Weber Genesis II E-210 Propane Grill Review

We purchased the Weber Genesis II E-210 Propane Grill so our reviewer could put it to the test. Keep reading for our full product review.

Since its inception in the 1950s, Weber has been an industry leader when it comes to backyard grilling. Though the company got its start with the iconic kettle-style charcoal grill, it’s now just as well known for its gas grills, which are cleaner, easier to use, and faster to heat than charcoal grills. 

The Weber Genesis II E-210 carries on the company’s legacy of quality in a compact, two-burner format small enough to fit comfortably on most space-challenged patios and decks. Though about half the size of the four-burner Genesis grills, it offers the same robust construction and high-performance design. We parked this compact grill in a corner of our backyard and gave it a thorough workout over the course of about a month. Did it live up to the brand’s storied reputation? Read on to find out. 

Setup Process: Easy to understand but time-consuming

The assembly guide offers no text but does a great job expressing each step through detailed pictures. We didn’t have any trouble with the process and didn’t inadvertently make any wrong moves, but deciphering pictures, rather than text, can be a slow process. All told, assembly took an hour and 45 minutes. For those who struggle, the company offers very handy 3-D assembly instructions through an app called BILT. The only tools we needed were a Phillips head screwdriver and a wrench. All other nuts and bolts, even the battery for the ignition, were included. 

Performance: Even, reliable heat

If you’ve ever been stuck using an old, inferior gas grill, one that’s slow to ignite and only partially works since half the burners are clogged with grime, then you know how deeply good it feels to work with a grill that starts up perfectly every time. That’s the Genesis II E-210. Press the big round knob, turn it to the left to the lightning bolt symbol, and press the ignite button. You’ll hear a satisfying “whoosh” every time. And if our three-year-old, three-burner Weber Genesis E-310 is any indication, it’ll keep starting up like a champ for many years to come.

We cooked beef burgers, veggie burgers, Italian sausages, skirt steak, flatbreads, marinated chicken thighs, pork tenderloin, lamb kebabs, salmon fillets, asparagus, radicchio, and corn on the cob on this Weber. The heat was consistently even, with no hot or cold spots, no matter where we placed the items. The grates themselves are porcelain-coated cast iron, and we found that they held in the heat well to deliver excellent grill marks. Afterwards, they were very easy to scrape clean. They’re actually reversible—on one side, the bars are skinnier, which is purportedly better for delicate items that stick, such as fish. But we cooked salmon on both the skinny and the thick side of the grates and had no trouble with sticking either way.

Weber’s signature “Flavorizer Bars,” essentially V-shaped, porcelain-enameled steel tents that sit on top of the burners and below the cooking grates, serve two main purposes: to vaporize drippings so their flavorful steam gets deposited back on the food, and to direct the drippings away from the burner tubes and down to the funnel-shaped grease catchment area. As a result, they also minimize flare-ups and help keep the burners from getting clogged. They also help evenly distribute heat, just as the stainless steel heat deflectors at the bottom of the firebox help send heat up toward the food. 

The grill offers 380 square inches of cooking area (not including the 114 square inches on the warming rack), which is 133 square inches less than the three-burner grill. Though small, we were able to employ indirect heat by turning off one burner and moving the items to the cool side after searing. Even though this essentially reduced our cooking area by half, we were still able to fit all the food we needed to cook to feed four people. 

Each burner puts out about 13,000 BTUs each per hour, for a total of 26,000 BTUs, which is consistent with the single-burner output of the three- and four-burner Genesis grills. But the more burners, the more BTUs, and the faster the grill heats up. Still, it didn’t take more than 10 minutes for the grill to reach 500 degrees for our flatbreads.

Design: Looks great and is built to last

With its shiny black enameled exterior with chrome accents, the Weber Genesis II E-210 looks handsome and solidly constructed. The built-in thermometer in the lid is large and easy to read. The propane tank (available for purchase separately at home improvement stores) gets mounted on the side, allowing for easier access as well as open storage under the grill. Two stainless steel side tables on either side provide room to place platters and ingredients, and both have three hooks to hang utensils. And if you don’t need (or have room for) both, the left side table folds down easily.

