If there is something I am known for in my neighborhood, it’s grilling. I’m out there two, three or even four times a week, grilling away to my heart’s content. During all these grilling hours, I have been able to try quite a few devices. Today, I will talk about a grill that, as of late, has been my absolute favorite: the Weber Spirit E-210. Additionally, I will give you some useful information about gas grills in general. Hopefully, this Weber Spirit E-210 review will help you decide whether it’s right for you too.
- Your purchase includes One Weber Spirit E-210 Liquid Propane Gas...
- Grill dimensions: Lid Open – 63" H x 50" W x 32" D | Lid Closed –...
- Heavy-duty caster wheels for easily moving your grill on grass or a...
- Built to last with heavy duty, porcelain-enameled lid and cook box...
- Six tool hooks for easy accessibility of grilling tools. Low...
Things to Consider Before Buying a Gas Grill
Before I go in-depth into the characteristics and features of the Spirit E-210, let me provide some useful information about gas grills in general. Hopefully, this information will help you make the right choice for your particular needs whenever the time comes. Before buying a gas grill, consider the following:
BTU
Standing for British Thermal Units, BTU is a measure of heat. In the world of gas grills, BTU refers to the maximum heat that a unit is capable of producing. This number is arrived at by adding the maximum heat that each burner in the unit is capable of producing.
Main Cooking Area
Before you get a new grill, make sure that it has a cooking area large enough to fit your needs. If you are going to be cooking for a small family, a small cooking area of 300 to 500 square inches will be more than enough. However, if you are planning on entertaining large numbers of people, consider getting a unit with a larger cooking area of at least 600 square inches.
Dimensions
Of course, it’s always important to make sure that your new grill will be able to fit in your home. Before making a purchase, decide where your grill is going to go. Measure that area and then compare the numbers to the dimensions of the unit as pointed out by the manufacturer. If it’s an inch too large, it may be necessary to take a look at another model.
Number and Type of Burners
As previously mentioned, the more burners a gas grill has, the more heat it will be able to produce. Normally, gas grills have anything between two and six main burners. Typically, these burners are made of stainless steel in order to ensure durability and resistance to fire. However, some manufacturers use other, cheaper materials such as cast-iron. I should also mention that many gas grills out there feature additional burners on the sides or the back for specific forms of cooking.
Additional Features
Apart from its main features, most gas grills have additional features meant to provide functionality, ease of use, comfort, and convenience. Among them, the most popular are warming racks, storage cabinets, cooking tools, and various others. If you are going back and forth between two models, looking at their additional features may help you make up your mind and choose one.
About the Weber Spirit E-210
After the success of its Genesis series, Weber Grills decided to create a new one. This new series takes a lot from the aforementioned Genesis but makes an emphasis on compactness, practicality, and convenience. As a result, the grills included in it are more streamlined and straightforward without sacrificing power or efficiency.
Being the smallest in the series, the Weber Spirit E-210 is even more compact than its Genesis counterparts. At this point, I should also mention that it’s also the more affordable one. Despite its dimensions, however, this model features the same expert construction and high-quality materials as all Weber grills.
With two stainless steel burners, the unit is capable of generating 26,500 BTU, making it powerful enough to handle small barbecues with no problems. At the same time, it has a wide temperature range, allowing you to cook at either low, medium or high temperatures with the same amount of ease.
Pros
- Compact and portable.
- Tough and durable.
- Reliable ignition.
- Includes fold-down side tables.
- Features a built-in thermometer.
Cons
- Takes a long time to preheat.
- Reduced cooking surface.
- Can’t be converted to propane gas.
Weber Spirit E-210 Review: Features and Benefits
At last, it’s time to go deep into the characteristics and features of this grill. With clarity in mind, I will divide them into several categories. They go as follows:
Materials and Construction
In terms of materials, the Spirit E-210 is every bit as wonderful as any of the other products in the Weber brand. The unit’s exterior is made of pure stainless steel, ensuring maximum durability and resistance to external elements. Meanwhile, the grill’s grates are made of the best cast-iron available on the market. As you can imagine, this results in an even heat distribution throughout the grates’ surface.
Dimensions and Spaciousness
As was previously mentioned, the E-210 is the smallest grill in Weber’s Spirit series. Compact in size, the unit can be fit mostly anywhere without a problem. Despite this fact, the grill offers a decent 360 square inches of cooking surface. Being able to generate up to 26,500 BTU, the unit’s two main burners are capable of maximizing the use of this space by heating it thoroughly and completely.
Design
The design of this grill is streamlined and straightforward, making an emphasis on functionality and ease of use rather than looks. However, this gas grill is still sleek and elegant enough not to look out of place in the most elegant outdoor kitchen. Borrowing a lot from its previous Genesis series, Weber designed the Spirit series in a way that favors simplicity, practicality, and portability over anything else. The grills in this new series are even more uncomplicated than those in the Genesis series, though, as they feature fewer control knobs. What is more, the control knobs they do have are now concentrated in the front of the unit.
