Customer Reviews

Weber 261101 Black Summit 450 Propane Gas Grill

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I suppose you have to take the star ratings with a grain of salt on any expensive "nice to have" item like this since it would be rare for someone to admit they didn't spend wisely. I don't consider myself a fanatic about grilling but I do grill year round about every other night... usually fish or spiedies (if you don't know what these are check out www.spiedies.com) so I wanted an industrial-strength grill. My inexpensive Charbroil grill did a fine job but died in about 2 years. I suspect the person has more to do with good results than the bbq (for those wood fire all day pit people I guess I should say grill, not bbq) but I looked around at many different models (e.g., at Barbeques Galore) but liked the construction of this model. Amazon.com's price looked better than the end-of-summer sale price at a local high-end store and the same as BBQGalore's but without a shipping charge. The grill arrived within 3 weeks and the shippers helped me unpack it and took away the rather large box. Many parts are covered in white plastic which takes an hour or so to peel off. The two "U" rails take 4 washer/bolts apiece and took me about an hour to assemble with an adjustable wrench. The rest if the assembly process took me about another hour but was straightforward (only 4 wing nuts). I like this model since I greatly prefer the extra shelf space over an extra burner (that you can use to cook chile I suppose) that comes with many models. The only thing I could have wished for is someone to take away my old grill. I thought the Weber 208 page cookbook was included but I didn't get it. Happy grilling folks!

I've owned several cheaper gas grills in the past, but I've always lusted after a high end Weber grill. A home improvement store in our area went out of business this past winter and I made the store manager an offer on one of the remaining two Summit 450 Gas Grills. After some bickering we finally came to an agreement and I was headed home with my new grill at slightly above cost!

It took some experimenting with my new grill to get used to it but after I got the hang of it I immediately fell in love with my new "toy." I use it 4 or 5 nights a week, cooking everything that I posibly can on it. It does a fantastic job at smoking a turkey with the smoke box, and I really like the way the grill swings up so that I can check on the water and wood chips in the box. It also does a great job on a large roast, cooking indirectly with the middle two burners turned off (an option as lesser two burner gas grill does not have). Several friends and family tell me that the steaks that come off the grill are as good as any expensive steak house they've been to.

The grill is built like a tank, very solid construction, and weighs about as much also (around 300 pounds with full propane tank). I feel very confident that this will be the last grill I will ever need to buy and the money was well spent! The only drawback about owning a higher end Weber Grill is that most of the optional accessories are more costly also ...

Having owned the same Weber Genesis for over 12 years, I am a fan of the company's products. Prior to purchasing my first Weber, I owned several "2 year" grills from some of the other manufacturers. The only reason I replaced the old Weber is that the wood handles and side tables were getting a bit warped from the weather and the porcelain cover had just developed a few chips and flakes. Otherwise it remains perfectly servicable. I gave it to my sister who will probably use it for another decade.

There is little comparision between the Summit and any other gas barbecue I was able to find on the market. I shopped extensively and came back to the proven quality of Weber based on my own experience and the long list of features included on the Summit 450. I especially like the stainless steel construction, including the commercial quality inner pieces such as the stainless cooking grate and flavorizer bars. The four stainless steel burners allow for perfect cooking every time. Weber manufactures it's products in the USA, not China as is the case with many competitors. Weber has improved several of the surfaces and materials since I bought my last one twelve years ago.

Here in Florida, we spend a lot of time outdoors and the pool and patio area is an often-used extension of the house. The Weber Summit 450 is a handsome and practical addition to our home, rivaling the quality of the commercial grade appliances indoors. I cannot stress enough the wisdom of spending a bit more on a quality Weber grill that will still be as useful a decade from now as it is today. A cheap grill will cost as much over that period of time, you'll just have to lug 5 or 6 of them home and set up a new one every few years.

I too was shorted the cookbook that Weber proudly proclaims in their advertisements. Other than that, the Summit is an excellent addition to our outdoor living area.