Weber Genesis E-325 vs Spirit E-425
Genesis E-325: 39,000 BTU mains plus a 13,000 BTU sear burner over 513 sq in, near $849. Spirit E-425: 35,000 BTU over 428 sq in at $629. Which to buy.
We pick the Weber Genesis E-325 Gas Grill
Buy the Genesis E-325 while stock lasts; it is more grill for about $220. Both have four knobs. On the Genesis, three run 39,000 BTU of main burners and the fourth is a 13,000 BTU sear burner, all under 513 sq in, or 101 BTU per square inch. On the Spirit, four burners share 35,000 BTU over 428 sq in, or 82 per square inch, for $629. The one reason to pause: Weber has dropped the Genesis, so the Amazon stock near $849 is what is left.
What actually differs
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Four knobs each, spent differently
The Genesis spends its fourth knob on a sear burner that adds fire under the same grate. The Spirit spends it on a plain burner kept outside the Sear Zone, there to hold food that is done. One buys crust; the other buys room.
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Bigger and denser at once
513 sq in against 428, at 101 against 82 BTU per square inch. A larger grate usually thins the fire. Here the Genesis wins on both counts, because the sear burner is extra output rather than a share of it.
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5.9 more inches of patio, and none of it folds
The Genesis side tables are fixed, so its 57.7 inches is the parking width every day. The Spirit asks 51.80. On a deck measured to the inch, that decides the pair before the burners do.
How they score, category by category
The Weber Genesis E-325 scores higher in 4 categories, the Spirit E-425 in 2 categories.
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Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreWeber Genesis E-325 9.2 Better by 0.4Spirit E-425 8.8Why the Weber Genesis E-325 scores 9.2A 13,000 BTU sear burner on its own knob, which the otherwise identical E-315 spec table does not carry.
Why the Spirit E-425 scores 8.8
Same two Boost Burners the E-325 gets, now asked to serve 68 more square inches of primary grate.
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Long-term Reliability
Counts for 20% of the scoreWeber Genesis E-325 9.0 Better by 1.0Spirit E-425 8.0Why the Weber Genesis E-325 scores 9.0Twelve years on the shell and ten in the flame, though the paperwork now starts from a delisted model.
Why the Spirit E-425 scores 8.0
Four burner tubes carry ten years here, but paint and everything unlisted still fall off cover at two.
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Build Quality
Counts for 18% of the scoreWeber Genesis E-325 8.8Spirit E-425 9.0 Better by 0.2Why the Spirit E-425 scores 9.0Cast iron, stainless bars and a closed cabinet, holding 103 pounds steady across a 51.80 inch frame.
Why the Weber Genesis E-325 scores 8.8
Porcelain-enamelled lid over cast iron grates and stainless bars, let down slightly by painted steel cabinet doors.
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Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreWeber Genesis E-325 8.3Spirit E-425 9.0 Better by 0.7Why the Spirit E-425 scores 9.0Four Snap-Jet knobs light one at a time, so the red pair sets a sear side in seconds.
Why the Weber Genesis E-325 scores 8.3
Four knobs and one AA battery are easy; 162 pounds of home assembly and a vanished manual page are not.
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Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreWeber Genesis E-325 9.7 Better by 2.4Spirit E-425 7.3Why the Weber Genesis E-325 scores 9.7Near $849 with a sear burner, while Weber lists the sear-less E-315 at $899.
Why the Spirit E-425 scores 7.3
Stepping from $549.00 to $629.00 adds a burner and grate, but not a third Boost Burner.
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Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreWeber Genesis E-325 8.0 Better by 0.5Spirit E-425 7.5Why the Weber Genesis E-325 scores 8.0The grease tray pulls straight out, but cast iron grates and a fourth burner add to every clean-down.
Why the Spirit E-425 scores 7.5
The grease tray slides clear in one motion, yet 428 square inches of enamel all have to stay unchipped.
See all six scores in one table
| Category | Weber Genesis E-325 | Spirit E-425 |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 9.2 Better | 8.8 |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 9.0 Better | 8.0 |
| Build Quality (18%) | 8.8 | 9.0 Better |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 8.3 | 9.0 Better |
| Value (12%) | 9.7 Better | 7.3 |
| Maintenance (10%) | 8.0 Better | 7.5 |
| Avid Griller Score | 8.9 | 8.4 |
Both reviews are scored on the same six weighted categories, on the same 0 to 10 scale, and each reason is the one that review gave. A category is marked better only where the two differ by a tenth or more. How we score →
Heat density
Burner output over the surface it has to heat, derived in each review from that cooker's own published figures. A bigger number is not a better grill. It says how hard the cooker can drive its grate, nothing more. All grills ranked →
Where the spec sheets differ
Quoted from each maker's own specifications, as each review records them. Figures the two products publish identically are left out, so only the differences are listed.
Which one is for you
You want a dedicated sear burner and the bigger grate, and are happy buying a model Weber no longer lists.
Check price →You want a current model with a marked sear side and a holding burner, in a 51.80-inch cart.
Check price →More head-to-heads
Every score and figure on this page comes from our own reviews of these two products, linked above. We have not tested them side by side in one place; the comparison is between two full reviews, each built from the maker's published specifications and documentation. Prices move, and the ones quoted are the ones each review checked on its own date.