Weber Genesis EX-325W Smart Gas Grill Review: Modern Smarts, Excellent Searing, and a Few Cost-Cutting Surprises

The Weber Genesis EX-325W delivers where it counts most: it cooks evenly, keeps meat juicy, and the 750°F Sear Zone genuinely works. The Wi-Fi-connected thermometer and Weber Connect app add a layer of modern convenience that, when everything connects properly, feels like the future of backyard grilling. But this grill also shows signs of cost-cutting that some of its predecessors didn’t have—lightweight knobs, exposed igniter wiring, and gaps in the base that invite yard debris. It’s a very good grill with some head-scratching design choices, and after two months of cooking on it, we’d buy it again—just with eyes open.

The Weber Genesis EX-325W Smart Gas Grill is the connected version of Weber’s legendary Genesis line, adding a Wi-Fi-enabled digital thermometer, a wired food probe, and app integration to the three-burner platform that’s been a backyard staple for decades. At $1,049 MSRP, it sits squarely in the mid-range of the Genesis lineup. We tested the Natural Gas version for about two months, replacing a 13-year-old Weber Genesis that had finally earned its retirement—which gave us a useful before-and-after look at how the line has evolved.

We were sent a sample of the Weber Genesis EX-325W, and we’ve been grilling on it regularly ever since.

Quick Specs:

• Burners: 3 total (1 standard PureBlu, 2 dual-row PureBlu in the Sear Zone)
• Total Output: 49,000 BTU per hour
• Sear Zone: Up to 750°F
• Primary Cooking Area: 513 sq. in.
• Warming Rack: 127.5 sq. in. (640.5 sq. in. total)
• Capacity: Up to 20 burgers
• Cooking Grates: Porcelain-enameled cast iron (flip over for Weber Crafted grillware)
• Smart Features: Wi-Fi-enabled digital thermometer, 1 wired food probe, Weber
• Connect app
• Thermometer Power: AA battery (grill uses 1 AA, 2 AAA total)
• Side Tables: 2, with Weber Works compatibility (right-side drop-in table, snap-on
• rails)
• Extras: Flavorizer bars, pull-out grease tray, 4 tool hooks, enclosed cabinet
• Casters: 4 swivel (2 locking)
• Dimensions (Lid Closed): 48.1″H x 61.4″W x 27″D
• Weight: 135 lbs
• Warranty: 12-year limited (tiered: 12 years cookbox/lid, 10 years burners/grates/Flavorizer bars, 3 years Weber Connect components, 5 years for everything else)
• Fuel: Natural Gas (a separate Liquid Propane model is available)
• Price: $1,049 MSRP; currently $949 direct from Weber

Weber suggests using the BILT app for assembly, and we used it alongside the printed instructions in the box. Both got the job done, but oddly, some steps differed between the app and the manual. We’re not sure if that’s a quirk of our specific model or just the two guides being out of sync, but it added a few moments of “wait, which one is right?” along the way. Nothing that stopped us cold—just something to be aware of if you’re the type who follows instructions to the letter.

All in, assembly took about two hours with two people. Could one person do it? Technically, yes. But there are a few awkward steps—most notably lifting the fully assembled main grill body and setting it onto the stand—where a second pair of hands makes life dramatically easier. If you’ve got a helper available, use them.

Here’s the good news: the EX-325W cooks like a Weber Genesis should. Heat distribution across the 513 square inches of primary cooking area is even, meat comes off the grates juicy and tender, and vegetables roast beautifully. Over two months of regular grilling, we had zero complaints about the actual cooking.

The Sear Zone on the right side is a genuinely nice touch. Two dual-row PureBlu burners crank that section up to 750°F, and it delivers the kind of hard, fast sear that a standard burner arrangement struggles to produce. Steaks come off with proper steakhouse crust, and it works exactly as advertised. If you’ve been searing on a single-row burner and wondering what the fuss is about, this will show you.

The Flavorizer bars and pull-out grease tray carry over from the Genesis DNA, and the grates are porcelain-enameled cast iron that flip over to hold Weber Crafted grillware, such as the pizza stone or griddle insert (sold separately).

This is where the “EX” in the name earns its keep—and where our experience got more complicated.

The Weber Genesis EX-325W has a digital thermometer built into the front, powered by an AA battery. A wired probe connects to the bottom of the thermometer unit and feeds through the side of the grill so you can monitor meat as it cooks. The whole system pairs with the Weber Connect app over Wi-Fi, which offers recipes, grill temperature alerts, doneness presets, and a timer.

In practice, our results were mixed. Sometimes the probe wouldn’t connect to the app at all. Other times, it connected fine, but the temperature alerts never reached our phone. For the first several weeks, we honestly ended up doing what we’ve always done: using a manual meat thermometer and checking the food ourselves rather than waiting on a notification that might not come.

Then we had the cook that changed our minds.

Recently we gave the probe-assisted cooking another shot with a batch of burgers, and this time everything clicked. We opened the Weber Connect app, chose the Burger preset, and followed the on-screen instructions, which walked us through inserting the probe and placing the patties on the grill.

One oddity: the app displayed “Well Done” as the target doneness and wouldn’t let us change it. We’re not sure if that was a glitch or intended behavior, but there was no way to select medium or medium-rare from the preset screen.

Once the burgers were on the grill, the app showed a live graph of the current internal temperature climbing toward a goal line, along with a countdown to the flip. When it was time, a notification hit our phone right on cue. After flipping, the countdown switched to time-until-done, and a second notification told us when to pull the burgers, along with instructions to rest them for five minutes.

