Help with BBQ purchase... Weber or Vermont Castings

[Smoothie]

I have a large enough gift card for Home Depot that I'd like to purchase a nice BBQ. I already have a natural gas line, so I'll be going this route, and I have to buy it at Home Depot, since I have the gift card.
I'm wondering everyone's thoughts on Weber's vs. Vermont Castings, I plan on keeping this Q for a while.
Here are the models I'm looking at

Vermont Castings VM508SN
http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber
I like it as it feels quite solid, 4 burner and infrared rotisserie included.

Vermont Castings VM450SSNC
http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber
Almost the same, I like the look better if that counts for anything, but no rotisserie or marinating/beer station, not sure if I'd use it anyways. Is there much difference using a bbq with a Infrared element vs. using the regular burners?

Weber Genesis S-320
http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber
Nice looking Q, only 3 burners, heating elements go horizontally across the bbq, not vertically like most are used to. No rotisserie/infrared. Dial controls are not on the front, but on the side. Seems like it would get in the way and takes away from work space. Also the most expensive.

Weber Genesis E-320
http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber
Similar to S-320, but porcelain grills and of course painted, not stainless steel exterior.

I'm sure they are all great BBQ's, but can someone comment on their experiences with any of the above models, or why they choose a Weber or Vermont Castings?
Thanks!!

[sillywilly]

I like the S class. So sexy...

[John]

Both are really high quality q's, pretty much the two top names. I guess it depends on how many bells and whistles that you want. More side burners to me means more stuff that can break and rust out. Concentrate on which grill is of the highest quality and you will be happy.

[sillywilly]

to me the most important thing is grilling area

[Golfer_Gofer]

Vermont Castings VM508SN-

my father got a vermon castings for himself as a retirement present and loves it. He will often do a rotisserie chicken or even small turkeys on it. So far the ignitions still work like new after 3 years of a lot of use. There are a couple hot spots now but that seems to happen with all bbqs

[rezadue]

Weber Genesis. I have one and it rocks the spot.

[beefstuf]

I am in the process of comparing the two brand names that you have listed. The major shortcoming I have found with Weber is the fact that they use ceramic coated metal for the grill. In contrast the Vermont Casting has coated cast iron grills which not only offer even heat distribution but lasting durability. This is a major contributing factor to my decision making process because the grill is the second most important aspect the the BBQ, with #1 being the flame area.

Weber however offers an inverted V grating system that ultimately eliminates flare ups. They acutally say that anything dripping from the grill will hit the inverted V and then create flavoured smoke. I like this aspect, but Vermont Castings (VC) has a similar system integrated in their grill.

In addition to this, both BBQ's offer independant burners. This allows for a much more efficient and concentrated heating source when grilling.

In conclusion, I went into the Home Depot dead set on purchasing a natural gas Weber barbeque. After reading and comparing I have decided that you get a lot more BBQ for the price you pay when you buy a VC.

Good Luck and Happy Grilling.

Please note, my budget restrcited me from spending more than $700 so I chose between:

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber

and

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber

[Sakuraba]

Are you a bit of a gourmand, Smoothie?

I'm of the opinion that bbqs are like televisions these days: they are great at the start, but in a few years you'll be eyeing up their replacement. Those ones you are looking at do look like they will stand the test of time.

A buddy of mine did a very neat thing with his natural gas feed: he had a concrete base built in his back yard with the gas line in it & used standard grills & a standard lid & had a permanant bbq in his backyard. Of course he worked for enbridge/consumers gas.

[hackzaw]

This past fall I did a tonne of research on my BBQ purchase. I ended up comparing both the Weber CEP 310 and Vermont Castings VCS4007. Note, the Weber model I was lured to was the "CEP" rather than the "EP". The CEP represents the premium Weber line, which I'm quite certain Home Depot don't sell. But, there's only a few difference between the CEP and EP, namely, the grates are 9mm diameter rather than 7mm. This is actually an attractive difference because this represents a 33% increase in mass in the grates. Mass = heat retention = more uniform cooking = less heat loss when the hood is open.....

Someone mentioned the Weber grates are ceramic coated metal.... I'm sorry, but this isn't exactly accurate. The Genesis lineup has stainless steel grates, whereas the Spirit lineup has the cheaper ceramic coated grates. But I will say, the key benefit with the VC was the porcelain coated cast iron grills..... they're heavy duty and would do an awesome job retaining heat.

The VC model I was looking at was about $300 more than the Weber, but it packed more punch than the Weber. Strictly speaking BTU's the VC has 8,000 more, plus the rotiserie IR burner. But BTU isn't everything. What you have to evaluate is BTU/square foot of grill area. I will tell you, I've heard the VC are tough to get to that "blistering" hot level, but I don't speak from experience, just my neighbour who has one.

