In a former life, I was a classically trained chef. I went to culinary school, worked in the restaurant business for a number of years and lived and breathed all things food and cooking. Although that seems like a lifetime away (I’ve since moved on to another career) I still enjoy cooking and do it often. I do a lot of my cooking on a grill. I use my grill all year long. Winter, spring, summer and fall. I’ve been known to grill in the snow or under an umbrella in the rain. My last grill wasn’t the latest or greatest model. It lasted a few years and did the job. This year I decided to replace it with something that handled the amount of work I throw at a grill better and with something that would last long.
My choice? The Weber Genesis. EP-310. I had a strict budget in mind (between $500-$700) so I couldn’t get the most bells & whistles or the highest end grill on the market. But for the price considerations I used, I came away with something really top-notch.
The body of the grill is made from a porcelain-enameled shroud with a center-mounted thermometer and accent-colored painted, cast aluminum end caps.
The body of the grill comes in several color choices (Copper, Black, Stainless, or Green.) My wife especially likes being able to match the grill to our outdoor decor.
The grill has two heavy-duty swivel casters and two heavy-duty locking casters making it easily moved or easily locked into place.
The cart has corresponding painted steel doors with stainless steel trim, stainless steel handles, and accent-colored painted side and rear panels. The handles are strong and feel very durable. No plastic here.
The Genesis EP-310 features three all stainless steel burners and pushes out 42,000 BTU per hour input. It features Weber’s patented Electronic Crossover ignition system which allows all three burners to light from a single touch.
The insides of the grill are all 7 mm diameter stainless steel cooking rods.
There are two stainless steel work surfaces and an enclosed tank storage area and precision fuel gauge which tells you how much fuel is remaining in your tank.
The primary cooking area is 507 square inches. It’s not the largest of surfaces but easily accommodates the cooking I do for the five members of my family. There is also a nice warming area of 130 square inches. That equates to a total cooking area of 637 square inches.
Dimensions With Lid Open: 64.5″ H x 60″ W x 30″ D.
There are 6 tool holders on the side of the grill for storing your cooking utensils; 3 on each side of the grill.
The Weber EP-310 comes with a ten-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Cooking on the grill is an enjoyable experience. It fires up quickly and heats up fast. I had the grill up to peak cooking temperature in a matter of minutes.
It cooks evenly and sears well which is important when grilling. This helps create caramelization on the outside of the meat, which gives it flavor as well as locks in the juices.
The three-burner system makes it easy to set up different cooking areas based on heat amongst the large cooking area. You can cook larger pieces of meat in one area on high while keeping other smaller pieces warm in another.
Clean up of the grill is a snap due to the all stainless steel construction.
Source: I purchased my grill from a local Weber dealer. Lowes sells the E-310 which is a similar grill that does not contain the same all-stainless cooking grates. There is also a more expensive version that comes with a side burner.
M.S.R.P. $749.00 (it was over my budget but I got a discount to bring it into range.)
What I like: All stainless steel, easy to clean, quick heat up, gas gauge tells you how much fuel you have remaining.
What I don’t like: Not a gigantic cooking area.
You can get more information about Weber grills on the manufacturer’s website.