Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. If you buy a product through an affiliate link, we may receive a commission at no cost to you.
Weber released their 2025 line-up of grills today, and there was something for everyone. They have new Spirit gas grills and a new Slate griddle, but the one grill that stood out is their new Smoque grill.
Weber Smoque
Weber has a market leading brand name that commands a price premium. At least that’s usually the case, because Weber just released the Smoque pellet grill that chases the more value conscience consumer. At $699 for the base model, it presents an opportunity for new customers to buy a Weber pellet grill that may have previously been priced out.
With consumers continuing to battle macroeconomic pressures causing them to cut back on discretionary spending, the Smoque is a smart move by Weber. While other grill brands had been creeping up in price for their new grills, Weber has been resetting the market with their recently released Searwood for only $899, and now the Smoque for $200 cheaper. Contrast that with their retired SmokeFire EX4 pellet grill that started north of both grills at $1,099.
Features and Specs
- Smoque retails for $699 (check price) and the larger Smoque XL retails for $899 (check price)
- Total cooking area of 594 square inches on the base and 918 square inches on the XL model
- Maximum cooking temperature of 500 degrees F
- Has two meat probe ports and includes two meat probes
- LCD controller looks great and connects to the Weber Connect phone app
- SmokeBoost setting maintains ideal temps for more smoke
- 5-year limited warranty
Smoque vs. Searwood
The biggest question that people will have is “what’s the difference between the Weber Smoque and the Searwood?” The two grills look very similar, but they have different inteded purposes.
The Smoque is made to be more of a smoker, as the name would imply. It maxes out at 100 degrees F less than the Searwood, which is the main performance difference. The Searwood is a little richer with features and is a little bigger than the Smoque.
Spirit Gas Grill
There’s a special place in my heart for the Weber Spirit, their entry level gas grill line. When I first moved out on my own, one of the first things I wanted was a Spirit gas grill. It doesn’t have a ton of features, but it has a cooking grate and fire, which is all you need.
The Spirit line was refreshed this year and got a number of upgrades, while still maintaining a reasonable price tag. All of the Spirit models now have a lower cabinet, ditching the cart design that was on the cheapest model. The styling has also been updated with a more modern look that matches the rest of the Weber gas grills.
There are a bunch of different configurations of the Spirit, and they range in price from $399 for the E-210 two burner model to $799 for the EP-435 model that has four burners and a side burner. There are both LP and natural gas options within the Spirit line.
Spirit Grills Got Dumber
One notable omission from the new Spirit line is smart features. On the previous Spirit line, there was the SX-315 at the high end that connected with your smartphone to monitor your cook, give instructions, etc. None of the new Spirit grills have smart features, instead opting for a digital thermometer on the more expensive models where the LCD screen used to be.
Boost Burners
A cool feature that’s new this year on some of the Spirit grills is Boost Burners. There is a setting on some of the grill knobs to turn on an extra burner next to the one you’re using to unleash more power for searing.
We got wind of the idea a little while ago through a patent Weber had on a dual burner setup. They then brought this feature to market first on the compact Weber Q+ line that they recently released. It must be performing well, because now they’ve brought it to the Spirit line.
What’s nice is it’s a feature that isn’t just on the most expensive models. It appears on the E-325, which retails for $499, on up, so more people can have access to some extra searing power.
Snap-Jet Ignition
To make lighting the Spirit even easier, Weber has ditched battery powered ignitors for Snap-Jet Ignition. The way it works is a mini flamethrower type device is ignited first by turning the gas knob. Then, the mini flamethrower ignited the burner.
The benefit of this is it allows for one hand igniting of the grill. It also is easier to ignite because the Snap-Jet Ignition is purpose-built for easy lighting, rather than serving dual duty as a burner too.
Slate Griddle
For 2024 Weber released a new line of gas griddles called Slate. They are different from other griddles on the market because they come with a griddle plate that is pre-seasoned carbon steel. That means it’s ready to use right out of the box, removing a pain point consumers have with griddles.
Weber added to the Slate line for 2025 with the addition of a 28″ three burner model. Retailing for $549 (check price), it’s their cheapest griddle and a worthy competitor for the griddle space.
In addition to the pre-seasoned grill plate, it also comes with wind guards to protect your burners from blowing out. The new Slate griddle is compatible with Weber Works snap on accessories to make it even easier to cook on.