How To Determine The Age Of Weber Grills & Smokers

They were one of the first names in outdoor cooking, and their grills have stood the test of time. Along with their iconic charcoal grills, they produce gas grills, smokers and grilling accessories, all of which are tough and built to withstand years of outdoor cooking. Weber leads the BBQ grilling industry with great gas grill features at a reasonable price. Their grills are loved by millions because they're rugged, dependable and offer a great grilling experience every time.

Instead of having porcelainized cast-iron grates (like those on the Spirit grills and previous generations of the Genesis), the grates on the Genesis E-325s are made from thick, stainless steel rods. The stainless steel grates could create slightly lighter sear marks on your food than cast iron would deliver, but the difference should hardly be noticeable. The Genesis E-325s also has a foldable upper rack that extends the length of the main cooking grate and expands to be 11 inches deep. The E-325s looks sturdy and well built, and it has some new practical features that further justify the higher price tag.

You get 513 square inches of primary cooking area with 274 extra via the top grate. Weber also has a new version of the Gourmet BBQ accessory System (GBS) that began with the Weber Kettle. There’s an open-cart design on display that gives you even more storage space, and two side tables are attached to the main model.

The Nexgrill Fortress Portable comes with a 5-year warranty against damage and replacement of its parts. Contrary to popular belief, these grills weber charcoal grill are not made in the USA but are imported ready-made from China. To some people who prefer a grill made in the USA, this might come as a surprise.

Weber’s gas grills are generally hotter than other gas-grill brands, but the sear burner takes it to another level. We recorded heat output approaching charcoal-grill levels of 800 degrees on the Genesis’ searing station. This made searing a crust on our ribeye far easier than with a standard grill burner. While most of Weber’s larger grills have wheels, that doesn’t make them portable.

And yet its grilling surface is big enough to cook a complete meal for a family or a dozen burgers for a party. (Weber’s warranty covers all parts for a full decade—among the best coverage in the industry.) For decades, the company has refined the Spirit’s design, too. This version includes an easily accessible externally mounted propane tank and an under-grill shelf. weber bbq,weber gas grill On top of all that, this grill is particularly easy to assemble, maintain, and use, and its finish comes in four colors (black, white, red, and blue). As we tested this over the course of two weeks, it rarely had any faults. The 513 square inches of cooking space was consistently even in heat, with some slightly hotter temperatures observed directly over the burners.

Inclement British weather is no match for the firepower of a Weber Gas BBQ which makes it an attractive choice for use all year round. The pill-shaped Smokey Mountain drops the coalbed down a foot or two, adds a door to throw new coals on and comes with a porcelain-enameled water rack to keep things nice and humid. If you want food closer to the fire, there’s a grate beneath the top grate for charring.

While Weber sells its own pellets, most brands of grilling pellets will work. Pellets typically come in different types to infuse different flavors into the food. The E-310 model also comes with Weber’s new GS4 cooking system, which boasts high-performance burners, an advanced ignition system, “flavorizer” bars, and a grease-management system. It also supports Weber’s iGrill 3 app-connected thermometer system, which is a separate purchase.

Scrape any buildup off the deflection panels or bars using a plastic scraper. Next, use a stainless steel brush to clean the burner tubes weber charcoal grill under the heat deflectors. Finally, check out the inside of the cook box and scrape away any debris or residue that can cause flare-ups.

Lesley Stockton is a senior staff writer reporting on all things cooking and entertaining for Wirecutter. Her expertise builds on a lifelong career in the culinary world—from a restaurant cook and caterer to a food editor at Martha Stewart. She is perfectly happy to leave all that behind to be a full-time kitchen-gear nerd.