20 Best Grill For A Pontoon Boat (2023 Updated)

After doing a bit of research on multiple brands, for me it came down to the features of having a cooking window, the ability to use a rotisserie, having a sear burner, and having ample cooking power.

The grill, unless you pay extra for it, comes disassembled. When we received it, everything was well packed, and assembly literally took just a screwdriver. Complete assembly time took about two hours.

The firebox, for the most part, comes pre-assembled. You will need two people to safely lift the firebox onto the frame during assembly. The grates on this model are stainless steal, but they are very thick.

Personally, I think, making the grates easier to clean, and run through the dishwasher unless most cast iron grates. There is a handy tool grill rack that is also solid heavy guage stainless steel. The doors at the bottom are double sided heavy guage doors.

The gas tank is neatly hidden by the doors. The rotisserie comes with this model, and it has an electric motor. The rotisserie rod again is stainless steal and it holds up to 11 pounds. This model includes a stainless steel smoker box as well so you can put in your choice of wood chips.

I found some apple wood chips and even some cherry chips which I cannot wait to try. The grill itself, especially at this price point, is made of heavy stainless steel and looks very nice. The burners have an eight year warranty.

The knobs on the front of this grill do light up which I think makes it look very cool. There is no light on the inside of the grill top, however, it comes with a small exeterior led light that plugs into a USB port built into the grill.

But honestly, who cooks in the dark after the sun goes down. Even if it had a interior light, the smoke of the food cooking would render it useless. The searing burner really hot very quickly. The next thing you will want to know is how well does it cook? So far, everything cooks very evenly and you have descent control.

From the first light, with the lid closed and the burners on high, it took about ten minutes for a preheat to take it up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. You have plenty of cooking space on this grill, and you have a side shelf to hold your platter so you can throw stuff on.

Everything seemed to cook very evenly and had cook tempearture control. Compared to my old Brinkman grill, which lasted about ten years, it seems like it should last at least as long if kept covered and cleaned as directed.

As far as rust, that is not covered by warranty but it should be easy to keep that from occurring.

Moving to this 6 burner grill from a 2009 3 burner Ducane. This thing is shiny, big, and hot, but compared to the Ducane, it is built of the thinnest and tinniest metal possible – I am doubtful I will get 13 years out of this grill unfortunately.

The doors don’t even line up right even with some gentle ‘adjustment’. Also, the blue-purple knobs are okay when lit up at night but look goofy in daylight. One more flaw – the area right above the propane tank gets mighty hot – first time I used the grill I burned myself when I went to shut off the tank.

That being said, it gets hot fast, looks nice, and was fairly easy to assemble. If you keep it covered and only expect 5-10 years of life, this may yet be a fine choice.

Initial reactions to the grill are fantastic. It’s well made with stainless steel everywhere and thoughtful finishing touches. The assembly takes a little while but is very straightforward. The main cooking surface has ample room and the searing burner works very well.

I wasn’t sure how I would like the window and the LED lighting, but they are both great features. Time will tell about durability. However, the initial quality is outstanding.

This cover is very generous, sturdy and tough. Very well stitched and put together. We have a similar fabric one on another grill that is 3 yrs old and stays out all year round ( Minnesota weather ) and it still looks like new so I’m planning on this to be the same.

I got this 70” size to fit our 60”wide, 48” tall, 24” deep grill. It is a very generous fit and goes down to the floor all around. It has an elastic drawstring on the bottom and 4 clip straps to attach to legs/wheels.

I’ve had some high winds since I’ve had it and it stayed on without using any of these but they are there for back up. It is easy to put on because it is sturdy and not flimsy when putting on. It is a light color as is the other one I have but that has not been a problem for gathering dirt.

I’ve had vinyl before that cracks, tears easily and collects dirt so you have to clean it all the time before removing from grill.

I don’t actually use my BBQ cover for a grill. Yes you heard right. I am disabled and require an electric mobility chair that goes onto a basket and is otherwise left to the elements. I have had to use grill covers since I couldn’t find one for my purpose that was remotely tough enough to protect and not come apart at highway speeds.

Until now I have only found black covers which works great for the winter but almost causes actual burns in the spring and summer. Not so with this robust and light colored “protector of the chair”. It has made a world of difference for me so for a grill it should last a lifetime! And I will be telling all of my friends who have grills and those who I meet that have mobility chairs.

(Maybe I could get a little in-store credit for recommendations).

