Do you enjoy the taste of great grilled meats? Do you ever find yourself wondering which grill manufacturer makes the best grills? Well, the top two grill manufacturers are Napoleon vs Weber, but how do you choose between the two?
Each of these manufacturers makes quality grills, but it is still worth comparing their products to ensure you find the best grill for your needs.
Here, we will provide comparisons of the top five grills from both manufacturers and provide you with a little insight into each manufacturer and the different features that they bring to the table to help ensure you make the best personal choice for your individual needs.
This is what we found after testing multiple grills and weeded out the lower-tiered ones. Let’s get started!
Napoleon Grills And Weber’s History and Overview
Both of these brands have a proud history of producing quality outdoor grills, but different models of their grills, when compared, are better than the others. Here is a brief history of these two grill manufacturers.
Napoleon Grills Overview and History
The Napoleon brand has only been around since the 1980s but during that time, they have built up a reputation that rivals other competitors, like Weber.
The company was started in Germany, but after a while, it moved to Canada, where Napoleon Appliances was born.
They evolved from Wolf Steel Ltd, and when they first started making grills, wood-burning stoves were a trend, and they have continued to evolve their grills with new technology and features until they were on equal ground with the best of the best. It doesn’t hurt that they only make their grills out of top-quality materials.
Weber Grills Overview and History
Weber-Stephen Products LLC is an American-based company that has been manufacturing grills since 1951.
Since then, they have built the Weber brand around a tradition of producing quality barbeques and grills, and their main two series are the Weber Spirit and Weber Genesis BBQ grills.
Most of the differences between these two Weber series are cosmetic, but the Spirit series tends to be slightly smaller than the Genesis series.
The Weber Spirit series also tends to run for lower budgets than the Genesis series, but both of these series have their place in the best grills categories.
Weber vs Napoleon Comparison:
Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill vs Napoleon TravelQ PRO285 Portable Grill
Both of these grills are designed to be compact and portable, and although they are in the same budget bracket, they still have features that set them apart. The Weber grill is excellent for grilling in areas where you don’t have a lot or any preparation space, thanks to its folding side tables.
However, the TravelQ PRO285 uses small propane cylinders, which means you don’t have to worry about lugging around huge propane gas containers with you.
Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill
The Q2200 is a propane gas grill that was designed by Weber to be both compact and portable. It has a built-in thermometer in the lid, that will help to ensure the grill meets the proper temperature. They added a removable catch pan that is designed to make cleaning up a breeze, no matter where you are grilling.
Being that this grill was designed to be portable, they added the nice touch of two small folding side tables that are meant to provide you with extra preparation space, and the cooking grates are made from cast iron with a porcelain enamel that helps to make it easier to clean.
Overall, consumers are happy with this grill, but they have expressed some issues with the temperature regulation. They concluded that this grill is excellent for campsites and the occasional weekend grill, but there were some issues if they needed to cook thicker cuts of meat.
Features
- Total cooking area = 280 Square Inches
- The stainless steel burner puts out 12,000 BTU-per-hour
- Porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates
- Electronic ignition with a built-in thermometer
- Two folding work tables
- 3D interactive assembly instructions for this product are available through the free BILT app.
Pros
- Porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates
- Two folding side tables
- Removable catch pan
- Built-in lid thermometer
Cons
- Minor issues with temperature regulation
Napoleon TravelQ PRO285 Portable Grill
The TravelQ PRO285 grill was designed by Napoleon Grills to be a portable grill that can be taken anywhere that you will want to grill but do not have the space to do so with a full-sized grill. This grill uses portable propane cylinders that are also easy to carry, and it is constructed out of quality material.
The burners are made from dual stainless steel, which makes them easy to keep clean, and they are durable, which helps them to last for longer periods than some other types of grills.
Consumers expressed their enjoyment of this grill’s compact and portable design. It allows them to take the grill with them on camping trips and other outings where having a full-size grill wouldn’t be ideal.
However, some have expressed that after a prolonged time, there are minor issues with the ignition valve not locking into place.
