So I bought the Genesis E-435 to replace and expand my options for grilling. I normally grill anywhere between 3-5 times a week all year round. I’ve had it for about 2 months now and I can say that so far it is the best grill I have owned. It was easy to put together with just 1 person. It took me about an hour and half. I usually have to clean my grill roughly every two weeks. The slide out tray under the grill makes this an easy process. Now I do a little extra and I season my grill. I do so by doing an initial burn off and taking it to 450 degrees for 10 minutes the I turn the burners off and remove the grates. I spray everything down with a good coat of high smoke cooking spray while it is still hot. And then I restart the grill and take it back to 450 degrees and let it smoke then I turn it off and let it cool completely. It helps a ton when it comes time to clean. I can scrape everything into the drip tray and then just dump the tray. After my cleanings I repeat the seasoning process. It is by far the easiest grill to clean that I have owned. The grill cooks evenly across the entire surface. The searing side is a blessing and it makes getting diamonds so much easier and faster. The storage cabinet on the left side is great for storing the grates or miscellaneous extras. I just wish it was big enough to store the full size griddle plate in the carrying bag. I would like to see Weber come out with a silicone mat for the right side shelf to lay grilling utensils on that way the surface of the shelf is protected.
I particularly like the large grilling surface and the achievable range of temperatures that allow slow(er) cooking, including by rotisserie (an ad-on), up to high temperature very good for getting a good pizza crust. I could live without the need to turn on gas very slowly, although I understand this is a safety feature. Also, the external gas gauge is a good idea, but is stuck and won't move.
I use gas, charcoal and wood smokers. Recently had to replace old gas and went for the high-end Weber and it is amazing. High quality manufacturing and engineering, Thoughtful design, expansion with griddle option, obvious this was made with the serious griller in mind.
Pros: The packaging is beyond adequate. Someone spent a lot of time on it. Plenty of grill area, I can smoke briskets and pork roasts with room for smoke boxes and water trays Holds constant temperature during long smokes (10+ hours) with very little adjustment Creates great amount of heat for searing and cooking steaks and chops Seems to actually be more efficient with propane gas, need more time to confirm but initial impression
Cons: The instructions need to be interpreted as there are no words for assembly. Only messed up one time with the side burner gas line routing even after studying for several minutes. Could be clearer but is obviously do-able. The sticker on the outside indicating bottle gas level does not match the internal hanger indicator. If I have to point to sticker alignment to find a Con then overall the grill is awesome.
After almost 30 years, I finally upgraded from my previous Genesis to the new Genesis E-435. This grill is by far the best grill I’ve ever had. Living in Alaska, we are prone to losing power during storms and I can always count on my Weber grill with the side burner. I believe this is the last grill I will ever own. Thanks for building such a wonderful, heavy duty tool for those of us who really enjoy grilling.