When the Genesis II 400 series was introduced in 2017 the grilling world went nuts. These massive four burner grills were the perfect answer for people who wanted a Summit sized grill without a Summit sized price tag.
There was one problem though. These thousand dollar grills did not have a Sear Station burner and, as a result, lacked the high heat searing ability needed for grilling perfect steaks.
Weber listened to their customers and in 2019 released the Genesis II 435, an amazing four burner grill with a Sear Station and side burner.
Specifications and Dimensions
To get a better idea of what this grill has to offer, let’s take a look at some numbers.
- Grilling Area: 646 inches of primary cooking area with an additional 198 inches available in the form of a tuck-away warming rack
- Burners: Four stainless steel burners
- Heating Power: (48,000 BTU/hour) / (646 square inches) = 74 BTU per hour per square inch
- Sear Station Burner: 9,000 BTU/hour
- Side Burner: 12,000 BTU/hour
- Dimensions (with lid ajar): 61”H x 61”W x 29”D—45”H with lid closed
- iGrill 3: Compatible, but accessory sold separately
- Warranty Info: 10 Year— excluding normal wear and tear and subject to additional terms and conditions
Just like the original Genesis II 410, size is what makes this a remarkable grill. The primary grilling area of 646 square inches on the 400 series of grills is 25% larger than the Genesis 300 Series and even slightly larger than the six burner Summit 670.
435 E vs S
The 435 comes in an “E” and “S” models and there is an important difference between them.
The “E” version has a lid and lower cabinet made of black porcelain enameled steel while the “S” version has the same components in stainless steel.
The important difference has to do with the cooking grates. The E 435 has grates made of cast iron while the S 435 has grates made from 7mm stainless steel rods.
The cast iron grate on the E 435 is perfectly fine. It is heavy duty and porcelain enameled so you will get many, many years of use from it.
The stainless steel grate on the S 435 is perfection.
The 7mm rods give much better grill marks than you can get with cast iron and keeping the stainless rods clean is a snap. While the cast iron grates do have a protective porcelain coating it does eventually chip and the cast iron will start rusting after a few years. You wont have that problem with stainless steel.
Pros and Cons of the Genesis II 435
On the Positive Side
If you have never owned a Weber gas grill before then you are going to be amazed at the difference in how these grills perform compared to those thin little cheap grills you see at the Big Box stores. The 435 performs like all Genesis gas grills with even heating and minimal flare ups.
The build quality is exceptional which is reflected in the 10 year warranty on all components. By all components I mean the fire box, lid, burner tubes, grates, Flavorizer bars, ignition….everything. These are absolutely solid grills that will last long beyond their stated warranties.
I realize that this is a matter of personal taste but I think that all of the Genesis grills are beautiful. The styling is sleek with just a touch of retro from the riveted side belts on the lid.
On the Negative Side
There is no getting around the fact that these grills carry a steep price tag and will be out of the budget of most people. That being said, these grills are a screaming bargain compared to the four and six burner Weber Summit grills. In fact, I strongly suspect that the Genesis II S 435 is going to outsell the Summit S 470 to such a degree that Weber will stop producing the Summit S 470 in 1-2 years.
The other negative about this grill is that while it is truly massive the reality is that you probably don’t need a grill this big. There is not a thing wrong with owning a massive grill but something smaller like the Genesis II S 335 is probably a more practical size grill for most people.
Overall
If you have the money and space for this massive grill then you can make the purchase knowing that you are getting the largest gas grill Weber makes with all of the searing power that you will ever want.
This grill is a beauty and she will make you happy.
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