The upgrade that changes the marks more than the barbecue does · review
The heaviest casting here at 9700 g (342.2 oz), for a Genesis 400 — and the frame kit is a separate purchase.
What we would actually buy Nine thousand seven hundred grams of porcelain-enamelled cast iron for a Genesis 400 — the heaviest casting on this shelf. It is also half a system: the Weber Crafted frame kit is required and is not in the box.
The second bullet is the one to read first:
“Weber Crafted frame kit and grates are required to use Weber Crafted Outdoor Collection grillware.”
So the price on this page buys the grates. The frame kit is a separate purchase, and without it none of the Crafted accessories — the griddle, the roaster, the pizza stone, the “roast, bake, flat top cook, steam, sear, crisp” range the listing advertises — will mount.
The listing does not say what the frame kit costs.
What you are buying here is therefore a very good set of cast iron grates, plus an entry fee to a system you have not finished paying for.
If all you want is cast iron on a Genesis 400, these will do it — and so would a generic set at a fraction of the price, if one fitted.
The heaviest casting on this shelf.
For comparison, the published weights here: 9,700 g (342.2 oz) this, 7,900 g (278.7 oz) the Weber 7853, 6,019 g (212.3 oz) the EasiBBQ two-pack, 3,629 g (128 oz) the Aura kettle grate, 1,814 g (64 oz) the single Broil King grid.
Mass on a grate is stored heat, and stored heat is what keeps the bars searing when cold food lands on them.
The caveat is that this listing publishes no dimensions, so the mass cannot be turned into grams per square inch — which is the figure that actually matters. The 7853 publishes 26.8 × 18.9 inches and works out at 15.6 g (0.6 oz)/sq in; the EasiBBQ at 18.1 is the densest that can be calculated. A Genesis 400 is a larger grill than a 300, so some of this extra 1,800 g (63.5 oz) is spread over extra area rather than extra thickness.
Weber Crafted 7853 — $139.99 — 7,900 g — Genesis 300 series 2016+ — 26.8 × 18.9 in Weber Crafted 7854 — $123.00 — 9,700 g — Genesis 400 series 2016+ — no dimensions published
Cheaper and heavier. But they are for different grills, so there is no choice to make: match the series.
What this listing loses against the 7853 is information. No dimensions, and no care instruction — the 7853 publishes the right one, preheat on high for fifteen minutes and brush with a stainless brush.
It removes cast iron’s one real weakness.
Bare cast iron sears harder — no glass layer between the metal and the food — and the three bare-iron listings on this shelf all have to deal with the consequence: COGRICHBF publishes a 10-to-15-minute standing-water limit, KAMaster six anti-rust tips, Lodge a full seasoning explanation.
Porcelain enamel is glass fused to the casting. It does not rust and needs no seasoning, and Weber claims the usual: superior heat retention and distribution while preventing sticking.
Its own weakness is chipping — and a chipped grate exposes bare iron, which rusts at the chip.
QuliMetal on this shelf argues bare iron wins outright. It is a genuine argument, not a settled one.
The Weber Crafted Frame Kit can sit under your grates when not in use.
Small, and the kind of thing you only appreciate in a small garden. A frame that has to live in a shed between cooks is a frame that does not get used.
No warranty published, like all ten grates on this shelf.
On sale at around $125 on the American Amazon store at the time of checking.
Prices and availability are what Keepa reported on the date this page was updated; both move.
Prices quoted in this text were read on 4 October 2026. The live price is at the top of the page.
| Fits | Genesis 400 series gas grills, 2016 and newer |
|---|---|
| Finish | Porcelain-enamelled cast iron, stated for heat retention and distribution and to prevent sticking |
| Weight | 9700 g (342.2 oz) — the heaviest casting on this shelf |
| Required separately | The Weber Crafted frame kit — the grates alone will not take Crafted grillware |
| Frame storage | The frame kit can sit under the grates when not in use |
| What it unlocks | The Weber Crafted Outdoor Kitchen Collection — roast, bake, flat top cook, steam, sear, crisp |
| System | Frame kit AND grates are both required for the grillware |
| Dimensions | 527 × 527 × 67 mm (20.7 × 20.7 × 2.64 in) |
| Against the 7853 | $16.99 less, and 1800 g (63.5 oz) heavier, but for the 400 series rather than the 300 |
| Cooking area | Not published by the maker — the 7853 publishes 26.8 × 18.9 in |
| Cost per square inch | Cannot be calculated, as no dimensions are published |
| Care instructions | None published on this listing, unlike the 7853 |
| Warranty | Not published by the maker |
| Frame kit price | Not stated |
| Amazon reference | B09PZDWLGJ |
| EAN | 0077924180750 |
Yes, and the listing says so twice without saying what it costs. "CRAFTED: Weber Crafted frame kit and grates are required to use Weber Crafted Outdoor Collection grillware." So these grates are one half of a two-part system: the frame kit is a separate purchase, and without it the Crafted accessories — the griddle, the roaster, the pizza stone and the rest of the "roast, bake, flat top cook, steam, sear, crisp" range — will not mount. The price you see is therefore not the price of the capability. What the listing does offer is a sensible detail about living with it: "The Weber Crafted Frame Kit can sit under your grates when not in use", so the frame does not need storing elsewhere between cooks.
