I own a Weber Summit Gas Grill (9 years) that I use heavily during winter months. I tend to switch to charcoal in the warmer summer months. Griddles seem to be the hot topic this years, as Weber and Traeger announced the release of full size flat tops in the same week. For space and price considerations, I'm leaning towards purchasing the Weber griddle insert instead of buying a full size griddle. Are the griddle inserts essentially the same capability as the free standing griddles? Or is there a drop in performance and functionality? Father's Day is approaching, and it may be something I suggest for my kids to get me.
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Last edited by Lenny; June 1, 2023, 10:39 AM. -
Unfortunately, as far as I can tell Weber doesn't make a griddle insert that fits into the Summit series of gassers (I have an S-670). They make them for the Genesis and Spirit lines, but not for the Summits. I believe fzxdoc got one from Steelmade for hers. (If I remembered which one wrong she can correct me).
If you've seen differently recently I'd be interested in knowing that! -
I have a standalone griddle (Camp Chef FTG-900) and I have griddled on my Weber Genesis grill(s) (I've had 2 Genesis models). As Dan Deter points out, Weber does not make a full griddle insert for the Summit like they do the Genesis and Spirit, but they do make a smaller griddle that drops in as a replacement for one of the regular grates:
Looks to be out of stock right now though. So your best option is the Steelmade or Little Griddle I think.
Anyway, back to griddles on a gasser versus a dedicated griddle grill...
The biggest issue with an insert on a gas grill like your Summit is grease management. Many of the drop in griddles don't have any grease management, just a trough that you need to sop out with a rag or some paper towels. Or if they do drain, you have to be really careful about grease fires in the bottom of the grill. I used to use Grillgrates flipped to the flat side to do bacon on my Genesis, and if I ran the burners above low, it was an invitation for dripping bacon grease to ignite on its way through the bottom of the grill to the grease cup. The other drawback is that the grease cup is kind of out of sight, out of mind, so you risk unintended overflows. On my Camp Chef, the grease trough and the grease cup are right in front, and I can quickly and easily dump it or swap in a new foil insert, as well as keep an eye on the level.
Aside from grease management, performance is similar if you get a good griddle top. The dedicated griddles have the same construction underneath as a regular gas grill, with burner tubes, heat deflectors and such.
Last piece of advice - I know there are some stainless steel griddle inserts you can buy. Stay away from them. Stainless just doesn't become nonstick like cast iron or the typical cold rolled steel griddle top does as it becomes seasoned. Every time I try to scramble or fry eggs in a stainless skillet, versus my cast iron or a non-stick, I am reminded of this as I am stuck scrubbing stuck on bits of egg off the pan with a Brillo pad.Comment
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Dan Deter funny thing is, BBQ Guys has it in stock:
Looks like the Weber drop in for the Summit 400/600 has a little grease drain on the side. I would put it so that is at the end of the grill, letting grease drain down the side wall of the grill, avoiding dripping on a burner or flavorizer bar, then the grease management will route it to the foil cup underneath.
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Dan Deter while the Weber griddle offering for the summit is only the size of one of the grate sections, it has an advantage in my opinion in that it does sit down on the ledge inside the grill just like the grates, versus sitting on top of the grates like a regular cast iron griddle would. This means it won't be sliding around when you are trying to use a spatula to flip things on it. I had the same issue with Grillgrate panels on top of a grate like on my Weber kettle, versus dropped in as replacement grates on my Genesis. I hated them sliding around.
I guess nothing prevents using 2 or 3 of them either, and the cost is about the same as the full replacement griddle they are offering for the Genesis and Spirit. The size for my Genesis E-410 would be $399! 3 of the drop in griddles from Weber would actually be cheaper. I would only go that way though if I didn't have room for a standalone griddle...Comment
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I’ve got the SteelMade insert for my 3 burner Genesis. I love it, really heavy and super slick. I will say that there is a chance of flareups when cooking something really fatty, like a load of bacon, but generally it isn’t anything too bothersome. I do have the drip pan that I use when cooking fatty foods, but it goes below the grill grates, so it’s a bit of a pain to use. Plus you have to clean it afterwards (I line it with foil, but there’s always a bit that gets underneath). If you’ve got the extra room and money for a dedicated griddle, you’re probably better going that route. But if you want to save some space, a good insert works great!! I especially love that I can still use my gasser as a ‘regular grill.’
When I saw Weber came out with the griddle inserts, I was initially bummed that I already had my SteelMade. But then I looked at the price. My SteelMade is top quality, nearly fits my 3 burner Genesis perfectly, and is only $100. It won’t be big enough to fully cover your 6 burner Summit, but that could actually be nice. Have one half of the grill dedicated to griddling and the other half a ‘regular grill.’ Otherwise, for a price, SteelMade can custom make one for you …Comment
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You bring up a great point about price. The Weber inserts to be honest costs as much as a lot of stand alone griddles. They only make sense if you just don't have room for another cooker on the patio. My son is in that category. He picked up a Blackstone 36 that needed re-seasoning that some idiot had tossed, and plans to sell it for about what he needs to buy the Weber griddle insert for his Spirit 3 burner, because his wife doesn't want a 3rd grill on the patio... -
jfmorris I would highly, highly recommend the SteelMade flattop. It’s really good quality, super smooth and slick once seasoned, and reasonably priced at $100 (“reasonable” at least in comparison with Weber’s insert). It’s even made in the US!! It may not be a perfectly fitted match like the Weber’s but it fits reasonably snug on my 3 burner Genesis (I’d run out and send over a picture, but it’s raining right now).
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