Weber Genesis II E335 at Costco – Full Review!

The Weber Genesis II E335 at Costco might be the best deal you will ever find on a full sized gas grill. I have a similar model, the Genesis S310 that was made in 2010 and it is the best full sized grill that I have ever owned.

The E335 is absolutely everything you ever wanted in a grill and features:

  • Massive Grilling Area
  • Even Temperatures
  • Minimal Flare Ups
  • Sear Station
  • Side Burner
  • 10 Year Warranty on Everything

The only thing wrong with this grill is that it is a leftover model from several years ago.  The latest version of this grill, available at Home Depot and Amazon, has a slightly larger sear zone and a few more bells and whistles.  The newest version of the Genesis 335 is a nicer grill but comes with a much larger price tag.

Weber Genesis II E335 at Costco

Let’s take a detailed look at what you get with the Genesis II E335 from Costco to see if you should buy this grill or the newer Genesis 335 from Amazon.

Why I Love the Weber Genesis II E 335

The primary features that make this a great grill are:

  • Plenty of Space
  • Even Heating
  • Sear Station and Side Burner
  • Well Designed Cart
  • Great Looks

We will let the stunning design of this grill speak for itself but the other points can use some elaboration.

Plenty of Grilling Space

The Genesis II E 335 has a ton of grilling space.  You get 513 square inches on the primary cooking grate and an additional 156 square inches on the elevated tuck away grate.  You can easily grill for 6-8 people and not worry about running out of space.

The grill comes with a heavy duty porcelain enameled cast iron grate that, while it isn’t the top of the line, gets the job done. The grate, like all other components on this grill, is covered by a 10 year warranty.

Large cast Iron Cooking Grates on the Genesis

Even Heating and Minimal Flare Ups

The Genesis II series grills are upgraded with rectangular burner tubes which are tapered from front to back for more even heating throughout the grill.  The burners are protected by Flavorizer bars that also aid in heat distribution.  Both the burner tubes and Flavorizer bars are made from 304 stainless steel and carry a 10 year warranty.

The use of Flavorizer bars, as well as the distance between the burners and cooking grate, help minimize flare ups and make grilling an enjoyable experience.

Sear Station and Side Burners

The 335 model comes with three primary burners in the main cooking chamber along with a fourth burner called a Sear Station.  The Sear Station is controlled by the smallest knob on the front of the grill and is designed to be utilized when you want to put a world class sear on steaks.

You use the Sear Station along with the other burners to get the right side of the grill incredibly hot.  You will need to let everything preheat for at least 15 minutes before putting on your steaks to give the heavy cast iron grate time to soak up the heat.

In addition to the Sear Station, the grill has a Side Burner on the right side of the grill.  You can use the side burner to simmer sauces, etc but its greatest use is to light a chimney full of charcoal when you want to fire up your Weber Smokey Mountain!

Genesis II has Rectangular Burner Tubes

Well Designed Cart

The grill is mounted on a sturdy frame that comes with an enclosed cabinet.  The cabinet is useful for storing grill tools and a grill cover.  The grease drain is located inside the cabinet which will keep your pets and wildlife away.

The propane tank is discreetly mounted on the side of the grill allowing easy access for change outs.

Enclosed Cart with Grease Collection

Things I Don’t Love About the Weber Genesis II E 335

While the Genesis II E335 is a wonderful grill it is not without a few drawbacks.  Some of the more notable issues include:

  • Cast Iron Grate
  • No Accessories
  • Assembly Time
  • Volume of Propane Used

None of these issues are a deal killer but they are things you should be aware of.

Cast Iron Grate

The cast iron grate is perfectly acceptable but is nowhere near as nice as the grates made from 7mm stainless steel rods found on premium Weber models.

The stainless steel rod grates give better grill marks and are much easier to clean than cast iron grates.

Lack of Accessories

We really shouldn’t complain about a lack of accessories given that this is the best bargains on a Weber Genesis you are going to find.

However, there is a mounting bracket for Weber’s iGrill3 system on the right side of the grill that looks lonely as the iGrill3 system is not included.  It would also be nice if Weber threw in a grill cover to protect the grill.

Basically Weber is giving you a great bargain on the grill and then expecting you to pay around $200 for accessories.

Equipped for the iGrill3

Assembly Time

This is a general complaint about all of Weber’s full sized grills, not just the E 335.

It will take you about four hours to complete the assembly of the grill and it will make for a long, hot afternoon.

If spending a whole afternoon assembling a grill is not your cup of tea then you might want to look at a Weber Traveler or even a pellet grill instead.

Propane Usage

These big grills are thirsty and they chew up propane like nobody’s business.

You will want to make sure you always have a second propane tank in backup because you will be surprised by how much propane the grill uses. The high propane usage is not a design flaw but is simply the result of having so many burners trying to keep a massive grill hot.

Going along with this point, the grill is so massive it makes you feel silly, and not worth the time, to fire it up if you only want to cook a burger for lunch.  Sometimes smaller grills are more practical.

Price of the Weber Genesis II E 335 at Costco

This grill is Item Number 1690355 and currently costs $899.99 at Costco.

The cheapest Weber Genesis we could find at the time of this writing is the Genesis II E310 being sold at Home Depot for $799.  However, the cheap model being sold at Home Depot does NOT have a Sear Station burner and we do not recommend the grill simply because it lacks the ability to put a proper sear on steaks.

Price of the Genesis II E 335 at Costco

Other Grills To Consider

If you like the sound of the Genesis II E 335 but want something even better then you should take a look at the Weber Genesis models that were introduced in 2023.

Specifically, the Weber Genesis S 335 is an absolute beauty.  The Genesis S 335 is better than the Genesis II E 335 as it:

  • Has slightly more grilling area
  • Has a larger Sear Zone
  • Comes with a Stainless Steel cooking grate
  • Is compatible with Weber’s custom inserts including a wok, baking stone and sear grate.

We do not suggest getting the Kirkland Six Burner Gas Grill that is being sold at some locations due to concerns over long term reliability.