks to be a similar size than than the Traveler. It took up way too much space. We only took it on a trip once or twice and sold it again.
A camping stove where I can cook is more important to me than a grill and adding a griddle almost makes it a grill where I can do egges, veggies, bacon, sausages,... And if I really need to bring a dedicated gas grill I would opt for something like the Weber Go Anywhere.

The size (footprint) of this grill does make me a little concerned personally. I also would be hard pressed to give up my Q1000 in favor of this for camping. My Q1000 fits nicely in one of the under seat compartments of my camper, nice and secure. I would likely have to simply lay this in on the floor as my camper is pretty small. It is usually just my wife and myself, so a Q1000 is more than enough. I am thinking that maybe there will be a smaller version of this grill, comparable to the Q1000 in the future.

 

[BobbyG]

We usually camp w a group (pre covid) anywhere from 4 to 20 people, the larger realestate would be nice on the traveler for how we do it

 

[Brian B Atlanta]

It does LOOK cool. I hope you are right about the aluminum aspect. My big concern about this new grill is how much painted steel there is that will ultimately rust out - especially being toted around. The aluminum and plastic construction of the Q grills is one of their major selling points to me. That, and the fact that they cook very well, of course.

Here is a better description I found, the lid and cook box is not painted steel the way I read it. Same finish as the old Genny Lids and Kettles or am I missing something. Warranty seems to be pretty good..

• Portable LP (liquid propane), black gas grill. Features a total cooking area of 320 Sq. In., 1 stainless steel burner, 21,700 BTU (British Thermal Unit) per hour input main burner, porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates, Peizo ignition, Infinite control burner valve, and a porcelain enameled steel lid and cookbox. Includes an integrated steel folding cart, 1-hand set-up and fold with automatic lid lock, rigid, large side table. Features a built-in lid thermometer, 2 rubberized outer wheels, and removable catch pan. Uses disposable 14.1 or 16.4 Oz. LP cylinder (sold separately). 5-year warranty.