Features
- 2 burner portable grill with up to 12,000 BTUs
- Total cooking area: 285 sq. In
- Dual stainless steel burners for direct and indirect grilling
- Porcelain zed cast iron wave cooking grids for consistent, even heat
- Long-lasting weather guard high top cast aluminum lid
Pros
- Compact and portable design
- Dual stainless steel burners
- Uses portable propane cylinders
Cons
- Minor issues with the valve not locking into place after extended use
Weber Genesis II E-335 3-Burner Liquid Propane Grill Vs Napoleon Grills Rogue 425 Propane Gas Grill
Both of these grills have their pros and cons, but depending on your needs, the right one can vary. If you are looking for a grill that allows you to cook your entire meal outside while you are grilling, the Genesis II model is your best bet. Although they both have burners, the Rogue 425 has a single burner.
However, if you are looking for a grill that can be easily stored in a smaller area, then the Rogue model gives you this option, with its folding shelves. They are both made out of quality materials, but the Rogue is in the lower budget bracket if that is an important distinction.
Weber Genesis II E-335 3-Burner Liquid Propane Grill
The Genesis II E-335 3-burner liquid propane grill is one of Weber’s top models. They designed it with three side burners to allow everything for a meal to be cooked in one place, rather than have some things cooked on the grill and then the rest on the inside stove.
The grill is made from sturdy steel, which makes it durable, and it is rust-resistant, which helps to keep it protected from the weather if it is ever left outside uncovered.
The grates are made from cast iron with a porcelain enamel that makes them easy to clean, and they hold the heat well, which makes for a better grilling experience.
Overall, consumers enjoy this Weber grill, but some have experienced minor issues with the internal packaging of the grill’s parts. However, Weber was fast to respond to these issues and helped by replacing any of the parts that were damaged due to the poor packaging issue.
The grill itself they loved, and they found that it was easy to put together with the help of Weber’s app and the manual that is included with the grill.
Features
- This product is a Liquid Propane unit
- Equipped with the powerful Gs4 high-performance grilling system
- Use the side burner to Simmer BBQ sauce or sauté veggies; Infinite control burner valves
- The sear station creates an intense heat zone to quickly add sear marks on the meat
- Solid 7mm Stainless Steel rod cooking grates provide superior heat retention
- 3D interactive assembly instructions for this product are available through the free BILT app.
Pros
- Side Burners for extra cooking space
- Cast-iron porcelain-enameled grates
- 100% Weber guarantee with a 10-year warranty
Cons
- Issues with packaging
Napoleon Rogue XT 425 BBQ Grill, Stainless Steel, Propane Gas – RXT425PSS-1 – With Three Burners, Barbecue Gas Cart, Folding Side shelves, Instant Failsafe Ignition
The Rogue 425 is a propane gas grill that was designed for outdoor barbeques and get-togethers. They added an infrared sizzle zone side burner. This will allow you to sizzle your BBQ sauce or cook another small part of your meal while grilling your meat.
They made the cooking grids out of stainless steel to make them easier to clean.
With this rogue model, Napoleon added a set of folding shelves on the sides of the grill to allow extra space for preparing and cooking food. To make it easier to store, these shelves fold down along the body of the grill, which makes it convenient when they are not needed.
Most consumers are pleased with this grill. They enjoy folding shelves, and they say that the stainless steel cooking grids are easy to clean and maintain.
They enjoy the side burner, but they have expressed concerns with the included temperature device not being accurate or working at all, which caused them to purchase a separate thermometer for precise heat measurements.
Pros
- Folding shelves for space saving
- Stainless steel cooking grids
- Infrared sizzle zone side burner
Cons
- Minor issues with the temperature device
Weber Genesis II E-425 4-Burner Natural Gas Grill vs Napoleon LEX 485 RSIB Natural Gas Grill
These two grills have a lot of features to offer, but the setup can be a major factor in making the decision. If you don’t mind having natural gas plumbed to wherever you want your grill to be, then the LEX 485 offers the most overall benefits out of these two grills.
However, if you don’t want to get natural gas plumbed to your deck or want the freedom of moving the grill around, then the Genesis II E-425 will be the best to suit your needs.
Weber Genesis II E-435 4-Burner Natural Gas Grill
The Genesis II E-435 is a natural gas grill that comes with four burners, which makes it easier to cook a full meal without having to constantly run back and forth to the kitchen. They designed this grill with a porcelain-enameled lid, which helps to retain heat throughout the grilling process.
