Weber

Weber has a strong overall reputation in the r/BuyItForLife community, built on decades of documented longevity, excellent parts availability, and responsive customer service. Both the Genesis gas grill and the Kettle charcoal grill earn high marks, but the Kettle is the more universally praised of the two — gas grill quality draws more mixed reviews, particularly for newer models. A recurring and meaningful concern across all product lines and brand-generic comments is a post-private-equity quality decline, with newer units described as thinner and cheaper than the older American-made versions that cemented Weber's reputation. Buyers willing to seek out older secondhand units or restore existing ones will likely get the best BIFL value.

Both the Genesis (51 mentions, Strong recommend) and Kettle (33 mentions, Recommend with caveats), combined with 752 brand-generic mentions, point to a brand that genuinely earns BIFL status for older and secondhand units — but new purchases carry real risk given the well-documented post-private-equity quality decline. The Kettle remains the stronger buy of the two lines, but the overall verdict lands at Recommend with caveats given the consistent warnings about newer models across all sources.

Weber's strongest assets are its parts ecosystem and proven longevity — both product lines have documented examples of grills lasting 20–50 years, and the company actively supports older models with replacement parts.

• Replacement parts available for nearly every model ever made, including decades-old units
• Customer service known to send free replacement parts even out of warranty
• Kettle grills documented lasting 30–50 years with basic maintenance
• Genesis gas grills routinely last 20–25+ years; full restoration possible for $300–400
• Robust secondhand market — older, higher-quality units available for $20–60
• 10-year warranty with goodwill replacements reported beyond that period

A consistent thread across both product lines and brand-generic comments is a real, widely-observed quality decline following private equity acquisition — newer models are thinner, cheaper, and less durable than the older units Weber's reputation was built on.

• Post-private-equity models across both lines described as noticeably thinner and flimsier
• Newer gas grill frames, including some Genesis units, reported to rust within a few years
• Many current gas grill models assembled from globally sourced or Chinese parts
• Recent Kettle models ship with fewer features than older versions of the same design
• Competitors like Napoleon and PK Grill cited as superior alternatives by some users

The old American-made Genesis grills are practically indestructible — I've seen them go 25 years with just basic upkeep. The new ones are a different story.

Weber's parts support is unmatched — I called about a 15-year-old kettle and they just mailed me the part for free.

If you can find a used kettle from the 80s or 90s, buy it immediately. The new ones use noticeably thinner metal.

Weber used to be the obvious BIFL answer for grills. Now it depends heavily on when the unit was made.

• Weber Genesis Gas Grill
• Weber Kettle Grill