The Product: High-End Four-Burner Gas Grill

If you are looking for the quality and functionality of a high-end gas grill but don't have the space or the need for the biggest six-burner variety, then a four-burner grill may be right for you. Advanced features can include more burners (which run vertically), natural gas hookup, rotisserie burner(s), sear burners, infrared burners, a commercial grade thermometer, side burners, stainless steel construction and electronic ignition. Also, read more about Why I like Weber Grills

Recommendation: Weber Summit S-450 Gas Grill Review

Weber has redesigned upgraded its Summit Grills over the past two years in response to competitive pressure, putting features into the four burner models that it didn't use to make available in this size. The Weber Summit S 450 was part of this effort and offers a lot of grill in a smaller footprint. Part of the Summit S-class series, the S-450 has a great clean and modern look courtesy of its all stainless steel construction. It is powered by four stainless steel burners that put out nearly 49,000 BTU, and the burner tubes run up and town rather then left to right, which makes it easier to control heat zones from left to right and cook multiple items at different temperatures. There is 498 square inches of regular cooking area, which is large enough for most families to grill everything they need it once. There is also a 12,000 BTU flush-mounted side burner which is designed to let use that side as a workspace when you don’t need the burner.

The Summit S-450 also has many great high-end features and accessories. One of the most useful is the 8,000 BTU smoker burner, which makes smoking with gas even easier than with charcoal and comes with a smoker box that can hold wood chips or mesquite and give your BBQ that great smokey flavor. Another is the rotisserie burner with spit accessory, which is mounted higher in the new version so that you don’t need to remove the grates and allows you to make restaurant-quality roast fowl and meat with ease. This was previously a feature that was only available on the six burner models. One other very interesting feature of this grill is the porcelain-enameled Flavorizer bars. When juices from grilling meats land on coals, they cause flares and burn the outside of whatever you’re grilling. However Weber’s flavorizer bars eliminate grease-fueled flare-ups that often occur with standard lava rocks and ceramic briquettes. Fats and juices are vaporized when they hit the flavorizer bars, and add extra delicious smoky flavor instead of burning your meat.

The Weber Summit S450 is one of the few Weber's with the extra-thick stainless steel 9.5 mm cooking grates. These grates retain heat very well, don't rust and are easy to clean. The 450 also features Weber’s new front-mounted Snap-Jet burner knobs, which are electronically controlled and light individually when turned, without the need for a separate starter. Front-mounted knobs also stay cleaner as they don’t collect as much dirt and grime. The 2008 model also adds a built-in stainless steel Grill-Out handle light, which acts as a mini spotlight so you can see your food in the dark.

Other Notable Features:
• All stainless steel construction
• Weber’s best-in-class warranty, which will cover most items well beyond your own life span

Models and Variations
The Weber Summit series has two four-burner classes, the S and the E, with multiple grill models in each. In the stainless steel S-class, the Weber S-420 model lacks the smoker and rotisserie features of the S-450, but is a good choice for those who only want basic grill functionality. On the other hand, the Summit S-470 is the highest end Weber four-burner grill and has all the features of the S-450 as well as a 10,600 BTU sear burner which can be a lot of fun with steak. Also in the S-class is the Summit S-440, which is a built-in version for those that want to add an island to their patio or pool areas.

Weber Summit E-class models are exactly the same feature-wise as their S-class counterparts, but have a colored porcelain exterior rather than stainless steel and are available in different colors. There are two E-class models, the Summt E-420 and the Summit E-450 with the same features as the S models above.

Weber Six-Burner Grills
If you regularly grill for large groups or have a big family, then you may need to size of a six-burner grill and you should check out the Summit S-650 Review.

Devil's Advocate:

While the Weber S-450 is made mostly of stainless steel, other materials are used around the base of the grill. It is a good idea to wash and clean these areas every so often to prevent any rusting. Also, since the S-class grills are mostly stainless steel, there is no choice of colors.