For the 2020 grilling season Weber is bringing back a classic grill, the Weber Spirit E 330, and introducing an upgraded version, the Weber Spirit SP 335.  Both of these grills offer amazing performance and are much better values than their slightly larger Genesis counterparts.

The big question is whether the upgrades on the Spirit SP 335 make it worth the higher price tag than the Spirit E330.

Spirit E 330 and SP 335 Specifications and Dimensions

Let’s look at the features these grills have in common:

• Grilling Area: 424 inches of primary cooking area with an additional 105 inches available in the form of a warming rack
• Primary Burners: Three stainless steel burners rated for a combined 32,000 BTU/hr
• Heating Power: (32,000 BTU/hour) / (424 square inches) = 75 BTU per hour per square inch
• Side Burner: 12,000 BTU/hr
• Sear Station Burner: 7,500 BTU/hr
• Dimensions: 45.5″H X 52″W X 24″D
• Warranty: 10 years (lid, cookbox, burner tubes), 5 years (grate), 2 years (all other parts)

These are both full sized three burner grills that come with side burners and Sear Stations.  The grills have plenty of searing power, even heat distribution and produce minimal flare ups due to the incorporation of flavorizer bars.  The warranty is extensive which reflects the fact that these two grills, which are at the top of the Spirit line, are built to last.

Differences Between The Spirit SP 335 and E 330

There are a lot of cosmetic differences between these grills but only one functional difference that actually matters.  The primary cosmetic differences include:

• Stainless steel lid and cabinet door on the SP 335
• Stainless steel Flavorizer bars on the SP 335
• Metal burner control knobs on the SP 335
• Fewer tool hooks on the SP 335

Some people really want a stainless steel grill and these cosmetic differences are reason enough for them to purchase the SP 335 instead of the E 330.

The biggest functional difference between these two grills is the cooking  grate.  The E 330 has an excellent grate made from porcelain enameled cast iron.  The SP 335 has an even better grate made from 7mm stainless steel rods.  The stainless steel rod grate is easier to clean and gives better grill marks than the cast iron grate.

Reviews

The Spirit SP 335 is a brand new grill and as teh time of this writing there are no customer reviews available.  On Weber’s website, the Spirit E 330 has over 130 reviews with 90% being 5 or 4 stars and only 2% being 1 or 2 stars.

The customer reviews for the E 330 on Amazon are extremely similar to those posted on Weber’s website.

While the percentage of One and Two star reviews are low they do share common themes.  There were concerns about parts arriving damaged, difficult of assembly and excessive rusting of the frame and cabinet.

What Makes the 330 and 335 Great

The defining characteristic of the Spirit grills is high performance grilling.  When you grill on a Spirit you are going to have very even heating across the grates and will have very few flare-ups.  If you are used to grilling on cheap gas grills then grilling on a Spirit will be a game changer for you.

Here is a video that lets you see the Spirit E 330 up close.

Both of these grills come with a Sear Station burner which lets you get a portion of the grill super hot for putting grill marks on steaks.  The 330 and 335 are the only Spirit grills with Sear Stations and side burners.

What I Don’t Like

The absolute only thing that I don’t like about these grills is the warranty.

While the warranty on these Spirit grills is far superior to what is offered by other brands such as Char Broil, DynaGlo and NexGrill it is shorter than the 10 year coverage for all components that you get with a Weber Genesis.  More importantly, the warranty is shorter than the 10 year coverage for all components that Weber offered on the Spirit II series grills in 2018 and 2019.

Weber intentionally rolled back the warranty coverage on the Spirit grills for 2020 which I suspect reflects lower build quality.

Compared To Other Weber Three Burner Gas Grills

Weber has a lot of three burner gas grill options so you have a few other choices to consider.

• Spirit E 310: Same size as the Spirit 330 but without the Sear Station and side burner
• Spirit S 315: Stainless steel grill.  Same size as the Spirit 330 but without the Sear Station and side burner
• Genesis E 310: 20% larger grilling surface than the Spirit 330 but without Sear Station and side burner
• Genesis E 330: 20% larger grilling surface than the Spirit 330 and includes Sear Station and side burner

In my opinion the Spirit 330 and 335 offer the best balance between cost, size and features and would be an excellent addition to any backyard.

