Weber is the better option if you want a wider variety of grills and models. It is also known for its excellent charcoal and wood pellet grills. Napoleon, on the other hand, wins for its better heat output and temperature range. The brand also offers larger grills.
I’ve been using my Weber gas grill for over a decade now and it was finally time for a new one. I heard that Napoleon and Weber had a lot in common so I decided to put them to the test and see which one came out on top.
In this post, I will compare Napoleon vs. Weber, show you their similarities, and compare two major models.
Let’s begin by discussing the top differences between Weber and Napoleon grills. If you would like a quick summary, check out this table:
Features | Napoleon | Weber |
Types of Grills | The brand has charcoal, electric, gas, and built-in gas grills | Weber has the advantage here as it has wood pellet grills in addition to charcoal, gas, and electric grills |
Models | Napoleon has fewer models to choose from but the range of electric grills is better | Weber has more models in general with kettle charcoal grill offerings being most impressive |
Size and Cooking Space | Napoleon has a wide range of sizes but has the best options for larger grills | Weber also has a wide range of sizes but has a greater offering for smaller grills |
Burners and Burner Capacity | Has a greater number of burners per surface area. Also combined heat output is greater | Has fewer number of burners and has a lower heat output as well |
Temperature | Can reach temperatures up to 700 F | Can reach temperatures up to 550 F |
Grilling Performance | Best grilling Performance with electric and gas grills | Best grilling Performance with charcoal and wood pellet grills |
The first thing to consider is the types of grills that each brand has to offer.
Napoleon Grills has a lineup of electric, gas, and charcoal grills. Interestingly enough, the brand also has an option for built in gas grills as well.
As for Weber, this brand offers all of these grills too (with the exception of the built in option). However, Weber does have one up on the competition here. This is because the brand also has a line of wood pellet grills.
This was the first time that I really took an in-depth look at Napoleon Grills and I was pleasantly surprised to see just how many models this brand had to offer.
For the portable range, Napoleon has TravelQ 240, 285, 285 X, and 222 Pro. As for the electric grills, you can choose from Rogue EQ 365, Rogue EQ 425, and Rogue 525.
Then you have the NK18, Pro Charcoal, Pro Cart, and Charcoal Professional for the charcoal grill option. For gas, there is the Prestige 500, 500 RSIB, 665, AND 665 RSIB.
Prestige PRO 500 RSIB, 665 RSIB, and 825 RSIB. The Phantom line has TravelQ Pro 285, Phantom Rogue SE 425 RSIB, and Phantom Prestige 500 RSIB.
Then there is the Rogue Series which includes Rogue 425, s25 SB, and 525. You also have the Rogue SE series with Rogue SE 425 RSIB, 525 RSIB, and 625 RSIB.
The Rogue XT series lineup includes 425, 425 SIB, 525, 525 SIB, and 625 SIB. The Freestyle lineup includes 365, 365 SB, 425, and 425 SB.
Finally, for the built-in gas grill models, there is the 500, 700, Prestige, and Prestige PRO.
There is no denying that this is an impressive lineup, but Weber comes out on top again.
For the Weber portable grill options, you can choose from the Go Anywhere and Weber Traveler.
With just Weber gas grills alone, you can select from Weber Spirit and Spirit II models. This lineup includes the Spirit SX-315 smart grill, Spirit EX 315 smart grill, Spirit E 210, Spirit E 310, Spirit E 330, Spirit S 315, Spirit EX 325s, Spirit II E 310, and Spirit II E 210.
Then there is the Weber Genesis grill lineup. This includes E 325s, SPX 435 smart grill, EX 325s, E 435, S 325s, EPX 335, E 335, S 435, SPX 435, S 335, E 335, E 435, EX 335, S 335, SX 335, EX 335 smart grill, S 325s, SX 325s, E 325s.
There is also the Summit line. Here you have the S 670, S 460, S 470, E 670, E 470, and S 660.
As for the Weber grill charcoal line, you can find Master-Touch, 70th Anniversary, Ranch Kettle Grill, Performer, Performer Premium, Original Kettle, Summit Kamado, Smokey Mountain, Smokey Joe, Jumbo Joe.
In particular, their kettle grills are quite impressive.
You also have the electric grills with Pulse, Weber Q1400, Q2400, Lumin, and Lumin Compact.
It is clear that Weber Grills takes this round as well.
That being said, when it comes to electric grills, Napoleon has a better selection. This is because Weber only has smaller options while you can get a full-sized or even premium grill with Napoleon Grills.
