Weber Gas Grills
Gas-fueled grills
typically use propane or natural gas as their fuel
source, with gas-flame either
cooking food directly or heating grilling elements which in
turn radiate the heat necessary to cook food.
Gas grills are
available in sizes ranging from small, single steak
grills up to large, industrial sized
restaurant grills which are able to cook enough meat to feed a
hundred or more people. Gas grills are designed for either LP
or NG, although it's possible to convert a grill from one gas
source to another.
Weber is the leading and
trusted brand when it comes to gas grills. They have been in
business for more than 50 years and should always be on top of
you're list when shopping for a gas
grill.
So,
How Do You Shop for a
Weber Gas Grill and
What Do You Look
For?
In a survey conducted by Weber,
they talked to a lot of to grilling enthusiasts to ask
them what they want in their Weber gas grills. Frustrated
by owning disappointing grills from other companies, they
mostly came up with three main things that they do not
want:
1. Uncontrollable flare-ups.
2. Grills that fall apart after a couple of seasons.
3. Burnt food.
Most people blame
burnt food on the chef. But most are surprised to learn that
it’s more likely the grill that's at fault. It’s a fact that
not all grills cook equally. The design and construction of a
gas grill is a primary factor in how well it cooks. Choosing
the right grill can mean the difference between eating juicy
steaks or charred cheeseburgers.
The ABC's
of a Weber Gas Grill:
A. On the top of every grill is the hood, which keeps heat from
escaping.
B. The cookbox is the body of the grill and houses the cooking
system, which consists of three primary components:
* The cooking grates, where you place the food, come ?rst.
* Below is a heat dispersal system.
* At the bottom are the burners, which create heat.
C. Underneath the cookbox is some type of system to channel and
collect grease.
After you figure out
the ABC's, follow these Five-Steps before buying that Weber Gas
Grill:
Step 1: GIVE IT THE
WIGGLE TEST
Step right up, grab the grill by the sides, and give it a good
shake. If it doesn’t feel sturdy at the store, you can bet it’s
going to fall apart in your backyard. A well-built Weber gas
grill feels solid and stable, and is made of high-grade U.S.
steel, baked-on porcelain enamel and heavy-gauge stainless
steel. The best grills have carts that are welded, not screwed
together, to make them sturdier.
How is the cart constructed ?
The more fasteners used to hold the frame of the cart together,
the less durable the grill.
Why? Because fasteners have to stand-up to the weight of the
grill and the stress caused by moving it around on your patio.
Look for a grill that has solid steel welded construction. The
welds add strength to the cart and also make it easier to
assemble.
What about the
metals?
It’s hard not to ooh and aah over a bright shiny grill, but
don’t let good looks alone blind you. Check the thickness of
the metals. For stainless steel on a hood or trim pieces,
you’ll want thicker gauge that will be long wearing. Look for
304-grade. If it isn’t stated in the product information, ask a
salesperson.
Will it move
easily on your deck?
When is a wheel not a wheel?
When it breaks and can’t go round-and-around. Wheels may seem
like an unimportant detail, but they’re not. This is an area
where many manufacturers cut corners. Check out the quality of
casters and wheels. Casters should be up to appliance
standards. Wheels should be designed to survive extreme hot and
cold temperatures so they don’t crack or break.
What about
the fit and finish?
Pay attention to the craftsmanship. Look for sharp
edges—particularly on the hood and at hip and thigh level. Make
sure welds on the stainless steel are well polished. If you’re
buying an enclosed cart, open and close the doors. Are the
latches durable, and the doors evenly aligned? Make sure the
storage area is enclosed. Some manufacturers leave the back of
the grill exposed, which looks bad if the back side of your
grill is showing on your deck or patio.
Step 2:
SEE WHAT IS INSIDE
Lift up the hood. Most Weber gas grill shoppers stop at opening
and closing the hood. If it feels heavy, they tend to think the
grill is good. But that’s like judging a car on the weight of
the hood. Check what’s inside to really judge how it will
perform.
Are the grates durable?
Avoid nickel or chrome-plated steel because they can rust.
Better grills use individually welded porcelain-enameled steel,
stainless steel, or porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking
grates. They also have rods that are the same width as those
found in the ?nest steak houses—perfect for searing.
What about the
handle?
Imagine the grill is hot, then open the hood. Does the handle
provide safe clearance for your arm and hand? Make sure there
is plenty of distance between the handle and the hood or the
handle could conduct heat, potentially making it a painful
process to open your grill. Also, look for a heat and
weather-resistant material like stainless steel or
glass-reinforced nylon.
How is the
hood constructed?
When buying a Weber gas grill with a stainless steel hood make
sure it’s double-walled. Double-walled hoods create an
insulated air space protecting the outer ?nish from
discoloration. If you buy a grill with a single-walled hood be
sure it has a porcelain enameled ?nish so it lasts and won’t
fade.
