How Long Do Weber Gas Grills Last? (Sharing Experiences)

Weber gas grills are one of the most popular grill brands on the market, and rightfully so. We all know that having a well-made grill is key to getting delicious food from your backyard cookouts. You may have been wondering just how long these gas grills last for, though. To find out more about this topic, keep reading!

So, how long do Weber gas grills last? The average lifespan of a Weber gas grill is between 3 and 10 years, depending on how frequently you use them, what model of gas grill you have purchased, what type of food and in how much quantity of food you cook on your gas grill, how much you take of your Weber gas grill. Weber’s durable construction will make sure your grill lasts for many summers yet to come. However, if you leave your gas grill unattended for a longer time, it may last for less than 3 years. The stainless steel grill grates of a Weber grill can easily last for 10 years, while the porcelain coated grill grates of a gas grill can last up to 5 years.

Here’s what a person comments about the durability of his Weber gas grill in a subreddit.

If you are a Weber grill owner or if you’re looking to own one in the future, this essential guide is for you. Here we’ll give you plenty of tips about how to maximize your grill’s lifespan, tell you about all the shelf life of different Weber grills available, share advice on maintenance and cleaning, and even provide some helpful information on accessories. Make sure to read our buying guide below to find out more regarding the main factors that determine the shelf life of your new Weber grill.

Basic Components and Material of Weber Gas Grill

Gas grills are a bit techy as compared to charcoal/wood and pellet grills. Irrespective of the type of a Weber gas grill model, here are the following basic components of a gas grill that are essential to function properly so that you can grill to your heart’s content:

• Cooking grates
• Main body
• Cookbox
• Flavorizer bars
• Propane tank/Natural gas connector
• Burner tubes
• Burner valve
• Venturi tube on the side of each burner

The body of the Weber gas grill is usually made of stainless steel or a coated cast iron. The body of a gas grill houses the burners, cooking grates, and other features. The lid fits on top and has a thermometer so you can control the heat. The base has a propane tank holder (or a natural gas connector) and wheels for easy transport.

The underside of a lid (hood) of a Weber gas grill is porcelain-enameled steel or stainless steel. The sides on the inside of a lid of a Weber grill are aluminum. The inside of the lid or any area of a Weber gas grill is not painted. So, you don’t have to worry about the paint flakes on your food.

The cookbox of a Weber gas grill is the area that holds burners, flavorizer bars, and cooking grates. It is also made of aluminum.

Burners deliver the heat to the cooking grates. The burner tubes are the actual gas-delivery components that feed propane or natural gas to the burners where they are eventually converted into heat by way of an ignition system. Most Weber gas grills have at least two burners, but some have up to six (Summit series). The more burners, the more flexibility you have in terms of cooking temperature and size of food items.

The cooking grates are where you will place your food. They come in different materials such as porcelain-enameled cast iron, stainless steel, or chrome-plated steel. The cooking grates on your Weber gas grill should be easy to clean and durable.

The Flavorizer bars are a unique feature of Weber gas grills. Flavorizer bars are placed beneath the gas grill grates. They are metal bars that run across the top of the burners and are designed to catch any dripping fat or sauce from your food. The grease management system is a component found on Weber gas grills that helps to keep the grill clean. It consists of a tray below the flavorizer bars that catch any fat or juices from your food.

Warranty of Weber Gas Grill Parts

Weber Company provides 10 years warranty for all parts across Genesis II, Spirit II, and Summit series. If you have a regular Weber Spirit gas grill, only cookbox, lid assembly and burner tubes have 10 years warranty. The cooking grates and flavorizer bars of the regular Spirit Series of a Weber Gas Grill have 5 years warranty. All other parts of a regular Spirit series of a Weber Gas Grill have 2 years warranty. Weber has put some conditions for the warranty of their gas grill parts.

The first condition is that the parts of a Weber gas grill are not subjected to the normal wear and tear i.e. cosmetic and other immaterial deterioration that may come with ownership of your grill over time, such as surface rust, dents/scratches.

However, if corrosion on the grill parts starts occurring due to rust, and you have taken care of your Weber gas grill according to the instructions in the manual, you can claim the warranty of your Weber gas grill parts. You can also claim the warranty of a Weber gas grill if its structure such as handle or legs starts warping due to heat.

The second condition is that the parts, such as burner tubes, valves should be clean to claim the warranty. It is the responsibility of the owner to clean these parts and maintain the grill in good condition.

So, the condition, such as chipping off of a porcelain coating on the parts of a gas grill due to exposure to heat, allows you to claim the warranty of the grill parts.

Moreover, if you try to remove any part of a Weber gas grill, such as a side shelf, or replace any part with another company’s model, it will result in voiding the warranty.

Note: Any Weber gas grill with an E tag is enameled, the ‘S’ tag means stainless steel.

Why Is Weber Gas Grill Rusting?

The most common reason for a gas grill rusting is when the gas grill parts are not properly cleaned after each use. Over time, food particles and carbonized grease accumulate, causing corrosion in high heat.

