30-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Business Insider
Weber Spirit EP-435 review: The beginner BBQ that made me into a confident griller
Grilling is one of my favorite parts of summer. When the weather gets warm, I start craving grilled veggies from my garden and a nice, juicy Chicago dog (one of the best foods ever, in my opinion). Despite my love for all things grilled, I've always been a little intimidated by grills themselves. Even the best grills tend to scare me with their complicated dials, knobs, and lighting procedures. And figuring out how to start a grill with charcoal or wood pellets? Forget it.
Thankfully, this spring, I was introduced to a simple, easy-to-use grill that even I wasn't scared of: the Weber Spirit EP-435. With straightforward controls and options for customization, I love it as a grilling beginner, and my grill pro boyfriend loves it, too. I've cooked on this grill at least once a week for the past three months, and it's made me much more confident (wo)manning the grill. Read on for why I think it's one of the best gas grills for summer barbecues and family dinners.
Design
The Weber EP-435 has a simple, no-frills design. It's a moderately sized grill with a cooking area of 428 square inches, plus an additional side burner. It's best suited for dinners at home or small get-togethers, although I did fit 20 small hamburger patties on the grill at once, so it could be used for larger barbecues, too.
It's sold in propane and natural gas models; for the latter, you'll need an outdoor gas line hookup and will have to keep your grill relatively stationary. Since I'm a renter and wanted the freedom to move my grill around, I tested the propane model and found it easy to connect the propane line to the grill. The propane tank is also hidden in a small compartment under the grill itself, which you can access via a small door.
It has a pretty basic design, but you can also buy additional accessories to truly customize your grill. You can find upgrades for inside your grill, like a griddle or pizza stone, or handy extras that attach to the side of the grill via its side rails. I grabbed the flexible lighting, which is really helpful when grilling at night, and the basin with cutting board lid. I'm obsessed with the basin and cutting board combo: you can even marinate meat right in the basin, pop it on the grates, and then cut it right at the grill.
I'll also note that shopping for the Spirit EP-435 can be confusing, since Weber makes multiple grills with the same name. I tested the 1500786 model, but there's also a basic, cheaper model without electronic temperature control.
Assembly
The grill was delivered right to my garage on a breezy spring morning: perfect weather for the assembling task I was about to take on. With unboxing and building, it took my boyfriend and me about an hour and a half to put the grill together. I highly recommend having a second person help you assemble the grill, since certain parts require one person to hold the pieces steady while the other tightens the screws. The assembly process was long and arduous, but the provided instructions were clear and helpful. On unboxing, I did notice a deep scratch in one of the panels, but this was solely an aesthetic flaw and had no impact on the assembly or functionality of the grill.
To test the Weber Spirit EP-435, I cooked zucchini, hamburgers, and smoked chicken — standard tests we conduct with every grill. The zucchini and hamburger tests are meant to observe how evenly the grill cooks food. The smoked chicken test determines how well it handles slow cooking. The hamburger test is also handy for visualizing the grill's capacity.
I've been using this grill for over three months, and I've been continually impressed by how easy it is to use. While my boyfriend is a seasoned griller, I'm a bit of a newbie. Even so, I've had absolutely no trouble lighting and controlling the temperature on this grill. The dials are intuitive and easy to use: the built-in thermometer is accurate, and it heats so evenly that I never have to worry about under- or over-cooking my food.
The Weber Spirit EP-435 also has a "boost mode," essentially an extra blast of heat to finish off your food with a sear. The boost mode is indicated on the dials with a red bar, so it's easy for me to turn it on when I want an extra blast of heat. I like my grilled veggies extra crispy, so I always finish them off on boost mode. The side burner is also user-friendly. I just pop a pot on top, turn on the dial, and I'm good to go. It's super handy when I'm making a barbecue sauce or a side like cilantro lime rice with my grilled meal.
In addition to my testing, we've been using this grill once a week for over three months. We've made a little bit of everything on it— from carne asada to chicken satay — and we've been impressed with the smoky, charred flavor. It's not infused with the same classic flavor you'd get from a charcoal or wood pellet grill, but it's still plenty tasty and more flavorful than food I've had made on other gas grills. I attribute the flavor to the fact that the grill has easy-to-use, precise controls that ensure I'm not undercooking or overcooking my meals.
I did notice that the cook is a little uneven, especially around the edges, whether the lid was open or closed. My grilled zucchini was noticeably lighter on the edges, especially in the corners, while the zucchini in the center had beautiful, dark grill marks. Similarly, the hamburgers on the edges of the grill took longer to cook. Keep this in mind if you're planning a big get-together and plan on using the entire surface of your grill.
I was very impressed with how well this grill handled slow cooking. The chicken I made was tender and completely fell off the bone once it finished cooking. Since there's also a thermometer on the grill, it's simple to check in every 15 minutes or so to ensure the grill is the right temperature without lifting the lid to let out heat.
Cleaning
Like using it, cleaning this grill is simple. I scrubbed the grates with my grill brush, and all of the stuck-on food flaked off with little effort.
It also has a removable grease trap, which is easy to remove, clean, and put back in. During testing, though, I noticed that some of the grease had missed the trap and instead pooled at the bottom of my grill. The grease pooling is not only annoying to clean, but it also increases the risk of dangerous grease fires. For this reason, I recommend checking your grease trap frequently to ensure it's clean and in place.
Warranty
Each part of the Weber Spirit EP-435 has a different warranty. The grill itself, lid, and burner tubes are covered by a 10-year limited warranty. The grates, flavorizer bars, and cast-iron cooking grates have a five-year limited warranty. All electrical components are covered for three years, and all other parts and paint have a two-year warranty. The warranties don't cover issues like fading, discoloration, rust, or burn-through. If you claim your warranty, Weber will replace or repair the faulty parts of your grill.
Cons to consider
I noticed uneven cooking around the edges of the grill, so be careful if you're planning to use the entire grill top. The food on the edges and corners might take a little longer to cook than the food in the middle.
The grease also pooled at the bottom of my grill after my testing period, but I haven't noticed any other messes after removing and cleaning the grease trap. This grill is also pretty tricky to assemble — it takes an hour and a half with two people — so I'd make sure to set aside some time to build it accurately.
What are your alternatives?
If you're looking for a quality gas grill that's a little bit cheaper than the Weber EP-435, I recommend the Weber Spirit E-325 Gas Grill. At $549, it's $250 cheaper than the EP-435, but you can still expect the same quality and ease of use. It has 360 square inches of cooking area, so it's perfect if you're looking for a smaller, simple grill.
For charcoal lovers, the Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill is the top pick in our best charcoal grill guide. It's an extremely durable grill that stands the test of time, delivering perfectly smoky and flavorful results. And if you're on the hunt for a great smoker, we love the Traeger Woodridge Pro. It can be controlled with an app that also senses pellet level and internal temperature for tender, juicy meats every time.
For other recommendations, check out our best gas grill, best grill, and best pellet smoker guides.
The bottom line
After testing and using the Weber Spirit EP-435 for over three months, I can attest that it's made me a more skilled and confident griller. With intuitive controls, a side burner, and plenty of room for accessories, it's an excellent grill for families or small barbecues. I can't wait to create delicious summer meals on this grill for years.
