There’s no doubt that Weber are a very popular global grill brand, but are they actually worth your hard earned dollars? Let’s find out…
Weber is owned by Weber-Stephen products LLC, headquartered in Palatine, and their grills are mainly manufactured in the USA. Reviewers who have actually purchased one of their grills give them 4.7 to 5 stars out of 5, so Weber make high quality products.
Join us to discover everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the Weber grills brand, so you can make an informed buying decision when it comes to parting with your hard earned cash…
Where Are Weber Grills Made? (Are They Made in The USA?)
Weber Grills are mainly made in America. We can’t say simply that they are made in the US, as they were subject to a lawsuit a few years ago, as some grill components are manufactured abroad.
However, most of the models and their parts are made in Palatine, Ill, and most of the company’s employees are based in the USA.
Who Makes Weber Grills? (Will They Stand Behind Their Products?)
The company is still owned by Weber-Stephen products LLC, also headquartered in Palatine. In 1952, a man named George Stephen, working for Weber Brothers Metal Works in Chicago, invented the kettle grill.
His design was inspired by the shape of a buoy (well, half a buoy), and the iconically shaped grill has been made in the US by the same company ever since. Today’s company offers decent warranties for its products, has a catalog of replacement parts on its website, and has a customer support service seven days a week.
What Products Are in The Weber Grills Collection?
Weber offers gas, electric, charcoal, and wood pellet grills. There are table-top, portable, and cart versions, and of course, come in that fabulous range of colors.
There’s a large choice of gas-powered Weber grills, which includes the Genesis, Spirit and Summit collections. You can go really high tech with the latest smart grills. These gas-powered models can be controlled via an app, so you can really relax and let the grill do its thing.
However, if you’re drawn to the simplicity of outdoor cooking, go back to basics and choose an original kettle BBQ from Weber. The grills that started it all are still fabulous, and can be great value. The next level up is the easy-to-clean Master-Touch series, and there are also smokers and Kamado grills in the charcoal range.
For easy cooking, the electric Q range can simply be plugged in on a safe surface on your patio or balcony, creating an alternative cooker for summer day feasts.
What Size & Weight Are Weber Grills?
Because Weber offers such a large range of grills, there’s a great choice of shapes and sizes. The Summit Grill Center is the largest, and is basically the size of a small kitchen. This impressive beast gives you a total cooking area of 769 inches plus prep space and lots of storage. It measures a mighty 59″H x 91.1″W x 30″D.
The large Genesis cart model measures 47″H x 59″W x 29″D and has over 500 square inches of primary cooking surface. By contrast, the compact and lightweight Smokey Joe portable charcoal grills measure just 17″H x 14.2″W x 16.5″D with 147 square inches of cooking space (that’s five burgers).
Do Weber Grills Come With a Warranty?
Yes, Weber US offers a warranty for all their products, including the accessories. The classic bowls and lids are guaranteed rust-free for ten years, with other grill components varying between two and ten years.
Weber offers lots of different warranty terms, so take a look at the warranties page of their website to find out more about specific parts and products.
Do Weber Grills Also Make Accessories?
Yes, Weber makes accessories, and these are great gifts for any grill fan. They have a great range of BBQ tools and accessories, from spatulas to pizza stones. For the real Weber fan, check out the gifts collection, which includes branded T-shirts, bottle openers, and metal signs.
Weber also makes practical accessories such as grill covers and cleaning kits. Honestly, we could spend hours just admiring their selection of grill brushes (does that make us sound sad?); and Weber is definitely up there with the best companies when it comes to quality accessories.
What Do The Reviews Say About Weber Grills?
We checked out the Amazon review for the Original Kettle grill, the popular 22 inch diameter model. It has five out of five stars, and has been rated well over 7,000 times.
The reviewers love how easy it is to use (and clean), and the colors get a few mentions! Users also like being able to easily control the air flow. The downside? The instructions, apparently.
We also took a look at a gas grill for comparison. The Weber Spirit E-310 is a modest-size cart grill that costs about $560.
This has 4.7 out of five stars overall, with 1,400 people leaving ratings. This one is easy to assemble, apparently, and gets praise for its responsive controls. Some users have complained about quality issues such as the finish flaking and knobs coming off.
How Much Do Weber Grills Cost?
The smart gas grills cost upwards of four figures (although you can pick up a neat slimline model for about $850). By comparison, a Genesis II grill without the smart function costs between $700 and $800.
The latest Kamado grill retails at just under $1,800. However if you’re a charcoal fan, you can save a lot by doing low-tech and picking up an Original Kettle. Small ones start at $99 on the Weber US website. The Master-Touch series of charcoal grills are more expensive at around $229 to $269 (Weber website prices).
For camping and trips out, the portable Smokey Joes cost just $59. These little grills have a 14 inch-wide cooking area and a neat carrying handle.
Not on a budget? That mighty Summit Grill Center is currently around $3,800 (but you get a lot of features for this).
How Do I Use a Weber Grill?
One of the reasons that Weber grills are loved is their simplicity. Here’s a basic guide to getting started with your Weber. If you have a gas Weber, make sure it’s installed correctly as per the manual.
- Open the lid of the grill
- Open the valve on the propane tank
- Give it a minute for the gas to travel up the line
- Turn all the burners on to high
- Wait 10-15 minutes for the grill to heat
- Carefully brush the cooking grate with a wire brush
- Turn the burners to the desired cooking temperature
- Stick on those steaks and veg!
If you have a charcoal Weber, here’s what you do:
- Open all the dampers fully
- Hang the cooking grate on the handle, keeping it out of the way for now
- Load up the chimney starter with charcoal, about halfway up
- Put two lighter cubes on the bottom grate under the chimney starter, and light them
- Wait 10-15 minutes until the charcoal has completely ashed over
- Wearing a grill mitt, move the ashed-over charcoal onto the grate
- Replace the cooking grate
- Put the lid on, and make sure the vent is open
- Give it another 10-15 minutes to heat up before cooking
If you have a smart grill, we’d recommend watching one of the Weber tutorial videos.
Are Weber Grills Easy To Look After?
One of the plus-points on those Amazon reviews was how easy Weber grills are to keep clean. The heat generated by the burners or charcoal naturally burns off most food remnants, but it never hurts to give your grill a deep clean now and then.
The recommendation from Weber for cleaning a gas grill is simply to burn off the grates at a high heat, brush them down, and use a special Weber grate cleaner. Make sure you empty and clean the drip pans regularly. For those smart enamel or stainless steel cases, use a special BBQ cleaner and a soft microfiber cloth.
For charcoal models, Weber recommends waiting for the grill to cook, applying a special grill cleaner onto the grates, leaving it for 30 seconds then brushing or wiping clean.
How Do I Store My Weber Grill?
Weber has a good range of grill covers, and you can buy these from Weber or places like Amazon. Weber are renowned for being tough, but we’d say don’t push your luck, and winterize them indoors if you can.
If you’ve bought the Summit Grill Center, you’ll have to leave it in place, but you can get a bespoke cover for it from Weber (for a reasonable $67ish).
When the grill season is over, give your Weber a good clean down, and make sure it’s dry. Cover it, then wheel it into your shed or garage until spring (or a sunny winter’s BBQ).
Summary: Where Can I Buy a Weber Grill?
Webers are easy to get hold of. If you like to go and look at a grill, you can buy Weber at Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Target.
We’ve already mentioned Amazon, and of course, there’s the Weber website itself.
