 my dream grill |
| Review Date: September 18, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Richard Delhaie, Ashford CT USA |
I've wanted a new grill for my lake cottage for several years. It had to be of high quality & also versatile because it is our primary cooking area during the summer months. It had to be large enough to handle a crowd yet easy enough to use for just the wife & myself. The cottage is on an island, so reliability was extremely important - I didn't need to be shacking about for parts or God forbid, returning the unit.
This piece is quality! Quality! Quality! It is a TANK! If this unit was a SUV - it would be a Hummer! The controls are easy to use & precise. The cooking is even with no chance of flare-ups. I have grilled, done a rotisserie, and even baked a jumbo chicken in it - it is a dream.
I was going to spend almost twice as much until my wife put in her 2 cents. I read the reviews and this unit consistently came up on the best of the best under $1500. I can not imagine what one would want or expect a grill to do that has a price tag of $2K? -- But they're out there. No, it isn't the biggest, but I cooked for over 25 people at an all day picnic and there were no issues. No it doesn't have a fancy radiant heater - who really needs that?
I am simply a frugal New England Yankee (and Red Sox fan!) that insists on getting my money's worth. You WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED if you choose this grill.
|
What an upgrade from my rusty old Sunbeam!!
|
| Review Date: April 30, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Denis Kefallinos, Boston, MA |
I love owning products that are near the top of their class, yet not much of what I own falls into that category. I'm usually a 'value' buyer - I buy reasonable quality stuff at a reasonble price; rarely do I opt for the high end with no consideration to cost.
So this time I did just that: choosing to pay $600 for this grill when alternatives existed in the $180-$250 dollar range. We're only a family of four, occasionally have visitors, live in the Northeast so our season isn't very long. Why did I buy this?
Well after putting it together today, and using it for the first time, I know why I bought this. I bought it because the assembly instructions were perfectly clear and understandable; because everything fit together like Lego(tm) - as advertised - with close tolerances, high quality components everywhere, even the small details like nylon washers to minimize marring and corrision. I bought it because it has nice thick baked on powder coat to minimize rust. Its clear someone out there 'thinks' about this process of grilling, and they work at Weber.
Now I only bought it and used it today for the first time, so I have no long term experience, but from what I read, hear, and see for myself, this grill will provide me years of enjoyment. Consumer magazines rate Weber as a consistently high performing brand, and I don't deny it a bit.
You'll love the build quality, grilling, ease of use and solid feel. And you'll like how big it is because you will be inviting people over. Don't forget to buy the grill cover. I also bought the electric rotisserie with the hope of grilling some Chicken or Lamb at Easter. Opa! |
Spectacular Grill
|
| Review Date: April 28, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Slater Solomon, Asheville, NC USA |
If you are reading this then you are in the midst of doing product research and want to make the best decision with your hard earned dollars. You want to make sure you are getting a quality product with a good set of features that will last for a long time. I did the same thing over a year ago and I can tell you that if you can swing the price tag, then you will not regret your purchase.
Obviously I do not have a backyard full of grills, so I cannot compare this grill to other brands. So if you are trying to decide between this Weber 320 grill and some Kenmore, I can't help you there. What I can tell you is what I love about this grill.
First off, as far as shipping goes. You should be prepared for a very large shipment. This thing is very heavy and depending on your physical fitness you might need someone to help you. After you get the box where you want, plan on at least a couple of hours putting this thing together. It is packed very well and it is a little intimidating when you get it unpacked. Just take a deep breath and follow the instructions.
As you put the grill together you get a true appreciation for the craftsmanship and the pride Weber has in its products. Every piece is solid. From the casters to the cooking grate, each component is crafted well with the right materials. The cast iron cooking grates are the best and help differentiate it from the other, less expensive, Weber grills.
Once it is all put together and ready to go, operation could not be more simple. Push a button, and instant flame. It takes about 15 minutes to get to 500 degrees which is appropriate to sear in those grill marks so symbolic with perfectly grilled food. Providing you do not lift the lid too much, this grill will maintain its temperature. It is almost like setting an oven. Over the past year I have grilled just about every cut of meat from whole chickens, pulled pork, ribs, whole trout, ahi tuna, filets mignon you get the idea. Each and every time the grill has performed spectacularly. The only mistakes were my fault for one reason or another (beginner).
It is important that you maintain this grill. As with any grill, it is necessary to do some regular maintenance. The folks at Weber have done a good job of making this as easy as possible. Throw away the disposable drip pan, put a new one in. Slide out the bottom and scrape off the debris. Done!
