Bottom fell out of grill.talk me out of a Weber Genesis

[Cajunboy2k]

My old (hah, 4 years aint old) gas grill rusted through at the bottom so I have a nive view of the ground while cooking.
Reading here, there and everywhere I think I should be spending 700 on a Weber Genesis E310 unless someone can talk me out of it.
It seems to be the most recommended grill out there - any other suggestions?

Also.........

Porcelain-cast iron grates or Stainless?
My porcelain grates always seem to rust through in no time, no matter how careful I am....

I don't think you can go wrong with any Weber product.I have the Weber bullet smoker and it is a fantastic product. When my cheapo gas grill craps out, im going to go with a 22" Weber charcoal grill.

The Genesis line of grills are outstanding, and will last for years with proper care.

As far as grating material, I like cast iron. But I could deal with stainless or porcelain.

Enjoy your selection.

 

[Haggises]

After a year.....

The outside looks like it's still new.
No rust on the inside.

Stainless steel grates clean up well, no rusting in sight. Cooks like a champ.
Have grilled for 40 people once, and 20+ people a few times with no problems.
easy to adjust temp, fairly even cooking (hotter at back than front), gets up to a high enough temperature for searing, and can hold 250 or lower for low and slow.

Today I changed tanks and noticed a leak between the regulator knob and the metal part of the regulator. Called Weber customer service and after registering the grill, was having a new regulator and hose shipped to me under warranty.
Cannot say enough good things about Weber - the stories were true!

 

[Mick]

I am still stoked with the one I got for free (come get it in 15 minutes and it is yours).

It was the best "no money" I never did spend

I do need to get new flavor bars now as they are starting to get holes in them but other than that it is still spanking new.

went out and bought a Weber cover for it which really helps a lot. I've always kept my grills under a cover then under some form of over hang to protect them

 

[Jim]

Mick the stainless ones are a good choice. http://bbqparts.com/silvera.htm has them discounted last time I stopped in to look.

 

[garyg]

I did years with no name charcoal, then years with no name gassers. The first "high end" was a TEC "Infrared" propane tanker, I think 20 years ago or thereabouts. That ran well for 10 years, so so for another 5-6-7 after that - ok for hot dogs, burgers and brats. So I decided a rebuild was in order. Whoa, the burner set was around $600 if I recall. So, hearing that, i decided to go back to charcoal. I selected an 18 inch Weber for a test, to see if I could put up with the "hassle" of charcoal .. the taste was better than I remembered, the hassle minimal compared to lugging a propane tank around in a Mustang GT .. so the TEC sat until someone paid me $200 for it ..

Like MaryJane, the Weber led to darker, heavier things, (BGE) but still is on the patio.

Point is, Weber makes good stuff, gas or charcoal, and if you don't like it someone else will.

 

[oc_in_fw]

I did years with no name charcoal, then years with no name gassers. The first "high end" was a TEC "Infrared" propane tanker, I think 20 years ago or thereabouts. That ran well for 10 years, so so for another 5-6-7 after that - ok for hot dogs, burgers and brats. So I decided a rebuild was in order. Whoa, the burner set was around $600 if I recall. So, hearing that, i decided to go back to charcoal. I selected an 18 inch Weber for a test, to see if I could put up with the "hassle" of charcoal .. the taste was better than I remembered, the hassle minimal compared to lugging a propane tank around in a Mustang GT .. so the TEC sat until someone paid me $200 for it ..

Like MaryJane, the Weber led to darker, heavier things, (BGE) but still is on the patio.

Point is, Weber makes good stuff, gas or charcoal, and if you don't like it someone else will.

Charcoal is the way to go. You can cook on gas in the kitchen.

 

[Rockminer]

Charcoal is the way to go. You can cook on gas in the kitchen.

Agreed. There's just something about lump charcoal that can't be duplicated with gas. To each his own though.

 

[Haggises]

Yes, that wait time for coals to get to temp, the ash cleanup....I still can't replicate that on propane...

 

[ironfisted]

fairly even cooking (hotter at back than front), gets up to a high enough temperature for searing, and can hold 250 or lower for low and slow.

Interesting, I have the same experience with my Genesis. The back is always hotter than the front. When you go low and slow do you have just one burner running? I find that if I want to hold it at 200, I have to go with just 1 burner.

 

[Haggises]

Yes, just the one on the side, leaving plenty of room on the right for huge meats.

