What is comparable to a Weber Genesis?

[caseydog]

I would go with a Weber Genesis, but not a Spirit. The Genesis is made in the USA, and will last you a long-long time.

CD

 

[nucornhusker]

A Broil King will out cook a Genesis every time. The construction of their cart leaves a little to be desired, but the burners are superior, the cooker gets much hotter, and overall it lacks the unevenness of the new Genesis grills. Heck, I'd rather cook on a Broil King than a Summit that costs $1,899!

So for the price, the Broil King is a better grill, you just need to make sure you cover it to keep the cart and sides from going on you since they are built rather cheaply. If I were to buy any backyard gas grill these days it would be a Napoleon, but they don't manufacture anything in your price range.

Great info, Josh! I am familiar with the units, but I haven't cooked on each. Build quality and construction, and availability of parts is the info I'm pulling from. It's good to hear actual cooking experiences on all and from a very credible source.

 

[luke duke]

Road trip!!
http://charlotte.craigslist.org/app/3881441529.html

 

[joshcary]

... Build quality and construction, and availability of parts is the info I'm pulling from ....

Good point. Replacement parts can be a problem with Broil King. We've had to run interference for our customers to make sure they get the right parts before, so I always recommend buying from a reputable dealer that will take care of you! On the other hand, it's not like an import grill where you'll be buying replacement parts every summer. The head and burner design on the Broil King leaves little to be desired, and they will last a long time with proper care. Weber is amazing with replacement parts, and is very easy to work with (their biggest selling feature is their customer service IMO).

On the other hand, if the OP ends up with a Genesis, replace the standard grates with GrillGrates. It's a much better cooking experience overall, and it helps with Weber's unevenness problems. Heck, I cooked some hot dogs for the staff last week on a Summit (again, a nearly $2,000 grill) and the back left was searing hot while the front right was barely getting a char on the hot dogs. The only thing even about it was the sweep from hot to cold! Though like all cookers, once you have cooked on it enough, you learn it's advantages/disadvantages.

 

[Hedgeley]

I have a 2 burner Broil King Natural Gas at home, my Mom has a Genesis propane, my buddy just bought his 2nd Genesis NG in 20 years (!), my son has a Summit Propane as well as a BGE. The one thing I find annoying about the Webers (and maybe they changed the design) is the burner arrangement is front to back. I prefer side to side, like my Broil King and Huntington. I also don't like the controls at the side, but there's probably a reason for that. My favourite gas grill? Was my propane BroilMaster that lasted me 24 years with the cast iron bowtie burner. Being in the Great White North and BBQing (sorry, grilling) year round that thing would hold the heat in like no tomorrow. But man oh man, not only are they hard to find anymore, they are a ton of money for what you get.
http://www.broilmaster.com/bm/

 

[Steelers252006]

Road trip!!
http://charlotte.craigslist.org/app/3881441529.html

Haha, thanks, man!!

 

[redwingsphan]

I have a 2 burner Broil King Natural Gas at home, my Mom has a Genesis propane, my buddy just bought his 2nd Genesis NG in 20 years (!), my son has a Summit Propane as well as a BGE. The one thing I find annoying about the Webers (and maybe they changed the design) is the burner arrangement is front to back. I prefer side to side, like my Broil King and Huntington. I also don't like the controls at the side, but there's probably a reason for that. My favourite gas grill? Was my propane BroilMaster that lasted me 24 years with the cast iron bowtie burner. Being in the Great White North and BBQing (sorry, grilling) year round that thing would hold the heat in like no tomorrow. But man oh man, not only are they hard to find anymore, they are a ton of money for what you get.
http://www.broilmaster.com/bm/

They have recently changed to a west/east burner setup. This is a great thread since I am in the market for a larger gas grill, and i now have another option. I am very new here and love the perspective on gas vs not, but I doubt that anything gets hot in 10 minutes in my backyard like a gas grill.

 

[redwingsphan]

Haha, thanks, man!!

That's a great grill. I own the two burner version and have cooked on it about 1000 times in eight years. Are there cold zones, yes, but like another poster said, it is sturdy.

