To a degree, all grills suffer from this problem, because the burners don’t extend all the way to the front of the firebox. But the Spirit II E-310 offered the most consistent heating across the entire grate surface. On the Napoleon grill, meanwhile, some of the front burgers were nearly raw in the center, while the rear burgers were well-done.
Considering that most people do not leave reviews for purchases, Weber must of sold hundreds of thousands of these grills to have received that many reviews. With a data set of that size I have plenty of confidence that the story they tell can be trusted. The reason that the right side table on the Spirit II is not designed to collapse is that it is built with a slot for holding the digital iGrill3 temperature sensor (sold separately). I am not a fan of the iGrill3 system but, if you are into gadgets, this is a feature you should be aware of. One reason that some people buy a two burner grill is because they do not have much space.
Some average-size grills have up to four burners with corresponding controls large grills often have six. Additional burner controls generally allow the cook more flexibility. Size category for the grill, based on CR’s measurement of the main cooking weber spirit 2 grid area. Portable grills are grouped together regardless of cooking area, though typically these are small grills. Factors include grate material, wheels or casters for moving the grill, and useful features such as electronic ignitor.
We spoke again with Joe Salvaggio of Big Apple BBQ about the newest models, and we examined our main contenders in person at Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Bering’s in Houston. Finally, after all the tests were done, we performed routine maintenance by removing and replacing the propane tanks, emptying the grease traps, washing the grates, and scrubbing Blackstone Adventure out the fireboxes. If you own a grill, you’ll have to perform these tasks at least a few times a year, so a grill that makes them a little easier is a welcome thing. On balance, propane or natural gas are probably better choices if you favor no-fuss cooking or you grill often (and especially if you grill on weeknights, when time is at a premium).
As far as BTUs go, the Weber Spirit II E 310 isn’t especially high up there. In fact, it is on the lower side, but I don’t really see that as a bad thing. Sure, Blackstone Adventure higher temperatures are great for searing food, but most meats are cooked on mid to high temperatures and this gas grill is perfectly capable of doing that.