We followed the instructions to the letter, and the burgers came out perfect—juicy and cooked through —and, despite the app’s insistence on “Well Done,” not actually well done at all. If probe-assisted cooking works like this every time going forward, it’s a fantastic feature, and we’d use it for every cook without hesitation.

A bonus we appreciated: while the burgers cooked, the digital display on the front of the grill alternated between the current grill temperature and the current meat temperature. That meant we could glance at the grill itself for a status check without pulling out our phone. Small touch, big convenience.

Our Weber Genesis EX-325W review unit came with a plastic tote that drops into a precut opening in the right-side shelf—part of Weber’s Works system, which turns the side table into a prep station. The tote is handy for transporting and organizing grill necessities, and it comes with a lid that keeps the shelf usable as a single flat surface when the tote isn’t in use.

One note for buyers: Weber lists Works accessories as sold separately, so the tote may have been included with our review sample rather than being standard in every box. Check what’s included with your specific purchase before counting on it. Honestly, it’s a nice-to-have either way—we’re not sure how often we’ll actually use it, and it’s certainly not a deal breaker in either direction.

The main grilling unit feels solid, and the wheel brakes deserve a shout-out—they’re sturdy and easy to engage and disengage when you need to reposition the grill. The natural gas connector is standard and hooked up without any drama.

But this is also where the Weber Genesis EX-325W shows its cost-cutting, especially compared to the 13-year-old Genesis it replaced in our backyard.

First, the knobs. They feel noticeably cheaper and more lightweight than the ones on our old Genesis. They work fine, but the tactile downgrade is immediately obvious to anyone who’s owned an older model. It’s a small thing you touch every single time you grill, and Weber used to do it better.

Second, the base storage cabinet doesn’t come up flush to the main grill body on either side. There are large gaps on both the left and right, and there’s no doubt in our minds that the cabinet is going to steadily fill with leaves, acorns, and general yard debris. Our previous Genesis didn’t have these gaps, and its enclosed cabinet stayed clean for over a decade. This one won’t.

Third, on the left side of the grill, the internal ignition wires are exposed to the outside with no protection at all. Out in the elements, with weather, squirrels, and chipmunks all in play, we’d really like to see a conduit or shield of some kind here. Wiring this exposed on an outdoor appliance feels like an oversight waiting to become a service call.

None of these issues affect how the grill cooks. But at this price, from this brand, they’re the kind of details we didn’t expect to be writing about.

You’ll probably be happy with the Weber Genesis EX-325W if you want classic Genesis cooking performance—even heat, great results, that 750°F Sear Zone—with a taste of modern smart-grilling features layered on top. When the probe and app work together, guided cooking is genuinely great, and the front display showing both grill and meat temperatures is useful even if you never open the app. The 12-year warranty on the cookbox and lid also reflects a grill built to stick around.

You might regret buying it if you’re expecting the connected features to be flawless out of the box, or if you’re upgrading from an older Genesis and expecting the same build quality in every detail. The app connectivity was inconsistent for us, the knobs feel cheaper than they used to, and the exposed wiring and gapped base are design choices we’d love to see Weber revisit. Also note that Weber Connect components carry only a 3-year warranty, compared to the longer coverage on the rest of the grill.

The Weber Genesis EX-325W, at $999.00 for the liquid propane version or $1,049.00 for the natural gas version, is a solid mid-level grill that offers a genuine taste of modern grilling features while cutting a few corners on design and structural elements. The EX-325W’s most interesting competitor is Weber’s own Genesis E-325W at $949.00 for liquid propane or $999.00 for natural gas—it’s essentially the same grill without the smart thermometer, probe, and Wi-Fi connectivity.

That makes the math simple: the smart features cost you $100 to $200 depending on any sale pricing. Given our mixed connectivity experience, that’s a fair but not slam-dunk premium; the burger cook showed us the ceiling, but the flaky pairing showed us the floor.

Outside the Weber family, the Napoleon Rogue 425 ($779 for the side-burner version, less for the base model) offers battery-free ignition, cast-iron grilles, and Napoleon’s excellent build reputation for less money, but it lacks smart features and a sear zone that hits anywhere near 750°F. If the connected cooking appeals to you, the EX-325W stands fairly alone at this price.

The Weber Genesis EX-325W is a solid mid-level grill that offers a genuine taste of modern grilling features while cutting a few corners on design and structural elements. The cooking performance is everything a Genesis should be; the Sear Zone is a winner, and the smart features—when they work—point at a genuinely better way to grill. We just wish the details matched the ambition.

The Weber Genesis EX-325W Smart Gas Grill is available in both Natural Gas ($1,049.00) and Liquid Propane ($999.00) versions; it is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including Amazon.

Source: Manufacturer-supplied review sample

What I Like: Even heat and juicy, tender results across the whole cooking surface; 750°F Sear Zone delivers real steakhouse crust; Probe-assisted cooking is fantastic when it connects—guided burger cook was flawless; Front display alternates between grill and meat temperature so you can skip the app; Weber Connect app adds recipes, presets, alerts, and a timer; Plastic tote and Weber Works side table are a handy prep setup; Solid wheel brakes that engage and disengage easily; Standard gas connector with no installation drama; 12-year limited warranty on the cookbox and lid

What Needs Improvement: App connectivity is inconsistent—probe sometimes won’t pair and alerts don’t always arrive; Burger preset locked to “Well Done” with no way to change doneness; Knobs feel cheaper and more lightweight than older Genesis models; Exposed ignition wiring on the left side needs a protective conduit; Large gaps between the base cabinet and grill body will collect leaves and yard debris; Assembly instructions differ between the BILT app and printed manual