As mentioned earlier in the house pictures thread, sooner or later we will probably need a new grill (more likely sooner), because our no-name gas grill is slowly giving up (Proficook).
Our grill has three burners, and shortly after buying it, we upgraded it with an enameled cast iron grill grate (and please, never anything else again!). We use it a lot, and it has served us well so far. We chose a relatively inexpensive gas grill back then because, as convinced charcoal grillers, we weren’t quite sure if gas really was for us.
Nowadays, our charcoal kettle grill basically just sits unused; we only use gas now. And that’s all year round.
The grill stays outside all year, of course covered with a hood, but in the future, it will probably continue to live outdoors, possibly under a roof, but otherwise exposed to the weather under the cover.
And that’s probably the problem, at least for our Proficook, because after about 4 years, it is already heavily rusting.
From our experience over these 4 years, the following features are essential for us:
- enameled cast iron grate
- a grease drip system, not a grease tray. Right now we have a large catch-all pan under the entire burner area. It’s a nightmare to clean and if not done thoroughly, it’s the cause of sudden flare-ups. However, we have seen on Weber grills and Napoleon grills that the grease drains into a conical chute leading to a small container. We want that too, please.
- a warming area would be great. Whether that’s a side plate or a warming zone above the grate doesn’t matter. However, with our grill, the warming zone above the grate didn’t work well. First, it was too narrow for, for example, larger pieces of meat, and second, everything kept sliding off somehow. What do the grilling experts here say? What is the best solution?
- it should get really hot. Ours has a double-walled lid, but it struggles to exceed 200°C (392°F), or the temperature immediately drops when the lid is opened even briefly.
- I’m also interested in a rotisserie, and since I don’t want to stand next to the grill turning it manually for hours, what’s the best option? Does that even make sense? (But when I think of crispy pork knuckles or a suckling pig, yes, then it makes sense!)
Braising or low-temperature cooking on the grill doesn’t need to work for me — I have other options for that, including soon an outdoor bread oven.
Does it have to be a Weber grill? We’ve looked at Napoleon grills, and I almost liked them better. What should you really pay attention to regarding build quality, and what must a good grill be able to do? How do these high-end grills handle weather? We have always kept our grill covered, but still outside. That won’t change with a new grill either. But I’d go crazy if such an expensive grill started to rust heavily after 4 years at the “South Pole” where I live. Then I’d rather buy a low-budget unit again and replace it after 4 to 5 years.
Something else I’ve noticed: I can barely get our grill properly clean anymore. The stainless steel hood looks dull, the black parts have stains that won’t come off with anything. What are your experiences with high-quality grills? How do you clean them? I admit, that could be a reason to spend more money, as this really annoys me. I don’t like a dirty grill, but cleaning our Proficook is truly a challenge.
And what exactly is a sizzle zone and what do you use it for?
What other features exist that I might not know about but could be useful?
Dear grill masters — please share your experiences with me and give me your tips!
Our grill has three burners, and shortly after buying it, we upgraded it with an enameled cast iron grill grate (and please, never anything else again!). We use it a lot, and it has served us well so far. We chose a relatively inexpensive gas grill back then because, as convinced charcoal grillers, we weren’t quite sure if gas really was for us.
Nowadays, our charcoal kettle grill basically just sits unused; we only use gas now. And that’s all year round.
The grill stays outside all year, of course covered with a hood, but in the future, it will probably continue to live outdoors, possibly under a roof, but otherwise exposed to the weather under the cover.
And that’s probably the problem, at least for our Proficook, because after about 4 years, it is already heavily rusting.
From our experience over these 4 years, the following features are essential for us:
- enameled cast iron grate
- a grease drip system, not a grease tray. Right now we have a large catch-all pan under the entire burner area. It’s a nightmare to clean and if not done thoroughly, it’s the cause of sudden flare-ups. However, we have seen on Weber grills and Napoleon grills that the grease drains into a conical chute leading to a small container. We want that too, please.
- a warming area would be great. Whether that’s a side plate or a warming zone above the grate doesn’t matter. However, with our grill, the warming zone above the grate didn’t work well. First, it was too narrow for, for example, larger pieces of meat, and second, everything kept sliding off somehow. What do the grilling experts here say? What is the best solution?
- it should get really hot. Ours has a double-walled lid, but it struggles to exceed 200°C (392°F), or the temperature immediately drops when the lid is opened even briefly.