The size of your grill can matter a great deal. If you are cooking for one or two people or have a small space in your home, then you are going to need a smaller grill.
On the flip side, if you have a large family or need to frequently feed a larger group of people, then your grill will require more cooking space.
When it comes to portable grills, the smallest Napoleon grill is the TravelQ 240 with a cooking surface area of 240 sq. inches. It is a tabletop grill with dimensions of 14 x 26 x 18.5 inches.
Weber beats this out with the Smokey Joe premium with a cooking surface area of 147 sq. inches with dimensions of 17 x 14.2 x 16.5 inches.
While the Weber is a good option for camping, the Napoleon grill is better suited for a couple to use at home.
The largest grill that Napoleon Grills has to offer is the Napoleon Prestige Pro 825 RSIB with 1430 sq. inches of cooking space. Its dimensions are 51 x 94.25 x 25.5 inches.
The largest Weber grill has a cooking surface area of 769 sq. inches with dimensions of 51.5 x 91.1 x 26.5 inches.
If you are looking for the largest grill or cooking space, then there is no contest here. Napoleon Grills easily wins this round.
When it comes to gas grills, the heat output is based on the number of burners as well as the burner capacity. So, which one of the grills does best?
Well, the smallest Weber gas grill has just one burner and an output of 6500 BTU. The smallest Napoleon gas grill also has just one burner but has an output of 9000 BTU.
As for the greatest output, the largest Weber grill has 6 burners and a combined output of 60,000 BTU. The largest Napoleon grill, on the other hand, has 8 burners and a combined capacity of 123,000.
Even when you calculate the output for each individual burner, the Napoleon comes out on top.
Clearly, the Napoleon gas grills win here. Not only do these grills over greater output, but the greater number of burners means that the Napoleon gas grills also offer more even cooking throughout the cooking surface area.
When it comes to grilling or outdoor cooking, it is largely to do with higher temperatures. This allows you to sear foods and get those gorgeous grill marks. So, which of these brands comes out on top here?
Well, Weber grills tend to have a max temperature of 500 to 550 F, with the lid closed. The Napoleon grills, on the other hand, have a max temp of 700 F.
So, this category goes to Napoleon as well.
So, how do these brands fare when pitched against one another when it comes to the actual grilling function?
Well, if you were looking for a charcoal grill or a wood pellet grill, then I would definitely go with the Weber. These are tried and true grills and have earned themselves a top position in the grill market for a reason.
If you are looking for a next level gas grill or electric grill, though, I would suggest Napoleon Grills. They have more cooking space and features, and simply function better.
In the end, there is no one winner here. Instead, it is all about which kind of grill you are looking for.
Believe it or not, there are some similarities between both Weber and Napoleon. Here are the top ways in which they are similar to one another.
Here is a table to summarize the similarities of these products:
Features | Napoleon and Weber Grills |
Manufacturing Country | North America |
Grilling Features | Same grill interface, complete with sear zones and side burners. Also has infrared rotisserie feature for chicken |
Quality | High quality materials including stainless steel, porcelain coated enamel and porcelain coated steel |
Prices | Similar price range from $400 to $5000+ |
The manufacturing country can play an important role in just how good the grills are as well as how long they will last.
Well, you will be pleased to learn that both these grill companies have their manufacturing plants in North America. Weber has its operations in Illinois, USA.
In case you are wondering:
Are Napoleon grills made in the USA?
The answer is not quite, Napoleon was made in Ontario, Canada.
The reason that this is good news is because these countries tend to have higher quality standards. As such, you can guarantee that your grills are being built well and that they will last for a longer time as well.
This is also the reason that these grills tend to cost a bit more as well.
If you have tried out a few different grills, then you will realize that there are different ways to grill your food. This is why it is helpful if your grill is kitted out with various grilling features.
So, let’s take a look at which of these brands has the most grilling and cooking features to offer.
When it comes to Weber grills, you have the standard cooker. This means for charcoal grills you have the standard cooking grate. With electric grills, you have heated cooking surfaces.
As for the gas grills, you have the burners under the main cooking surface area. In addition to this, some of the models are also equipped with at least one side burner.
Some of the grills in the Weber Summit series have an infrared rotisserie burner. This allows you to get extra crispy skin on foods like chicken.
There are some grills that are equipped with a sear burner – a group of closely placed ones that allow you to cook the food at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time.
The Napoleon grills also have sear plates that allow you to grill food at a higher temperature. They also have infrared burners and a rotisserie feature.
In this case, both Weber and Napoleon appear pretty evenly matched.
