The smart features may be helpful for some people, but we didn’t find them worth the price increase. The gas tank mounts externally (see the top photo in this section) instead of in a cabinet underneath the grill, so replacing the tank is easier here than on other models. A sturdy shelf under the grill and a side table, which folds down for storage, give you some outdoor “counter space” while you’re cooking. To some extent, all grills run cooler toward the front of the grate, but in our tests the Spirit II E-310 offered the most consistent heating across the entire grate surface. After 10 minutes, the burgers at the rear, the hottest part of the grill, were medium-well, and those at the front were medium-rare to medium. (If your diners have various preferences, this difference might even come in handy.) In contrast, lesser grills produced nearly raw burgers in the front and well-done patties in the back.
Through Bread Pay™, we offer easy and affordable financing options so you can pay for your purchase over time. A full line of flavors to fire up the best tasting grilled meals. Michael Sullivan has been a staff writer on the kitchen team at Wirecutter since 2016. Previously, he was an editor at the International Culinary Center in New York. He has worked in various facets of the food and restaurant industry for over a decade. With its thick, rustproof cast-aluminum firebox, this grill will last for years.
We checked each grill’s ability to maintain a uniform, gentle cook by grilling a cut-up whole chicken over medium heat. This two-burner grill is great for grilling novices or for folks with limited space. However, it lacks some of the versatility—and heat output—of our other picks. weber bbq The Ducane Products Company began as the Ducane Brothers Metal Fabricating in 1946. It moved three years later to Little Ferry, New Jersey and manufactured warm air furnaces. This article was updated by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance writer and product tester for The Spruce Eats.
Both times we’ve tested it, the assembly has been short-and-sweet, and moving it into place was a breeze. From there, it turned out pork, burgers, steaks, chicken, veggies, and even grilled pineapple with fabulous results. With different grill sizes, cooking grates and BTU levels, a difference in performance is expected in each individual outdoor gas grill. If you’re willing to spend a little more for extra features than the Weber Genesis EPX-335 is what you seek, and it’s $100 off the usual price right now.
Depending on the grill size, that means turning one or two burners off completely. To determine the best gas grill and get a feel for how these grills perform in a variety of cooking scenarios, we perform three tests. Based on different meats, methods and heat settings, these tests show us how efficiently and evenly a grill does (or doesn’t) cook.
Lastly, you need to make sure your grill fits your allotted space, and/or is able to move, should you need to store it or bring it on a roadtrip. Whether you regularly cook for a crowd or simply cook for one, you need the right size grill. Too big and you’ll be wasting fuel, too small and you’ll be eating dinner last.
Beginners will quickly be able to learn the correct damper positions in order to achieve a consistent temperature, as we did. One thing to note is the inaccurate temperature on the built-in dial. We observed off readings and ended up relying on a secondary thermometer.
Once the last burger in the basket reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit, the batch is finished. A good burger in this test is one that has both a nice outside char and a slightly pink center. Grilled chicken should have a crispy skin and meat that is cooked through fully but not dry. We perform this test in three rounds, giving us a solid average cooking time for each grill. Whole chickens are cooked on indirect, medium heat until both breasts reach 165 degrees F. That’s an aesthetically pleasing compromise, but reaching through the side bars and around the panel to open and close the tank was frustratingly difficult.
For that reason, Weber offers generous warranties; years for the cookbox on almost all their full-sized models. Other grill parts, like the knobs, grates, and burner tubes have slightly shorter warranties, ranging from three to 10 years. Charcoal grills are much cheaper, however, and they can burn hotter than gas grills, creating a better sear. But charcoal takes time to light, and you have to be comfortable with moving around coals and fiddling with vents to control the grill’s heat. It offers the same quality as our top pick, but it’s more compact. The E-210 has a cast-aluminum firebox, an enameled steel lid and open cart, and two side tables.