Weber Spirit Vs Genesis – What’s The Difference?

When it comes to choosing the right grill there are a lot of things to know. You’ve got to consider your needs but you also need to be able to pinpoint the features that matter to you. Brands like Weber have several different models and they are typically all unique in some way or another. 

The Spirit and the Genesis are both pretty popular when it comes to the Weber brand. It’s important to be able to differentiate and really compare models in order to make a fully-informed decision.

Of course, personal preference goes a long way but side-by-side comparisons can also be very helpful. 

What is the difference between the Weber Spirit vs. Genesis? These represent two different series. Genesis grills are typically loaded with extra features while the Spirit is reliable but simple in comparison. They’re both great in their own ways. 

In this guide, we will share with you just what the difference is between the Weber Spirit line and the Weber Genesis line.

Keep in mind that each line is of great quality but they are made differently and have a variety of things to offer. These lines are both on their 2^nd generation of grills as well. 

Stick with us to learn more about Weber Spirit and Genesis grills!

Weber Spirit Grills

Let’s start by looking at the Spirit series.

The Spirit line was designed for simplicity.

It’s a plain and simple grill and is often the choice for people looking for beginner grills or just something budget-friendly and not overdone.

This is one of Weber’s most popular lines. 

In the Spirit line, there are several different options to choose from. What you will notice is that the lines are similar as far as different titles. Here are some of the choices from the Spirit series:

• Spirit SX-325 Smart Grill
• Spirit E-210
• Spirit E-310
• Spirit E-330
• Spirit S-315

In each of these models, you will also find different choices. You can find gas or natural gas in most of their models. This is the most affordable line but we will talk about cost a bit more later in the guide. 

Overall Design

Let’s take a look at the grill by design first. The Spirit series is simple silver and black on all of the models.

Most of the models, like the popular E-310, are made with a cabinet that closes in the propane tank rather than leaving it exposed. This is the design even on the natural gas models. 

The models in the Spirit series also have thick side trays that you can use however you need. The side trays can be pushed or folded down out of the way for storage as well. The lid has a simple handle and just lifts and closes that way. 

These options are made on 4 wheels. When you look at the design, you see all of the basic features you need but it just has that simple approach to it. 

Every Weber grill is covered by the warranty, which is a 1-year warranty that gives you a 100% guarantee. 

We also want to point out the iGrill technology as well as the GS4 grilling system. These are part of both series so you will see some about it in both spaces.

iGrill is basically a Bluetooth thermometer that lets you monitor your temperatures from your phone on an app. 

The GS4 grilling system is just the burner technology that Weber uses and this is the same approach on both grills, although they do have different details still. 

Heating

Now, let’s talk about the power of the heat behind the Spirit series. Of course how many BTUs and how much grilling space you have really depends on which model you go with but we can get pretty detailed here. 

We’re going to reference the Spirit II E-310 here. We will choose a similar model in the Genesis series as well.

This grill has 3 burners on it and you get good heat all over the grill, not just directly above the burners. The burners have 30,000 BTU, which is pretty great. 

As far as cooking space, you have a total of 529 square inches to work with. That’s pretty sizable for a grill that is designed to be space-friendly. Most of that is on the main rack with about 105 square inches on the warming rack. 

There is a separate ignition and control knob for each burner so you can be in complete control of the cooking process. The grates are all cast iron with a porcelain enamel coating on them. This makes them easy to clean. 

If you specifically want a side burner, you won’t find that on the Spirit series. The Smart Grill SX-315 doe have a warming tray but no burners or sear stations on this particular series of grills. 

Cost

The Spirit series of grills is one of the most affordable options from Weber. This is one of the things that makes it so popular. Depending on which model you choose, you’re looking at about $450-$870.

The most expensive models here are the Smart Grill SX-315. All of the other models currently fall under $800. 

This line is really designed to be something reliable that is affordable. It’s often recommended for beginners but it can be great for any level of grilling.

It might not have as many fancy features as the Genesis line but it’s plenty capable overall! 

Weber Genesis Grills

Now, when you look at the Genesis series in comparison, you find some things that are the same but also some differences as well.

The Genesis line is the fancy line. That’s the best way to differentiate the two. 

Where the Spirit is simple but reliable, the Genesis has extra bells and whistles that make it attractive.

These do make it cost more but it gives you some added functionality too. These grills have higher BTUs, more burners in most cases, and some of them even have searing stations. 

Both series are great but if you want the extra features, the Genesis series is probably more your tune. 

