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.
Spoiler Alert: The stainless steel SP 335 is not a good investment.
- Equipped with upgraded features and the perfect size for hosting a BBQ or everyday family grilling
- Sear station creates an intense heat zone to quickly add sear marks on meat; Built-in lid thermometer
- Keep food warm or toast buns on the built-in warming rack and simmer BBQ sauce or sauté veggies on the side burner
- Porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates retain even heat for the best tasting food. Dimensions - Lid Open (inches) : 63 H x 52 W x 32 D inches, Dimensions - Lid Closed (inches) 45.5 H x 52 W x 24 D inches
- Built to last with heavy duty, porcelain-enameled lid and cookbox that won’t rust or peal over time
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 on the SP 335 is easier to clean and gives better grill marks than the cast iron grate on the E330.
Customer Reviews
The customer reviews for these two grills are very interesting and showed a surprise that I wasn’t expecting. I grabbed the reviews for the E 330 from Home Depot and the reviews for the SP 335 from Ace Hardware.
It turns out that the upgraded Spirit SP 335 has lower customer ratings than the E 330! When you combine the 5 and 4 star reviews for the SP 335 then the grill only has a satisfaction rating of 88% which is quite low for a Weber product.
The E 330 comes in at 92% satisfaction which is in line with most other Weber grills.
So what is wrong with the SP 335?
I read through the 3, 2 and 1 Star reviews for the SP 335 and the biggest complaint was build quality. Specifically:
- The stainless steel components would pit and start to rust.
- Control knobs would break off.
- Random sharp edges.
I am not saying that this happens with every grill but it did happen with enough to make a difference in the overall reviews.
In my opinion, the basic problem is that the SP 335 is an “Upgraded Budget Grill” which is a bit of a conflict.
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.
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.
I love the Spirit E 330 in particular for it’s affordability which makes it a great alternative to the ultra-expensive Weber Genesis II S 335.
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.
Should You Buy the SP 335 or E 330?
If I was shopping for a new grill then I would buy the Spirit E330 instead of the SP 335.
Both grills have the exact same functionality but the E 330 is less expensive AND gets better customer reviews.
Easy Decision.
- Equipped with upgraded features and the perfect size for hosting a BBQ or everyday family grilling
- Sear station creates an intense heat zone to quickly add sear marks on meat; Built-in lid thermometer
- Keep food warm or toast buns on the built-in warming rack and simmer BBQ sauce or sauté veggies on the side burner
- Porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates retain even heat for the best tasting food. Dimensions - Lid Open (inches) : 63 H x 52 W x 32 D inches, Dimensions - Lid Closed (inches) 45.5 H x 52 W x 24 D inches
- Built to last with heavy duty, porcelain-enameled lid and cookbox that won’t rust or peal over time