Step 3: LIFT OUT THE GRATES AND LOOK
INSIDE
Under the grates you’ll see some type
of system to disperse heat from the burners and channel away
food drippings. Many grills use lava rocks or ceramic briquets.
But beware—drippings can pool on these surfaces until they
reach a flash point and flare-up.The best design, such as those
found on Weber gas grills, is an inverted v-shaped metal bar
(invented by Weber) that rests on top of the burners to
vaporize drippings.
How good are the inverted v-shaped metal
bars?
Because the inverted v-shaped metal bar system is so much
better than lava rocks or ceramic briquets, many manufacturers
copy this design. But all designs are not equal. Look for
precisely angled metal bars to facilitate any run off of juices
that aren’t vaporized when they hit the hot surfaces. Next, the
bars should completely cover the burners and should not have
holes or cutouts in the metal. Cutouts compromise their ability
to protect the burners. Also, since liquid propane and natural
gas contain trace elements of water, the bars should be made of
rust-resistant materials. Look for thick stainless steel or
porcelain-enameled steel bars.
Where does the
grease go?
Most people don’t think about where the grease collects when
they’re buying a new Weber gas grill, but it’s important. If
drippings aren’t properly channeled away from the burners, they
can cause ?are-ups or even worse, a grease ?re in the bottom of
your grill. Look for a system that funnels drippings down and
away from the burners into a high-capacity catch pan. Some
manufacturers don’t even include a catch pan, instead they
suggest you hang an empty soup can underneath the grill to
catch the drippings. Be sure to check it out. If the catch pan
is shallow, like a cookie sheet, it could over?ow onto your
patio or deck. Also, look at where the catch pan is mounted.
Can you remove it and get to it without having to turn your
grill around? Try taking it out and putting it back in a few
times. If it sticks it means it is poorly designed or may be
warped.
Step 4:
TAKE OUT THE STEEL BARS OR BRIQUETS
Underneath, you’ll find the burners, which provide heat. Lower
priced grills will have only one burner or burners shaped like
an H, a U, or a circle. These designs can create hot and cold
spots across the grilling surface, meaning steaks on one side
of the grill will be fully cooked while those on the other side
won’t be done, or worse, overdone. Burner tubes on better
grills, such as the Weber gas grill models, are independently
controlled and run the length of the cookbox to provide evenly
dispersed heat.
What kind of burner
system is provided?
The best grills have at least
two or more separately controlled burners, not just control
knobs. Controls for each burner give you the ability to grill
by the Direct or Indirect method. The burners should be spaced
to provide heat across the entire cooking grate. Burner valves
should have in?nite control settings, so you can ?netune the
heat levels. If the knobs are pre-set, only giving you the
settings for low, medium, and high, you’ll be limited to those
temperatures. Burners should be made of high-grade stainless
steel, which will stand up to the small amounts of water found
in liquid propane and natural gas.
What about
knob instructions?
If the instructions are applied with stickers or are painted on
they might fade or wear off. That will not only mar the
appearance of your grill, but leave you guessing about your
heat settings. Better grills have instructions ?red onto the
paint ?nish, so they’ll never fade or scratch off.
What about
BTUs?
The BTU rating doesn’t measure heat output. It’s actually a
rating of how much gas your Weber gas grill can burn. It’s like
a car mileage rating. A gas guzzler will use more gas while a
more ef? cient one uses less. A well-designed grill actually
conserves BTUs. Grills with 600 square inches of cooking space
only need about 35,000 BTUs to reach a searing temperature of
550° to 600°. Generally,larger grills (four or more burners)
require higher BTUs.
Step 5: THINK ABOUT WHO
MADE THE GRILL
Do you know and trust the name on the hood? Will they help you
down the road? What happens if you have a question when
assembling your grill on a Saturday afternoon? Who can you talk
to? Does the company have toll-free round-the-clock service to
help you when you need it? How about the extras that make your
grilling experience better, like detailed cooking instructions
and free recipes?
What does the warranty cover?
Take a minute and read through the warranty. Is there a lot of
?ne print? Understand what is and isn’t covered or you may end
up paying extra for what you mistakenly thought was covered.
Look for an uncomplicated and generous warranty from a company
with a dependable reputation.
Who built your grill?
Do you recognize the brand name? Ask if the grill is actually
made by the company on the nameplate, you might think it’s a
quality product only to discover it’s a cheap import hiding
behind a well-known name. Find out where it was built, and how
it was inspected before it left the factory.
What about
customer service?
Will the company be around when you need grilling advice,
assistance, or spare parts next year? Ten years from now? Look
for a grill with a 24-hour hotline that lets you talk to a real
person—not a machine. In fact, while you’re shopping, pick up
the phone and call the customer service department. It’s a good
test of how you’ll be treated after the sale.
Ask your friends and
family! The strongest proof of a quality product is whether or
not those who own one are happy with their purchase. Ask your
neighbors and friends or look at online reviews. It’s the best
way to gauge how happy you’ll be with your grill after you get
it home.
There you have it, the basic steps to
follow when shopping for your Weber gas grill !
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