For those with limited space but a lot of mouths to feed, it’s worth noting that more deluxe versions of the grill offer a side burner built into the table on the right. These burners have a flush cover, so when they’re not in use they can still be used as a table, but they offer an additional cooking surface without expanding the grill’s footprint.

Weber’s Genesis line is known for its longevity, thanks to its rust-proof, cast-aluminum firebox, which is more durable than the porcelain-coated carbon steel fireboxes found on budget grills and is great at holding and reflecting heat. The welded tube frame is more sturdy than the folded sheet metal used on many other budget grills as well. In fact, Weber guarantees its firebox, lid, and ignition system for a whopping 10 years. 

The funnel-shaped bottom of the firebox is especially efficient at directing drippings down to the disposable drip tray below. We didn’t experience any problems with grease or liquids getting deposited anywhere but the little foil tray where they were intended to go. 

Features: Well thought-out

On the Weber Genesis II E-210, the propane mount doubles as a refill indicator. There’s a spring inside the mechanism, so as the propane is used and the canister gets lighter, it gets lifted up, which then moves the indicator so it points at a different icon. For example, when the canister is full and sitting low, it points to the full icon. When it’s empty, it sits higher up and points to the empty symbol. This made it super easy to see how much propane we had.

The grill is also equipped with a spot to hold Weber’s iGrill3 Bluetooth digital thermometer in place when you remove the plastic faceplate. This piece of equipment is sold separately, but it comes with four thermometer probes that pair with the iGrill app installed on a smart device, so you can monitor temperatures from inside the house (as long as you’re within 150 feet).

A metal rack inside the grill acts as a warming rack, which we found perfect for warming buns for our burgers or to keep sausages warm while we grilled peppers and onions. When it’s not needed, it folds down out of the way.

Portability: Not a viable option for tailgating

For those with small patios or decks, the Weber Genesis II E-210 offers the reliability and sturdy construction of the brand’s bigger and far more expensive options, but in a much smaller unit. Two large wheels on one side and two locking swivel casters on the other make it easy to move the grill to different parts of the patio or deck. Still, the grill isn’t exactly what we’d call portable, as it doesn’t break down to fit into the back of a car for tailgating. 

Price: The Cadillac of small grills

With a retail price of $500, this two-burner grill is definitely an investment. Most compact propane grills hover around $200 to $250. The NexGrill Evolution two-burner is 5 inches skinnier than Weber and half the price. The Royal Gourmet Deluxe two-burner is even cheaper at $175 to $200. The Char-Broil Signature Series Tru-Infrared 2-Burner grill is a little more expensive, but at $380, it’s still far cheaper than the Genesis. However, the Weber Genesis is constructed of higher-grade materials, which is why it offers a 10-year warranty, versus the 1- to 2-year warranties of these other brands.

Weber Genesis II E-210 vs. Char-Broil Signature Series Tru-Infrared 2 Burner Grill 

Weber may be the most common household name when it comes to outdoor grills, but Char-Broil comes in a close second. And both brands have a premium 2-burner grill—the Weber Genesis and the Char-Broil Signature. How do these two brands stack up to each other? Both take up about the same amount of space on a patio, and both have side tables that fold down (though they do so differently). But Weber mounts its propane on the side, under the table, which frees up space under the grill for storage. Char-Grill has an enclosed cabinet under the grill for the propane and other storage.

Both tout the reliability of their ignition systems (Infinity Ignition for Weber, Surefire Electronic ignition for Char-Broil), but Weber guarantees its ignition system (as well as other parts, like the firebox) for 10 years, while Char-Broil’s warranties are only 3 years.

Both grills have porcelain-coated cast iron grates and a swing-away warming rack, but Weber has a bit more primary cooking area (380 square inches versus 325 square inches). Weber offers more BTUs (26,000 compared to 18,000), but Char-Broil adds an infrared heat emitter, which heats objects, not the air around it—a very efficient way to heat food evenly. 

Some users on Amazon say they’re able to get their grills to a searingly hot 700 degrees in 10 minutes due to the infrared heat. But the downside is this heating technology uses an accordion-shaped sheet of metal underneath the grates that must be cleaned frequently in order to work properly.