Weber Spirit E-325 vs E-425
Same two Boost Burners on both. The E-425 adds a fourth plain burner, 4,000 BTU and 68 sq in, and drops from 86 to 82 BTU per sq in. Which Spirit to buy.
We pick the Weber Spirit E-325 Gas Grill
Most buyers should take the cheaper E-325; the E-425 is for cooks who keep running out of cool side. Both feed their Sear Zone from exactly two Boost Burners. The E-425's extra burner sits outside that zone for good, adding 4,000 BTU and 68 sq in of grate. That takes the fire from 86 to 82 BTU per square inch, the cart to 51.80 inches, and the weight up 5 pounds. Our reviews give the smaller grill the higher heat score.
What actually differs
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Same sear side, a bigger grate around it
Two red knobs on each, and Weber gives neither model a third Boost Burner. On the E-425 a smaller share of the grate is boosted, so the searing strip does not grow with the model number.
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What the fourth burner is actually for
Holding. Finished food moves left and stays warm while the next batch sears. If you cook in one pass for a family, that burner has nothing to do.
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Three and a half inches of wall
48.30 against 51.80 with the lid down; open, both want 60.50 inches of height. If the grill slot was measured for a three-burner, the E-425 will not go in it.
How they score, category by category
The Weber Spirit E-325 scores higher in 2 categories. 4 are level.
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Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreWeber Spirit E-325 9.0 Better by 0.2Weber Spirit E-425 8.8Why the Weber Spirit E-325 scores 9.0Two Boost Burners give one grate two real working heats, at close to 86 BTU per square inch over the primary grate.
Why the Weber 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 Spirit E-325 8.0Weber Spirit E-425 8.0Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Weber Spirit E-325 scores 8.0Ten years on the cookbox, lid and burner tubes, but only two on everything remaining, paint included.
Why the Weber Spirit E-425 scores 8.0Four 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 Spirit E-325 9.0Weber Spirit E-425 9.0Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Weber Spirit E-325 scores 9.0Porcelain-enameled cast iron, stainless Flavorizer bars and a closed cabinet, at 98 pounds on two wheels.
Why the Weber Spirit E-425 scores 9.0Cast iron, stainless bars and a closed cabinet, holding 103 pounds steady across a 51.80 inch frame.
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Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreWeber Spirit E-325 9.0Weber Spirit E-425 9.0Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Weber Spirit E-325 scores 9.0Snap-Jet lights each burner one-handed, which is exactly how a two-heat cook gets set up.
Why the Weber Spirit E-425 scores 9.0Four Snap-Jet knobs light one at a time, so the red pair sets a sear side in seconds.
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Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreWeber Spirit E-325 8.3 Better by 1.0Weber Spirit E-425 7.3Why the Weber Spirit E-325 scores 8.3Around $549.00 buys the same Sear Zone and cast iron as the EX-325 for $50 less, though Weber Works accessories cost extra.
Why the Weber 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 Spirit E-325 7.5Weber Spirit E-425 7.5Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Weber Spirit E-325 scores 7.5The grease tray slides out and empties fast, but chipped enamel on cast iron rusts.
Why the Weber Spirit E-425 scores 7.5The 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 Spirit E-325 | Weber Spirit E-425 |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 9.0 Better | 8.8 |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Build Quality (18%) | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Value (12%) | 8.3 Better | 7.3 |
| Maintenance (10%) | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Avid Griller Score | 8.6 | 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 →
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 a family in one pass and want the denser fire and the narrower cart.
Check price →You batch-cook in rounds and need a burner that holds finished food beside the sear side.
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.