We have bought two of these. The first one lasted 3-4 years and was disintegrating after the third season. Because we were so impressed by the weight of the material and the design, we bought another, thinking that we had done something wrong.

We paid closer attention to the second one. Again four seasons passed and we are shopping for another cover. The first thing to go was the straps. then it began to come apart at the seams. The material would give off dust when shaken or wiped, which is the material degrading.

It turns out that these covers do not withstand UV, and we are in southwest British Columbia, not Arizona. Not buying a third one.

I spent a considerable amount of time researching grills (on the internet and in person) before deciding on this one. I am a Mechanical Engineer so go figure. So far it has surpassed all the high expectations that I had set for the search.

Biggest drawback I could find was that this was one of the few grills that is only available on line which could have been a gamble. I resolved that issue by purchasing it through Home Depot. I actually enjoyed assembling and it went together flawlessly but would not recommend assembling if you are not somewhat mechanically inclined.

The heat this grill puts out is remarkable. Still undecided if the searing option is even required since the grill gets hot enough sear. I thought the back lit knobs was a little gimmicky but I have changed my mind now that I have used it.

Wish the grilling area was also lit. Have not figured a use for the USB port yet. The only issue I have had so far and the reason I gave it 4 of 5 stars is that it appears there is a slight design or manufacturing flaw that causes the two side shelves/burners to sag down.

Might not bother some but really bothered me. I resolved the issue by shimming the lower mounting screws on each shelf bringing them back level/parallel to the fire box. This could be a little challenging to a novice to do.

Again otherwise a great grill.

Has good heat control. Only downside is the rotisserie rests could have been just a bit higher. I like to do pork butts which can be good sized, and I have to pull out the grates. Other than that it’s fine.

Great quality and bang for the buck. LOVE the side searing unit. I’m making the best steaks and burgers of my life in just minutes. I’d never buy another grill without one. One person mentioned rust.

Buy the optional cover. It’s well worth it. Any needed replacement parts are easy to come by. Two thumbs up.

I’ve wanted one for years and I finally got one. Be sure and buy the correct rail mount, there are several options for different diameter stanchions and pulpits. Once it is secure it is time to light her up and cook some burgers! Then it starts getting awkward.

There is no electric lighter so you need to use a long nosed butane lighter, or a long stem match. Good luck keeping a match lit. So, back to the butane lighter. which won’t fit through the grill. That was a bummer.

Ok, you have to light it before putting the grill back in place. It turns and locks into position, which needs to be done pretty quickly once it is lit! Ouch. Back to lighting it for a moment. You can’t see the burner with the radiant plate in place so that has to come out of the way too.

Finally lit. replace the radiant plate quickly/carefully. then the grill. now you are finally good to go. On the plus side, it looks cool hanging off the stern of our sailboat!.

First of all I was a little skeptical about grilling on a boat, and thought 150-200 was a lot to spend on yet another grill in addition to my propane grill, smoker grill, and flat top hybachi grill. Let me to you, grilling on a boat is some kind of great.

No more boring old hot and soggy sandwiches. The grill heats up fast, and the powr-grip rod holder held it firm for me. As for the quality of the stainless steel, it seems to be of high quality. High quality stainless steel is not magnetic.

I ran a magnet over the various parts of the grill and the only parts that were magnetic was the venturi tube (tube propane runs through) which runs $18. 00 to replace. Worst case this might corrode over time but I’m thinking i’ll be out $18 worse case.

One thing I’m doing is NOT using a high detergent cleaner or even water on mine. I wipe it out very good with paper towels and leave a very thin coating of the “grease” left over from cooking act as a natural protective coating to the metal.

Not sure I understand the negative review talking about using an angle grinder to get the burner out? It just unscrews counter clockwise with ease.

This grill storage bag is very high quality. The padding is thick and it fits my weber 2200 perfectly. The storage for extra propane is great. Main reason I bought this was for taking the grill on my boat for beach cooking.

The soft case is easier to fit inside and wont scratch up the fiberglass if it rubs during transit like a hard tote might. Very happy with this purchase!.

Yes , I tried several grill carry bags. Cuisinart doesn’t offer a bag for their “portable” Grills!!! What a short coming on their part. But thats ok, Magna offers a Bag that does the job and more!!! If you are like me, and like to take a grill to the park, camping, fishing, or to an occasional outdoor event, you need a carry bag for your grill and accessories! So try Magma! The bag is strong, roomy, and made of high quality canvas! And, the measurements are listed on their website with a drawing so that you know what is Length and height respectively!!!!.