Another feature of this grill is its food warmer grate. It can be used to toast buns for hot dogs and hamburgers or to keep food warm, while the rest of the grill food is cooking. Plus, if you are not using this grate, it can be folded up so that it doesn’t get in your way while cooking.
Finally, they have included an enclosed storage space under the grill, which will allow you to store all of your utensils, pans, and other grilling accessories.
Most consumers have found this Weber grill to be excellent. They enjoyed the food warmer grate and the enclosed storage space underneath the grill.
A few expressed concerns about a promise of free assembly because when it arrived, they were not able to hold up to their end. However, they found that the assembly was fairly easy with the provided manual.
Features
- 4 stainless steel high-performance burners, 1 side burner, and 1 sear station burner deliver up to 69,000 BTUs of combined output
- Porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates provide superior heat retention
- Ample Cooking Surface. Up to 844 sq in, including the tuck-away warming rack.
- Compatible with iGrill 3. The iGrill 3 monitors food from beginning to end and notifies you once it has reached the perfect temperature
- 3D interactive assembly instructions for this product are available through the free BILT app.
- 10-year warranty, 100% Weber Guarantee
Pros
- Enclosed storage space
- Porcelain-enameled lid for heat retention
- Food warmer grate
Cons
- Doesn’t always hold to their free assembly promise
Napoleon Grills LEX 485 RSIB Natural Gas Grill
Napoleon Grills designed the LEX 485 RSIB to be a high-end natural gas grill. They have designed it with many features, like a built-in cooler section, to make the grilling experience more convenient. They also added 6 burners to the grill.
This will allow you to cook your entire meal on the grill, rather than run back and forth to the kitchen to use the stove.
This grill also comes with a large grilling area that makes it perfect for large get-togethers or regular BBQ nights. Finally, it does require natural gas to be plumbed to its location for it to be set up.
Consumers enjoyed the overall structure of this grill, and they rave about the built-in cooler that allows them to keep a small number of things on ice right by the grill. The only downside that they had about this grill is that they had to have natural gas plumbed out to their deck to use the grill.
Features
- 74, 000 BTUs
- Six burners
- 805 in a total cooking area
- Ceramic Infrared bottom and rear burner
Pros
- Six side burners
- Large cooking area
- Convenient built-in ice cooler
Cons
- Has to have Natural gas plumbed to the location
Weber Summit S-460 Built-In Natural Gas in Stainless Steel Grill Vs Napoleon Built-In Prestige 500 RB Propane Grill
Both of these grills are made from quality materials, and each one has its pros and cons that you should consider.
For instance, if you are looking for an all-around grill that can grill, smoke, and rotisserie, then your best bet will be to go with the Summit S-460 grill. It is more expensive, but it does offer more cooking options.
However, if you are looking for a less expensive option, then the Prestige 500 RB propane grill by Napoleon is an excellent alternative. It still provides a quality grill construction, and it also provides burners to assist with different types of cooking from a single place.
Weber Summit S-460 Built-In Natural Gas in Stainless Steel Grill
This Summit series grill, by Weber, takes grilling to a whole new level. It has everything you need to grill a delicious meal. It comes with 4 stainless steel burners, which are easy to clean and makes completing a meal at your grill a breeze.
They have added a smoker box and burner to give you the option of smoking foods on your grill, and you can do rotisserie things as well.
The rotisserie system is also able to tuck away when it isn’t needed. However, to use this grill, you will need a place where it can remain because it does require you to have natural gas plumbed to the grill for it to work.
Consumers who have purchased this grill love the fact that they can cook a variety of meals with this single grill. The only downside that they have to say about this grill is that it has to have natural gas plumbed to the location, which limits the grill’s portability.
Features
- 4 Stainless steel burners
- 48,800 BTU-per-hour input
- 10,600 BTU-per-hour input sear burner
- 6,800 BTU-per-hour input smoker burner and stainless steel smoker box
- 10,600 BTU-per-hour input infrared rear-mounted rotisserie burner
Pros
- 4 stainless steel burners
- Smoker box and burner
- Tuck-away rotisserie system
Cons
- Needs to have natural gas plumbed to the location
Napoleon Built-In Prestige 500 RB Propane Grill
The Prestige 500 RB Propane Grill, manufactured by Napoleon, has several benefits that make it an excellent choice. It is constructed out of sturdy stainless steel, which helps to make the grill not only durable but also easy to clean.