It is cheaper and heavier, but they are for different grills, so the choice is made for you. The two Weber Crafted sets on this shelf are the 7853 at $139.99 and 7,900 g (278.7 oz) for the Genesis 300 series (2016+), and this 7854 at $123.00 and 9,700 g (342.2 oz) for the Genesis 400 series (2016+). So this one is $16.99 less and 1,800 g (63.5 oz) heavier — which on cast iron means more metal and more stored heat, though a 400-series grill is larger so the extra mass is spread over more area. The practical problem is that this listing publishes no dimensions at all, where the 7853 publishes 0.4″H × 26.8″W × 18.9″D. Without an area there is no price per square inch and no way to compare the casting density.
Because it removes the one real weakness of cast iron without giving up much of its strength. Bare cast iron sears harder — there is no glass layer between metal and food — but it rusts, which is why the three bare-iron listings on this shelf all have to address it: COGRICHBF publishes a 10-to-15-minute standing-water limit, KAMaster six anti-rust tips, and Lodge a full seasoning explanation. Porcelain enamel is glass fused to the casting, so it does not rust and needs no seasoning, and Weber claims the usual benefits: "superior heat retention and distribution while preventing sticking that creates for an easy clean up". Its own weakness is chipping — a chipped grate exposes bare iron, and that chip rusts. QuliMetal on this shelf argues bare iron wins outright; it is a real argument, not a settled one.
Close prices, same category: comparable cookware and knives. We keep only the specifications all of them publish, because a column with gaps compares nothing.
| Model | Price | Fits | Weight | Dimensions | Cost per square inch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weber 7854 Crafted Gourmet Grilling | $125 | Genesis 400 series gas grills, 2016 and newer | 9700 g (342.2 oz) — the heaviest casting on this shelf | 527 × 527 × 67 mm (20.7 × 20.7 × 2.64 in) | Cannot be calculated, as no dimensions are published |
| Weber 7853 Crafted | $140 | Genesis 300 series gas grills, 2016 and newer | 7900 g (278.7 oz) | 0.4 in H × 26.8 in W × 18.9 in D — about 506 sq in | $0.277 — the highest on this shelf |
| Aura outdoor products AOP-CI22 | $80 | Weber Kettle, RecTeq Bullseye, barrel grills and many other 22 in kettles | 3629 g (128 oz) | 546 × 546 × 13 mm (21.5 × 21.5 × 0.51 in) | $0.220 |
| KAMaster WRBY22 | $80 | Weber Gourmet BBQ System gas grills such as 7587 and 7586, and 22.5 in charcoal grills such as 8835 | Not published by the maker | 203 × 254 × 25 mm (7.99 × 10 × 0.98 in) | About $0.210, taking a 22 in circle as 380 sq in |
A Genesis 400 owner committing to the Weber Crafted system — not a plain grate replacement
Specifications: the manufacturer sheet for cookware and kitchen knives and the matching Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure on this page names its source.
A 21.5 in round cast iron cooking grate 0.5 in deep for 22 in kettle grills, with a porcelain enamel coating, for Weber Kettle, RecTeq Bullseye and barrel grills
A 21.5 in round cast iron grate for a 22-inch kettle, at 3629 g (128 oz) — the lightest casting here.
Best for: A 22-inch Weber kettle, if you want one solid casting rather than two half-moons
≈ $80
One porcelain-coated cast iron cooking grid, 17.5 × 6.17 in, reversible with a pointed side for searing marks and a concave side to channel juices, for Baron 300/400/500 (2013+) and Crown 300/400/500 (2012+)
A reversible porcelain-coated grid — pointed for sear marks, concave to vaporize the juices.
Best for: A Broil King Baron or Crown, where the reversible faces are worth buying several of
≈ $21
A 2-pack of matte cast iron cooking grates, 17 × 13-1/4 in each and 17 × 26-1/2 in in total, for Nexgrill, Charbroil, Expert Grill, Cuisinart, Kenmore, Members Mark, Uberhaus, Uniflame and K-Mart grills
Two matte bare cast iron grates totaling 450 square inches, with a published standing-water limit.
Best for: A Nexgrill or Expert Grill, for anyone willing to oil the grates after every cook
≈ $36
Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.