- I’m also interested in a rotisserie, and since I don’t want to stand next to the grill turning it manually for hours, what’s the best option? Does that even make sense? (But when I think of crispy pork knuckles or a suckling pig, yes, then it makes sense!)
Braising or low-temperature cooking on the grill doesn’t need to work for me — I have other options for that, including soon an outdoor bread oven.
Does it have to be a Weber grill? We’ve looked at Napoleon grills, and I almost liked them better. What should you really pay attention to regarding build quality, and what must a good grill be able to do? How do these high-end grills handle weather? We have always kept our grill covered, but still outside. That won’t change with a new grill either. But I’d go crazy if such an expensive grill started to rust heavily after 4 years at the “South Pole” where I live. Then I’d rather buy a low-budget unit again and replace it after 4 to 5 years.
Something else I’ve noticed: I can barely get our grill properly clean anymore. The stainless steel hood looks dull, the black parts have stains that won’t come off with anything. What are your experiences with high-quality grills? How do you clean them? I admit, that could be a reason to spend more money, as this really annoys me. I don’t like a dirty grill, but cleaning our Proficook is truly a challenge.
And what exactly is a sizzle zone and what do you use it for?
What other features exist that I might not know about but could be useful?
Dear grill masters — please share your experiences with me and give me your tips!
What I gather from you is this:
Weber grill Genesis® II EP-335 GBS
It exactly matches your requirements. For a rotisserie, I would choose an accessory one, for example from Santos.
Keeping food warm works best on the inner warming rack. Yes, it is narrow, but you can stack items.
Cleaning? Yes, but don’t overdo it like many people do. Then you end up cleaning more than grilling.
“Sizzle” on Weber grills means Sear Station, an extra hot zone for steaks.
With the Genesis II from Weber, you get a 10-year warranty on everything. Mine has been outside in all weather for 3 years and still looks like new!
For the Weber GBS, I would also recommend a wok or a pan (for seafood, eggs, bacon, etc.). And naturally, a pizza stone.
Weber grill Genesis® II EP-335 GBS
It exactly matches your requirements. For a rotisserie, I would choose an accessory one, for example from Santos.
Keeping food warm works best on the inner warming rack. Yes, it is narrow, but you can stack items.
Cleaning? Yes, but don’t overdo it like many people do. Then you end up cleaning more than grilling.
“Sizzle” on Weber grills means Sear Station, an extra hot zone for steaks.
With the Genesis II from Weber, you get a 10-year warranty on everything. Mine has been outside in all weather for 3 years and still looks like new!
For the Weber GBS, I would also recommend a wok or a pan (for seafood, eggs, bacon, etc.). And naturally, a pizza stone.
I would stick with Weber grill or Broil King. You can’t go wrong with either!
Broil King Sovereign 490 XL including rotisserie + motor
Available for an MSRP of 1699€.
Weber Genesis® II EP-335 GBS
Available for an MSRP of 1399€.
Sometimes Weber runs promotions where you get a rotisserie or other accessories included.
The Broil King generally tends to offer a bit more power.
Broil King Sovereign 490 XL including rotisserie + motor
Available for an MSRP of 1699€.
Weber Genesis® II EP-335 GBS
Available for an MSRP of 1399€.
Sometimes Weber runs promotions where you get a rotisserie or other accessories included.
The Broil King generally tends to offer a bit more power.
Thank you. No, definitely not a pizza stone – as I mentioned, there will be a masonry wood-fired oven next to it. So pizza sessions will be at the oven, not on the grill.
I already have a cast iron pan that I also use on the grill.
Why does the Broiking have a bit more "power," or what do you mean by that?
I already have a cast iron pan that I also use on the grill.
Why does the Broiking have a bit more "power," or what do you mean by that?
Hey!
First of all: No, it doesn’t have to be a Weber grill. There are so many manufacturers on the market – and quite a few offer a much better price-performance ratio.
When I needed to replace my entry-level gas grill (Barbecook), I quickly took advantage of an offer in November and bought a Rösle Videro G4S for 480€ (about $480). I originally wanted a Napoleon, but in the end, the extra cost for the Rösle at that price was too high for me.
It has 4 burners, plus a side burner and an infrared burner for steaks. The latter is rarely used, but I think it’s important that it’s installed outside the cooking area, otherwise all the marinade from the regular grill food drips onto the ceramic burner.
I wouldn’t want to miss the side burner anymore; just yesterday, we used it to cook saltimbocca, so no cooking smells spread through the house.
