Weber Spirit vs Genesis {2022 Models: 330 vs 335}
When it comes to Weber gas grills the absolute biggest question is, “What is the difference between a Weber Spirit and Weber Genesis?” The grills look similar but have very different price tags.
This article will show you the important differences between these product lines so you can select the right gas grill for your needs!
The primary differences between the Spirit and Genesis grills are:
- Number of Burners
- Grilling Area
- Price
- Propane Tank Location
- Wheels
- Lid Construction
- GS4 Grilling System
- Warranty
Let’s take a deeper dive into the detail of these grills.
By the way, there are ZERO affiliate links on this page. I have ZERO financial interest in whether you buy any of these grills. This post is purely informational and for your benefit.
The Full List of Spirit and Genesis Grills
One of the things that makes comparing these grill difficult is that there are so many of them! The table below is a listing of all of the current Spirit and Genesis grills and is sortable by feature.
| Weber Grill Model | Primary Burners | Primary Grilling Area, sq in | Sear Station | Side Burner | Cooking Grate | Enclosed Cabinet | Stainless Body | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit E 210 | 2 | 360 | No | No | Cast Iron | Yes | No | $469 |
| Spirit E 310 | 3 | 424 | No | No | Cast Iron | Yes | No | $569 |
| Spirit S 315 | 3 | 424 | No | No | Cast Iron | Yes | Yes | $649 |
| Spirit E 330 | 3 | 424 | Yes | Yes | Cast Iron | Yes | No | $669 |
| Spirit SX 315 (Smart Grill) | 3 | 424 | No | No | Cast Iron | Yes | Yes | $849 |
| Genesis II E 310 | 3 | 513 | No | No | Cast Iron | No | No | $729 |
| Genesis II S 310 | 3 | 513 | No | No | Stainless Steel | No | Yes | $849 |
| Genesis II E 315 | 3 | 513 | No | No | Cast Iron | Yes | No | $779 |
| Genesis II E 335 | 3 | 513 | Yes | Yes | Cast Iron | Yes | No | $929 |
| Genesis II S 335 | 3 | 513 | Yes | Yes | Stainless Steel | Yes | Yes | $1,029 |
| Genesis II E 410 | 4 | 646 | No | No | Cast Iron | No | No | $949 |
| Genesis II E 435 | 4 | 646 | Yes | Yes | Cast Iron | Yes | No | $1,149 |
| Genesis II S 435 | 4 | 646 | Yes | Yes | Stainless Steel | Yes | Yes | $1,249 |
| Genesis II SX 335 (Smart Grill) | 3 | 513 | No | No | Stainless Steel | Yes | Yes | $1,349 |
| Genesis II EX 335 (Smart Grill) | 3 | 513 | No | No | Cast | Yes | No | $1,239 |
I have left the Spirit II grills out of the table as I believe they will be discontinued in 2021.
Which Weber Gas Grill is the Best?
Before we jump into the hardcore differences between the Spirit and Genesis series I wanted to take a second and try to answer the real question for you.
Most people don’t actually care about the differences between these two product lines, they just want to know which grill they should buy. Let me make this simple for you!
- Best Two Burner Grill: Weber Spirit 210
- Best Value Three Burner Grill: Weber Spirit 330
- Best Looking Three Burner Grill: Weber Genesis II E 335 (Ocean Blue)
- Best Value Four Burner Grill: Weber Genesis II E 435
This list was not hard to make. The only two burner grills are in the Spirit product line. The only four burner grills are in the Genesis product line. The only place where you have to make a decision is in the 3 burner grills and at that point the decision is between which grill is the best value and which looks better.
Weber Spirit 330 vs Genesis 335
The head to head comparison for these two product lines comes down to the Spirit 330 vs the Genesis 335 and here is why:
- If you want a 2 Burner grill then your only option is a Spirit.
- If you want a 4 Burner grill then your only option is a Genesis.
- If you want a 3 Burner grill then you should only get one that has a Sear Station.
The only 3 Burner Spirit grill with a Sear Station is the Spirit 330.
The only 3 Burner Genesis grills with a Sear Station are the Genesis II E 335 and Genesis II S 335. The “E” model of the 335 is made of porcelain Enameled steel while the “S” model is made from Stainless steel.
| Weber Model | Primary Grilling Area (sq in) | Tank Location | Wheels | Lid Construction | GS4 Grilling System | Warranty | Cooking Grate | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit E 330 | 424 | Underneath Grill | Casters | Single Wall | No | 10 Years + 5 Years | Cast Iron | $669 |
| Genesis II E 335 | 513 | Beside Grill | Casters + 6 inch | Double Wall | Yes | 10 Years | Cast Iron | $929 |
| Genesis II S 335 | 513 | Beside Grill | Casters + 6 inch | Double Wall | Yes | 10 Years | Stainless Steel | $1,029 |
Customer Reviews
I pulled the customer reviews for these grills from Weber’s website, and plotted them side by side (data current 5/2021).