They designed the grates with a wave, allowing them to grill thicker meat more effectively.
They are also designed out of cast iron that is coated with porcelain to make them easier to clean and flip meat, without having to worry about it getting stuck to the grate. Finally, they have added burners with jet-fire ignition that makes them easy to clean and heat up more quickly.
Many consumers have commented on the quality of the stainless steel construction, but they have expressed concerns about the difficulty of putting the grill together without a lot of knowledge. However, they enjoyed the jet-fire ignition grill burners.
Features
- 66,000 BTUs
- 4 Stainless Steel Main Burners
- 760 in Total Cooking Area
- Stainless Steel Iconic WAVE Cooking Grids
- LIFT EASE Roll Top Lid
- Infrared Rear Rotisserie Burner
- NIGHT LIGHT Control Knobs with SafetyGlow
- Instant JETFIRE Ignition
- Dual-Level Stainless Steel Sear Plates
- ACCU-PROBE Temperature Gauge
Pros
- Jet-fire ignition grill burners
- Stainless steel construction
- Porcelain-coated cast iron wave grates
Cons
- Difficult to put together by yourself
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Vs Napoleon Apollo 3-in-1 Smoker
Both of these smokers are designed with quality materials, but there is one major difference between the two. Although they both are excellent smokers, the Apollo smoker provides a larger cooking area and gives more options on how to cook with it.
However, if you are looking for a basic but durable smoker, then Weber’s Smokey Mountain cooker will suffice your needs.
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker
The Smoker Mountain Cooker by Weber was designed to be a small smoker that is easy to use and easy to move, as needed. The entire grill is constructed out of a porcelain enamel that is designed to help retain heat throughout the cooking process.
The dampers were designed to be easily adjusted, and Weber added an easy-to-remove door that covers the charcoal basket to make it easier to add or remove extra wood and charcoal.
Most consumers are satisfied with the quality of this grill, but they have made comments about its size. They wish that it was a little larger, but they enjoy the easy adjustment of the dampeners and how easy it is to add or remove charcoal and wood, during the cooking process.
Features
- Your purchase includes: One Weber 22-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker, Charcoal Smoker + Cover
- Easy assembly is required, instructions are available in the User Guide attachment.
- Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker reaches approximately 190°F inside temperature
- 3D interactive assembly instructions for this product are available through the free BILT app.
Pros
- Porcelain-enameled construction to retain heat
- Easy-to-adjust dampeners
- Easy to remove the door for adding wood or charcoal
Cons
- On the smaller side
Napoleon Apollo 3-in-1 Smoker
This smoker was designed to be a 3-in-1 device, and it has three different sections that can be used for different types of cooking at the same time.
It can be run off of wood or charcoal, and Napoleon has even added easy access to the charcoal basket, to help make sure that you can manage the charcoal throughout the entire process.
On the top section of this smoker, there is a stainless steel bar through the lid that comes with five meat hooks that can be used for just about any type of meat. It also has easy access to the smoker’s water pan to make sure that you can handle its level while cooking.
Consumers enjoy the different types of cooking that they can experience with this grill, but they have found a few issues with the included thermometer working properly. However, they found that this could easily be fixed by purchasing a different thermometer.
Pros
- 3 separate cooking layers
- 5 meat hooks from the upper lid
- Easy access to charcoal basket and water pan
Cons
- Minor issues with included thermometer
Insights and Takeaways
All of the grills above are some of the best available on the market, and they are all able to provide a delicious grilled meal when used properly. Weber vs Napoleon Grills have reputations for manufacturing quality.
They have grills that fall in various budget brackets, but there isn’t a black-and-white answer to which manufacturer is better. They both have grills that are better than the other. It is just a matter of what you need the most.
When it comes to the best smoker, the Napoleon Apollo 3-in-1 Smoker takes first place. It has more features available than the Weber model.
However, when it comes to portable grills, the Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill. It has the added feature of the side tables that puts it over the Napoleon model.
The takeaway about Napoleon vs Weber is that each one has its pros and cons. In each category, these two manufacturers offer some of the best grills on the market.
It is just a matter of researching them to ensure that you making the right purchasing decision for your needs and not the ideals of what someone else thinks that you need.