First decide on the features you want, like grilling space. I happen to really like the Weber grill space and layout (more square than rectangular). For me, if I find something really annoying with whatever I'm looking at, it could be a show stopper. For me, that "annoying" thing with the VC was the weight of the hood. Even worse, all that weight is mostly tied up in the huge (stupid IMHO) end castings. I swear my wife wouldn't be able to lift the hood, it was that heavy.

What I'm still trying to adjust to with my Weber is the horizontal burners. Over the many years of BBQ'ing with my old que, I became accustomed to "left to right" control. Now, it's "front to back" control. However, with the Weber, you can do some really big stuff placed right on the rack with the middle burner turned off.

It's true what they say about the flare-up reduction with the Weber. It's nearly impossible to flare anything up. For me, a life saver.

My major beaf with the Weber is the limited shelf space. Especially considering the right shelf is nearly useless for placing anything on it as a result of the burner controls. I think Weber missed the boat on that one.

The other thing about Weber, is their LEGENDARY warranty. You won't find a warranty anywhere as comprehensive as Webers. I forget the details with VC, but I'm sure they're fine too.

We've only cooked fabulous meals on the Weber. There is a distinct taste difference between the Weber and the old piece of craps I've owned previously.

Hope this helps.

[Smoothie]

Thanks for the help everyone, and the detail hackzaw.

The new Webers have porcelain coates grills, only the S-320 has the stainless grills.

I do like that the VC has the IR rear burner, it has four burners, and the burners run vertically, not across, a beef for me too with the Weber. I have concerns with the dials on the right shelf, limiting your work space.

The VC does have a heavy lid, almost too heavy. But I think the featuers on the VC have me sold on that model.

[hackzaw]

I'm always the type that continue shopping after I've bought something. I sometimes wonder if I should have sprung for the extra little bit and got the VC.

I forgot to mention one thing that really annoyed me, at least on the model I was considering, was the VC had this gimmic'y telescoping LED light thing. It was of such poor quality, I swear I was standing in the storeroom holding this thing in my hand thinking "Did VC really put this flimsy piece of shining plastic on this really nice grill?". No question, that thing would break off in a heartbeat.

As an aside, I was walking through Costco the other day and they had their Kirkland BBQ's out for spring.... This thing was massive, all stainless, with a built in gas oven for bloody sake ($1199). All the bells and whistles.

Relative to the grills supplied with Home Depot's Weber models. I'm sure Home Depot tell Weber to supply a BBQ that can retail for whatever $. Let's say Weber have a model that can almost sell for that much, so instead they substitute something to bring the price down. In this case, the grill from a stainless to a ceramic coated cheaper version. I only say this because where I bought my BBQ, they sold a version very similar to the "E" model Home Depot lists, but it came with the 7 mm stainless grills (what HD list in the "S" model). Nonetheless, check out http://www.barbecuesgalore.ca/
That's where I bought my BBQ.

At this level, you really can't go wrong. You'll really enjoy whatever you end up with.

[Txxxxxxx]

I own a Vermont Castings and it's great. I vote for them for sure after having owned both. The Weber seemed to lose equal heat dissipation quickly. Too many "hot Spots".

[Daft_driver]

I have not verified this, but a BBQ-fiend friend has mentionned that both VC and Weber gas grills sold at Home Depot are significantly different (burner and component quality and lower warranty) than those sold at a normal retailer.

I know for a fact that Preston Harware has some great deal opportunities on Webers. ($cash$)

[g8r]

Like someone else mentioned, the front-back burner controls seem odd at first, but once you get used to them they are far superior (IMO) for uniform cooking, espiecially if you are often using the whole surface.

[Hacker]

I have not verified this, but a BBQ-fiend friend has mentionned that both VC and Weber gas grills sold at Home Depot are significantly different (burner and component quality and lower warranty) than those sold at a normal retailer.

I know for a fact that Preston Harware has some great deal opportunities on Webers. ($cash$)

You are 100% correct - if you compare the VC and Weber offerings that you see at a specialty store the components are quite different from the ones that you find at the big box stores. I bought my BBQ from BBQing.com 12 Grenfell Crescent. Awesome selection........check of the Prestige series of Napoleon BBQs

[Keithsguy]

You are 100% correct - if you compare the VC and Weber offerings that you see at a specialty store the components are quite different from the ones that you find at the big box stores. I bought my BBQ from BBQing.com 12 Grenfell Crescent. Awesome selection........check of the Prestige series of Napoleon BBQs

Yup, great selection and they are great to deal with over there.

[kaimonica]

I have been very happy with the S-320 that I got from BBQing.com last year.

IMO, it is definitely worth spending more for a stainless steel grill. One thing I have come to realize with the SS grill (my first) is that they are so easy to keep clean. You can scrub and scrap all you want and not damage the coating because there is no coating

...
Weber Genesis S-320
http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber
Nice looking Q, only 3 burners, heating elements go horizontally across the bbq, not vertically like most are used to. No rotisserie/infrared. Dial controls are not on the front, but on the side. Seems like it would get in the way and takes away from work space. Also the most expensive.