Purchased this case for the bbq grill I bought my husband as part of his birthday gift. He was quite excited about it. We both like the separate compartments for the fuel canisters and others accessories.

It keeps everything in it’s place and protects the grill from dents and scratches. Overall we are very pleased with the case.

This type of grill is very different from ‘normal’ grilling and has taken quite a bit to get used to. Once I got used to using it, although there is still some way to go, I found it excellent for most types of boneless meat, especially for steak and chicken.

It heats up quickly and takes a lot less time than in a conventional grill but I think the biggest thing is to learn to trust it! You can’t treat it as if you are grilling conventionly as you will overcook.

It is very easy to keep clean as all parts that need cleaning are able to go in a dishwasher but even without that convenience they are extremely easy to clean in a sink. The rest of it just needs a wipe over.

Overall, I consider this to be an excellent buy!.

Pros: Cooks fish REALLY well (crisps up skin in a way that we just can’t in a pan or under grill). Halloumi cheese is cooked excellently in less than 3 mins on sandwich mode. No smoke! Compared to our experience with sticking old pans, this is a massive bonus for us.

The removable plates are a joy to clean (if that’s possible!). I don’t know how long this will last but for now, 2 months down the line, a gentle soft side of sponge and warm water removes the scariest looking congealed fat.

Compared to our smoky pans, this gets high rating, also high for fish (we will never go back to grill we hope, if you eat a lot of fish, you will love it). Thick cut meat lovers will probably rate lower on look and finish of meat on standard settings, but chicken breast whilst looking a bit anaemic due to lack of searing etc is much more juicy than when baked.

Cons: As per some online video reviews and despite the very intuitive rare/ medium/ well done one button options, the meat often does not quite match the setting you have chosen (tending towards being undercooked compared to the setting you selected).

This is across the board for burgers and thicker cuts like beef/ pork and lamb. This makes me think Tefal have been conservative with their factory set timing options, preferring that people have the option to continue cooking on manual mode, rather than burning/ over cooking.

This is not a fatal problem to make you avoid buying, just a hassle (mainly because we have not yet matched how the manual setting appears to work, with the instructions manual, adding unnecessary stress into the process).

Finally, I wish there was a ‘searing’ mode like on some competitor models (that gives that nice cosmetic ‘grill mark’ finish – would make a big deal mentally, especially on the cuts that come out less than well done.

Despite all this, this is a major improvement on the smoke filled, sticking pans we have been struggling with for the last few years. My scores for value for money are irrelevant as I have nothing to compare this cost or experience to.

I love how it sears the meat. It’s smaller than it looks, but perfect for me. I washed the hood, grill and drip pan in the dish washer after making hamburgers they splatter a lot of grease! I was hesitant but they all came out nice from the washer.

Do Not use the sanitize option on washer. I used the normal wash cycle but I did not use heat to dry, (manual does not mention best Dish Washer option, only Not to use Sanitize) so I towel dry immediately after cycle completed.

I have the grill next to my stove and under my microwave which both have fan exhaust if needed. The unit is very light, but then if it were heavy it would be hard to wash by hand or dishwasher so it’s ok with me.

I live in SW Florida, I’m 72 years old. The outside temps have been brutal lately. Then there’s the pouring rains, so this Hamilton Searing Grill is the answer to my having a nice steak or two, on the grill and not break a sweat!.

After using this for several items including grilling sandwiches, steaks and ham slices I can say with all sincerity that everything about the cooked items has been exactly as good as using an outdoor gas grill except nothing gets dried out and takes much less cooking time.

The times given in the manual that is included are a good starting point but watching the food fairly closely and adjusting the times to the thickness and type of food you are cooking makes a world of difference.

I have however found that learning to use this grill has a very easy learning curve. Having the lid and the see through top makes a world of difference from the old flat coverless electric grill I used in the past.

Food stays moist and cooks faster. The indicator lights let you know when you are getting the full use of your heat and not opening the top often makes a big difference in the amount of time required.

My old grill used to smoke like crazy but with this one I have started adding a couple of Tablespoons of water to the drip tray and have had no smoking at all even when grilling NY strip steaks. Cleaning the unit is a breeze.

I sink wash the grill rack, drip tray and cover and just wipe down the frame. Nothing seems to stick to the grill and it’s a dream to wash. I’m sure the grill gets hot but I use it on my coil burner stovetop and have had no problems with it damaging anything there or on my counter top when it was used on it.

