
The new year means different things to different people. In the case of the barbecue and grilling world, it means new grills. On January 9th, Weber dropped seven new pieces of outdoor cooking equipment including updates to the iconic Summit gas grill line, a new full-size griddle, a new pellet grill, a travel-sized griddle, updates to the Traveler grill, and a new Q-series portable grill.
Updatee: And in 2025, Weber continued the innovation with the new Smoque pellet smoker!
Let’s dive in and see what’s new!
Summit Series Grills

Since Weber launched the original Summit series back in 1999 complete with built-in models for your outdoor kitchen, the Summit series has been the luxury offering for the company.
To kick off 2024, Weber rolled out some new updates to the line, including a whole Smart line under the Summit name. Some of these updates are across both the Smart and standard Summit grills.
Smart Technology (No More Control Knobs?)

There are two things that jump out at you when you look at the new Summit Smart gas grills. First is the large high-definition full-color touchscreen in the center of the grill. This allows you to start the grill with a tap of the screen and monitor temperatures. Weber even notes that the Summit will be able to connect to your smartphone. Whether that’s simply Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (or even both) hasn’t been revealed, but these grills will have some sort of connectivity with your phone.
The second major visual difference is that the Summit smart grills do not have the standard control knobs that we are all used to on gas grills. There is a control knob on the touchscreen as you would see on a pellet grill, but the gas burners are controlled by buttons that light up with five different levels.
Between the control buttons and the touchscreen controller, this smart grill has more precision when it comes to temperatures than any other gas grill I’ve seen. Weber is calling it SmartControl™ Technology, and it will help you set up and progress through your cooking session.
Weber is advertising the Summit smart grills coming in stainless steel and powder-coated options.
The rest of these features will be on both the smart and regular Summit models.
Infrared Broiler
When it comes to grilling, everyone wants to get the perfect sear especially if you’re a big fan of steaks. Whether it’s a full-blown infrared grill or simply a sear station, the radiant heat produced by the heating element (still fueled by gas typically) reaches higher temperatures and is more even than a standard gas burner.
So the new Summit line features a top-mounted infrared broiler that will allow you to create a beautiful crust on those steaks reminiscent of the best steakhouses you’ve ever eaten at.

Versatility-Focused Enhancements
One of the other included features goes right along with the infrared broiler. Weber says that Summit grills will have an “integrated heavy-duty rotisserie” which allows you to cook large roasts to perfection on the spit. Some of the promotional images show the infrared broiler going in conjunction with the rotisserie to help get a perfect crust on whatever cut of meat you’re roasting. Not bad for a gas grill that we typically associate with hot and fast cooking, right?
Along with the rotisserie, Summit grills will have an included smoker box so you can add wood-smoke flavor to whatever you’re cooking. Perhaps in conjunction with that high degree of temperature control, Weber has made smoking on a gas grill even easier than before.

The final versatile addition to the Summit grill line is the Weber Crafted cooking frame kit. This allows you to swap out the type of grill grates easily along with a griddle cooking surface.
Alongside the smart grills, you can purchase a standard Summit gas grill in stainless steel or porcelain-enameled exterior, a built-in version, and a high-end Grill Center version that has added storage. All models except for the built-in version also come with a side sear station.
Not all the numbers are available as of yet due to the grills still being in the pre-order phase, but the “base” level Summit grills have some details. The side burner is 12,000 BTUs per hour, the top-down infrared burner is capable of 16,000 BTUs per hour, and the main burners are capable of an output of 65,000 BTUs per hour.
Slate Griddle

At the beginning of 2023, Weber announced their first standalone griddle. To open 2024, the company announced the new Slate griddle. Evidently, it learned some lessons from its first griddle to warrant a new griddle. So let’s take a look at what distinguishes the Slate from its predecessor.
Pre-Seasoned Cooktop
One of the hallmarks of a griddle is its big metal cooking surface that requires seasoning. Weber’s first griddle used a hot-rolled steel surface that required seasoning before you could use your new piece of cooking equipment.

