69 of 72 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mmmm good!, April 24, 2005
This review is from: Weber 6721001 Genesis Silver B Propane, Black (Lawn & Patio)
This is a classic example of getting what you pay for. A few years ago I decided to skimp and bought a Sunbeam grill on clearance at a local home center (where you save big money). What a piece of junk. All around flimsy construction, plastic "tool-less" fasteners (like those used to hold the dash together in a car), unreliable igniter, and most unfortunately, uneven cooking temperatures. This year I decided to treat myself, and do what I should have done last time, and bought a Weber. It is wonderful and exactly what I expect from something made in USA (even though the stainless steel doors are crafted with pride in China--I'm sure many of the other parts are too). Assembly was very straight forward and took about 20 minutes. The instructions were good. The only problem I had was figuring out where the 3 shorter bolts went (2 fill holes in the right side cabinet, and 1 locks the right handle in place). A flatheaded and phillips screwdriver were all that was required. I assembled it all by myself. The overall box is heavy, but all the individual pieces can be lifted by one person.
Unlike previous years, a propane tank is NOT included. This is good because I already have two.
Weber sells different versions to different retailers. Most sell them with a porcelain coated steel grill. A big orange home center sells them with a porcelain coated cast iron grill. And a local high end electronics store (with the letters A, B and T) sells them with a stainless steel grill. All for the same price. Take your pick but know what you're getting.
If you decide to buy locally and have the choice of buying one preassembled, or one in the box, know that Weber packages them very well to prevent damage during transport. If you have concerns about a fully assembled grill tipping over in your truck, consider getting one in a box and assembling it yourself. Unlike my crappy Sunbeam, it isn't hard at all.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great grill!, April 14, 2005
This review is from: Weber 6721001 Genesis Silver B Propane, Black (Lawn & Patio)
I just bought this grill from another vendor, and I absolutely love it. It is so well built, I take pride in owning it. I bought the cover from Amazon, and highly recommend it. It looks great!
While it was fairly easy to put together, 10 minutes is pushing it. I consider myself a fairly handy and mechanical person, and it took me about 45 minutes. The fact that the main grill box is already assemebled makes things very simple. It is nice that they include tools if you need them.
The grill works great! I have already used it 5 times and have only had it 10 days! Temperature is very responsive to the grill controls. Can't wait to start trying some more complicated dishes other than burgers, franks and chicken.
While a bit pricey, after spending two months on deciding on a grill, it is very clear I made the right decision. This is a grill that will last me for a long time! If your thinking about it, do it! You will not be disappointed.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Grill, July 14, 2006
This review is from: Weber 6721001 Genesis Silver B Propane, Black (Lawn & Patio)
I bought this grill a year ago and it's a proven performer. I bought the grill based on reviews by Cook's Illustrated, Consumer Reports, and elsewhere, plus the Weber brand. The third consideration was the price, which at $500 is hardly cheap. While stainless grills look pretty and (at least the stainless parts) should be fairly durable, I still went with this Weber. I was a little apprehensive at spending this much on a grill that wasn't all stainless, but it did have a stainless frame and a good rep. My previous grills were the el cheapo types of around $100, so I was buying this grill looking for quality and years of service.
The grill wasn't too bad to put together. The instructions were clear and easy to follow. I don't recall how long it took me, but I'd estimate it was about an hour. I appreciated that the critical parts of gas control and lighting came pretty much pre-assembled.
Made in the USA, the grill is very sturdy and well built. I was impressed with the heavy metal used in the cooking box. The grill does have light metal for most of the lid, which might be a disadvantage during slow, long BBQ cooking. My grill has the porcelain coated grates and I think they're a good compromised. In my opinion, cast iron is the best grilling surface, but they're prone to rusting if not properly cared for. Porcelain coated iron gives the best of all worlds - good heat retention, stick resistant, and non-corrosive. One disadvantage is care should be taken when cleaning to not chip the coating. Stainless, however, is too a great cooking surface with it's main disadvantage is it needs to be prep'd or it may stick.
The grill performs well in all seasons (I live in Michigan). The grill can get quite hot and heats up very quickly. The 36K BTU burners are no doubt powerful and I never found myself thinking there wasn't enough fire. It can quickly heat up to 500-550 degrees (5-10 minutes). The most impressive part of the grill is it has fairly even cooking across the whole grilling surface. I've had this grill loaded with burgers a number of times and cold spots are almost non-existent. The corners can get cool, but I would say an inch or two from the sides see pretty even heat. I would say this is the grill's best feature.
The grill performs well cooking in both direct and indirect cooking methods. This grill has three burners, and I recommend getting the model with three separate burners for the best control and BTUs. For indirect heat, generally you place the front and rear burners to medium and leave the middle off and place the food in over the middle burners. Also, the lighting system works great. The grill always lights the first time, which after years of cheap-o grills, is actually quite pleasant.
This grill is equipped with flavor bars and doesn't use any ceramic or lava stones. The more you use the grill, you will season the flavor bars to help give food that grilled flavor. The flavor bars also help to distribute the heat and prevent flare-ups.
I also purchased the custom grill cover and it works great. I highly recommend this to preserve your purchase. It's made of quality material and fits perfectly.
I also purchased the rotisserie system. Like most weekend grillers, I underutilize this tool, but when I did use it, I made some great whole chicken.
I also purchased a smoker box, which is about 3x6 inch cast iron box. Load it up with soaked hardwood chips and you can add some smoke flavor to your food.
I chose the B model over the A because I felt the extra price was worth the added grilling space (528 vs 611 sq-inch) and the added burner and BTUs. (2 vs 3, 26K vs 36K). Even though the C is only a few bucks more, I opted not to choose it because I don't care much for side burners. Plus I felt $500 was pretty expensive already, and didn't see the point of spending another $50 on something I'd rarely if ever use.
The one real beef I have with the grill is it doesn't come with a LP tank. I guess maybe the logic is that people buy more than one gas grill in their lives and may not need a tank, so why include one and raise the price tag? Well... I guess, but for a $500 grill, it would be nice to not have to purchase an LP tank. Plus - who couldn't use an extra tank anyway?
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No