Main Features
Being a simple and straightforward gas grill, the E-210 does not have an impressive number of main features. On the contrary, the device has two very basic burners, 360 square inches of porcelain-coated cast-iron cooking grates and very little else. Somehow, though, using only these two main features, the grill manages to be versatile enough to facilitate a variety of cooking styles. Whether you require direct or indirect heat, the interior design of the unit allows it.
Performance
While it is not the most powerful gas grilling unit in the world, the E-210 is certainly capable of cooking with efficiency. Surely, its compact size and limited heat output limit the grill’s capabilities in terms of cooking large amounts of food at the same time. Even worse, they make the preheating process painfully slow in comparison to that of other, larger grills on the market. Those problems aside, however, I can confidently say that the Spirit E-210 performs efficiently and reliably. Providing a wide range of temperature, the device is versatile enough to allow a variety of cooking styles. What is more, its heat redistribution is fantastic, ensuring great results even if you cram it with as much food as it can hold.
Additional Features
Without a doubt, the Weber Spirit E-210 has very little in terms of bells and whistles. Apart from its main features, it offers a few useful things such as fold-down side tables that help create additional space while cooking. In addition, it has a hood-mounted thermometer to help you control the cooking process in real-time. You can also separately buy additional accessories for this grill, including a cover and a propane gas tank.
Social Proof
Without a doubt, I would be completely remiss not to include a few images from comment sections across the web that support my review of the Weber Spirit E-210. I’ve found that the public, in general, has mostly good things to say about this gas grill. Apart from pointing out its efficiency and practicality, many people praised the E-210’s durability and reliability.
Alternatives to the Weber Spirit E-210
If you aren’t convinced by what I’ve said about this grill, don’t worry. Up next, I will provide some good alternatives that you can look into. Even if none of them convince you, comparing them with the E-210 and each other will surely be helpful. Before that, though, let’s go into the specifications of this article’s featured grill:
Weber Spirit E-210 Specs
- BTU: 26,500.
- Burners: Two.
- Cooking area: 360 square inches.
- Dimensions: 32 x 50 x 63 inches.
#1 Dyna-Glo DGB390SNP-D Smart Space Living 3-Burner
By all means, the Dyna-Glo DGB390SNP-D Smart Space Living Gas Grill is compact, efficient and reliable. Featuring 507 square inches of cooking space, the unit can help you grill larger amounts of food than the Weber Spirit E-210. Using three stainless steel burners, the grill is capable of cooking all this food efficiently and with finesse. Additionally, this product has a wide temperature range, making it a good option for low and slow cooking.
Dyna-Glo DGB390SNP-D Specs
- BTU: 36,000.
- Burners: Three.
- Cooking area: 507 square inches.
- Dimensions: 22.8 x 49.1 x 45 inches.
>> Check Price on Amazon <<
Check out our detailed Dyna-Glo gas grills review.
#2 Royal Gourmet GG2102 2-Burner Cabinet
Featuring a sleek and streamlined design that wouldn’t look out of place in any outdoor kitchen, the Royal Gourmet GG2102 is another good alternative to the Weber Spirit E-210. There are some key differences between them, though. For one, this gas grill is more compact. As a result, it also has a smaller cooking area. At any rate, though, it’s well-designed, practical and portable, making it a good choice for those who have a reduced space but still want effective and even grilling. I should also mention that, despite being smaller than the Spirit E-210, the Royal Gourmet GG2102 has more cabinet space and slightly larger fold-down side tables.
Royal Gourmet GG2102 Specs
- BTU: 24,000.
- Burners: Two.
- Cooking area: 405 square inches.
- Dimensions: 43.3 x 22.4 x 44.5 inches.
>> Check Price on Amazon <<
#3 MASTER COOK Classic with Folding Table
Despite being a slight bit smaller than the Weber Spirit E-210, the Master Cook Classic Liquid Propane Gas Grill has three burners instead of two. As you can imagine, this increases the total amount of heat that it can produce by a fair amount (30,000 BTU in comparison to the E-210’s 26,500). As a result, the device preheats faster and cooks more aggressively. Unfortunately, however, this feature also makes it more difficult to slow cook as very low temperatures are not an option. I should also mention that this grill’s construction is less solid than that of the E-210. At any rate, though, this is a practical and efficient grill that’s also compact and portable.
Master Cook Classic Liquid Propane Gas Grill Specs
- BTU: 30,000.
- Burners: Three.
- Cooking area: 473 square inches.
- Dimensions: 30 x 20 x 41 inches.
>> Check Price on Amazon <<
Conclusion
With so many options out there, it can be difficult to zero in on a gas grill that’s really worth its cost. Without a doubt, narrowing the options to the products manufactured by Weber is a great first step. Having gone through everything that the Weber Spirit E-210 has to offer, though, I am tempted to say that this is one of the best gas grills out there. Powerful, efficient and practical, this device can truly help you elevate your outdoor cooking game. In the end, though, it all depends on your personal needs. At any rate, this review will help you make up your mind. Before leaving you, I should tell you that this product has a newer model out. If you want to elevate your grilling game, check it out now!
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