Is the ‘Weber premium’ worth it? What happened when I upgraded to the $1,000 Genesis and had my family grade it on my ribeye taste test

(Image credit: Tom's Guide) I’ve been through a couple of grills since I moved into my house 10 years ago, and I usually just get the most burners I can get for the least amount of money. But when it came time to put my latest Monument Grill out to pasture — complete with a door that came off the hinge every time I touched it — I decided to try something different.Over the years I’ve seen plenty of Weber grills but never had the opportunity to test one myself. So when I got a chance to try out the Weber Genesis E-325 Titanium Edition ($999 at Home Depot), I was intrigued to see if the “Weber premium” was worth it and how it stacks up to the best grills. But I wouldn’t be the only judge.What makes the Genesis E-325 stand out (Image credit: Tom's Guide)The first thing that stood out to me was the build quality of the Genesis E-325 Titanium. While my previous grills were thin and frail, the Genesis looks and feels rock solid. And I’m not just talking about the outside.The two dual-row PureBlu burners are designed to deliver heat evenly across the cooking surface, and the raised ports that keep the flame above the tube, which minimizes both clogs and corrosion. Plus, the flavorizer bars do a great job of catching and vaporizing juices, keeping grease away from the burners to minimize flare-ups.Then there’s the porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates. I like that they heat up quickly and retain heat, which is great for searing. These grates flip over to handle other grill accessories, such as a Griddle, Pizza Stone and Grilling Basket (all $99). I tried the latter with mixed results; more on that below.Test No. 1: Sriracha BBQ chicken (Image credit: Tom's Guide)For my first test I wanted to make some barbecue chicken, and normally I like to marinate it in sauce. In this case I picked Trader Joe’s Organic Sriracha and Roasted Garlic BBQ Sauce.After letting the chicken marinate for 30 minutes, I fired up the Genesis E-325 and it got to 400 degrees within a few minutes. For this meal I put the cooking grates on the flat side, as that’s recommended for chicken. I used the peaked side for grilling steaks later.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Tom's Guide) Granted, this was just my first time using a Weber, but I was impressed with how evenly the chicken cooked. I noticed some of the pieces got more of a char towards the back of the 513-square inch cooking area and just moved a couple of the breasts around.Once the chicken was done I paired it with some jasmine rice and mixed vegetables, and it was time for the family to weigh in. Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Tom's Guide) The best endorsement came from my 18-year-old-son, who usually doesn’t say much more than “thanks for making it.”In this case I got a “this is really good” — unprompted. My wife also approved, commenting that the chicken was juicy on the inside and had a nice crispy crunch on the outside. I’ll take that as a win.Test No. 2: Ribeye steaks, filets and roasted vegetables (Image credit: Tom's Guide)For my next test of the Weber Genesis E-325 I tried something a bit more complicated. I grilled some ribeye steaks and small filet mignons while also attempting to roast some broccoli and sweet potato slices on Weber’s Crafted Grilling Basket ($99).To prep, I hit the steaks and filets with a combination of Season All, Spice Lab’s Smoked Butcher’s Blend and Dan-O’s Seasoning.My wife helped with the veggies, preparing the broccoli with roasted garlic and chili oil, salt and pepper, onion powder and crushed red pepper flakes. And she drizzled the sweet potato medallions with roasted garlic algae oil, hot honey, salt and pepper and hot honey dry seasoning.Sounds like the recipe for success, right? Well, mostly. Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Tom's Guide) The Genesis E-325 did a fantastic job searing the ribeyes with its dedicated Sear Zone, which gets up to 750 degrees. After I got those perfect marks, I moved the steaks over to the left and cooled the right side down to 350 degrees to roast the vegetables.Unfortunately, I overcooked the broccoli and it got a little too much char, but the sweet potatoes were spot on. I should have waited a bit longer to add the broccoli to the grill basket. (Image credit: Tom's Guide)The ribeyes, however, came out practically perfect. I got the sear I wanted without losing the juices on the inside. And the filets I cooked were nice and tender. I put them on the top shelf while the bigger steaks finished cooking.Overall, this meal was a home run with the family despite my messing up the broccoli. We just sprinkled some cheese on top to mask the burning, and it still tasted great.Cleaning: Where I messed upThe biggest mistake I’ve made with the Weber Genesis E-325 is not reading the instructions before cleaning. You’re not supposed to use a wire brush, as it can strip the enamel, and Weber suggests you let the grill cool before you clean.I’m accustomed to using my Grill Rescue brush, which on other grills you dip in water and leverage the heat of the grill to steam clean. I made things worse, making some residue harder to get off.I learned my lesson. You’re supposed to let the grill cool, then use a Nylon bristle brush to clean the grates. For deeper cleaning, you can use a sponge and hot soapy water to clean the grates.Accessories: Lots of options Weber Genesis pizza stone accessory (Image credit: Weber)As mentioned, the Weber Genesis E-325 can accommodate a range of custom-fit grillwork. This includes a Pizza Stone, Grilling Basket (good for veggies) and Griddle (great for breakfast items or smash burgers). These are all $99.It doesn’t stop there, though. The Genesis has a side table you can drop accessories into and side rails for clipping on other add-ons. You can get everything from a basin with cutting board lid ($39) to a bottle holder ($12.95).OutlookSo far I really like the Weber Genesis E-325. I’ve only tried it with a couple of meals so far, but the food has been delicious and evenly cooked, and I’m happy with the overall build quality.I also love having a dedicated Sear Zone for steaks, and even though I’m used to 6 burners, there’s plenty of cooking area on this 3-burner grill for me and my family. I think larger parties could be a challenge, though.The only thing that’s thrown me so far is the cleaning for the Genesis E-325. But now that I know the proper technique I don’t think it will be an issue. Would you invest this much in a grill? Let me know what you think in the comments and if you already have a Weber please feel free to share your experience. Mark Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom's Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing the direction of Tom's Guide, Mark specializes in covering all things mobile, having reviewed dozens of smartphones and other gadgets. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business and other outlets. Mark was previously editor in chief of Laptop Mag, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer.