Broil King Vs Weber

Similar to Napoleon Grills, the gas grills from Broil King come across as great contenders for the Weber gas grills. When we were looking into meat smoking for beginners, we were evaluating in terms of both performance and quality. This is why we are going to do a Weber vs. Broil King comparison. Here we will compare the S 490 and S 420 with their Weber equivalents in terms of meat smoking for beginners.

Broil King Regal S 420 Gas Grill

Broil King 956314 Regal S 420 Pro - Stainless Steel - 4...

Patented stainless steel Dual-Tube burners with 2 ribbons of...
Flav-r-Wave heat plates that provide the ultimate in even...

The S 420 Regal from Broil King features a high-end, stainless-steel construction. It does not have a rotisserie burner or even a side burner. If we have to compare this product with a model from the Weber series, then that model has to be the Weber Genesis II S 310.

Both of these products are ideal meat smoking for beginners picks as they have great flame tamers, grates, and steel bodies. More importantly, both of these products feature equivalent types of primary grilling areas.

The Primary Differences

Heating Capacity

Weber’s Genesis II S 310 has 3 burners that have a 12,500 BTU/hour capacity which makes their combined heating capacities stand at close to 37,500 BTU/hour. Regal’s S 420, on the other hand, has 4 burners that have a 12,500 BTU/hour capacity and combined heat that stands at a higher 50,000 BTU/hour.

The combined heating capacity of 37,500 BTUs in Weber’s Genesis can be used to heat about 513 inches of the grate. The grilling space has a heating power of 73 BTU/hour for each square inch. The Regal, as you would have guessed, is at a clear advantage due to its combined grilling power.

The Regal throws in 50,000 BTUs of heat for its 500 square inches of grate. This translates to a heating power of about 100 BTUs/hour for every square inch—which is again ideal for meat smoking for beginners. The Regal doesn’t just stop there though. This product is at a clear advantage – simply because of its sheer grilling power. When the Regal 420 is pitted against the Genesis, you will find the BTUs for every square inch is quite consistent in the former brand.

Price

The Regal has been set at a more premium price than the Genesis but what you will be getting for the extra money needs to be considered. In terms of meat smoking for beginners, you will be getting an extra burner along with a grate that is thicker. The Regal also has 9mm stainless steel rods while the Genesis has the same but with a 7mm thickness.

Warranty

Weber offers a warranty of 10 years on its products whereas the Broil King’s products have warranties that vary around 5 to 10 years. Even though this is the case, you shouldn’t worry too much. Users of both these products have found that the 9mm stainless steel rods of the Broil King can easily outlast the 7mm rods of the same material in the Genesis.

Styling

In our own opinion, the Genesis looks much more stylish and presentable as opposed to the Broil King but both have really unique aesthetics. That being said, it is important to point out that Genesis features a foldable left side that will give you much more space on the deck.

As you may have noticed, the battle between both these grills is quite like a coin toss. With the extra burner and more combined heating capacity in the Broil King, we know it will be a better pick for searing steak. The Genesis, on the other hand, is more aesthetically pleasing and can be bought at a better price.

Broil King Regal S 490 Gas Grill

Broil King Regal S490 Pro- Stainless Steel - 4 Burner...

Make the perfect steak - With patented Stainless Steel...
Durable cooking grids - Solid rod 9mm Stainless Steel...

This product from Broil King also happens to be a 4 burner with a gas grill made of stainless steel with rotisserie and side burners. Once you are familiarized with the product, you’ll find that the bones of both – the S 420 and S 490 are quite the same. The 490 is only different because it has upgraded rotisserie burners and side burners along with featuring a dedicated rotisserie burner.

If we were to compare this product with the Weber Series, then we had to set up a head to head with the Genesis II LX 340. This product from the Weber Series has slightly bumped up specifications in terms of heating capacities of side burners and primary burners. The combined heating capacities now stand at 43,500 BTU/hour.

Unlike the previous battle of products that are ideal meat smoking for beginners, this new match-up had a clear winner. The Broil King S 490 had a cheaper price than the Genesis II LX 340 and outclassed due to the following specifications:

Primary Differences

Better grate thickness as the Broil King has 9mm stainless steel rods as opposed to the Genesis II LX 340’s 7mm.
The S 490 had a larger heating ability standing at 100 BTUs/hour for every square inch as opposed to the 84 BTUs of the Genesis II LX 340.
The Broil King also has a dedicated rotisserie burner along with a rotisserie assembly.

The Genesis II LX 340 does have some features that may not be available in the Broil King S 490 but they aren’t really needed if we are looking from the meat smoking for beginners perspective. These features include the lighted control knobs and the LED fuel gauge along with some others which are quite unnecessary.

Final Verdict On Broil King vs Weber

In our comparison for both the products, we were quite impressed with both the models of the Broil King. The manufacturing quality of these products is quite solid and both have that extra ‘oomph’ required to trump their Weber counterparts. If you are out looking for grills in the market and find a great price for the Broil King Regal, then you don’t have anything more to consider!

Broil King vs Weber | Regal or Genesis – Legendary Meat Smoking for Beginners