Beefeater Signature SL vs Weber Summit E-670

[jacko12]

Hi fellow BBQ-ers

I have done my research and have narrowed my BBQ choices down to two - either the Beefeater Signature SL4000 5 burner or the Weber Summit E-670 6 burner. Both are top of the range BBQ’s with corresponding prices of around $5000 each. I see the purchase as a long term investment as we BBQ 3-4 times a week and my old BBQ is falling apart.

From my research I see the pro’s for the Summit being that the construction looks well thought out with the recessed rotisserie and side burner. I like the smoker burner and rear mounted rotisserie burner and the storage under the cabinet doors is also well planned with the drip tray. I am used to hood up barbecuing so it will take some time to get used to hood down but by all accounts it is worth making the effort. I have spoken with a few BBQ shop specialists who say that with the Summit you can still cook with the hood up for steaks and sausages - especially if you use the searing station which could sway me if they are being honest.

My concerns with the Summit are whether these specialists are exaggerating and that I might be disappointed with the heat from the burners when cooking with the hood up. Although I have lots of plans for roasts and the rotisserie it would be nice to have the option of the hood up as part of the fun is gathering around the BBQ watching what is cooking. My main concern with buying the Summit is the mark up over what it sells for in the US. The RRP is $4999 in Australia but it sells in the US for US$2500 ($A3200). I know the Australian dollar is no longer at par with the US dollar but this still suggests a further mark up of A$1800 which I am not sure where it is going (shipping, dealers?)

The Beefeater Signature 4000 is a more powerful BBQ which is designed for open grilling and has the hood for doing roasts aswell. The rotisserie is an extra and the BBQ does not have the gadgets that the Summit has (no smoker, rotisserie burner). The side burner is not resessed and I don’t like the drip tray as much. The hot plate is stainless steel where as the Summit hotplate is Cast Iron (although from all accounts the cast iron is better for a hot plate). I like that it has a window to view the cooking but understand this will get dirty pretty quickly. Also good is that the hood can come off easily to enable a pizza oven to be used on it. Generally, it seems less attractive to look at but is more powerful than the Weber.

Size wise the Weber has a cooking area of 5355cm. I think the Beefeater has larger cooking area but I am not sure. The Weber looks deeper while the Beefeater is longer.

The factor that is steering me towards the Beefeater is that I can get it for just under $5000 in Australia and the price of Beefeaters in the US look similar to Australia - It makes me feel like my money is going towards a better BBQ as I know if the Weber retails for the equivalent of Aus$3200 in the US then the rest is just for shipping, marketing or dealer mark up. It makes me think the Beefeater is the better BBQ.

Any thoughts on the above? Is the top of the range Beefeater a better BBQ than the Weber or should I bite the bullet and accept Australian pricing for the Weber and go for the better looking BBQ which has more gadgets? Any advice most welcome. Thank you.

[DAK]

I think your summary is accurate.

Toys and gadgets aside... My father has s summit and I have a Beefeater. We both prefer for beefeater. Both can roast brilliantly but the beefeater Grills much better.

He's going to sell his Summit and get a Beefeater.

This being said I do think the build quality of the weber is superior, but my BE is only a discovery.

Godd luck.

[chrisg]

I'm never really sure what the point is in comparing the price of US goods in America to their price here.

The reality is that if I understand correctly the Beefeater is made in China so it is shipped to both countries and you would therefore expect the price to be similar.

As to which is better that's a debate I've made a point of staying well away from since two good friends have one of each and have been arguing the merits for quite a while

I will say that the Summit cooks fine lid up, the friend with one does his steaks that way quite often, and gets told not to by those of us who are used to cooking everything hood down

Cheers

[Smokey]

I have the older summit gold and that smoker burner is a real boon.
It cooks fine lid up but lid down keeps in the diffusing flavour. It's gets plenty hot. very rarely I need to crank it to full steam.
It's also quite efficient for its size.
I'm very happy with it and with that smoker burner, Can replicate almost anything my other BBQ's do.
I find the rear infrared spit burner too hot and only use it for part of the cook resorting to the bottom burners to either finish off or start the cook, pending on what I'm doing.
I get a kettle type reddish bbq colour on the food I cook on it but that is due to lid down cooking.

Saying that I probably would be also happy with the high end beefeater.
Id still cook lid down if I had the beefeater.

[Jkspinner]

I would consider the summit over the Beafeater. The Summit offers a nice rorisery option, a smoker and an extra burner for searing, and is enamel, much easier to clean. The Beafeater, although a fine BBQ offers those antique burners that Cook very hot at the back and got so hot up front, but offers more storage underneath.