Combining 39,000 BTUs of grilling power with 600 square inches of cooking space, there’s plenty of grill to play with on the E-310. With its shiny black enameled exterior with chrome accents, the Weber Genesis II E-210 looks handsome and solidly constructed. The built-in thermometer in the lid is large and easy to read. The propane tank (available for purchase separately at home improvement stores) gets mounted on the side, allowing for easier access as well as open storage under the grill.
But we cooked salmon on both the skinny and the thick side of the grates and had no trouble with sticking either way. Even though this is only slightly larger than the old Spirit grill in primary cooking space, it will still comfortably accommodate a family of four. The heat is plenty for the size and the grill gets up to 550 degrees in about 10 – 15 minutes depending on conditions.
Grease also helps to muck up the inside the lid; greasy vapors and smoke collect there and carbonize, hanging like black stalactites in a cave. Just knock off these flakes and scoop or vacuum them up to prevent them from getting onto your food. While you’re at it, use a plastic scraper to clean out the cook box.
Once it does, our tests show that the temperature remains constant across the grates. Indirect cooking, where food is placed off a direct flame, was very good. Both grills have porcelain-coated cast iron grates and a swing-away warming rack, but Weber has a bit more primary cooking area (380 square inches versus 325 square weber genesis 2 inches). Weber offers more BTUs (26,000 compared to 18,000), but Char-Broil adds an infrared heat emitter, which heats objects, not the air around it—a very efficient way to heat food evenly. Weber’s Genesis series of propane grills has provided casual barbecue fans with the ideal entry point to backyard cooking.
Let’s do a quick review of the E, S and SE models before we tackle the new “Smart” EX and SX grills. There are five different versions of the Genesis II 335; the E, S, SE, EX and SX. While the grilling functionality is identical between the grills there are some design differences which are shown in the table below.
This thing is built like a tank, but it’s surprisingly underpowered. In terms of both looks and performance, the Weber Genesis II E-310 gas grill packs a punch. Plus, it’s easy-to-use for beginners and offers room for growth. The two-tone gray exterior with that enameled black lid definitely looks the part of a premium grill.
If that doesn’t help, review the FAQ section to see if someone else had, and solved a similar problem. The size and ease of use make this grill highly versatile. You can also optionally purchase this grill — as I did — with the GBS grate system. Weber sells its own line of thermometers, the current iteration being the iGrill 3. The Genesis II E-310 is iGrill 3-ready, featuring a mounting point for the app-driven, multi-probe thermometer. Wisely, the large, durable wheels are located on this side, too, for extra support and ease of maneuvering.
All the other features are standard as with the other models. The only differences here are cooking space and amount of burners. Only by hopscotching the food around the grill grate could I come up with something close to an even sear. This grill’s burners go to 11, but that’s still not high enough. I found a sweet spot after a few minutes with half power on the left burner and a trickle in the center, which seemed acceptable considering the wind.