I live in a household of one and have gotten rid of my outdoor grill because I got tired of all the maintenance and tank refills it always needed for the few good weather months that I could use it. This grill will suit me not just for my one person meals but for my entertaining needs when the world gets back to normal.

My grandsons especially are going to be thrilled that we can have grilled hotdogs anytime we want them! I trust the Hamilton Beach brand to be safe and long lasting and I’m thrilled to have been given the opportunity to test this grill.

It has a permanent spot on my counter and will more than make up for the space it uses.

I love my new grill and missed being able to have a gas grill because of the rules of condo living. Let me tell you, this grill fulfills that longing 100%. I’ve made several meats and veggies like kabobs, steaks, hamburgers and pork chops, and it left a sear on all of them with a taste just like gas grilling.

As far as the smoke that occurs while using? It definitely smokes, but I didn’t buy this grill to use indoors, but on my lanai, so I don’t care about that. To be fair the directions say to fill the drip pan with water as to not cause smoke, I have not done that because I never cared about the smoke.

I put some foil on the bottom of pan so that cleaning it is easy. I love that the grill itself is not made with teflon but it is ceramic which won’t chip like the former and is so easy to clean, the stuff just slides off when I spray it under the faucet with just water and soap.

The grill is just awesome and it reminds me of a mini grill with a lid that lifts like a regular grill that heats up fast and takes about as long as a gas grill to cook. I highly recommend it!.

Update late July 2022 (I was unable to figure out how to update the original review) Weber sent me a new controller interface but it does not work any differently; I still have to unplug the 2-PIN connector to make the USB power work, which is very cumbersome to do.

My advice to Weber is (a) fix the electrical hardware and (b) mount the controller in the exact same way, except extend the housing to so that the unit wraps under the grill and up on the side edge a little thus providing easy access to a USB-C connector.

And finally, have an integrated rubber cover for the USB port. Purchased July 2022: If you don’t plan to use a USB power bank then some of this review won’t matter, since plugging the grill into an electrical socket works just fine.

USB Power: Be aware that this product ships with a manufacturing design defect that according to Weber themselves and my own personal experience: (a) You must unplug a hard to reach 2-pin connector otherwise the USB power probably won’t work and then reattach the 2-pin connector after grilling so that it doesn’t rust – all according to Weber’s own FAQ website.

(b) The usb power bank is not something you leave connected permanently, which makes sense, but the usb type-c connector is near the 2pin connector – so both are cumbersome to reach. (c) The usb rubber cover is tiny so you will probably lose it as it’s not attached to the grill.

An integrated rubber cover would have been better. I bought this grill knowing I would not use an electrical outlet, but because of the poor design of the USB power it overrides any other feeling I have about this expensive product.

If Weber at least came out with a component upgrade so that I don’t have to keep reattaching the 2-pin connector I would be mostly satisfied save for the hard to reach usb connector. Assembly: Assembly was fairly straightforward and the assembled unit fit and finish is great.

I took my time and completed the assembly in two evenings. I don’t see it taking only 2 hours FYI but maybe if you had a helper that was also reading the next steps. A couple of the metal fascia trim pieces were bent as delivered because of the soft metal.

I used a rolling pin to easily even it out. I used both the printed install guide and BILT 3d app since sometimes one supplemented the other. I will say it was excellent to be able to zoom into the 3d view of the grill and hone in on how something was connected.

I found small little differences between the literature and reality about how best to thread a wire for example, or the fact that so long as you can sort of think through the assembly step you’re on you’ll be fine.

It can be a mostly 1 person job except for lifting the grill top and bottom to their positions. Packaging: Excellent, well marked boxes and contents – minus one tedious issue: The stainless steel has the protective wrap melted onto it in such a way that the wrap even goes into creases and things were obviously screwed in after the wrap applied.

So, the wrap was painful to pull off because it adhered almost too well and then it was somewhat difficult to get it out of the nooks and crannies.

I had pretty high expectations for this grill…I have a co worker who sings the praises of this Weber Genesis, an older model he has had for years and continually gushes about. He is an avid grillsman, so we knew the Genesis S-435 would probably suit our needs as well, but even so, we were blown away at how well this grill performs, all the details that make outdoor cooking simpler, and how this thing is built to last, and last, and last.

It arrived in perfect condition, in a quite heavy box, filled with smaller, well marked boxes that once removed, made moving the large box doable between my husband and I. Using the included booklet, but mostly the BILT app, it took my husband a bit over 2 hours to construct.