The new Slate griddle uses a pre-seasoned carbon-steel cooking surface so you can get cooking soon after you finish assembly. The other big thing that Weber is talking about is that the cooktop is rust-resistant. While the company has not come out and said it, it is likely that the new carbon steel surface is cold-rolled versus the original griddle’s hot-rolled steel. Per KDM Fabrication, “Cold rolled win in corrosion resistance. The surface finish of cold rolled steel is more precise and smooth, offering better resistance against rust.” Now that does not mean the cooking surface will never rust. You still want to clean it and store it properly. It simply will hold up better than hot rolled steel.
Cart

While we are all more concerned about how the Slate performs differently when cooking, the cart that holds the cooking surface is quite important, too. On Weber’s original griddle, the cart had one shelf, two large all-terrain wheels, and two legs.
The new Slate griddle has four locking casters for more maneuverability while still allowing you to keep it locked in place for storage or cooking. The cart has two side shelves for plenty of prep space, much like the original griddle.
The other big change is that the Slate’s cart is compatible with the WeberWorks Prep, Cook, and Store System. It’s an accessory system that includes condiment holders, bottle holders, cutting boards, and storage bins. The bins slide in between the two shelves of the cart so you have a place to keep your tools and accessories when you aren’t using them.
The Slate comes in a 30” standard model and then in 30” and 36” models that have an extendable side table to offer even more prep space.
Searwood Pellet Grill

Weber’s experience with pellet grills has been rocky, at least to begin. The early versions of the SmokeFire pellet grill were not well-regarded with customers finding issues. The company did improve on the later editions, but evidently, Weber wanted something better.
The new Searwood pellet grill has the ability to go even lower than the Smokefire pellet grills with a temperature range of 180° to 600°F while also adding a direct flame access so you can achieve better grilling results. Weber even says that the sear zone covers the entire cooking surface, not just a small section.
If you’re concerned about flare-ups from smoking brisket before wanting to grill burgers, Weber made it easier to clean up with a combined grease and ash management system that you can access from the front of the grill. That means you don’t have to pull the cooking grates and other internal components out after every cook to clean and get rid of ash.

The Searwood pellet grill offers both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity to the WEBER CONNECT app. The digital controller has two probe ports so you can monitor internal temperatures without any additional hardware. Part of that digital controller is the new Rapid React PID that Weber says allows the pellet grill to be ready to start up in 15 minutes and also allows for faster reaction to the lid being open.
Weber also offers additional accessories to boost the versatility of the Searwood including a rotisserie and griddle.
The Searwood pellet grill comes in a 600 model and an XL 600 model. The 600 model has 648 total square inches of cooking space (420 square inches on the main grate and 228 on the top grate.) The XL 600 has 972 square inches of cooking space (630 on the main grate and 342 on the top grate.)
Cooking On The Go
The other main focus of the new lineup is on portability with three main offerings. There is the Traveler griddle (which is quite similar to the new Slate griddle but designed as a portable tabletop model,) the new Weber Q 2800N+, and a tease of the upcoming Traveler Compact gas grill.
Traveler Griddle

Like the Slate griddle above, the Traveler griddle features the new carbon steel cooking surface. The griddle can reach temperatures in excess of 500°F so you can sear smash burgers or steaks on the cooking surface. You can also drop the temperature down to cook a pancake breakfast complete with eggs and bacon as well.
It sits on four adjustable legs so you can keep the cooking surface level despite an uneven picnic table. The exterior is porcelain-enameled for longevity so you don’t have to worry about rust forming quickly. It even has easy grease removal on the front of the griddle.
The Traveler griddle comes in a 17” model with 272 square inches of cooking space that weighs just under 43 pounds and a 22” model that features 352 square inches of cooking space and weighs just over 53 pounds.
Q 2800N+ Portable Gas Grill

The Weber Q series is a beloved series of portable gas grills that can sit on tables or sit on a specially designed stand. The new 2800N+ model takes this long-standing gas grill and makes it even more versatile due to two new features.
The first new feature is the additional Plus burner, hence the + sign in the name. It adds up to 400 BTUs per hour to the normal burner which features a possible output of 18,000 BTUs per hour. It gives you additional temperature control, giving the grill a range of 250° to 700°F so you can cook slowly or sear over high heat.
The second feature is the optional accessory of a griddle insert that allows you to cook breakfast on the go as well. So you can have a grill that weighs just under 32 pounds that can sear steaks and cook eggs and pancakes.
Final Thoughts
The last 12+ months have been eventful for Weber. We detailed some of the behind-the-scenes issues the company faced late in 2022 and into 2023. Now the company is rolling out new innovations to its luxury line, upgrades to its pellet grill offerings and griddles, and renewed emphasis on its portable options.
Most of these new grills are not available for order yet, but you can sign up to be notified when they are for sale on Weber.com. You can also bet that Amazon will be one of the first to have stock on the new lines. Stay tuned to Angry BBQ as more information becomes available!