Weber has always been a legend of sorts, where grills are concerned. Any seasoned grill aficionado worth his salt will tell you that. Weber grills have, over time, established a reputation for being safe and extremely user friendly, in addition to always getting the job done right.
But the specifics tend to vary, from model to model. So how do you choose the best for you, from within the best there are? Well, we can start off with a contest! Weber spirit e-310 vs. e-330. But before that, let’s take a moment and look at the difference between the Weber 310 and 330 first.
What is the difference between Weber 310 and 330?
One thing to get out the way is that neither of these grills is unassuming. Both the e-310 and e-330 are solid, impressive frames with unusually sleek finishing, that lends itself to increased ease of use. The Weber 46510001 Spirit E310 is a liquid propane gas grill, and comes with two burner or three burner options.
I went for the three burner option first because it suited me more, with the size of the gatherings we have. The burners are stainless steel burners, and the three burner model puts out 32,000 BTU-per hour, which makes for a lot of heavy grilling quickly done. The grill has a generous 424 square inches of cooking space, and another 105 square inches for warming as well. You can set up a cooking area in the whole thing, or use the additional 105 inches for the warming rack, depending on what you want.
Now when these guys claim to have designed it meticulously, they do mean meticulously. The e-310 has a one push button start, thanks to an Electronic Crossover ignition, which makes it convenient, because you can even let grilling beginners handle the cooking for some time. The cooking grates are porcelain-enameled and cast-iron, which is a double win, since the porcelain enameling helps the grates hold on to heat even longer (the cast iron grates already have excellent heat retention. The porcelain coating makes everything that much more long lasting).
Here’s another special mention- Flavorizer bars. The porcelain enameled Flavorizer bars let you evenly distribute the cooking juices through the food, making dry or dried out grilled meat a thing of the past.
There’s plenty of other handy additional features as well- six tool hooks, a porcelain enameled steel shroud (bye bye rust and corrosion!), a closed and wheeled cart that lets you move it around easily, and a center mounted thermometer. There’s also a nifty fuel gauge that let you know exactly what your fuel status is. The best thing to do is hook up a 20lb LP tank through the convenient front access door and just get grilling!
(Weber E310)
So far, the Weber spirit e-310 has all its bases covered. But what about the e-330? The difference between Weber 310 and 330 is rooted in usage and additional functionality, more than quality or performance. The e-330 is smaller in size, standing 25.59 x 32.28 x 24.17 inches to the e-310’s 52 x 32 x 63 inches. The Weber spirit e-330 (Spirit E330) has a 12,000 BTU side burner that lets you conveniently cook smaller items and accompaniments away from the main course.
Then there’s a feature that would do professional chefs proud- a 7,500 Sear Station Burner. The Sear station can be booted up to sear foods and get them ready, and then turned down back for more normal grilling. The V shaped Flavorizer bars appear here too, between the burner tubes and the grates.
They vaporize whatever drip down cooking juices find their way in, routing the smoke to the food for a second blast of aroma and flavor. At the same time, the burner tubes too are kept clean by the Flavorizer bars, because debris doesn’t find its way down.
Both these grills are the top two picks for people looking for a grill. The sheer attention paid to construction and quality makes Weber grills a fan favorite. I noticed a huge difference in the material right while setting up itself (or well, standing by and helping while my friend set it up).
Another thing is that the side tables hang down but hold on very well, so they are stable enough to pile things on, and easy to fold away and store in a narrower space. Cleaning is also a lot easier with the e-310 and the e-330, what with the large drip tray with an easy to change aluminum liner. Grease goes down to the drip pan, instead of all over the corners, and then into the catch pan. Both are very simple to clear out, as are the Flavorizer bars themselves, which just need to be brushed with a stainless steel wire brush. And on that topic, both these grills require a modicum of maintenance- but the bare minimum.
After having had to literally scrub in and around my old grill, the Weber e-330 is a blessing to own. The additional porcelain-enamel shrouding adds that additional layer of corrosion resistance, too. We still bought a cover, just in case.
(Weber E330)
So, Weber spirit 310 vs Weber spirit 330?
Now that’s the big question, but again, pretty easily answered. I’d say that the Weber spirit e-330 is the clear winner. The Weber spirit e-310 has the lowest price of the models, but the multifunctional of the e-330 puts it at the top. The Weber spirit e-330 has an impressively even heat spread, not to mention the intensity makes for very good crusts right off, especially when searing. You’ll notice a 500ºF with this one, no joke, plus the ridiculously easy quick start.
The e-330 is also heavier than the e-310, but again, its so durable that it will last you upwards of a decade comfortably, in fact closer to two, with a little protection. The difference between Weber spirit e-310 and e-330 is subtle, but if you’re looking for professional style grilling (with plenty of side features, and options to make additional smaller items side by side), then the Weber spirit e-330 comes out on top, no doubt about that.
(Weber E310)
(Weber E330)
