Weber Lumin Compact vs Lumin
Same 1,560 watts on 180 sq in instead of 242: 8.7 watts per square inch against 6.4. The Compact is 10.5 lb lighter and $100 cheaper. Which Lumin to buy.
We pick the Weber Lumin Compact Electric Grill
Take the Compact unless you regularly fill more than 180 sq in. Weber cut the grate and kept the element, so the small one runs 8.7 watts per square inch to the full-size model's 6.4. It weighs 26.00 pounds against 36.5, and listed at $399 against $499, though from different sellers. The full-size Lumin earns its place only on capacity: 62 more square inches, still on one level.
What actually differs
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Weber shrank the grate, not the element
Both draw 13 amps for 1,560 watts and claim the same 600°F ceiling. On the Compact that power covers 62 fewer square inches, so every one of them sits closer to it.
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One goes on a shelf, one stays on the table
Closed, the Compact is 11.00 inches tall and 26.00 pounds, light enough to put away between cooks. The full-size measures 12 x 26 x 19 inches at 36.5 pounds and tends to stay where it is set down.
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The saving survives the stand
Neither has legs. The Compact's stand is $149.99 and the full-size's $179.99, so standing grills come to $548.99 and $678.99. The griddle and expansion kit drop from $99.99 to $89.99 as well.
How they score, category by category
The Weber Lumin Compact scores higher in 2 categories. 4 are level.
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Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreWeber Lumin Compact 8.5 Better by 0.5Weber Lumin Lumin 8.0Why the Weber Lumin Compact scores 8.5About 8.7 watts per square inch against the full-size Lumin's 6.4, because Weber cut the grate and kept the element.
Why the Weber Lumin Lumin scores 8.0
Weber publishes a 600°F ceiling and keeps the grate small enough that 1,560 watts still bites, but the power cannot grow.
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Long-term Reliability
Counts for 20% of the scoreWeber Lumin Compact 7.0Weber Lumin Lumin 7.0Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Weber Lumin Compact scores 7.0The heating element carries two years while the cookbox, lid, grates and plastics all carry five.
Why the Weber Lumin Lumin scores 7.0Cookbox, lid and cast iron grates carry five years, while the heating element that defines the product carries two.
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Build Quality
Counts for 18% of the scoreWeber Lumin Compact 9.0Weber Lumin Lumin 9.0Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Weber Lumin Compact scores 9.0Cast iron under porcelain on a 26.00 pound body Weber says can be left outside in the rain.
Why the Weber Lumin Lumin scores 9.0Porcelain enamel over cast iron on a 36.5 pound cookbox that Weber says can be left out in the rain.
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Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreWeber Lumin Compact 8.5Weber Lumin Lumin 8.5Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Weber Lumin Compact scores 8.5No fuel to judge, but Weber's 6-foot cord and 13 amp draw pick the spot before you do.
Why the Weber Lumin Lumin scores 8.5Settings replace judgment on the fuel, though a six-foot cord and a 13 amp draw decide where it can stand.
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Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreWeber Lumin Compact 7.5 Better by 1.0Weber Lumin Lumin 6.5Why the Weber Lumin Compact scores 7.5The stand is a $149.99 extra on a $399.00 grill, and 180 square inches is what that buys.
Why the Weber Lumin Lumin scores 6.5
Around $499.00 buys 242 square inches and no legs, and Weber's stand asks $179.99 more before it stands up.
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Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreWeber Lumin Compact 9.0Weber Lumin Lumin 9.0Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Weber Lumin Compact scores 9.0Enamel wipes clean and nothing burns to ash, though Weber sells drip pans separately and describes no built-in tray.
Why the Weber Lumin Lumin scores 9.0Enamel wipes down and there is no ash, though the steam pan and reservoir are two more things to wash.
See all six scores in one table
| Category | Weber Lumin Compact | Weber Lumin Lumin |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 8.5 Better | 8.0 |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Build Quality (18%) | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Value (12%) | 7.5 Better | 6.5 |
| Maintenance (10%) | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Avid Griller Score | 8.2 | 8.0 |
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 →
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 cook for one or two, want a grill you can lift onto a shelf, and care most about browning.
Check price →You regularly need one more round of food on the grate, and the grill will live on a table for good.
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.