One year later, I can honestly say that I have been very happy with my purchase and often site this grill as my most prized possession. The Weber grill is one you can take pride in and put on display for guests. No need to hide it over in the back corner of the yard. It is really amazing how a quality grill can make such a difference. I will warn you, after getting this grill, eating out will never be the same. Forget about going out for a steak!
In addition to the grill, I would recommend getting one of the Weber grilling books by Jaime Purviance. They do a nice job of introducing you to grill ownership & maintenance, grilling techniques and they have some really good recipes to boot.
So if you are looking for one more positive review to push you over the top, I hope you have found this review helpful. The Weber Genesis E-320 is a spectacular grill.
|
A Masterpiece of Design and Engineering.
|
| Review Date: November 10, 2009 |
| Reviewer: G. J. Reiser, Hendersonville, NC |
This is the second Weber gas grill I have owned since 1996. My first was a Weber Summit II but I, foolishly, gave it to my nephew about 4 years ago, because I got a good deal on a Frigidaire GL30. I regretted that decision many times because, from day one, the Frigidaire was nothing but a very pretty, but useless heap of stainless steel. When it blew up in my face a few weeks ago, I took the opportunity to return to the very best grill in the market place. Also, my nephew refused to give back my now 14 year old Summit, which is still working at peak performance.
After many days of internet shopping, I ordered the Weber E 320 from Amazon for $669.00 with free shipping. Although it was shipped from Portland, Oregon to Flat Rock, North Carolina, it arrived on time in good condition. It comes in a very big and heavy box but the driver placed it in my garage where it would be the best area to assemble the grill. I was impressed that the packaging contained no plastic foam to go in the land fill, but rather used some very ingenious honey combed cardboard.
It is the intention of this review to pass on a few assembly tips. After opening the top of the box and removing the parts that are tucked around the sides of the box, you will be faced with trying to lift the entire hood assembly (the pictorial shows two men lifting from both sides). If, at this point, you take a box cutter and cut down the four corners of the box and lay out the sides, you will have a flat surface to work from. THEN, after removing the two hinge pins from the hood (they slide out easily) you will be able to remove the hood and set it aside. I am 78 years old and was able to do this without help. You will then notice that the die cast aluminum fire box is packed with more, rather heavy parts. After these parts are removed, a single person can lift out the fire box and burner assembly, which is far lighter than it looks.
Assembly of this grill is nothing short of a very happy dream. The parts are of extremely high quality and fit together with precision. I strongly suggest that you throw away the included wrench and use a 7/16 nut driver for assembly. I did use a 7/16 socket wrench to torque down the front frame support, but I left every thing finger tight until I had all of the parts of the lower cart in place. Pay close attention to the shading of the bolts and washers so you use the proper bolt and washer in the proper place. I got a bit confused while installing the front frame support, in step 2, because it is unclear as to which way the return flanges face. They do point to the outside and if you go the other way, the firebox, in step 6, will not go in place. Also, if the doors don't line up after installing, there is an adjustment of the lower pin. A 7/16 box or open end wrench is best for this adjustment. I left a gap of about 1/8 inch between the doors. I used the included drip pans to hold the hardware while doing the assembly.
I did not want to do the assembly on our rear deck, where the grill will reside, because I was afraid that I might drop a part through the deck planking, never to be seen again. The finished grill is very heavy so I assembled the grill in the garage, except for the hood, flavorizer bars, drip pan, grates and, of course, the gas tank. At this level of assembly, my wife and myself were able to easily lift the grill into the kitchen and roll it through the house, to the rear deck where I did the final assembly.
As expected, the Weber fired up immediately and we were ready to do some really fine cooking. When I researched the E 320, I agonized over spending the extra money for the stainless steel grates and flavorizer bars, but I have quickly learned to prefer the cast iron grates. I am an amateur chef and I love the way the cast iron grates place wonderful sear marks on a good steak. If my old Summit II grill is still running after 14 years, I don't expect to be replacing any parts in the future. As an aside, I use Whirlpool stove top protectant on the porcelain hood for a super glossy surface that is easy to clean. I have it on hand for our smooth top stove and it works great on high temperature ceramic or porcelain surfaces. As a final thought, the Weber comes with a very handy gas gauge which measures the weight of the tank. It works very well so no other gauges are necessary.
I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. Weber is the only grill for Me!!!!
