Napoleon Prestige 500 vs Napoleon Prestige 500 RSIB
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Quick take: The Napoleon Prestige 500 costs $220 less; the Napoleon Prestige 500 offers more cooking space (500 vs 497 sq in).
| Spec | Napoleon Prestige 500 | Napoleon Prestige 500 RSIB |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$1,879 | ~$2,099 |
| Rating | 4.5★ (1,202) | — |
| Type | Gas Grill | Gas Grill |
| Cooking Area | 500 sq in | 497 sq in |
| Max Temp | 650°F | — |
| Fuel Type | Propane/Natural Gas | Propane/Natural Gas |
| Build Material | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel |
| Hopper Capacity | — | — |
| Burners | 4 | 4 |
| WiFi / App | No | No |
| App control | No | No |
| Meat probe | No | No |
| PID controller | No | No |
| Side burner | Yes | Yes |
| Rotisserie | Yes | Yes |
| Searing | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 66.25 x 25 x 50.25 in | 65.5 x 26 x 51 in |
| Weight | 216 lbs | — |
| Warranty | Limited lifetime | Limited lifetime on major components plus 15 years bumper-to-bumper |
Pros & cons
Napoleon Prestige 500
- ✓The 1,800°F infrared Sizzle Zone side burner delivers true steakhouse crust that no standard gas burner - including Weber's sear zones - can match
- ✓The infrared rear burner plus included rotisserie kit does restaurant-quality chicken and roasts, a package Weber charges hundreds extra for
- ✓Four main burners with 48,000 BTU heat the 500 sq in main grates evenly, with 760 sq in total including the warming rack
- ✓Full stainless lid, cookbox, and 9.5mm WAVE grates outclass the porcelain-coated steel on similarly priced Genesis models
- ✓Napoleon's President's limited lifetime warranty covers the castings, lid, and cookbox for 15+ years on key components
- ✓Thoughtful touches abound - JETFIRE per-burner ignition, blue LED knobs, interior lid lights, and an enclosed cart
- ✓owner discussions threads regularly recommend it over the Genesis as more grill for the same money once you count the rotisserie
- ✓Night-Light knobs and the integrated ice/marinade drawer in the cart make it a genuine entertaining station
- ✗At ~$1,800 street it's firmly premium, and the natural gas/propane versions and colors push it higher
- ✗The Sizzle Zone only fits one or two steaks at a time, so searing for a crowd is sequential
- ✗No smart features at all - no WiFi, app, or probes at a price where Weber includes Weber Connect on some models
- ✗Napoleon's US dealer and parts network is thinner than Weber's, so warranty claims can involve shipping waits
- ✗The stainless lid shows heat tint and fingerprints, needing regular polishing to stay showroom-pretty
- ✗Infrared burners are extra components that can crack or clog and cost more to replace than tube burners
- ✗The 500 sq in main area is average - big-batch grillers may want the Prestige 665 instead
- ✗Assembly is long (or costly if dealer-assembled), and at 216 lbs it's not moving far once placed
Napoleon Prestige 500 RSIB
- ✓Rotisserie kit is in the box, which it is not on the Rogue PRO-S or on most built-ins costing twice as much
- ✓Lifetime coverage on major components, a real step above the Rogue's 15 years
- ✓Battery-free JetFire ignition removes the AA battery that fails on nearly every competing grill
- ✓Larger 18,000 BTU rear burner and 16,000 BTU side burner than the Rogue's equivalents
- ✓900 sq in of total surface, including a stow-away warming rack
- ✗497 sq in of primary grate is small relative to the grill's 65-inch width — a lot of that span is side burner and shelf
- ✗At $2,099 it has no probe, no screen and no connectivity, which pellet grills at half the price include
- ✗Needs 65 inches of deck width, which rules it out for small patios
- ✗Lifetime coverage applies to major components only; wear parts fall back to the 15-year terms
- ✗Dealer pricing varies, and the natural-gas version costs $50 more for the same grill