Gourmet bbq system/ spirit 300 series for the wife

[DeezPanthers]

Hi everyone,
  So I am an avid Webber fan, I have a WSM and a kettle performer premium.  So my wife has really gotten into using the Gourmet bbq system, but doesn't feel comfortable using the charcoal by herself.  I was thinking of getting her a small spirit 300 series with the GBS to use on week nights.  I don't get home till later due to work, so it's always too late to fire the kettle up then.  I've showed her a 100 times how to and she knows,  I think she just feels it's too much to do for a weeknight dinner.   

So my questions are 1- will the accesories work interchangeably?  I won't have to buy new GBS pieces to use for the gas, right?   (Honestly I hadn't done much research on it, figured I'd ask here first) 2-  will she be disappointed in the taste, since it won't be charcoal?  I'm not familiar at all with gas grills, so I don't want to spend more money on something that she won't like.  Will the stuff taste the same as cooking in her oven with the gas?  Is there anyway to make it more smokey, bc that's what she loves, is how the food has a different taste when we do it on the kettle.  Thanks, any opinions from someone who owns both would be great.  Thanks.

[demosthenes9]

Hi Deez.    The Gourmet System inserts are interchangeable between the kettle and gas grills.   As to whether she will be disappointed in the taste, that is difficult to say.   Things won't taste quite the same as they do coming off the kettle because you won't have burning charcoal.     That said, most food coming off a gasser will taste different than stuff cooked inside on the stove.  Juices will drip, get vaporized and will flavor the food.   Now, if you are baking a cake or cooking something in a pan (where juices can't fall), that would probably taste the same as if it was cooked in an indoor oven.    One thing you could do to change this is to add a smoke box to the grill, or make your own smoke pouches.

[DeezPanthers]

Thanks,  yeah I thought about the smoke box last night.  I think I will wait to see if I can find a good deal on a used one, just in case.   She really likes doing the chicken and veggies, pizza and muffins so far.  She would really like to get a rotisserie,  but I don't even think that's an option for the spirit, so I may need to do some more research.  I'm just happy she is so excited about grilling,  she used to just leave all that in my hands.  Then I brought home the pizza kit for the kettle and she loved that, the next thing I know she comes home with 3 new accessories asking for me to help her make some grilled food.  Now if only I could get her checking on my smoker in the middle if the night, I'd have it made

[demosthenes9]

Thanks,  yeah I thought about the smoke box last night.  I think I will wait to see if I can find a good deal on a used one, just in case.   She really likes doing the chicken and veggies, pizza and muffins so far.  She would really like to get a rotisserie,  but I don't even think that's an option for the spirit, so I may need to do some more research.  I'm just happy she is so excited about grilling,  she used to just leave all that in my hands.  Then I brought home the pizza kit for the kettle and she loved that, the next thing I know she comes home with 3 new accessories asking for me to help her make some grilled food.  Now if only I could get her checking on my smoker in the middle if the night, I'd have it made

Hahha, that's awesome.   I'd definitely go the used route.  FWIW, I don't think any of the GBS grates work on older Genny Silver, Gold A, B or C's, or grills older than that.  Think you have to get to the 300 Series in order to use GBS.     As for the rotisserie, I'm pretty sure there's a rotisserie kit of the Spirit 200/300 models.

[DeezPanthers]

Yeah it's really hard for me to figure out what the GBS works with bc I can't really find anything in using it with older models.  I saw that they make A GBS grill grate for gen 300 eries and summit 400 & 500 series, but I can't imagine she would need anything that big, bc if we are doing a get together I'm home using the kettle or WSM.  This would strictly be a week night grill, for her to use for family dinners, so I think a spirit would be plenty.  It's just finding a used one that is new enough to use the GBS with it.  Does anyone know what year they started making them for the spirit?   

[addicted-to-smoke]

A 300-series isn't a "big grill" despite what the cabinet may look like. Cooking surface area is similar to the original 3-burner Genesis models. If she uses it for weeknight dinners, whatever cook area it has will get used.

That said, the E-210 is smaller (2-burner) and can take the GBS system once you buy a GBS grate for it, assuming it doesn't come with it. Looking at pix online, the cookbox/lid appears to also have the cutouts for a roti accessory.