With 424 square inches of cooking space, the Spirit II E-310 can easily accommodate 12 large hamburgers, two whole or cut-up chickens, or a large cut like brisket for smoking. There’s something uncanny about the correlation between warm weather and an overwhelming desire for a good burger . While we didn’t do the research on that Pavlovian response, we did find that the best gas grill for making that burger needs to be durable, easy to clean, and simple to control. No grill matches its combination of exceptional performance, usability, durability, and value. The primary cooking space on this grill amounts to 770 square inches, in addition to the 228 square inch warming rack.
The Weber Genesis II E-210 offers 380 sq inch primary cooking space plus the 114 sq inch added by the warming rack. The Spirit offers 360 square inches with a 90 square inch warming rack. However, it has side tables to provide you with an extra workspace to prepare food and place utensils and anything else that you may need as you cook. They are made of stainless steel, which makes them easy to clean.
The Genesis II line offers more sizes, options and their full 10-year warranty ensures you will have a long grill life. Any part failures within 10 years or less of life, will be covered. The side-mounted fuel tank is covered and comes with a fuel gauge. Like the previous Genesis model, you have the option of using a lid-mounted thermometer or the excellent iGrill 3 Bluetooth Thermometer system which can be purchased as an optional extra. The updated GS4 grilling system is one of the main features of the Genesis II and Spirit II lines but not the Spirit line we are discussing today.
This two-burner grill was slower to preheat than the top grills in our tests and might need more than 10 minutes to reach the grilling temperature you want. Once it does, our tests show that the temperature remains constant across the grates. Indirect cooking, where food is placed off a direct weber genesis 2 flame, was very good. Next time you cook, brush the cold, soot-covered grills clean, wipe them with a wet paper towel or rag, and then proceed. At 513 square inches, the Genesis II E-310’s grates offer roughly 20 percent more grilling surface versus the Spirit II E-310’s 424 square inches.
With a thick, rust-proof cast-aluminum firebox, it’ll last for years. The Spirit II is also a particularly easy grill to assemble, maintain, and use. One of the smaller models, the Spirit E-310 can still be enough to serve up to seven people. The fuel tank is mounted outside with a large, easy-to-read fuel gauge. The primary cooking grates are made of cast iron and coated with porcelain enamel.
They aren’t individually groundbreaking, but together they provide a noticeable step-up from your average gas grill, and even from lower-cost Weber barbecues. Since the grill rests on an open cart, it doesn’t feel overly bulky. But, there’s lots of storage space between the slatted lower shelf and the wire shelf that holds the grease drip pan. The Genesis is one of Weber’s premium weber q lines of grills, well-built, feature-rich, and made for those who want the very best and are willing to pay for it. Find out in our review where we put it through its paces and compare it to the rest of the field. Weber revamped its iconic Genesis grill line this year, rolling out eight new grills that step up in size, features, and price, from two-burner to six-burner.
It doesn’t have infrared burners for searing like professional outdoor grills. You can, however, run a gas line and have a natural gas grill. Most Genesis II series grills are available in natural gas, but the colors may vary. SE features stainless grates with colored hoods and a handle light and 9 MM grates as opposed to the 7 MM grates of the S models. Weber also has introduced patented Flavorizer Bars, vaporizing drippings for easier cleaning. At the same time, it protects the burners from grease and flare-ups.
However, the company implemented a 10-year warranty plan the same year that the Genesis II line made its appearance. All the components of the Genesis II grills are included in the warranty, which excludes the damage that comes about due to regular use. The original Genesis grills have a straight-edged, block-like appearance with a small footprint. The legs end in four locking caster wheels, which improve their stability when they’re in position. However, the wheels aren’t the sturdiest aspect of the construction. On the whole, any Genesis grill can be considered a mid-priced option.
Finally I dialed all three burner knobs down to their lowest setting and closed the lid. I cooked two racks this way; the first I ran for 3 hours, the second for 3 hours 30 minutes. On both the CharBroil SmartChef and Weber Genesis II, the ribs were too thin to shield their probes from ambient hot air under the lid. As a result I fell back to cooking by time instead of hitting a target thermometer reading.
To monitor the cooking temperature, we never rely on thermometers built into the grill hood as they are notoriously inaccurate. Instead, we placed our digital thermometer in the middle area where it registered a cooking temp of 295°F. At that temperature, poultry cooks gently and thoroughly while developing delicious brown skin. Cook too low and you risk dry meat and rubbery skin; too high and you may have to snatch the bird off the grill to prevent burning the outside before it is properly cooked inside. We dialed up to 325°F by goosing the left and right burners almost to “Medium” on the control knobs and were rewarded with a crisp and juicy bird.