Weber Genesis II E/S 435 Review {vs Genesis 335 and Summit 670}

When the Genesis II 400 series was introduced in 2017 the grilling world went nuts.  These massive four burner grills were the perfect answer for people who wanted a Summit sized grill without a Summit sized price tag.

There was one problem though.  These thousand dollar grills did not have a Sear Station burner and, as a result, lacked the high heat searing ability needed for grilling perfect steaks.

Weber listened to their customers and in 2019 released the Genesis II 435, an amazing four burner grill with a Sear Station and side burner.

Let’s look at how the 435 stacks up against the ultra premium Weber Summit 670 as well as it’s slightly smaller version, the Genesis II 335.

Specifications and Dimensions

To get a better idea of what this grill has to offer, let’s take a look at some numbers.

• Grilling Area: 646 inches of primary cooking area with an additional 198 inches available in the form of a tuck-away warming rack
• Burners: Four stainless steel burners
• Heating Power: (48,000 BTU/hour) / (646 square inches) = 74 BTU per hour per square inch
• Sear Station Burner: 9,000 BTU/hour
• Side Burner: 12,000 BTU/hour
• Dimensions (with lid ajar): 61”H x 61”W x 29”D—45”H with lid closed
• iGrill 3: Compatible, but accessory sold separately
• Warranty Info: 10 Year— excluding normal wear and tear and subject to additional terms and conditions

Just like the original Genesis II 410, size is what makes this a remarkable grill.  The primary grilling area of 646 square inches on the 400 series of grills is 25% larger than the Genesis 300 Series and even slightly larger than the six burner Summit 670.

The Genesis II 435 grills come with the Weber GS4 High Performance Grilling System and are the largest gas grills Weber makes.

435 E vs S: What Does That Mean?

The 435 comes in an “E” and “S” models and there is an important difference between them.

The “E” version has a lid and lower cabinet made of black porcelain enameled steel while the “S” version has the same components in stainless steel.

The important difference has to do with the cooking grates.  The E 435 has grates made of cast iron while the S 435 has grates made from 7mm stainless steel rods.

The cast iron grate on the E 435 is perfectly fine.  It is heavy duty and porcelain enameled so you will get many, many years of use from it.

The stainless steel grate on the S 435 is perfection.

The 7mm rods give much better grill marks than you can get with cast iron and keeping the stainless rods clean is a snap.  While the cast iron grates do have a protective porcelain coating it does eventually chip and the cast iron will start rusting after a few years.  You wont have that problem with stainless steel.

Genesis II 435 vs Summit S 670

I strongly believe that Weber is going to discontinue the Genesis II 435 grills in the near future for the simple reason that they are too good.

Weber has an “Ultra Premium” line of gas grills, the Summit Series, which are more than twice as expensive as the Genesis grills.  The problem for Weber is that, when you compare the Genesis II 435 against Weber’s flagship grill, the Summit S 670, you see that the 435 is a screaming bargain.

Why in the world you you pay more than double the cost of the Genesis 435 to buy a Summit 670?  Because the Summit has a built in rotisserie?

Let’s compare the customer reviews for these two grills (data from the Home Depot website).  The Genesis 435 has more 5 star and fewer 1 Star reviews than the Summit 670.

In the past, if you wanted to buy the biggest gas grill Weber made then you had to buy the Summit 670.  However, that is no longer the case as the Genesis II 435 is now Weber’s largest gas grill.

Do you see Weber’s problem?  The Genesis II 435 is so good that sales for the Summit grills are drying up.  In my opinion, there is no way that Weber will let the highly profitable Summit series be overshadowed by the Genesis 435 for much longer.

Grab one of these beauties while you still can.

Genesis II 435 vs Genesis II 335

If you are concerned about the price tag of the Genesis II 435 then it makes a ton of sense to look at the slightly smaller Genesis II 335.

The Genesis 335 is nearly identical to the 435 with the following differences:

• The primary grilling area on the 335 is 25% smaller than the 435 (513 vs 646 sq inches).
• The 335 has three primary burners instead of four
• The 335 costs much less than the 435.

Don’t let the smaller size of the Genesis II 335 worry you as it is still a massive grill that will more than meet the needs of most people.

Here is my full review of the Weber Genesis II 335 if you would like more information on that grill.

Pros and Cons of the Genesis II 435

On the Positive Side

If you have never owned a Weber gas grill before then you are going to be amazed at the difference in how these grills perform compared to those thin little cheap grills you see at the Big Box stores. The 435 performs like all Genesis gas grills with even heating and minimal flare ups.

The build quality is exceptional which is reflected in the 10 year warranty on all components.  By all components I mean the fire box, lid, burner tubes, grates, Flavorizer bars, ignition….everything.  These are absolutely solid grills that will last long beyond their stated warranties.

I realize that this is a matter of personal taste but I think that all of the Genesis grills are beautiful.  The styling is sleek with just a touch of retro from the riveted side belts on the lid.

On the Negative Side

There is no getting around the fact that these grills carry a steep price tag and will be out of the budget of most people.  That being said, these grills are a screaming bargain compared to the four and six burner Weber Summit grills.

The other negative about this grill is that while it is truly massive the reality is that you probably don’t need a grill this big.  There is not a thing wrong with owning a massive grill but something smaller like the Genesis II S 335 is probably a more practical size grill for most people.

Overall

If you have the money and space for this massive grill then you can make the purchase knowing that you are getting the largest gas grill Weber makes with all of the searing power that you will ever want.

This grill is a beauty and she will make you happy.