 

[redwingsphan]

I have a 2 burner Broil King Natural Gas at home, my Mom has a Genesis propane, my buddy just bought his 2nd Genesis NG in 20 years (!), my son has a Summit Propane as well as a BGE. The one thing I find annoying about the Webers (and maybe they changed the design) is the burner arrangement is front to back. I prefer side to side, like my Broil King and Huntington. I also don't like the controls at the side, but there's probably a reason for that. My favourite gas grill? Was my propane BroilMaster that lasted me 24 years with the cast iron bowtie burner. Being in the Great White North and BBQing (sorry, grilling) year round that thing would hold the heat in like no tomorrow. But man oh man, not only are they hard to find anymore, they are a ton of money for what you get.
http://www.broilmaster.com/bm/

My wife officially hates you.

 

[twofishy4u]

I have a Genesis e-310 I bought new in 2007. It has had hundreds maybe a thousand pounds of propane through it. It has been great until recently. I do notice in the last year It has a lot more hot and cold areas on the grill. I have cleaned the burners a few times and nothing has helped. I was looking at new ones and I see weber f-uped the design and moved the burners so they go front to back not side to side. This is terrible for a rotisserie. I won't buy a new one. I actually believe the older ones are better too. I have a heck of a time hitting over 400 degrees.

 

[caseydog]

A Broil King will out cook a Genesis every time. The construction of their cart leaves a little to be desired, but the burners are superior, the cooker gets much hotter, and overall it lacks the unevenness of the new Genesis grills. Heck, I'd rather cook on a Broil King than a Summit that costs $1,899!

So for the price, the Broil King is a better grill, you just need to make sure you cover it to keep the cart and sides from going on you since they are built rather cheaply. If I were to buy any backyard gas grill these days it would be a Napoleon, but they don't manufacture anything in your price range.

That is the big dilemma. I bought a Charbroil 52K BTU gasser with solid brass burners. It was an outstanding gas grill -- for three years.

When I unloaded it at a garage sale for fifty bucks, the burners were still stellar. From the outside, it still looked great. But, the frame -- the skeleton that held everything together had completely rusted out. I had to JB Weld the thing together just to get rid of it.

I paid 400 bucks for three years of use. My Dad bought a Weber Genesis, and paid 600 bucks for ten plus years of use -- he is still using it, and there is nothing wrong with it. It could easily go another five years before he has to replace any parts.

He is 81 years old, so it is entirely possible I will inherit that grill, and keep using it for many years.

My Charbroil gasser could out-cook my dad's Genesis -- for three years.

CD

 

[Hedgeley]

My wife officially hates you.

that may be a good thing, as long as she doesn't hate you...

as previously stated by another member, I think the GRILLGRATE (tm) may make things better. I wish I could find someone in Canada that would offer it for less than a 100% premium. Otherwise I may have to wait till October

 

[rcbaughn]

Spend the money on the Weber for sure. Going the cheaper route just costs you more down the road, and with the 10 year warranty on the burners from Weber, it will likely provide years and years and years and years of worry free grilling. They are bullet proof and have stood the test of time no doubt. I love Weber. I guess you can tell.

 

[TailGateJoecom]

Will definitely try that!! I sold my Genesis, which was just a year old, garage kept and with a cover on, in great shape, for $400. Man, I wish I could find THAT deal!! :mrgreen:

You can prolly find an old early-mid 90's genesis and refurb that. There is a guy on ebay who makes great quality stainless flavorbars thicker than weber and cheaper. Could prolly replace burners and bars for like 200, and maybe score the grill for $0-50 bucks. Plenty of info on refurbishing old webers on the web. I have my parents old redhead genesis 3000 i am going to refurb myself.

