Originally Posted by dchristiva

JMHO, but side burners are overrated. I would not pay extra for that. Your money is better spent on more BTUs and more cooking space. Some side space (not a burner) is worthwhile, too. But you're really looking for more burners inside (I believe both the Spirit and Genesis have 3), more BTUs, more control, and more cooking square feet. This is definitely a case where bigger is better. You will never regret getting bigger.

ETA, if you're getting a Weber (or any grill, really), do yourself another favor and drop the $20 (or whatever it costs) for one of their grilling books. As javabytes wrote, the instruction you'll get on direct vs. indirect grilling, multizone fires, and other "tricks of the trade" will be indispensable, and the recipes are, frankly, a bonus. Between the insight you'll get out of the Weber cookbook and the instant read thermometer, you'll be turning out some awesome dishes in no time. Believe me, the tools and the technique are what really matter here. You're off to a good start with your research and questions.

Originally Posted by corky

I agree about the side burner. I have the Spirit because of it's size...I don't have a lot of space. I got mine from Lowes...free delivery and a pleasure to do business with. I bought a generic cover at Big Lots...cheap and works great.
My biggest tip....get the kind you can hook up to the gas line in your house. ..not propane tank. I probably use mine 4 days a week and it is heaven to turn the knob and always have gas and no tank to lug. Highly recommend natural gas.
Other tips. ..don't stab meat with a fork and he juice run out...use tongs and spatulas only. Get an instant read thermometer but not the fork kind. I also like my probe thermometer for big things like roasts or whole chickens. Whatever protein you will be cooking always needs to rest before cutting into. I use a metal brush to clean but then I also go over the hot grates with a paper towel dipped in oil (use tongs) ...this cleans as well as wipes off any metal fibers that the brush might have left and keeps food from sticking.
Have fun!