The app is great, using motion and the ability to rotate to see every quarter, it makes all instructions clear. Had I, or anyone given him more of a hand, it would’ve gone much faster, but he was pretty excited and didn’t want to wait on help.

The Weber Genesis is built with heavy duty components, and I have no doubt about how long it will hold up. The grates and the flame covers are thick and dense, and won’t rust away for a very long time…a problem that lesser grills certainly struggle with, even with regular maintenance and constant cover from the weather.

The temperature gauge is large and accurate, and the grill maintains steady, constant heat, and doesn’t lose an undo amount when opening to check your food. I love that it has a gauge on the outside the measures how much propane you have, so you are never caught flatfooted mid-cook, which is an absolute disaster, especially when entertaining guests.

It uses weight to determine how much LP you have, so it isn’t an exact measure, but it’s close enough to alert you when you should fill up. There are hooks aplenty, so finding a place to hang tools, accessories or rags won’t be an issue.

The cabinet beneath is large enough for your propane tank, the burn off and grease collection system, and room to spare for other accessories. Too, there is a side compartment that is quite tall and deep (I’ve included a photo with a soda can for scale), which is great for anything, but in particular the Weber Veggie Basket and Pizza Stone, which I’ll review soon.

There is also a small basket for smaller items attached to the door, which I use to hold a flashlight for cooking at twilight. The wheels spin smoothly, and can be locked in place. The grill is well balanced and level.

Lastly and most important, how does it cook? Excellently. I get a more consistent cook using the Weber than I’ve had with any other grill. On those lesser models, I’ve had to rotate my meats across the grates to circumvent hot and cool spots, but using the Genesis means I don’t have to babysit our dinner.

Using the temperature gauge, and the consistency of the Genesis’ heat, I have been rewarded with perfectly cooked meals (perfectly cooked by the grill, not accounting for user error, to which my husband and I are prone).

Too, using the Sear Zone, I can lock in the flavor before moving our foods it to a a more moderate side of the grilling surface. The side burner works excellently, and the grill itself doesn’t have to be on to use it, which is a plus since this isn’t always the case.

Lighting the grill has been flawless…you do have to use the “ignite” button on each knob you want to turn on, which is a feature I like but was unfamiliar with. As you can see, we are incredibly happy with the Weber S-435, and I’m already shopping for more accessories on their website.

Next up for me is the smart cooking device, which I’m excited to get my hands on. We are completely satisfied, and recommend without reservation!.

The weather has been atrocious where I live, a very rainy spring, people hereabouts are referring to the sixth month as “Juneuary”. Consequently, the grill has only been used five times. So far, so good; it does what it is designed to do.

I upgraded from a three burner Genesis bought new in 1996, primarily to get a better indirect cooking area. Back then, the burners were placed horizontally, so the indirect area was along the back or the front of the grates.

Even if only one of the three burners was used, the indirect area was long and skinny; not ideal for some items. Modern grills have the burners arranged front to back, plus, this is a four burner grill with more surface area, so the indirect area is rectangular and can be fairly large if only the far left or right burner is used.

I have only a few minor complaints, one theoretical, two practical. First, as opposed to my older grill, this unit does not have a “full frame”. By frame, I mean a full rigid box structure composed of square tubing.

This unit has a rectangular frame at the left and right, but they are held in place by sheet metal panels, on the sides, bottom, and back, as well as the burner box casting. This only theoretical, but the full frame seems like it would be stronger.

That said, the actual main box of grill is very rigid, and I don’t think it will be problem. However, the table work surfaces to the left and right of the main box are a different story. On the older grill, the upper horizontal frame rails extended a bit more than a foot the left and right of the burner box, and supported the work surfaces.

Since those extensions were part of the frame, the grill could be safely moved by lifting on those extensions. By contrast, the work surfaces on the E435 are sheet metal stainless steel formed into a box shape with a plastic end cap, which is attached to the frame with four bolts.

There’s definitely some flex if the grill is lifted by those shelves, and I’d say that should be avoided. However, this is a far heavier grill than the old model, and I miss the sturdiness of the old design.

Finally, at least one review I read pre-purchase mentioned the rubber cushions attached to lid that contact the burner box had fallen out right away. When I unboxed by unit, one was loose in the box, and the “cone” on the top of cushion was torn off, the other was nowhere to be found.

Since all the other hardware and small pieces were packaged in individual sealed bags, I didn’t think much of it until it was fully assembled, and there were no cushions included with those parts. It appears that the lid is shipped with the bumpers installed, and they fell out in shipment.

