In addition to its decent performance, the Spirit II has a couple of special features — a propane tank scale and an optional integration with the $100 Weber iGrill 3 temperature probe. If the tank scale and iGrill 3 accessory matter to you, the Spirit II might be worth your money. We cooked a grillfull of pre-made one-third pound hamburgers on high with the lid down. They cooked fast at two minutes per side, although the front row needed an additional minute. We’d prefer overall, even heat from the front to the back of the grill, but we appreciated how quickly and easily Spirit II cooked this popular item. The burgers were remarkably juicy, perhaps due to the fast cook time.
The halloumi caught a little, but not as badly on other barbecues we tested where it fused to the grill. The finished halloumi was delicious, among the best on test. The Weber came in a large box that needed two of us to lift it. It wasn’t as bad as other grills we’ve tested, but you might need a partner or a friend on hand to help you build it. If a random person walked into our offices off the street and demanded the best grill they could get, I’d point them to this.
Somewhat sheepishly, Mark called Weber and told the representative exactly what had happened. We are definitely not saying that you should leave your grease trap full. But if you do, the warranty and customer service are absolutely worth the small premium you pay for Weber grills over cheaper models from other brands. A firebox—the lower half of the grill body, where the burners and Blackstone Adventure grates are mounted—made from cast aluminum is rustproof and highly durable, likely to offer a decade or more of service. The Weber Spirit II E-310 excelled at every test, producing the best hamburgers—deeply seared, evenly cooked—among all the grills we tested. And it outdid or equaled the competition in grilling barbecue chicken and whole roasted chickens with crispy golden skin.
It’s perfect for directly cooking steaks and hamburgers or for indirect cooking of delicate food like fish fillets or large roasts. The fat falls into a small aluminum disposable drip tray located under the burners. This limits flare-ups and makes the grill easier to clean.
It’s a much better grill than the original – cheaper, more compact, and better looking. The two large plastic wheels are more maneuverable than the four small caster wheels on the original. It’s yet to take off in the States but for the uninitiated it’s a delicious Greek sheep’s cheese that is unbelievably good on a grill.
One of them, the Spirit S-315, is similar to our top pick, the Spirit II E-310, but has a few cosmetic differences, such as a stainless steel lid and metal dials. In our eyes, the S-315 seemed char broil performance likely to perform about the same as our pick—and did not seem worth the higher price. Get ready to step up your grilling experience with the Spirit II E Burner Natural Gas BBQ grill.
You just need to turn the ignition knob called the Infinity ignition and the grill will be fired up and ready within minutes. Asides from ease of starting the grill, the ignition system also helps with temperature controls. After giving the ribs 10 minutes to rest, we gave ’em a try. They were tender and pretty juicy, but not falling off the bone.