Weber Spirit II E-310 Review: The Ultimate Compact Yet Powerful Gas Grill
Updated: Jun. 27, 2024
Power and performance meet space-saving design with this gas grill. Learn all about the Weber Spirit II E-310 based on firsthand testing.
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A gas grill is an incredibly versatile cooking tool. It allows you to prepare plenty of cheeseburgers for a crowd, sear steaks for dinner and even grill summer fruits like peaches for dessert. While many of the best grills may take up a lot of space on your deck or in the backyard, the Weber Spirit II E-310 isn’t one of them.
As a grilling enthusiast, I’m impressed with how powerful this three-burner grill is for cooking while still being compact enough to leave out on a patio, deck or anywhere else in the yard. Test Kitchen grilling expert Catherine Ward was impressed with its quick heating time and design, noting it was the best grill for small backyards on our list of the best Weber Grills. Here’s what we learned while testing.
What is the Weber Spirit II E-310?
The Weber Spirit II E-310 is a workhorse of a gas grill, offering impressive power in a compact design. With the lid open, the grill is 52 inches wide by 57 inches tall and 26 inches deep. It has a sturdy, solid design with three temperature control knobs on the front panel to change the temperature of each of the grill’s three burners. There are folding shelves on either side of the grill for food prep and hooks for holding grilling tools and accessories for easy access. The grill is powered by propane and hooks up to the tank with a hose. It has a strong bottom shelf to set things on for storage, along with two built-in wheels to be able to move the grill to another location with assistance if needed.
TASTE OF HOME
We Tried It
Weber Spirit II E-310 Gas Grill
This spacious 3-burner cooking area means you can sear steaks on one side while grilling an appetizer on the other.
Weber Spirit II E-310 Features
This grill offers versatility and power in a compact design. While the grill won’t take up too much space in the backyard, it still features three burners with 30,000 BTUs across a large 424-square-inch cooking area. The grill is easy and intuitive to light with the ignition button on the front, and the three burners can be adjusted on their own, allowing you to sear a steak at high temperatures on one side and grill corn at a lower temperature on the other all at once. You could also use Weber grill accessories at different temperatures, such as pressing burgers while cooking diced vegetables in a grill basket. There is a built-in thermometer on the lid of the grill and a hook for hanging your propane tank with a fuel gauge, so you know just how much grilling time you have left before needing to refill.
The grill’s interior is designed with cast-iron cooking grates for supreme heat retention. The grates are porcelain-enameled, providing protection for the cast iron and making it easier to clean them after your grilling session. The grill also has a lower main cooking area and an upper rack warming area to hold cooked food until it’s time to dig in.
How We Tested the Weber Spirit II E-310
The Weber Spirit II E-310 was first assessed based on how simple the assembly was straight out of the box. Our Test Kitchen found that there were a lot of steps to put together this grill. However, each was clearly defined, and ultimately, the grill came together fairly easily.
To test performance, grilling expert Catherine Ward prepped a variety of BBQ foods. She cooked a steak on high heat at 500 degrees to achieve a good sear. It took two minutes to sear on each side, with a four-minute long covered cook between each sear. Catherine also whipped up a rack of baby back ribs, finding it took two hours to perfectly cook the ribs at a low and slow temperature of 225 degrees. She also grilled a whole cut-up chicken. The chicken was cooked on medium heat at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, and the grill produced a delicious meal with light areas of charring and excellent flavor.
The grill was also assessed based on its ease of cleaning the grill grates and emptying the grease drip.
After the initial testing in our outdoor Test Kitchen, the Spirit grill made its way to Editorial Coordinator and long-term tester Sydney Manning. Sydney has used the grill a handful of times to prep chicken wings, steak kabobs, burgers and asparagus.
“This grill is very nice and easy to use,” says Sydney. It was easy to set up the propane tank and attach it. The burners turned on right away and were ready to go. It does a great job and is priced well.” Sydney’s favorite feature is the built-in lid thermometer, which makes it easy to keep an eye on the temperature of her food as it cooks. To clean, she recommends picking up a bristle-free grill brush.
Pros
- Powerful 30,000 BTU across 3 burners
- Folding side shelves and hooks for storage and prep
- Built-in thermometer and propane fuel gauge
- 10-year warranty
Cons
- Only two wheels for limited mobility
FAQ
How many square inches of cooking space are there on the Weber Spirit II E-310?
The Weber Spirit II E-310 has 424 square inches of cooking space, which is spread across three individual burners, allowing you to control the temperature of each section. The warming rack area also provides 105 square inches of space.
How do you clean a Weber Spirit grill?
Keeping a grill clean is important for proper and safe use. Use our picks for the best grill brush to remove grease and stuck-on food from the grates. A stainless steel grill brush can also be used to clean the inside of the grill’s lid.
Why You Should Trust Us
The Taste of Home Test Kitchen tested this Weber Spirit grill, along with other Weber grill models, with grilling expert Catherine Ward taking the lead. The grill was thoroughly evaluated for assembly, performance, design and ease of cleaning.
I am a writer specializing in food and lifestyle, passionate about outdoor cooking and grilling. While I love to keep my eye on the latest food trends and kitchen gadgets, I also focus on established products. My goal is only to recommend items that are worth the investment and will last, including pizza ovens, fire pits, grills and smokers.
Product Comparison
Weber is well-known for its charcoal grills, which allow for flame-grilled cooking. However, the Weber Spirit II E-310 is part of the gas grills line-up. It still features the same quality construction but can only be used when hooked up to a propane tank. This may make grilling simpler, especially for beginners, as the learning curve isn’t quite as steep when grilling on gas in comparison to managing charcoal or trying your hand at smoking on a Traeger grill.
In comparison to other Weber gas grills, this is one of the most compact. It takes up far less space compared to the Weber Genesis E-325 but still has three burners and almost as high of BTU performance. Compared to the Napoleon Grills Rogue 425 with three burners, it also comes in at a lower price point. Its smaller design allows for better versatility of use, making it possible to use the grill in smaller spaces such as a balcony or patio.
Final Verdict
The Weber Spirit II E-310 is an excellent choice for those looking for their first gas grill. It’s also a great option for someone who wants a grill that performs well at powerful, high temperatures without taking up too much space. It provides the ideal balance between performance and space-saving in the yard. The low-profile design is slim enough to fit on patios, decks or in other backyard spaces, and the side tables fold down to make for even more space.
Where to Buy the Weber Spirit II E-310
TASTE OF HOME
We Tried It
Weber Spirit II E-310 Gas Grill
Armed with the strong GS4 grilling system, this 3-burner gas grill is sure to take you and your meals to the next level.
Ready to fire up the grill? The Weber Spirit II E-310 is available for $569 from Amazon, Weber and Home Depot. We tested the liquid propane version, but Weber also makes a model that is compatible with natural gas.
Originally Published: June 18, 2024
