Quick verdict
The Genesis E-325s is the better everyday grill and the better searer; the Searwood 600 is the better smoker and the one that cooks without attention. A household that grills often and smokes occasionally should take the Genesis; one that smokes most weekends should take the Searwood.
Weber Genesis E-325s 3-Burner Gas Grill with Sear Zone
The Genesis E-325s is the Weber gas grill that does everything a family grill is asked to do: 39,000 BTU across three burners and a sear zone, 787 square inches of cooking area, a tall lid for roasts and cast iron grates. It is fast, hot and simple, and it sears better than any pellet grill.
Weber Genesis E-325s gas grill with sear zone against the Weber Searwood 600 pellet grill with a 600 F top end. Published specifications on heat, area, controls and upkeep, and which cook each suits.
The picks at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Score /100 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weber Genesis E-325s 3-Burner Gas Grill with Sear Zone | Best All-Round Gas Grill | 9.0 | Check price |
| Weber Searwood 600 Wood Pellet Grill | Best Pellet Grill for Searing | 8.6 | Check price |
The picks, reviewed
Weber Genesis E-325s 3-Burner Gas Grill with Sear Zone
The Genesis E-325s is the Weber gas grill that does everything a family grill is asked to do: 39,000 BTU across three burners and a sear zone, 787 square inches of cooking area, a tall lid for roasts and cast iron grates. It is fast, hot and simple, and it sears better than any pellet grill.
Reasons to buy
- Sear zone for steak crust on direct flame
- Large grate with expandable upper level
- No power needed; ready in ten minutes
- Ten-year warranty on cookbox and burners
Reasons to avoid
- No wood smoke
- By hand cooking throughout
- Uses more gas than a Spirit
Weber Searwood 600 Wood Pellet Grill
The Searwood 600 is the pellet grill Weber built to sear, with a 200 to 600 F range, 600 square inches, a smoke boost mode and WiFi and Bluetooth control. It smokes low and slow unattended and finishes hot enough for a crust. It needs power and pellets and takes longer to come up to heat than gas.
Reasons to buy
- Wood smoke plus a 600 F top end
- App holds temperature and alerts
- Smoke boost for extra flavor
- Set-and-forget long cooks
Reasons to avoid
- Needs an outlet and pellets
- Slower to preheat
- Grate heat is below an open gas flame
Where these two differ
These are the two Webers a serious home cook weighs when the budget allows either: the Genesis E-325s, a three-burner gas grill with a sear zone, or the Searwood 600, a pellet grill built to reach 600 F. The Genesis is faster, hotter at the grate and needs no power. The Searwood smokes, holds a temperature for hours by app and still finishes with a sear.
This comparison is based on the published specifications and manuals for both grills and on recurring owner feedback. We have not cooked on either ourselves.
| Specification | Genesis E-325s | Searwood 600 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | Propane | Wood pellets |
| Heat | 39,000 BTU plus sear zone | 200 to 600 F controlled |
| Cooking area | 787 sq in total | 600 sq in |
| Controls | Knobs | Digital, WiFi, Bluetooth |
| Needs power | No | Yes |
| Smoke | Minimal | Real wood smoke, boost mode |
Searing
The Genesis sear zone is a burner between the mains that drives one strip of the grate far hotter than the rest. A steak crusts there in minutes while the rest of the grate cooks gently. The Searwood reaches 600 F, which is remarkable for a pellet grill and enough to crust a steak, but the heat comes through a diffuser rather than from an open flame under the grate, so it is slower and softer. For searing, the Genesis wins.
Smoking
The Searwood is a smoker first. It holds 225 F for ten hours while a brisket renders, with smoke boost adding flavor in the first hour and the app watching the probe. The Genesis can be coaxed into a light smoke with a chip box, but it is a gas grill and nobody buys it to smoke. For smoking, the Searwood wins.
Everything in between
Burgers, chicken, vegetables, fish: both do them well. The Genesis does them faster from a cold start and with more direct heat. The Searwood does them with a smoky note and less attention. The Genesis has more cooking area, including an expandable upper grate, and the taller lid for a turkey.
Upkeep
The Genesis needs a tank, a grate brush and a drip tray emptied. The Searwood adds pellets kept dry, a hopper to fill, a fire pot to vacuum and a power cord across the patio. The gas grill is the lower-maintenance tool.
Which one should you buy
Buy the Genesis E-325s if you grill several times a week, want the hardest sear and the most capacity, and smoke only now and then. Buy the Searwood 600 if smoking is the main event and you want a pellet grill that can also sear and grill on the nights between. If the patio has no outlet the choice is made for you.
Common owner complaints
Genesis owners note the grill is heavy to move, assembly is long and the sear zone collects grease that must be cleared. Searwood owners mention slow preheat compared to gas, app setup and ash management. Owners of both report the cooking itself is as described, which is the complaint that matters most and is absent.
Our verdict
The Genesis E-325s is the better all-round grill and the one most households will use more. The Searwood 600 is the better smoker and the right choice for the cook who lives for the weekend brisket. Both are Webers with the warranty to match.
How we research
This comparison is built from the published specifications, manuals and warranty terms of both products and from recurring owner feedback. We have not run either product ourselves; where the makers do not publish a figure we say so rather than guess.
What to look for
How often you smoke
Occasional smoking on a gas grill with a chip box is possible; weekly smoking wants pellets. Count the weekends.
Searing standard
The Genesis sear zone is open flame; the Searwood sears at 600 F through its system. Both crust a steak; the gas crust is harder.
Outlet on the patio
The Searwood plugs in. No outlet, no pellet grill.
By hand or by app
Decide whether tending the grill is the pleasure or the chore.
Our verdict
The Genesis E-325s is the better everyday grill and the better searer; the Searwood 600 is the better smoker and the one that cooks without attention. A household that grills often and smokes occasionally should take the Genesis; one that smokes most weekends should take the Searwood.
FAQs
It sears well for a pellet grill at 600 F. The Genesis sear zone on open flame gets hotter at the grate and crusts faster.
A smoker box of chips over one burner gives a light smoke flavor. It is not a substitute for a pellet grill on a brisket.
The Genesis at 787 square inches total including the upper grate; the Searwood has 600.
For quick cooks, gas. For long smokes, pellets by the pound are reasonable and gas would be impractical anyway.
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