PS: Sunday, February 21, 2010 It finally warmed up enough for me to uncover the Weber grill and do some wonderful cooking. However, I noticed a small wear spot on the Weber 7553 premium cover, probably due to the very cold winter we had in the mountains. I took a picture of the wear spot and sent Weber an e mail explaining the problem. Would you believe that I got a response from Weber within two (2) minutes of the time I sent them the e mail. Their customer service only wanted the serial number of my grill and they would send me a new cover via FEDEX. WOW!!!! Talk about customer service. In all my 78 years, I have never had service like that --- nowhere!!!! |
Another high quality Weber grill!
|
| Review Date: June 20, 2007 |
| Reviewer: latentaudio, western ny |
This is my second Weber gas grill and it is even better than my first.
My first Weber was a smaller two burner. The smaller Weber was almost 8 years old and used one or two times a week. The ONLY things I ever had to do to it were to replace the flavorizer bars (after 5 years) and replace the igniter two times. I only upgraded because I needed more space and a side burner. The construction of the E-320 is very similar and I expect it will provide similar longevity.
The E-320 cooks very evenly and can get really HOT for great searing. The temperature is very easy to control and is very stable. You can get the grill temperature down to 250 and use it as a smoker if you like.
I can cook fish fillets directly on the grates without using any baskets or grill overlays. I've never had problems with the fish flaking thru the grates.
The only surprise I had was that although the base looks large, there really isn't that much storage space in it. The tank is in the left side and much of the right side is taken up with bracket that holds the grease tray.
Weber makes a great product and I couldn't be happier with this grill. |
The Best Grill of It's Size
|
| Review Date: June 27, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Ancient Mariner, Maine, USA |
After careful study of the excellent and easily understood assembly instructions, the grill went together neatly in a couple of hours enjoying the high quality of the components and perfect fit of all the parts. There were even a pair of spare pins for the hood pivots. The box in which the grill is packed is superbly designed and protects all the parts perfectly. A 7/16" socket wrench is handy instead of the stamped one that comes with the grill parts. Everything is bolted together with heavy, stainless steel bolts screwed into mostly pre threaded sockets.
Only a government engineer might have trouble assembling this grill.
The directions show needing two men to handle the grill/burner box installation in the frame, but one man can do the entire job alone. I'm 78 and had no problems.
As with other Weber products, you get what you pay for. If you enjoy buying and assembling a new grill every year or so and having mixed results with your grilled foods, don't buy a Weber. You'll be stuck with great grilling and having to use a Weber Genesis for ten or more years. Our close friends have been using theirs almost daily for twelve, and have only needed to replace the grates once. That sold me on buying this grill.
The ease of both direct and indirect grilling with the three individual burners and the shielding of them by the flavorizer bars is a real pleasure after coping with flareups on charcoal and other design grills.
The design for collection and removal of grease is excellent using disposable aluminum trays, several of which come with the grill to insert in the steel grease collection holder. The small disposable trays sold by Amazon are the same as the ones that come with the grill. To clean the cooking surfaces, just run the grill on high for ten minutes, allow it to cool completely, and the residue comes off easily with a brush.
The thing feels as solid as a tank and rolls around easily on large rollers, the front pair of which lock.
I suggest the Veranda collection BBQ Cover, large size, to protect the grill outdoors, instead of the Weber model cover which lets the rain in on the burner control knob shelf and the side burner. |
Love this grill
|
| Review Date: June 14, 2007 |
| Reviewer: nycityguy, Harrison, NY |
| After doing much research, I went with a bit more of an expensive model with the Genesis E-320. Glad I did because the minute I opened up the box, I realized that this grill is made VERY WELL. This thing is an absolute tank. Love the propane tank guage. Heats up well and side burner works very well also. My only criticism is that I wish the grill area was a bit bigger. It is great for 3 to 4 person meals but when I tried to throw steak, chicken and a slew of veggies on, it became a little crowded. Also, wish there was more side room for plates because if you use the side burner you lose space for food plates. Regardless, I would highly recommend this grill to anyone, especially since the shipping from Amazon was $.01 which I still can't believe. |
You get what you pay for!!!
|
| Review Date: July 27, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Wolfram Fischer, Atlanta, GA USA |
Shopping experience with AMAZON was great, fast delivery.
The grill is perfectly crafted and easy to assemble, even the box where it came in was heavy duty, nothing moves or can get scratched. Everything fits right into place. Material quality is very good and solid.
I am a novice to grilling, but I can say that from the very first piece of meat, followed by the general advice from Weber and the recipe, everything came out perfect and very tasty. We used it almost daily since, with meat, fish and seafood and I would not give it away anymore. The heat is evenly distributed, if needed, it can get very hot to meet all grilling requirements, regulating the temp works very efficient. It is very easy to clean.
I am glad we spend the extra $$$ and I would say, it's the perfect grill for up to 6 people. And besides all that it is also a very beautiful masterpiece to look at. |
|
No video reviews found for this product.