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Weber Q 3200 Review

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The Q1200 is a portable liquid propane grill from Weber that is highly reliable, fun to use and has a small footprint.  If you buy the Q1200 I promise that you will love it but you might also have a little remorse for not getting the Q2200 instead.

The Q series can be a little confusing to figure out so lets take a few minutes to sort through them and figure out which one is right for you.

This review will look at the key features of this grill and compare it to some other options.

Q1200 Specifications and Dimensions

To get a better idea of this grill’s identity, let’s take a look at some numbers.

• Grilling Area: 189 inches of primary cooking area
• Grates: Porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates
• Burners: One stainless steel burner
• Heating Power: (8500 BTU/hour) / (189 square inches) = 45 BTU per hour per square inch
• Dimensions (with the lid ajar and tables out): 24.6”H x 40.9” W x 20.5”D—15.5”H with the lid closed
• Color Availability: Fuchsia, Black, Blue, Green, Orange, Purple, Red, Titanium, and Florida State University Maroon
• Warranty: 5 years cook box, lid assembly, burner tubes, grates, and plastic components, and 2 years on all other parts including paint

Reviews

On Weber’s website, this grill had 326 reviews with 95% being 5 or 4 stars and less than 5% being 1 or 2 stars.  Reviews on Amazon were similar to those on Weber’s site.

Here is a nice video review of the Q1200 after the owner had used it for several hundred grilling sessions.  The video lets you really see the features of the grill and how it has held up after a couple years of use.

This grill is popular with folks across the board. Some of the favorite features mentioned were the portability and even cooking. The downside mentioned in reviews was mainly the difficulty screwing on the liquid propane tank to the nozzle.

What Makes the Q1200 Great

This grill has quite a bit of grilling space for a tabletop grill. With 189 square inches of space, you can cook for the whole family at one time, making this grill great for camping, traveling, or use on a small balcony or patio.

The Q1200 features porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grates. These grates are extremely heavy and take about 15 minutes to really heat up but once they get hot they stay hot and let you do serious grilling on a little grill.  The grates are specifically engineered to provide even heating in combination with the single circular burner that runs around the circumference of the grill.

All of the Q series grills look fantastic and are backed by a five year warranty.  This grill is going to look great on your patio and you will enjoy using it for a very long time!

What I Don’t Like

The two biggest issues for me come down to size and portability.

On the portability front the reality is that, unless you get the collapsible cart stand featured in the video review above this grill isn’t very portable.  Sure, you can pick it up and carry it but it wasn’t really designed with that in mind.  There is no lid lock or lid handle.  This means that you have to use two hands and carry the thing in front of you.  And to be honest, given the weight of the heavy cast iron grates, you are not going to want to carry this grill very far.

If all you need this grill for is for use as a tabletop grill for your patio then the portability issue is not a problem.  If you are looking for a grill to haul down to the park on a regular basis then do yourself a favor, head down to the store and try carrying one around for a minute or two.

The major issue for me with the Q1200 is the amount of grilling space you get.  The Q1200 has 189 square inches which is large enough to get the job done but is almost 50% smaller than what you get with the Weber Q2200.  Everything that is great about the Q1200 is also great about the Q2200.  The Q2200 is just bigger.

You will not always need the extra space that comes with the Q2200 but it never hurts to have it available.

Versus the Q1000

As far as cooking is concerned, the Q1000 and Q1200 are identical. Although the Q1200 features an electronic ignition, where the Q1000 has a push-button ignition, they have the same heating power and same cooking space.

The Q1200 is an upgrade with the folding side tables to give you more prep space in a small area at a campsite or on an already full table. Both grills have removable porcelain-enameled cooking crates and removable catch pans for easy cleanup. On both grills, these standard items are also dishwasher safe.