There was only one loose in the shipping carton; I have no idea what happened to the other. It may have fallen off before shipment, or fell out between the flaps of the box. There was also a small gash in the box which may have been due to shipping.

Whatever caused it, it did not damage the contents, but I may have been an exit point for the cushion. Since the cushions were apparently a poor fit and fell out in shipment, I saw little point in contacting Weber for replacements.

There is a bit of a clunk if the lid is closed without due care, but since my older grill never had those cushions, I don’t miss them. However, the issue does mar what is in most respects a fairly good product.

The grill is pretty nice. However, it’s overpriced for what you get. The drip pan is not stainless which makes no sense. That will likely rot first. Also, the way the propane tank mounts is hokey. The idea to have a gauge to measure the tank weight is cool, but the implementation is off.

When I installed my tank, getting the regulator on was tough. I felt like I was going to damage the hose bending it. All in all, we’ll see how this grill goes. I did buy it at Costco, so I can always return it.

I feel like this should have been $799 and not $999.

I chose Weber for the following reasons: I had a Genesis Gold that was bought in 2005. I had rebuilt the grill with Weber warranty parts. The warranty and the support staff were excellent convincing me that my next grill would be a Weber also.

I also bought the new Genesis 2 because it was assembled in the USA. I’m happy that Weber is still in the Chicago area, and I know that their budget lines are made off shore, but you can still get products that are US build.

That said, we have no idea about the content of all the subassemblies. I’ll take what I can get. I bought it because of the all-stainless construction. The newer Weber line’s engineering is different that my 15 year-old grill.

The controls are in front and less apt to get drippings on them. The burners run fore and aft instead of side-to-side. This changes my grilling procedures some what, but it is still okay. The new grill’s grease management is more sophisticated than the old one.

It doesn’t flare nearly as much. It is also easier to control direct and indirect cooking with the new burner alignment. I also bought the iGrill Mini so I can now grill my steaks by remote temperature readings instead of my previous “guessing” method.

The new ignition system is infinitely better than the piezo version in the old grills, and I like being able to individually light each burner electrically instead of having the back two burner light from the flame in the front.

All in all, the Genesis 2 is a sophisticated outdoor cooking system that works perfectly, is covered by a solid warranty with good customer service, and I expect will last many, many years.

Most of the reviews for the napoleon grills are based on looks or assembly, not cooking. I got the BILT app and had no issues with assembly. As far as looks, I would have preferred an enclosed cabinet, not one that had an opening in the back.

For the price point of this grill I really couldn’t price up to the more expensive Napoleon grill that had this. This review is for cooking. I have been grilling for over 30 years and know how to cook on grills.

This grill has lower set burner tubes (as does some other high end grills which I have tried at friends houses and didn’t like how they cooked because of that) and thats why I was hesitant to try this grill.

But because of the extreme lower quality these days with non-high end brands, I was interested in the warranty and wanted to give Napoleon a shot. This grill comes with flame protectors for over top of the burner itself as well as the two sections in between.

Because of this, the grill heats up nicely but does not allow any flame connection to the meat on the grids. It is great for chicken and fish, hot dogs and vegetables and for roasting slow like brisket or a pork loin or using the rotisserie if you buy one.

I did notice you need to place the meat above where the actual burner tube sits. If you put it in between the two burners, you lose direct heat. You almost cannot burn these foods if you cook at the right temperature and time.

However, this grill is NOT good for burgers and steaks. Because there is no direct flame allowed to the meat because of the lower set burners, even if you turn the grill all the way up to high to super high and long preheat, and put a burger or steak on the grill, it wont brown.

The browning (or searing) is where the flavor is and holds the moisture in. By trying this way, you get sear marks from the grates, but thats it. This particular grill does not have a searing side burner.

I have tried multiple ways and multiple preheat temperatures and times to try to get the browning on a burger or steak without overcooking the burger or steak on this grill. And I’m talking medium, not rare.

I have come close to getting a sear and a little brown by removing the two flame tamers that are NOT over the burners. This allows some flame to sneak up the sides as the burgers drip some fat. However, the burgers and steaks still get a bit overdone.

You end up with pale burgers and steaks with good grid marks for the most part with minimal searing and browning no matter what you do. For the price, its disappointing for red meat cooking which I knew going into the purchase since the burners sit low.

I do like the smoker box which came with this grill-this adds great flavor to everything. Bottom line, the grill is ok for me. I now use my charcoal grill for burgers and steaks.

