On balance, propane or natural gas are probably better choices if you favor no-fuss cooking or you grill often . If you’re an occasional griller or you enjoy getting hands-on with your cooking, charcoal is an economical choice that, with a bit of practice, produces great results. Our tests were designed and run by Wirecutter senior staff writer Lesley Stockton, weber spirit 2 who has a decade of experience in professional kitchens, much of it spent on the grill station. Senior staff writer Tim Heffernan, who wrote the original version of this guide, helped with testing, along with senior staff writer Michael Sullivan. Sam Sifton, then food editor of The New York Times, also joined in the testing and added his extensive knowledge.
The weather outside is finally less frightful, and people are aching to get back to cooking outdoors after months of being trapped indoors. But after nearly a year of cold coals and rusting grates, some grills may no longer be up for the job. Fortunately, there’sthe Weber Spirit II E-310 grill, a.k.a. our pick asthe ace of outdoor grilling, that’s now on sale at Wayfair. With the E-310 models, however, the Spirit II has a lower BTU of 30,000 as against the 32,000 of the Spirit series.
Over the coming years, Weber introduced a line of charcoal, gas, and even portable grills. Flavorizer bars reduce flare-ups and improve heat distribution to enhance barbecue flavor. These Flavorizer bars feature a new design that allows you to easily see the flame. The main cooking area of the grill rounded to the nearest 5 sq. Not including any searing burners in the main cooking area.
The Spirit II is also a particularly simple grill to assemble, maintain, and use. The upper warming rack adds 90 square inches of cooking surface to the E-210, making the total grate area 450 square inches. Overall, the two-burner Spirit II is the same depth and height as the three-burner model, but the E-210 is 4 inches smaller width-wise.
The Spirit II comes in an improved design, with 2 wheels that are bigger and thicker. These wheels are specifically designed to make movement easier on rougher terrains. Side weber spirit 2 tables are quite an underrated feature when it comes to grills. Those who have worked without them would truly appreciate the importance of a little extra space in cooking.
High-performance burners have a unique tapered shape to ensure consistent and constant gas flow from front to back, providing even heat distribution across the entire cooking surface. Look for grills in the $400 to $900 range with a cast-aluminum firebox (which holds heat well and won’t rust). If you want your grill to last, don’t cheap out on a budget model. But also don’t overpay for extras you won’t use, such as a rotisserie or a side burner. If you grill regularly or you enjoy grilling on weeknights, when time is at a premium, you should invest in a gas grill. A good one costs $400 to $900, but it will serve you well for years.
Thanks to the GS4 grilling system, which provides high-performance burners and upgraded ignitors, it’s a plenty powerful model with impressive heating elements, too. For those looking to watch it work, it’s even compatible with a Bluetooth-enabled iGrill 3 thermometer that can send grilling updates from the Spirit II to your phone. This three-burner propane grill is usually listed at $479, but shoppers can pick up this wheeled cooker for $30 off at $449. This price cut is more rare than a $2 steak, with true discounts on grillsbeing extra hard to find so far this year. The storage space has enough space for the tank and your grilling accessories too.
In 2018 we repeated these tests, with the then-new Weber Spirit II E-310 and our upgrade pick at the time, the Weber Genesis II E-310 . However, our picks are also sold in natural-gas versions, which are gaining in popularity. But they require that you have a natural-gas hookup on your deck or patio. If you have natural gas in your home but don’t have an outdoor connection, you’ll need to hire a technician to install one, and this may involve cutting into walls. And if you want to easily move your natural-gas grill into and out of storage, you’ll also need to buy a quick-disconnect system, which can add another $150 or so. The benefits of natural gas include not having to wrestle propane tanks on and off your grill, always-available fuel , and lower fuel costs .
In 2021, Weber introduced a line of smart grills that we chose not to test. The app also has recipes and a step-by-step feature that sends alerts to your phone when it’s time to tend to your food. All of these extra gadgets require power, and the Genesis Smart Grill takes 10 batteries.