Both grills had over 1,000 reviews so this is a pretty robust data set. The breakdown for the individual star ratings is:
| Customer Reviews | Spirit 330 |
Genesis II E 335
|
| 5 Star | 77 | 80 |
| 4 Star | 14 | 12 |
| 3 Star | 4 | 4 |
| 2 Star | 2 | 2 |
| 1 Star | 2 | 3 |
The Genesis gets a little more 5 star love than the Spirit but both grills have excellent overall reviews.
Based on the customer reviews you should be pretty happy with either grill.
Grilling Area
The Genesis 335 has a primary grilling area that is 20% larger than on the Spirit 330 (513 vs 424 sq in). The secondary warming rack on the Genesis is about 50% larger than on the Spirit (156 vs 105 sq in).
According to Weber the grilling capacity for the two grills are:
- Spirit 330: 15 Hamburgers
- Genesis 335: 20 Hamburgers
The takeaway here is that while the Genesis is the larger grill, the Spirit is plenty large enough for the grilling needs of most people.
Seriously, if you need the ability to grill more than 15 burgers at a time then upgrade to a Genesis 4 Burner grill.
Propane Tank Location
This is one of those details that seems minor but , for some people, can be extremely important.
For the Spirit 330 the propane tank is located in the enclosed cabinet underneath the grill. This tank location is considered a positive by some people because it keeps the grill looking neat and organized.
However, getting the tank into and out of the cabinet, as well as hooking up the hose, can be a little awkward. If you are older and have bad knees then there is a chance that you will hate the location of the propane tank on the Spirit 330.
In contrast, for the Genesis 335, the propane tank is easily accessible on the exterior right hand side of the grill and is hidden from sight behind a plastic guard.
Wheels
The Spirit grills have four swivel caster wheels, two of which can be locked.
The Genesis grills have two locking swivel caster wheels and two six inch “all weather” wheels.
The larger wheels on the Genesis make it easier to move around on your deck. While ease of rolling is a nice feature, it was never that important to me.
Lid Construction
The lid on the Genesis 335 grills has double walled construction.
The lid on the Spirit 330 is single walled.
In theory, the double walled lid construction on the Genesis should help it heat up faster and recover temperature quicker after the lid has been opened.
The only real difference that I have noticed is that the lid handle on the Spirit, especially at the edges, can get pretty hot while the lid handle on the Genesis stays cool.
Cooking Grate
The Spirit 330 and the Genesis II E 335 both have a porcelain enameled cast iron cooking grate.
The cast iron grates on these grills are perfectly fine.
The stainless steel Genesis II S 335 has a cooking grate made of stainless steel rods that I absolutely love. The stainless rods are extremely easy to clean and give better grill marks than you get with cast iron grates.
Warranty
The warranty for the Genesis II grills is extremely simple. Absolutely everything is covered for ten year.
The warranty for the Spirit grills, listed below, is also very good but is not as long as you get with the Genesis.
- Cookbox – 10 years, no rust through/burn through (2 years paint excluding fading or discoloration)
- Lid – 10 years, no rust through/burn through (2 years paint excluding fading or discoloration)
- Burner tubes – 10 years, no rust through/burn through
- Cast iron cooking grates – 5 years, no rust through/burn through
- All remaining parts – 2 years
GS4 Grilling System
Ah, the famous GS4 Grilling System! The Genesis II grills carry the GS4 badge and the Spirit grills do not.
In my opinion, the GS4 System is unimportant marketing hype that Weber uses to get people to pay more for a Genesis instead of buying a Spirit.
- New burner tubes: Rectangular with gas ports facing upwards.
- New Flavorizer bars: Have crescent shaped openings to let you see the burner flames.
- A more reliable “infinity ignition system”
- A hole to install the iGrill3 which must be purchased separately.
The only aspect of the GS4 system that is of interest to me are the new burner tubes. On the plus side, the new tubes were designed to create better heat distribution from the front to back of the grill. On the negative side, I have seen reports that since the burner ports are now facing upwards that it is easier for grill debris to get inside and clog them up.
As far as the iGrill 3 system is concerned, I bought one, played with it and quickly threw it in the trash.
Other Details
While some Weber grills are made in the USA it appears that the Spirit and Genesis II grills are made in China.
As of May, 2021 there are still some Weber Spirit II 210 grills available for sale. These grills have a better warranty than the base model Spirit 210 grills and cost a lot less.
The lowered price on the upgraded Spirit II 210 makes me think that they are being discontinued and Weber is clearing out inventory. If you are looking for a great two burner grill on sale then check this link to see if the Spirit II 210 is still available.
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