 

[langod]

I just picked up a Genesis E310 over Memorial Day weekend. I love it -- consistent, uniform burners, no hot spots -- I even found that setting the two outside burners on high, with the middle off, gets you a nice stable 375° oven!
I think it is nearly impossible to actually ruin food on this grill!
I should have done it years ago. In the 18 years I've owned my home, I've replaced five grills -- all of which were around the $200 mark. If I had just bought the Weber in the first place, I'd have spent less money and it would still be under warranty! Oh well, at least now I shouldn't have to buy another until I'm retired!

 

[Tim_McD]

Yes, that wait time for coals to get to temp, the ash cleanup....I still can't replicate that on propane...

The Big Green Egg is great because you drop in the paraffin cube to light the coals and within 5 minutes the charcoal is at 200F. That is drop time for cooking chicken, sausage or pork - the meat just comes up to temp along with the grill.

Steaks you will wait longer, because to get it above 500F takes at least 10 minutes and I usually cook my steaks over a 650F - 700F coal-bed. Then it is close the bottom damper, put on the dome cap and the charcoal snuffs itself - leaving a full load ready for the next cooking experience.

The ash cleanup with natural lump is minimal, I only clean out ashed after 5 or 6 cooking sessions and it is about half a brown paper lunch bag's worth.

 

[Rockminer]

Well.....it looks like the charcoal enabling has begun so I won't rub it in

I will say that I think you made a fine choice with the gas grill. I think if you found your way to a BGE or something similar, you would love it. Having said that, I think there's room for both types of grills in every persons arsenal

 

[Haggises]

No charcoal enabling here. I spent many years on a charcoal kettle before making the switch to gas. Haven't looked back, though at some point a smoker is not out of the question...

 

[Nygel74]

The Big Green Egg is great because you drop in the paraffin cube to light the coals and within 5 minutes the charcoal is at 200F. That is drop time for cooking chicken, sausage or pork - the meat just comes up to temp along with the grill.

Steaks you will wait longer, because to get it above 500F takes at least 10 minutes and I usually cook my steaks over a 650F - 700F coal-bed. Then it is close the bottom damper, put on the dome cap and the charcoal snuffs itself - leaving a full load ready for the next cooking experience.

The ash cleanup with natural lump is minimal, I only clean out ashed after 5 or 6 cooking sessions and it is about half a brown paper lunch bag's worth.

+1000 i just got one as a gift about a month ago, and have cooked everything on it. cinch to use and great control. I don't know that I would try anything else

 

[87classic]

just bought myself a weber 22.5 kettle one touch,stainless steel set (tongs,knves,fork,spach, etc),cover,weber coal starter,
and already had a great BBQ! cooked pork,ribs,chicken,ranchera,steak, etc.

now im thinking of new things to buy for my grilling (grillgrates,better temp meter)

also looking into building a smoker with a weber smokey joe grill

 

[jjking54]

I used to be a dyed in the wool charcoal guy ... learned it from my dad

Maybe it's because I'm older, maybe because I value my time a little differently now, but I like the ease and immediacy of gas. Sure, it has its drawbacks, but if it's a weeknight and we want to throw something on the grill, it's nice to be able to turn a knob, push a button and have the grill ready in a minute or two.

If I have a real hankering for cooking over coals, I can use my smoker as a grill in a pinch.

But I too will agree that I can see room for both types on someone's patio

 

[73mountaineer]

This is my nearly 9 year old Weber Genesis...I would never talk anyone out of one.

 

[jason10mm]

I have a 10 year old Gensis Silver B (I think, the one with the side burner and one flip up table). It's been a champ all over the South, but have been almost completely replaced by my big green egg, so I'm gonna gift it to a deserving family and get a portable weber Q1200 for those "just in case" situations and when we want to cook elsewhere. The smaller eggs would be nice but damned those are heavy!

The porcelian coated cast iron were great, they started rusting out after 5 years or so (big blisters through the porcelian). Then I got "coated" cast iron but those rusted out almost immediately. Maybe they needed to be seasoned? Then I went to stainless steel and those have been, by far, the least maintenance grates. Clean easy, heat well. Of course I got them right before the egg, so they haven't seen much use so YMMV. Otherwise the grill has been a champ, replaced rusted out flavorizor bars once and the grease trap basket hangers rusted out, all cheap fixes. Weber is GTG for grills.

 

[Haggises]

Another year in...and I am still glad I wasn't talked out of it.
This weekend i smoked two shoulders, roasted 2 chickens , cooked sausages, hot dogs, burgers and did a salmon to perfection.
Gave it a good clean out today and it still looks new.