Weber is one of the great American success stories of one man and a single invention that eventually turned into a major U.S. company employing thousands. The man who started it all was George Stephen, Sr. who, according to Smithsonian Magazine, used pieces of a buoy to create a heavy-duty charcoal kettle grill in 1952.
While other grills were in existence at the time, they were inferior in design due to their open design, according to Stephens . His dome kettle grill kept out the elements and was believed to reflect heat efficiently to properly grill food.
By 1958, Stephen bought into Weber Brothers Metal Works to manufacture his grills on a larger scale. This was a company that his father operated and where he worked prior to venturing into making grills. The company’s name was changed to Weber-Stephen at this time, which it is still known as today.
Weber: No Longer All American
Weber is currently headquartered in Palatine, Illinois. This is the same state where the company originated. The company manufacturers the majority of their electric, gas, smokers and charcoal grills in Palatine and Huntley, Illinois. However, not all components are USA made, but rather globally-sourced.
Weber was involved in a class action lawsuit in the early 2010s over its use of the claim “Made in America”. The argument against Weber was that they were using “Made in America” to describe certain grill products, yet these products were made largely from component parts manufactured outside of the United States in areas such as China and Taiwan.
According to classaction.org, Weber settled the lawsuit in 2011 with an agreement to include the verbiage “Made in the USA, incorporating globally sourced component parts” on its labels when applicable.
Currently, where a Weber grill is made will vary based on the model. For example, the Genesis II model is manufactured in both China and Palatine, Illinois incorporating globally-sourced parts. Weber states there is no difference in the quality based on where it is manufactured.
If you prefer a USA manufactured Weber grill, you can verify where it was constructed by looking at the product box. The box will indicated a statement of origin, which will show where the grill was made.
If you are having the grill shipped you, you can contact the seller to try to have a USA made grill sent to you.
Again, just because the grill was made in the USA, does not mean all parts come from America. You will have globally sourced components in your Weber grill even if it was manufactured in the US.
