Sky-liners.com is supported by our readers, we may receive an affiliate commission when you purchase something through the links on our page (at no extra cost to you). Click here for full disclosure.

Weber Spirit II Vs Spirit I

Are you in the market for the next big thing in barbecues?

Or just unsure which grill is right for you? Searching for the best grill can be exhaustive. With so many brands on the market, how can you choose?

Chances are you have never heard of George Stephen Sr. of Weber Brothers Metal Works. But you sure have heard of his invention.

In 1952, Stephen affixed a few legs to and cut some air vents into a halved marine buoy, thus creating the kettle grill.

Since then, Weber has established themselves as one of the most trusted and reliable grill brands. But similar to most appliances, there are always differences between models. If you’re looking for something smaller, we can recommend this guide which covers portable grills for an RV or camping trip.

The Spirit I and Spirit II, although sharing the same moniker, are not quite alike.

Product	Storage	Colors	Warranty	iGrill &GS4	BTU
#1. Spirit II Series	Open Cart	Variety	10 years	Available	Max 30,000
#2. Spirit I Series	Closed Cart	Black	2 years	Not Available	Max 32,000

Storage

The Spirit I has a closed cart design which keeps the propane tank out of sight and gives the user more storage.

The Spirit II has an open cart design, which provides easier access to the tank.

Side Tables

While both grills have side tables for prepping your meals with built-in hooks for utensils, the Spirit II’s left side table actually folds down now.

Wheels

The Spirit II has gone from four wheels to two, which will aid in transporting on sand or grass.

Design

If you’re looking for something that pops a little more or even just goes better with your backyard, the Spirit II offers a choice of different colors (ivory, red, and sapphire) instead of just the standard black.

Propane Scale

The Spirit II has the added feature of a liquid propane scale. This helps the user to always know their propane levels. Avoid spending money on needless refills or the annoyance of running out during a cook.

iGrill

Just about every new home electronic gadget out there is now “smart.” From adjusting your thermostat to locking your doors, everything can be done remotely.

With the Spirit II, consider your grill smart as well. Just insert the thermometer into your meat and monitor its temperature through your phone.

The worry of undercooking your meat is virtually eliminated.

Warranty

Unlike its predecessor, the Spirit II comes with a fully-loaded 10-year warranty that covers the entire grill and its parts.

BTUs

The Spirit II’s BTUs have been brought down from 32,000 to 30,000, meaning that the newer model will burn less gas.

Drip Pan

The layout of the drip pan on the Spirit II has also been revamped. Instead of being within the storage area, it is now located more conveniently in a catch pan that slides out.

Adjusting Knobs

Just like a kitchen stove, the Spirit II now has markings on the knobs that will allow the user to be able to determine where they need to be in order to get low, medium, or high heat.

Side Burner

While neither model includes a side burner on the grill, unlike the newer version, the Spirit I did have the option for one.

Weber has established themselves as one of the premier makers of quality, high-performing grills, so it’s no wonder that fans are excited about the Spirit II.

They have and will continue to pay good money for the trusted brand. And with its additions, it sure seems like a sound investment.

However, some of these features are either a downgrade from the previous version or just add-ons.

While the open cabinet allows for easier access to the tank, it eliminates storage space and also puts the tank on display.

A closed cabinet means you can keep it as haphazard as you want without anyone knowing.

Fans of the Spirit I will be happy to see that storing the grill when not in use will be a bit easier with one of the side tables folding down; however they may be disappointed to see that the side burner option is gone.

The two large wheels will certainly help to move the grill across uneven surfaces, but the Spirit I had four wheels which made it convenient in that it could move from front to back and also side to side.

The iGrill technology is a neat feature to have and will certainly help users better determine when their meat is ready, but it’s not included with the grill.

So on top of the several hundred dollars you are spending on the grill, you’ll have to shell out another hundred dollars or so to use this.

There are some things to cheer about like the variety of colors the grill now comes in and lower BTUs, but for some, that doesn’t make up for poorer quality and design than its original.

The Spirit I may not be as easy to find now that the II has been widely released. You may find that most places do not carry it anymore and you’ll need to dig around for one, which may be a deterrent.

>>Check Weber Spirit E210 Vs S210

>>CheckÂ Broil King Signet 320 Vs Weber Spirit E-310

Bottom line

While the Spirit II is much fancier and has more bells and whistles than the Spirit I, you are probably better off with sticking with the original if you can find it.

And if you can’t? Well, there is that 10-year warranty on the Spirit II, so gambling on it would not be the worst idea.