Here are the main choices in this particular series: 

• Genesis E-435
• Genesis E-325
• Genesis S-435
• Genesis E-335
• Genesis S-335
• Genesis SX-325 Smart Grill

When you look at the Weber site, you will notice right away that there are far more options when it comes to the Genesis line. They have a lot of variations and even different color options to choose from that the Spirit line just doesn’t have. 

These grillers are larger as well compared to the Spirit line. Some of them are very large. All of these details make these grills more expensive but you’re paying for the extra space and features so keep that in mind. 

The Genesis series is a bit newer than the original Spirit series. 

Overall Design 

When you just look at the exterior design, the differences are subtle from Spirit to Genesis. The Genesis line has more stainless steel to give it a sleeker appeal but not a huge difference from Spirit.

The shape of the lids is slightly boxier because they have more cooking space under the lid. 

Even the side tables are a bit larger, at least on one side. Some of these models have a searing station.

All of the Genesis grills have a closed cabinet with storage space as well. None of these are open-concept. They all have wheels to make moving around and storing the tables easy too. 

We mentioned earlier but some lines have different color choices. Some lines are black and silver or mostly black or silver.

However, you will find copper and deep ocean blue among the options for some of the models on the Genesis line. It’s always nice to have options right? 

Just like the Spirit, you will find that Genesis has GS4 and iGrill technology capable. These are also covered by Weber’s 10-year warranty. That’s straight across the board on all Weber grills. 

One more thing to mention here is that there is a removable grease tray that you can just pull out and scrape clean when you need to. It makes it much easier to manage and dispose of grease. 

Heating

The heating on the Genesis grill is one of the areas you will notice it stands apart from the Spirit line. These grills have more burners and higher BTUs. You also have models that get much larger than the Spirit line. 

While Genesis doesn’t have an exact replica of the 310 from the Spirit line, we’re going to compare it to the Genesis E-325, which is the most similar to the 310 model we looked at earlier. This particular grill comes in black or copper. 

It does have a slightly larger cooking capacity with 797 square inches of cooking space. The top grate hosts 274 square inches of that with the rest being the primary space.

This grill has more space and heats at 39,000 BTUs. It also has a sear zone burner, which is something the Spirit line does not have. That burner has a 13,000 BTU output. 

The cooking grates are a little bit different. These grates are designed specifically for this line and crafted by Weber.

They are cast iron but they are unique with rack styles made to allow you to bake, steam, fry, sear, roast, and more. These are interchangeable with other Weber grates for customization. 

We want to point out the burners here too. They are designed with what Weber refers to as PureBlu. It’s their own technology and it’s supposed to provide precise heat and consistent cooking. It’s also efficient. 

You can control the heat and the burners through individual knobs on the front of the grill with this model too. Remember that it has a searing zone inside. It’s also really easy to power and ignite.  

It’s all of these little things that set the Genesis line apart from the Spirit line. 

Cost

As a tradeoff for the additional heat, space, and features, you do pay more for Genesis grills.

When we look at the Genesis E-325, this grill runs close to $900. It is the lowest end model in this particular series so also your lowest price point in the series. 

The price range is far more substantial but you also have much larger grills available in this series.

For example, one of the largest models has 994 square inches of cooking space and 48,000 BTUs. It also has a side burner and sear zone burner. That model runs about $1,900. 

When you compare the costs, you see a significant difference but you also see the benefits of the added costs if you want extra features to work with. 

This puts the price range from $900 to $1,900. However, you will find that the majority of options fall more into the middle of the range.

There is quite a bit of variety packed into this particular series and far more options compared to the Spirit series. 

Related Questions

We hope that this guide to understanding Weber Spirit and Genesis grills is helpful for you. Both lines have great things to be aware of and then you can narrow it down from there. 

We invite you to take a look at some of these common questions and see if they might be useful for you!

Is the Genesis line really worth the money? 

If you want more power, more cooking space, and more functionality, the cost difference is well worth it.

If you don’t need the extra features and capability, we recommend you stay with the Spirit series. It really depends on your preferences here. 

How much cooking area do I need? 

This answer will vary depending on what you cook and how many people you are cooking for. The general rule of thumb according to most grillers is to estimate about 72 square inches per person. 

So if you are cooking for 4 people, you need about 288 square inches (or more) of cooking space in order to accommodate the cooking volume. You can use this estimate for any number. 

What is the GS4 system? 

This is just Weber’s title for their cooking technology. Both the Spirit and Genesis lines use it.

The system allows for easier ignition of your burners and uses burner tubes designed to give you more reliable and consistent heat when you are cooking. The system also uses flavorizer bars and has a grease management tray. 

Up Next: 7 Best Chocolate For Chocolate Fountains