As an experienced chef and avid griller my review is as much about the of current state of grill manufacturing rather than a direct critique of the Rogue. I find that the flavor bars those gap bars on grills diminish the cooking power of the grills, extend preheating time, and “soft spots” that effect even cooking and in the end make me feel like it was an innovative way for the manufacture of this type of product to reduce cost.

In addition the use of plastic and alternative metals other than stainless steel has cheapened BBQ’s grills in this price range, I believe that this price should buy one a superior grill and while this is a better and perhaps larger grill than a grill in the next lower tier I believe this grill and other grills in this price range have been effected adversely.

Grills in this price range are no longer high quality, high performance grills. What was produced 10 years ago made entirely of stainless with 5 -6 working burners was far superior than the grills currently being manufactured.

I chose the Napoleon firstly because the did not want the popular competitor for the exact reasons I have stated and have ended up with a grill with a somewhat longer warranty (to be determined how that turns out) but the same characteristics.

I do like the BTU output on the Napoleon side sear station verses the stove top ring but have yet to boil or sauté anything over it. I tried the smoker box and got the weak results, I did not buy the grill to use it as a smoker so that’s OK.

I do like the Napoleon cover I bought for the grill it repels water beautifully. Some of the accessories offered on the web page like the grill cages look functional and I will likely try one.

I bought this grill to replace my 14 yr old Napoleon Mirage 605. The Mirage was still working well but was starting to show its age and was in need of a few new parts. We grill at least 3 times a week, all year round and if a grill can put up with that much use, I have no problem getting another from the same manufacturer.

The Rogue XT 525 is a little smaller than the Mirage but it’s perfect for us. I like the IR sizzle zone and find it does a much nicer job at searing the meat than the old grill as it’s much closer to the meat.

I haven’t found any real hot spots so it appears to heat up quite evenly. The first few meals that I made on this grill were either chicken, sausage, or burgers and they turned out very well. Then I finally fired it up for a couple of steaks.

I followed the Napoleon recipe on their website “How to grill the best steaks” and my whole family agreed that it was probably the best steak I’ve ever done. Just do exactly what the recipe says. The only thing that I would possibly change at some point would be the cast iron grate on the side burner.

I’ve never been good at seasoning these grates and keeping them seasoned so I have always replaced them with stainless steel after a few years. The main grates on this grill are stainless and that that was another selling feature for me as well as the 15 yr bumper to bumper warranty.

Assembly was a breeze and it’s basically a one man/woman job until the firebox needs placement due to size and weight. So far after 3 months, I’ve been very happy with this grill and highly recommend it.

It looks good to me. I submitted a photo as well but I have a white f-150 with chrome tires and I think it looks good. The install requires cutting and drilling of your existing grille which is a no turning back experience, but simple to do.

Plus the chrome outer square is the same so if yours is scratched or chipped this wont replace it, it only removes the center section and adds the billet insert. Very sturdy, solid and well made. It’s just up to your tastes or the overall look your shooting for on your truck.

The install was simple like I said but at my lazy Sunday pace it was maybe 2-4 hours and will require easy and simple cutting/drilling. Instructions were also crystal clear.

This grille insert is amazing, I love it. It is a little time consuming having to carefully pry off every clip inside the OEM grille. The whole process really isn’t difficult just YouTube it there’s a 5 min install video.

Love the sleek look it gives.

We absolutely loved this grill. The surface area is great, the plates are great – in fact we bought a second set to allow for double flat grilled and ribbed grills. This was excellent. The first one we bought worked great until just over the warranty period and then started showing an error message occasionally, until it simply stopped heating the grills.

We were very disappointed, but decided that all of the other features were worth spending the big $ and buying again. The replacement grill died with the exact same error, past warranty. I’m used to Breville making a reliable product…and expected a longer life of this especially when this grill costs so much more than the competition.

If reliability could be increased, this couldn’t be beat.

I have owned a Breville grill for several years now. I use it almost daily. I am extremely happy with it. I have seen the complaints about things sticking and the grills wearing, but people are obviously doing something wrong.

I seasoned my grill plates with olive oil and heat them for 5 minutes. Nothing has ever stuck. I only use silicone utensils so never a scratch. As for cleaning it is only ever dry wiped with a paper towel.

You just need common sense and this grill will last you years. I love it and have never had an issue with it. It works fantastic for all my grilling needs. I highly recommend this grill to everyone. You will almost stop using you stove top.