The small price difference in the 1200 versus the 1000 is simply due to the addition and convenience of the folding tables. The choice of which one will work best for you is personal preference, although I tend to lean toward paying the additional money for the electronic ignition and side tables.

Q1200 vs Q2200

As previously mentioned, the Q2200 is identical to the Q1200 with the exception of the Q2200 having 48% more grilling space.

Both grills have electronic ignitions, heavy cast iron grates, side tables and a lid thermometer.  Both grills are great as tabletop grills but are hard to transport for use as portable grills. Both grills are designed to operate from disposable one pound propane bottles but can be converted to run off of a standard 20 pound propane cylinder.

The only reason that I can think of to buy the Q1200 instead of the Q2200 is if you like one of the funky colors available for the Q1200.  The Q2200 is only available in Titanium while the smaller Q1200 has nine different color options.

Versus the Spirit E 210

The main difference between the Q1200 and the Spirit E 210 is that the Q1200 is portable and the E 210 is not. This might make the comparison a bit unfair since they each have their purpose, but I think it’s important to look at what Weber considers their next step up regarding LP grills.

The Spirit has much more heating power, and two burners versus the Q1200’s single-burner. The overall grilling space on the 210 also far surpasses the Q1200, primarily due to the depth of the grill.

Both grills cook evenly and work well in smaller spaces where a more substantial model would not work, like a small patio or deck area. Both grills also have fold-down side tables for added workspace while grilling.

The E 210 is a great first step for you if you are looking for a stationary grill, and I would highly recommend it. The Q1200 can also be a great jump into grilling and is great in that it can go with you as you travel or if you are moving from apartment to apartment often.

Overall I can’t recommend either grill over the other because there purposes are relatively different. You will need to decide which purpose is most important to you. These are a great pair to own together, however, so don’t count out a dual purchase.

Versus the Q3200

The Q3200 is a cart-mounted grill that is the highest end option for those interested in the Q series. Although this grill is still touted as a portable option, it is the biggest and most difficult to travel with option you could choose. It would be best suited for semi-permanent travel, not for short trips or tailgates.

The Q3200 features more overall grilling power and more cooking space than the smaller Q1200, but still keeps the great non-stick cooking grates and the convenient side tables. Both grills also feature hood-mounted thermometers for easy temperature monitoring.

The larger hood leaves extra space to cook whole chickens, unlike the thinner Q1200. The Q3200 also features a second stainless steel burner, which is what helps it to overcome the Q1200 in both power and space.

The Q1200 is certainly still the best option as far as portability is concerned, but if you are looking for a great grill for a permanent campsite or even for a great portable starter grill for your small deck space, the Q3200 is a great option for you.

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A Weber Smokey Mountain cooker is one of the best smokers that you can buy regardless of price.  A WSM will give you precise temperature control and the ability to cook “Low and Slow” with up to 10 hours of unattended operation.

Many championship winning competition barbecue teams will only use WSMs.  These cookers have a cult following with a strong sense of community among their owners. [Read more…]

The folks over at Weber finally caved in and brought back the grill that everyone really wanted, the Genesis II 335.  Now, for the first time in years, there is finally a reason to buy a Genesis instead of a Spirit.

 

The core feature of the 335 is the fire power supplied by three primary burners, side burner and, most importantly, the Sear Station burner.  While the Sear Station burner was included on the Genesis 330 from 2010 through 2016, it was not available on any of the the Genesis II grills from 2017 and 2018.

I suspect the Sear Station was removed from the Genesis series in 2017 and 2018 as a way of getting people to upgrade to the Summit series. However, instead of people making the upgrade to the Summit 670 they decided to downgrade and buy a Spirit.  The much cheaper Spirit grills were the best decision as the quality of Spirit has sky rocketed in recent years and there was no clear performance advantage in the Genesis grills.

While the 335 grill is spectacular, buying the right one can be confusing.  There are three different versions of the grill and while I like them all there is only one that I recommend.

Differences Between the Genesis II 335 E, S and SE Models

The three different versions of the 335 are the E, S and SE.  While the functionality is identical between the grills there are some design differences.