Weber Genesis E-320
http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber
Similar to S-320, but porcelain grills and of course painted, not stainless steel exterior.

[mpare]

Who knew you should clean the grill. I wonder if that explains the distinct flavour that our grilled lamb has?

... You can scrub and scrap all you want and not damage the coating because there is no coating

[Baxter]

I bought a Vermont last spring and loved it...I went a little crazy and spent more than I wanted, but it's perfect...Has 5 burners plus back rotisserie. Also has the side burner. The controls light up to help when BBQ'n when it's night time. Plus it has a side light to light up the grill. 2 front doors that open to a large storage area. Big front tray to hold tools and or spices. Model VC5 5007 NG BBQ
Cost was a little over 2k. Mine was just damaged, a huge wind storm hit my area about 5-6 weeks ago and tossed this baby around....It must be close to 175 pounds...now I have to get a new BBQ.....

Please note as stated above..The stuff at Home Depot and other store like that are selling the lowest level of best names. The only VC that you will find at Home Depot, is what's left over from last year. VC has decided that selling at Home Depot is hurting the sales of the better BBQ's and are no longer a supplier. I did a lot of research before buying last May......
My old BBQ was a Napoleon had it for 12 years. Bought it Capital City App. on Slack Rd.
I bought the VC because the size I wanted would have cost over 3K or would have stuck with Napoleon. I had a few issues and the Customer service was GREAT and it's in Barry, ON.

[EricJason]

Who can tell the best product among those listed on this site?
https://bestoffsetsmokers.website/best-weber-grills/

[Brent4Hire]

I've owned Weber. I have a friend who has had a VC for years and he enjoys it immensely. I changed to a Napoleon (real deal, not the Chinese junk at Crappy Tire), and it has much more even heat on the surface. To make me even happier with the choice, the customer service is Canada-based, and amazing. My next grill will be a bigger Napoleon ;-)

[Jasonreg]

Napoleon all the way! Replaced a 12 year old weber and could not be happier. But yes - there are two varieties one made in Canada - recommended and one made offshore - not so much recommended.

[SnazzyD]

A bit offside perhaps, but I'd recommend considering a Big Green Egg. They're versatile, they last forever (no "parts" to wear out) and the food is always amazing...I'm considering selling my large if I can find an XL to upgrade to...otherwise I'd never part with it.

[downhillslider]

Napoleon all the way! Replaced a 12 year old weber and could not be happier. But yes - there are two varieties one made in Canada - recommended and one made offshore - not so much recommended.

I had a Vermont Casting basic 3 burner for 12 yrs purchased at the Home Depot for $600. Things started to go wrong around the 2 yr. mark.Heat plates were done and there was something with the lid. It was a steel handle. The handle got to hot to touch.

After some research it turns out that the model I had was a"made for" Home Depot model where they use sub par components. The OEM version of the Vermont Casting sold at a place that deals strictly in BBQ's for $100 more.

A new lid and heat plates were purchased for $150, Vermont Castings wanted $325 just for the lid with a rubber type coating but was able to negotiate.

Three years ago I was looking at new burners,electronic starter,thermometer.This BBQ never got above 550 F even on a hot summer day.
In April I herd a commercial on the radio for Capital BBQ on Grenfell and I did not live far from BBQ world.

Snooped around at BBQ world. It had a lot of selection and different brands but I felt like I was at a car dealer ship with a fast talking salesman. Went to Capital BBQ, walked in and felt quite comfortable in there. They had a more subtle and honest approach to the situation.

I ended up buying A NAPOLEON PRESTIGE AMBIANCE for $1150. 4 burners that get up to 700F, infrared back burner for rotisserie,infrared side burner that reaches 1200F in 4 minutes for perfect searring. Also came with a cast iron tray that sits under 2 burners on either side for using charcoal witch I love to use and is also used for smoking at low t* also loved, a cutting board and knife.

Assembled and delivered in 2 days. It works beautifully and the after sale component is awesome because you are dealing with people who know their stuff

The moral of this story is stay away from big box stores for specialty items for obvious reasons and use you gift certificate to something that will not give you headaches like garden gnomes.

Hope this helps.

[Jasonreg]

Well said! +1 vote for Capital BBQ - exceptional service and selection. This is where I purchased my Napoleon Prestige Pro. I would also recommend highly Friendly Fires in Carleton place if you don't mind the trip.

[BogeyGolf]

I have a Napoleon Prestige 600 series with 4 Burners, Infra Red back Burner, and rotisserie.

Love it, had to replace the V heat deflectors, but called napoleon and they shipped them to me, just had to pay shipping, parts were free. I have also had to replace the ignitor, but no big deal as this was inexpensive at Fireplace Centre on Carling.