Sam Sifton—the founding editor of New York Times Cooking— also participated in our testing. This two-burner grill is great for grilling novices or for folks with limited space. However, it lacks some of the versatility—and heat output—of our other picks. Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
Napoleon’s signature is its wavy grates, and they do look cool, but they’re harder to clean than straight grates. Extra burner aside, it performs the same as previous Genesis models.We grilled a grate full of burger patties on the Genesis E-325s over the three main burners—leaving the fourth searing burner turned off. The burgers came off the grill with slightly paler sear marks than the ones we cooked on the Spirit II E-310, just like with the previous Genesis models we tested.
Somewhat sheepishly, Mark called Weber and told the representative exactly what had happened. We are definitely not saying that you should leave your grease trap full. But if you do, the warranty and customer service are absolutely worth the small premium you pay for Weber grills over cheaper weber traveler models from other brands. The grill was able to achieve high temperatures as well as larger models, and was even able to sear meat. Lastly, we found it easy to assemble and attach a 1-pound gas canister. Our tester called it “pricey, but worth it” for anyone who regularly grills on the go.
Our reader survey revealed high satisfaction with Weber grills’ performance and reliability. Of the 1,000-plus Wirecutter readers we surveyed, over 60% said they owned Weber grills. And of those Weber grill owners, 69% reported that they were extremely satisfied, and another weber natural gas grill 29% reported that they were moderately satisfied. At the 2017 Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo, we interviewed senior product managers from almost every major grill maker in attendance. And in 2022 we surveyed over a thousand Wirecutter readers about their grill use.
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.