The “E” model gets its name from the fact that the lid and cabinet body. are constructed of porcelain “E”nameled steel. This grill has cooking grates made from cast iron.

The “S” model gets its name from the fact that the lid and cabinet body are constructed from “S“tainless steel.  This grill has cooking grates made from 7mm stainless steel rods.

The “SE” model gets its name from the fact that it is a “S”pecial “E”dition that is not available online and is only sold through a Weber Alliance dealer.  The SE model has a porcelain enameled lid and cabinet with a stainless grate.  It also comes with a grill light attached to the handle.

Here is a great video that shows all of the details for the Genesis II SE 335.

Of the three models available the only one that I recommend is the stainless steel “S” 335.

Stick with me here…I can make sense out of this for you!

The cooking grate on the “S” model is made from 7mm stainless steel rods and is spectacular.  The rods will not rust, give great grill marks and are ridiculously easy to clean.  These grates are just slightly less thick than you get on the premium Weber Summit 670 but are every bit as nice.

The cooking grate on the “SE” model is the same stainless steel grate found on the “S’ model.  While I love the grate I hate the cost of the SE.  The SE is designed to be a high end money maker for Weber dealers and not a value play for consumers.  The SE grills are not listed on the Weber website or anywhere else online so consumers cannot do any price comparisons.  As a general rule, whenever I have found an SE model of any Weber grill at a brick and mortar retailer it was ridiculously over priced.  You might have better luck in your town.

The cooking grate on the “E” version of this grill is made of porcelain enameled cast iron.  While the cast iron grate is wonderful it simply is not as nice as the stainless steel option.  That being said, many people do not want to pay for the S version of this grill or are perfectly happy with a cast iron grate.  For these folks I suggest that instead of buying the E 335 that they save themselves some money and buy the Genesis II E 330.

E 335 vs E 330

The Genesis II E 330 grills have the same cast iron grate as the 335 grills and come with all of the fire power.

• Three primary burners
• Side burner
• Sear Station burner

However, the 330 grill cost less because they do not have an enclosed lower cabinet.  Heck, I don’t mind if my grill is showing a little extra leg…I think it is kind of sexy 🙂

In addition to being less expensive, the 330 grills are available in some stunning colors (Copper, Crimson, Smoke) while the E 335 is only available in black.

E 335 vs E 310/E 315

I wanted to throw this comparison in here for the sake of completeness.  It is easy to start thinking that if you can save money by purchasing the E 330 instead of the E 335 then you can save even more money by buying the E 310 or E 315.

Stop.

Don’t do that.

The Genesis II E 310/315 grills are duds.  By the way…the only difference between the 310 and 315 is that the 315 has an enclosed lower cabinet.

The E 310 does NOT have a Sear Station or a side burner.  It is a simple three burner grill.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting a simple three burner grill.  A simple three burner grill will be perfect for a heck of a lot of people.

But……

If what you want is a simple three burner grill then you can save yourself a TON of money by buying the Weber Spirit II E 310.  The Spirit II 310 has a slightly smaller cooking grate than the Genesis II 310 but has the exact same performance, build quality, stylish looks and 10 year warranty.

The Spirit II E 310 is the absolute BEST VALUE in the entire Weber product line.  If you are on a budget and want a simple three burner grill with amazing performance that will last forever then the Spirit 310 is what you want to buy.

Facts and Figures

Let’s wrap up by checking the specifications for the 335 so you can have a little more detail on what you will be getting.

• Primary Burners: Three primary burners each rated at 13,000 BTU/hr.  Combined heat output of 39,000 BTU/hr.
• Sear Station Burner: 9,000 BTU/hr
• Side Burner: 12,000 BTU/hr
• Primary Cooking Area: 513 square inches
• Warming Rack Area: 156 square inches
• Dimensions: 47″H X 59″W X 29″D
• Warranty: 10 years on all components

Overall the Genesis II 335 is just a flat out spectacular grilling machine.

This grill is going to make you happy.

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