We Grilled Over 140 Pounds of Meat to Find the Best Gas Grills

The Weber Spirit E-425 offers an unrivaled combination of top-notch grilling performance, a versatile four-burner design, durability, and a relatively affordable price. It excelled in every one of our tests.

But before we go any further, we need to point something out: Anyone who has owned one of Weber’s three-burner Spirit grills (including our previous pick, the E-310) from before 2025 may be disappointed if they decide to replace it with a new E-310 or E-325.

That’s because Weber has shrunk the bodies of its newest three-burner Spirit grills, making them the same size as our budget pick, the two-burner E-210.

The new, four-burner E-425 is now the same size as our previous (now-discontinued) three-burner pick, and we still think it’s the best size.

It’s relatively compact, but it can cook plenty of food. The Spirit E-425 can easily accommodate 12 large hamburgers, two whole or cut-up chickens, or a large cut of protein, such as a rib roast. Or it can cook a complete meal for five or six people: For instance, you can cook a steak or fish over the “sear zones,” and grill vegetables on lower heat on the other side of the grill.

It heats quickly and evenly. We like the “Snap Jet” ignition, which doesn’t require batteries and lights the burners in a flash. The E-425 heated up to 500 °F within 7 minutes. And our bun “heat map” revealed that compared with the other grills we’ve tested, the E-425 provided the most consistent heating across the entire grate surface.

It sears beautifully, with few flare-ups. Our burgers came out consistently picture- and palate-perfect, with lovely grill marks on the outside and cooked to a juicy medium on the inside.

There were no issues with meat sticking to the flat, porcelain-coated iron grates. And we had no problems with flare-ups, the grease fires that produce charring and acrid smoke. (All grills produce brief bursts of flame when grease drips onto the burner hoods; the problem is persistent fires.)

Among all of the grills we tested, Weber’s grills had the fewest flare-ups, so they left our burgers, chicken, and steaks with perfect grill marks, and they never incinerated our vegetables. We also appreciated the extra boost that the “sear zone” provided, concentrating more heat into the two burners on the right, when a quick charring is called for.

It’s also great for gentler, indirect cooking. With almost no fiddling on our part, the Spirit and Weber Genesis grills we tested produced perfect grilled chicken, while other contenders produced either flabby or charred chicken. And in our indirect-cooking test, the Spirit E-425 offered up a nicely browned roasted bird. The grill held a steady temperature during both the low-and-slow and indirect cooking tests.

It’s easy to assemble and maintain. In all of our testing, the Weber grills have had the most well-thought-out instructions, with clearly labeled parts. We’ve even managed to assemble them solo in about an hour, though Weber recommends having two people for the task. (We agree. It’s faster and safer).

As for maintenance, the flat grates were easy to keep clean using a grill brush, and the grease trap was easy to access for dumping and washing. (To keep your grill in tip-top shape — quite possibly for years after its decade-long warranty expires — be sure to clean it regularly and thoroughly.)

It’s durable, and it has a great warranty. This grill is sturdily built from the ground up. Lots of metal, very little plastic, and tight tolerances add up to a stiff chassis. Weber has added a cabinet to all of its Spirit grills, including our picks, and they’re all-metal, sturdy, and well aligned (unlike a few other grills we’ve built).

Weber also offers a 10-year warranty on the firebox, lid, and burners; a five-year warranty on grates and burner covers; and a two-year warranty on all remaining parts. In our experience, Weber also provides exceptional service under that warranty. A Wirecutter colleague stabbed a hole in his firebox after a grease fire; he told this upfront to a Weber representative, and the company replaced the firebox at no charge (not even for shipping).

Our 2022 reader survey revealed high satisfaction with Weber grills’ performance and reliability. Of the 1,000-plus grill-owning Wirecutter readers we surveyed, over 60% said they owned Weber grills. And of those Weber grill owners, 69% reported that they were extremely satisfied, and another 29% reported that they were moderately satisfied.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It doesn’t come with a grill cover. But neither did any other grill in our test group (though we think they should). You can purchase a Weber cover separately for about $90. Or you can buy a third-party cover: We’ve been using this Unicook cover for the past year on a Weber Genesis grill, and it’s sturdy, fits well, and does a fine job.

Whether you spring for the Weber cover or pick up a generic one, we highly recommend buying and using a cover. It will extend the life of your grill, and it could save you time, effort, and money over the course of that lifetime.