Another way in which these two brands are quite similar to one another is in terms of quality. That is to say, they both use high quality materials when building their grills.
Most of the grill frames are made from stainless steel. All the burners are also stainless steel burners, ensuring that they will work better and last for a longer period of time.
Another point of similarity is the cooking grates. Each brand offers multiple options such as porcelain enamel coated cast iron, stainless steel, and enamel coated steel.
Both these brands have similar price points. If you are looking for a very cheap grill, then I would suggest going with Weber. This is because they have charcoal grills for as little as $60.
Apart from this, though, the rebrands tend to be evenly priced. This isn’t too surprising considering that they use similar materials. As I also mentioned, both brands manufacture the grills and parts in North America and this can add to the cost as well.
As for the value, once again, both of these grills are evenly matched. This is because you get exactly what you pay for.
To really get an understanding of how Napoleon and Weber measure up against one another, here is an in-depth look at the two top selling models for each brand. Here is a table with a quick summary of the comparison:
This gas grill has a sizable cooking area. This is suitable for a family of four or if you are someone who occasionally has cookouts. In addition to this, you also have a warming rack right above the main space, allowing you to heat up even more food.
I was really impressed with the grilling performance of this Napoleon gas grill. The main reason for this was that the burners and the cooking space were evenly matched. This made for an even heating experience, allowing you to cook much more efficiently.
At the same time, I like the fact that this grill is equipped with a back channel that allows the burners to light off of one another. This means that the burners are consistent.
Finally, I like that the rear burner is equipped with a rotisserie function, perfect for cooking a bird.
The temperature control on this grill is truly impressive. It was easy to set the temperature and it maintained the desired temperature throughout the cook with minimal fluctuations. I also like the fact that the side burner can get up to 1800 F, making it a breeze for searing steak and other food.
The biggest downside with this grill is that assembly is very tricky. You need at least one other person to help you out and even then it can take a long time.
The nicest additional feature of this grill is that it is equipped with glowing controls. This allows you to know precisely which burners are on. Not only does this make outdoor cooking safer for you, but it also helps with multi zone grilling.
Another feature that I like is the roll top lid. This allows you to open up the lid without taking up any additional space.
This grill also has a good amount of cooking area and is comparable to the Napoleon grill, although the Weber does boast a bit more surface area. In addition to the main cooking space, this grill also has an additional warming area on top.
I really enjoyed cooking on this grill as well. In particular, I like d the fact that there was a sear zone that allowed you to cook certain foods at higher levels. The ignition system on this grill is incredibly reliable and it lights beautifully each and every time.
The only minor issue I can find here is that there are too few burners for this surface area. It would be nice to have just one other burner to help with heat distribution.
The temperature control on this grill is quite impressive. Once I set the grill to the desired temperature, it barely budged by a few degrees. Also, the temperature would go back to the set temp very quickly. This makes it a great option for cooking food at an even rate.
I like the fact that there are two extra large side tables. This makes it perfect for storing food or even using it for prep work.
Another excellent feature is the grease management system. It makes it an absolute breeze to clean up the grill after a cookout, even when you have been cooking for a crowd.
The Weber brand began with George Stephen in 1952. In his quest to grill the perfect steak, Stephen built the first kettle grill. However, he didn’t stop there and today, Weber is one of the best known and most innovative brands in the industry.
Napoleon Grills is actually owned by the Wolf Steel Corporation. They got their start in 1976 as a steel fabrication company. In addition to grills, they also manufacture fireplaces and gas furnaces.
Yes, Napoleon does make good grills! This company may not be as well known as Weber, but they do produce high quality grills with top-notch features and grilling performance.
Interestingly enough, Napoleon is comparable to Weber. These two brands do have some things in common, including the fact that they are manufactured in North America, offer similar cooking surfaces, and have excellent quality materials.
I can’t pick a winner here. This is because both of these brands are so evenly matched. If you want a brand that has a ton of different models and options to choose from, then you should go with Weber.
On the other hand, if you prefer grills with a bit of flash and a modern touch, then Napoleon grills offer the better options for you to choose from. This is also a good option if you are looking for larger grills with a little bit of additional firepower.
Now, if you are looking for a charcoal grill, I would suggest going with Weber. If you are after a gas grill, though, Napoleon will likely have the better models for you.
At the end of the day, I wouldn’t say that one brand is better than the other. Instead, it would be more fitting to state that both of these brands are pretty impressive. They each have their own pros as well as their own cons.
They also have individual features that are unique to the brand.
So, it makes more sense to use the comparisons that I have presented you with here to decide which one is the right option for you.