Internal grill parts, such as flavorizer bars, burner tubes, cooking grates, and ignitors tend to rust out due to high heat, and food fat drippings. This is because the temperature of a gas grill is quite high i.e. up to 600 Fahrenheit. Moreover, the salty and humid environment of the inside of the Weber grill is the cause of the rust and corrosion of the gas grill parts.

Stainless steel cooking grates can last forever. Porcelain-coated grill grates can withstand the high temperature, but they tend to wear out quickly due to rust once the coating on the enameled grates breaks off.

One person has replaced flavorizer bars two times and cooking grates three times during the 14 years of using the Weber gas grill. The person said he used to use his Weber gas grill 4 to 6 nights a week. After 14 years, the burner tubes had totally worn out and he has to replace them.

In one forum, this is what a person comments:

I have a Weber Genesis Gold I bought in 2002 from HD. At year 7 or 8, the igniter pooped out. They gave me TWO, free, no questions asked. Finally, 2 years ago I rebuilt it, replaced the grills and burners and (free) igniter and thermometer. 16+ years, still. The thing works like a champ.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/weber-gas-grills-weber-10-yr-warranty.293124/

In short, the more stainless steel covers your gas grill, the better will be its life. If the outer body of a gas grill is stainless steel, it can resist rain and extreme weather conditions and can last forever. On the other hand, if the body of a gas grill is coated/enameled steel, it will eventually rust out with salty rainwater if you do not cover your gas grill. Check my guide on leaving gas grills in the rain outside to learn more.

When Does Ignitor of a Weber Gas Grill Need Replacement?

The ignitor of a gas grill can also damage. But, it has needed to be replaced only one time according to the users. To find out whether there is an issue with the ignitor or not, you first need to ignite the burner of a gas grill manually by using a match or a lighter. If it does light, it means the ignitor has an issue.

Before replacing the ignitor, you have to make sure that there is no rust or any buildup on the ends of burner tubes that are near the ignitor electrodes. You need to also check the wire connections of the ignitor. Any loose connection will prevent the ignitor of the gas grill to work properly.

There are different videos on Youtube regarding the replacement of ignitor of a Weber gas grill. There are some modifications made in the ignitor design of the Genesis II series compared to the Genesis series. You can check them here. So, you’ve to check the relevant tutorial on Youtube to replace the ignitor of your Weber gas grill.

This is the video I found for the regular Genesis series of a Weber grill to replace ignitor.

The warranty span of the ignitor of the regular Genesis and Spirit series was 2 years. This has now been increased to 10 years for Genesis II and Spirit II.

Some Risks to Burner Tubes and Burner Valve of a Gas Grill

There are some risks associated with the gas grill internal parts, especially burner tubes and venture that can also affect the life of a gas grill.

Unattended gas grills can invite mice and rodents to build their shelter inside the gas grill. Rodents are attracted to the grease accumulation, leftover food residue, and shelter that can be provided by the airflow ducts inside the burner tubes. Rodents can impede the gas flow and clog the burner holes, which affects their quality.

Moreover, mice and rodents can also damage the rubber hose connected to the regulator of a propane gas tank, due to which the gas may leak out and affect the gas grill’s performance.

Animal/rodent tresses are not easy to remove from internal parts of the gas grill. A lot of scrubbing is needed before these tresses are removed completely. The only alternative is replacing the affected parts e.g faulty regulator, damaged rubber hose, etc.

Another risk to a gas grill is molds and mildews. Since the inside of a gas grill is damp and humid, it can attract molds and mildews, which can also affect the gas grill’s performance.

Can You Buy a Used Weber Gas Grill?

Yes, you can buy a used Weber Gas Grill. However, the warranty of a Weber gas grill may not be transferred to you from the original owner. But, I’ve heard that Weber support does not ask too many questions from their customers while claiming a warranty. So, chances are that you can avail it in the future. Buying used Weber gas grills is viable as you can save hundreds of bucks. But, you should first inspect all essential parts of it. Make sure that there are no amendments made in the design of a Weber gas grill i.e. propane type has not been converted to natural gas type.

Moreover, the side shelf of a Weber gas grill has not been removed as it can void the warranty. If there is any damage in the part of a Weber gas grill, it is easily accessible and more economical to replace compared to buying a brand new Weber gas grill.

Cleaning and Maintaining a Weber Gas Grill

Here are the steps to take care of a Weber gas grill.

• Before cleaning, make sure that the gas grill is cool.
• Remove all parts of the grill i.e. flavorizer bars, grill grates, etc.
• Wash the body of a gas grill with warm soapy water and scrubby pad.
• Clean the grates of a gas grill with a wire brush and soapy water to get rid of grease and leftovers of cooked food.
• You can observe black flakes on your food being cooked in the gas grill. These are due to carbonized grease. This can make the food nasty. So, regularly check the grease pan of a gas grill. Also, dip grill grates in warm soapy water for some time if there is a carbon buildup or grease is hard to peel off using a wire brush.
• Season the legs and door hinges of a gas grill with oil to them from rust as it can eat up the material with time.
• Lastly, always cover your gas grill. Make sure that the grill is clean and dry before you cover it. Also, the gas grill cover should have some gap between it and the grill surface.

FAQs about Weber Gas Grill