Its racks are made from porcelain-coated cast iron, and it has an open-cart design with two wheels for easy portability. Yet its three-burner grilling surface is big enough to cook a complete meal (meat or fish and a couple of veggies) for a family or a dozen burgers for a party. With its thick, rust-proof cast-aluminum firebox, this grill will last for years. The Spirit II is also a particularly simple grill to assemble, maintain, and use.
Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). Of all the fuels mentioned here, charcoal emits the most carbon into the atmosphere. Though there’s no debating that, some experts argue that lump charcoal (not briquettes, which can have added chemicals) is potentially carbon neutral. If you want to read more about comparing grilling fuels, we found helpful articles from The Atlantic, Slate, and NPR.
Whether you’re in the market for a spacious stationary grill to cook for a crowd or a lightweight, portable, option for camping or tailgating, here are the best Weber grills. We found that a propane tank 30lb or larger won’t fit, so will have to sit out on the patio. We followed the instructions, weber bbq cleaning the grill plates and triangular elements, scraping everything down before removing the disposable drip tray. This meal took under 15 minutes from igniting the grill to plating up. If you’re hosting at short notice or want to get back to the party ASAP, this grill is your new best friend.
So the company has a financial incentive to build it to last for years. This two-burner grill is great for grilling novices or folks with limited space. However, it lacks some of the versatility—and heat output—of our other picks. Do not use an abrasive pad, instead use a cloth with a suitable metal, plastic or porcelain cleaning spray and wipe down all surfaces. Whether you’re having a few friends over, or a family celebration, we have the model for you.
The Weber Genesis E-325s puts out more heat per square inch than our pick, and the main grate has a 20% larger cooking area. Weber also redesigned its expandable upper warming rack, with bars that run front to back (rather than side to side), so it’s easier to slide a spatula under the food. Instead of porcelainized cast-iron cooking grates, the Genesis E-325s has a grilling surface made of thick stainless steel rods (these won’t make a huge difference in your grilling results).
Overall, the two-burner Spirit II is the same depth and height as the three-burner model, but the E-210 is 4 inches smaller width-wise. That may not seem like much, but if you’re working with a small patio area, every inch counts. Like the E-310, the E-210 has an open-cart design and an easy-access side-mounted hook and gauge for the propane tank. During testing, we found that the Napoleon Prestige 500 didn’t respond as well as other grills to temperature changes, and it didn’t deliver good searing on the main grill, either. All the food was cooked, but it didn’t blow us away, especially given its high price tag. Further, we struggled when it came time to clean the grill, as it’s very hard to remove debris and grease from underneath the burners.
The now-discontinued Char-Broil Advantage 3-Burner Gas Grill from Lowe’s met the low expectations we set upon seeing its sub-$200 price. It cooked burgers acceptably, but to get an even cook we had to shuffle the patties around from hot spots to cool spots. Unable to keep a steady low temperature, it burned the barbecue chicken. To this grill’s credit, it made a nice indirect-roasted chicken—but then again, every tested grill did. Assembly was a pain, with unclear instructions and multiple fasteners of different sizes and types.
However, if you have a natural gas line in your home, there are some gas grills that can use this type of fuel. Some grills come with a conversion kit that lets you change them from propane to natural gas, while other grills are solely designed to use with natural gas. Many Weber grills, including our runner-up for best overall, the Weber Spirit II E Burner Gas Grill, can weber portable grill be purchased in both liquid propane or natural gas models. As you look at different gas grills, you’ll want to consider factors like their cooking space, number of burners, and special features like side burners or smart connectivity. To help narrow down your options, we tested 13 of today’s best large gas grills, evaluating their ease of use and cooking abilities.