According to the lid thermometer, I reach about 340°C (645°F) at full power. That’s completely sufficient, at least for me. A friend recently bought the G3S and is also very satisfied.
For my parents, I recently got the BroilKing Royal 320, and I was really impressed. It gets extremely hot and has a die-cast aluminum housing. That’s something I’m missing on my smaller grill, and for my next grill, I will definitely prioritize that.
But that’s also the problem—those features only come in the higher price segment. If you want to go that way, I would recommend the Napoleons or BroilKing models you already mentioned. My next grill will definitely come from one of those brands.
Maybe vorlauf can give you more detailed recommendations?
Budget? How many burners?
Since you mentioned a rotisserie, do you want a rear burner?
What about an infrared burner (800°C (1470°F) zone for steaks)?
Regarding the grease tray:
Our grill also has a large drip pan, which slopes towards a hole with a small catch tray underneath. From experience, I know that only a small amount of grease actually ends up in the small tray, since we don’t grill with a lot of fat. Most of the drippings evaporate as they hit the hot surface of the large pan.
I solved this by lining the pan with aluminum foil and filling it with sand. This way, the grease drips into the sand and is absorbed.
I change the sand regularly to prevent grease fires.
Some sources online advise against this because of the risk that grease buildup could cause a major grease fire if it collects there. That’s why I replace the sand regularly.
First of all: No, it doesn’t have to be a Weber grill. There are so many manufacturers on the market – and quite a few offer a much better price-performance ratio.
When I needed to replace my entry-level gas grill (Barbecook), I quickly took advantage of an offer in November and bought a Rösle Videro G4S for 480€ (about $480). I originally wanted a Napoleon, but in the end, the extra cost for the Rösle at that price was too high for me.
It has 4 burners, plus a side burner and an infrared burner for steaks. The latter is rarely used, but I think it’s important that it’s installed outside the cooking area, otherwise all the marinade from the regular grill food drips onto the ceramic burner.
I wouldn’t want to miss the side burner anymore; just yesterday, we used it to cook saltimbocca, so no cooking smells spread through the house.
According to the lid thermometer, I reach about 340°C (645°F) at full power. That’s completely sufficient, at least for me. A friend recently bought the G3S and is also very satisfied.
For my parents, I recently got the BroilKing Royal 320, and I was really impressed. It gets extremely hot and has a die-cast aluminum housing. That’s something I’m missing on my smaller grill, and for my next grill, I will definitely prioritize that.
But that’s also the problem—those features only come in the higher price segment. If you want to go that way, I would recommend the Napoleons or BroilKing models you already mentioned. My next grill will definitely come from one of those brands.
Maybe vorlauf can give you more detailed recommendations?
Budget? How many burners?
Since you mentioned a rotisserie, do you want a rear burner?
What about an infrared burner (800°C (1470°F) zone for steaks)?
Regarding the grease tray:
Our grill also has a large drip pan, which slopes towards a hole with a small catch tray underneath. From experience, I know that only a small amount of grease actually ends up in the small tray, since we don’t grill with a lot of fat. Most of the drippings evaporate as they hit the hot surface of the large pan.
I solved this by lining the pan with aluminum foil and filling it with sand. This way, the grease drips into the sand and is absorbed.
I change the sand regularly to prevent grease fires.
Some sources online advise against this because of the risk that grease buildup could cause a major grease fire if it collects there. That’s why I replace the sand regularly.
Just out of curiosity: Does it really have to be such an incredibly expensive gas grill?
I bought a Barbecook CEBU 3.1 back in 2014 for 360 EUR. That model is no longer available, but you can probably find a successor in the same price range.
I don’t see any rust, even though I’ve forgotten to cover it a few times. It’s even been left outside in the rain with the lid open...
It has both a warming rack and a drip tray for fat, which is very easy to remove. You could also install a rotisserie spit if needed. So, I’m satisfied with it. Even though Weber or Napoleon grills look nice, I don’t really see the value you get for that price.
I bought a Barbecook CEBU 3.1 back in 2014 for 360 EUR. That model is no longer available, but you can probably find a successor in the same price range.
I don’t see any rust, even though I’ve forgotten to cover it a few times. It’s even been left outside in the rain with the lid open...
It has both a warming rack and a drip tray for fat, which is very easy to remove. You could also install a rotisserie spit if needed. So, I’m satisfied with it. Even though Weber or Napoleon grills look nice, I don’t really see the value you get for that price.
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