The sun is shining on your back, your kids are playing frisbee behind you, your neighbor is standing over your shoulder judging your every move as you flip his burger for the umpteenth time. This is what weekends in the summer are about.
Family, food, and annoying neighbors who think they can cook better than you. How do you prove them wrong? With the right grill.
In this article, we will look at two different grill lines. The Weber Genesis II line and KitchenAid grills, and which grill could be the right choice for you and your grilling needs.
First, what do these two brands have in common? Both sets of models we will compare have the same number of burners, similar total BTU output, and 2 side tables. But this is where the similarities end.
Of course, if you’re reading this you are more interested in why they are different, and ultimately which is the better grill.
To start I will list the brands, their most popular models, and break down their features. Then we will jump into what all of that actually means for you and your steak.
Weber Grills started because founder George Stephen loved to grill and wanted a better way to do it. At the time, shortly after World War 2, no grills were made with covers and a rainy or windy day could ruin any chance for successful cooking.
Looking for an alternative he found a buoy in the water. It dawned on him that this could be his solution. He cut the buoy in half, gave it some legs, and pioneered a new design for grills. A cover. He bought and converted the family metal works company in Illinois to make solely grills.
And for the past 60 years, Weber Grills has continued the mission of making grilling more efficient and more enjoyable. (There’s more to this story of course, but for time sake I’ll leave it brief.)
KitchenAid grills, on the other hand, are not in fact made by KitchenAid. They are manufactured in China by Nexgrill, under the KitchenAid name.
There is no story that goes along with these grills. Only that a large appliance company wanted to grow its brand so licensed their name.
Whirlpool derives income from licensing names. Maytag, another Whirlpool subsidiary, is licensed frequently as well.
Nexgrill has distribution, and it’s sold in box stores only. Whirlpool receives profits. You think its a KitchenAid product and buy because you had a good experience with their dishwasher.
To be transparent, we do not sell Nextgrill or KitchenAid grills at Yale.
| Weber Genesis II 310 |
Weber Genesis II 410 |
KitchenAid 720-0787 |
KitchenAid 720-0745 |
|
| Price | $799 | $949 | $449 | $699 |
| Fuel Type | LP or Natural Gas | LP or Natural Gas | LP or Natural Gas | LP or Natural Gas |
| BTU Output | 3 Burners totaling 38,000 BTU | 4 burners totaling 48,000 BTU | 3 burners totaling 36,000 BTU | 4 burners totaling 48,000 BTU |
| Side Burner | Optional | Optional | Yes | Yes |
| Grates | Porcelain cast-iron grates | Porcelain cast-iron grates | Stainless steel grates | Stainless steel grates |
| Cooking Area (in square inches) | 513 square inch main cooking area | 646 square inch main cooking area | 483 square inch main cooking area | 571 square inch main cooking area |
| Color Options | 8 (depending on model and fuel type) | Black or Stainless | Stainless | Stainless |
| Special Features | Infinity ignition, grease management system, Flavorizer bars, iGrill 3 compatible | Infinity ignition, grease management system, Flavorizer bars, iGrill 3 compatible | Electronic continuous ignition | Electronic continuous ignition |
| Warranty | 1 year parts and labor, 10 year parts | 1 year parts and labor, 10 year parts | 1 year parts and labor | 1 year parts and labor |
Features:
Genesis II has what they call the GS4 cooking system. This is the four primary features they offer on the Genesis II line. Infinity Ignition, Burners, Flavorizer Bars, and Grease Management System.
Ignition:
Both the KitchenAid and Weber Genesis II have electric ignition (Weber calls theirs Infinity Ignition). The difference is Weber guarantees theirs to light every time.
Burners:
While both companies offer the same number of burners and similar BTU’s for similar models, the Weber wins in this category.
The design of their burners does a better job of ensuring very even heat distribution compared to other grills, thus a more evenly cooked burger. The KitchenAid is still good, but the Weber is better.
Grill Bars:
| Weber Porcelain Cast-Iron Grates | KitchenAid Stainless Steel Grates |
While the KitchenAid grills have quality stainless steel cooking rods, again the Weber is better. Unlike the round rods of most grills, the Weber Genesis uses angled stainless steel for their bars.
Weber Flavorizer Bars
These Flavorizer Bars allow the grease to flow away from the burners protecting them. Not only that, but the grease also burns to smoke and sizzle, creating that irresistible smoky flavor we hope for when we take that first bite of our steak on a Sunday afternoon.
Grease Management:
The other day I was over my brother’s house and he was grilling us burgers after we put up a fence. The grease found a hole on the bottom of the grill, dripped to the ground and caught on fire. Next to the propane tank. Not an ideal situation.
This is why the Weber Genesis wins in this category as well. First off, as mentioned above, most of the grease is burned off and gives our food that delicious smoky flavor.
Weber's Drip Pan
But what’s not burned off is channeled (away from the burners, protecting them) into the drip pan. This prevents flare-ups in your grill (or as in my brother’s case, next to the propane tank) and makes for a much easier clean.
Technology:
Weber iGrill Accessory
Weber offers (at an additional cost) their iGrill 3 app-connected thermometer. With this, you can monitor up to four cuts of meat at once. The app also has some great recipes and cooking tips.
Quality:
Weber uses better quality parts, has a better warranty (10 years for all parts, KitchenAid is only on select parts), and has far superior support after you take it home.
They have a seven day a week customer service line with hold times averaging less than 30 seconds. They will help you set up and operate your grill, and even give you cooking advice.
Weber is also the least service, most reliable product sold at Yale with only 1.58% service in the first year.
The average appliance is 13.4% with grills being lower at 6.7%
Have a look:
Most Reliable BBQ Grills for 2019
| Service Qty | Shipped Qty | Service Ratio | |
| Lynx Professional Grills | 15 | 85 | 17.65 % |
| Weber | 11 | 697 | 1.58 % |
| Hestan | 3 | 20 | 15.00 % |
| Summitt | 2 | 27 | 7.41 % |
| Kalamazoo | 1 | 19 | 5.26 % |
| Traeger Wood Fire Grills | 0 | 21 | 0.00 % |
| Uuni | 0 | 14 | 0.00 % |
| Grand Total | 32 | 883 | 6.70 % |
KitchenAid has decent features for the money. It is less expensive
However, if you want better reliability, features, and support, the Weber Genesis hands down outperforms the KitchenAid. It will cost you more money, but it’s definitely worth it.
If you still aren’t sold on the Weber Genesis II or are looking for a BBQ grill that costs a little less the Weber Spirit starts at $399. You still shouldn’t buy a KitchenAid.
Save yourself the money and just buy a Nexgrill since it’s basically the same thing as the KitchenAid for hundreds less.
But for a better, longer lasting grill, buy a Weber.
Additional Resources
Get the Yale BBQ Grill Buying Guide with features, specs and inside tips to all the brands like Kalamazoo, DCS, Lynx, Weber, Hestan and more. Well over 535,000 people have read a Yale Guide.
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