 

[TailGateJoecom]

I have a 2 burner Broil King Natural Gas at home, my Mom has a Genesis propane, my buddy just bought his 2nd Genesis NG in 20 years (!), my son has a Summit Propane as well as a BGE. The one thing I find annoying about the Webers (and maybe they changed the design) is the burner arrangement is front to back. I prefer side to side, like my Broil King and Huntington. I also don't like the controls at the side, but there's probably a reason for that. My favourite gas grill? Was my propane BroilMaster that lasted me 24 years with the cast iron bowtie burner. Being in the Great White North and BBQing (sorry, grilling) year round that thing would hold the heat in like no tomorrow. But man oh man, not only are they hard to find anymore, they are a ton of money for what you get.
http://www.broilmaster.com/bm/

Old Genesis grills go side to side. I actually prefer front to back, as my Crown Verity grills are laid out. It is much easier in my opinion to do direct/indirect with the burners going front to back, where I can move food left to right to get in nd out of the heat zones. Just my opinion though on how I like to run my grill.

 

[redwingsphan]

Old Genesis grills go side to side. I actually prefer front to back, as my Crown Verity grills are laid out. It is much easier in my opinion to do direct/indirect with the burners going front to back, where I can move food left to right to get in nd out of the heat zones. Just my opinion though on how I like to run my grill.

I'm a bit confused. Do you think it is better for the burners to be horizontal to the front of the grill, or perpendicular? If horizontal, it is tough with a two burner to creat zones. I would imagine that having perpendicular burners would take advantage of the shape of the grill.

 

[redwingsphan]

I have a Genesis e-310 I bought new in 2007. It has had hundreds maybe a thousand pounds of propane through it. It has been great until recently. I do notice in the last year It has a lot more hot and cold areas on the grill. I have cleaned the burners a few times and nothing has helped. I was looking at new ones and I see weber f-uped the design and moved the burners so they go front to back not side to side. This is terrible for a rotisserie. I won't buy a new one. I actually believe the older ones are better too. I have a heck of a time hitting over 400 degrees.

Unfortunately it sounds like you need new burners. My 05ish genesis will hit 500 in December (50 degree highs) in 15-20 min.

Edit: I see what you mean concerning the rotisserie. Are you unable to get new burners?

 

[redwingsphan]

that may be a good thing, as long as she doesn't hate you...

as previously stated by another member, I think the GRILLGRATE (tm) may make things better. I wish I could find someone in Canada that would offer it for less than a 100% premium. Otherwise I may have to wait till October

I just learned about those grates a few days ago thanks to someone digging up an old thread. I still think that i need a little more area though. I would hope that there is a brethren up north in the states that could help you out.

 

[Hedgeley]

Old Genesis grills go side to side. I actually prefer front to back, as my Crown Verity grills are laid out. It is much easier in my opinion to do direct/indirect with the burners going front to back, where I can move food left to right to get in nd out of the heat zones. Just my opinion though on how I like to run my grill.

I think I was unclear on what I said. I like BURNERS going front to back which gives you a heating control pattern of side to side. My Mom's Genesis has burners going side to side which gives a heating orientation of front to back.

 

[luke duke]

I have a Genesis e-310 I bought new in 2007. It has had hundreds maybe a thousand pounds of propane through it. It has been great until recently. I do notice in the last year It has a lot more hot and cold areas on the grill. I have cleaned the burners a few times and nothing has helped. I was looking at new ones and I see weber f-uped the design and moved the burners so they go front to back not side to side. This is terrible for a rotisserie. I won't buy a new one. I actually believe the older ones are better too. I have a heck of a time hitting over 400 degrees.

I think that your burners are still under warranty. Give Weber a call and they'll probably send you a new set for free. Even if you have to buy them you will probably only be out $50.

You can prolly find an old early-mid 90's genesis and refurb that. There is a guy on ebay who makes great quality stainless flavorbars thicker than weber and cheaper. Could prolly replace burners and bars for like 200, and maybe score the grill for $0-50 bucks. Plenty of info on refurbishing old webers on the web. I have my parents old redhead genesis 3000 i am going to refurb myself.

rcplanebuyer is the ebay seller that you're talking about. I bought 3 sets from him last year to refurb the abused Webers at the neighborhood pool and I was very impressed with the quality. This set of flavorizer bars will likely outlast the rest of the grill.