I purchased this grill mainly for searing sous vide meats after cooking. Once it arrived, we of course tried paninis and absolutely loved the result. Now, we are using this as our main appliance for cooking at the lake house, and I purchased another one for my parents once they visited and tried the panini.

I’ve also used the griddle function and I have cooked shredded hash browns for brunch. It is one of the most versatile small appliances I own and the ease of cleaning is unparalleled.

I love my new BSG!!! I love the price $84. I have been reading about the Blackstone grill/griddle for over a year and I am sorry it took me a year of reading about it when I could have been cooking on it! Key thing is seasoning, once you get that, it is easy to maintain.

I don’t mind having to spend a little extra time on cleaning because I know the next time I use it, it will be well worth it. At first I was intimidated but after a number of YouTube videos it became enjoyable and looking forward to a new epicurean delight.

I take my 17 inch BSG in after every use. I live at the coast so salt air can be very damaging. I don’t mind because it is so worth it. I’m trying to design a grill table that I can set my griddle inside when not in use.

I also have a Weber charcoal grill and masterbuilt smoker. I do love outdoor cooking and this Blackstone has given me reason to love outdoor cooking even more and take grilling/griddling to a whole new level.

This grill is fantastic!! It heats evenly and cooks everything hot and juicy all the way through without burning the outer edges. It’s super easy to clean and easy to put on the boat. We bought this with the Magma pole mount and it was worth every penny!! It’s easy to stow the grill under the steering wheel console of the boat and pull it out when we are ready to grill.

It takes just a minute to put in the pole and set the grill on it with a click to lock it in. We can fit 10 burgers on the bottom rack and 12 hot dogs on the top rack at the same time. No more cold sandwiches for us on the boat!!.

Used it for the first time last weekend. For a gas grill it seems to work well. The 1lb gas cannister easily installs and is sufficient for about 1 hr of grilling it seems, depending on your usage. It starts well right away and gets hot fast.

The 9×18″ grilling surface is sufficient for about 4 burgers and a bunch of sausages. It’s not a huge grilling surface, but the size is good for 4 persons, or grill in batches if you need to. I chose the Newport for its compact size, as the larger models are much taller and storage space is a rare commodity on board.

Cleanup is a little tricky. After using the grill once, they interior is pretty discolored. There are 3 small grill grates and 3 plates with holes in them (the infrared part) that come out easily. The burner cover plate comes out too, I think, but it seems difficult to reinstall so I didn’t try it.

You can clean the food off the accessible surfaces easily, but cleaning the bottom part is a little more difficult. After washing it, it won’t be shiny, unless you put a lot of effort into it. Then again, it’s a grill, so it doesn’t need to be shiny on the inside.

I grilled some hamburgers and sausages and did get more flareups than the marketing folks make you believe you would get, but they seem contained below the burners, so not really an issue for whatever you’re cooking.

Overall the grill feels pretty sturdy. the lid locks well and you can lift the whole thing by the lid handle. I installed this one on my swim deck, using the Magma Double Locking Pedestal mount, which made it a pretty ergonomic setup.

It is a little wobbly if you try to scrub the grates, also because the grates are a little loose, but it is stable enough. I also purchased the little utility tray that hooks on to the grill, which was pretty much a necessity for me since I didn’t want to put the dirty grilling utensils down anywhere on the deck and you cannot hang them of the grill.

I just bought the Prestige 500 RSIB- stainless steel, and have cooked 3 meals so far with it. Assembly was fairly easy but you need two people from time to time during assembly. Overall, the grill is well built- The inner tub, being a one piece cast aluminum, will not rust out like my previous grills.

The burners are quite robust. The lid is very solidly constructed, and the side sear burner works great. Now on to the things that aren’t so great- The cooking grates, although they look pretty cool with the wave shapes, they never really get hot enough to do a proper job of grilling.

My first grill job was 8 pieces of salmon filet, and it took way too long to cook them. There are areas on the grill that are 80degrees cooler than other areas, so the surface temp is too variable. The burners are very narrow, and they don’t disperse the heat very well.

I noticed after careful examination that the four sear plates that sit atop the burners are actually sloped, so that the rear of the grill gets a bit hotter than the front. The intermediate sear plates ( 3 of them) fill the gaps between the burners, but they sit higher still and never get hot enough.

I took my laser heat thermometer around the entire surface and found wide variations in temp of the cooking grids. They need to redesign the burners so that the flames splay out wider, plus the distance between the burners and the grates is too far, so thats why the grates really never get as hot as they should.

So, if I re-engineered this, the burners should be A; wider to disperse heat better B; be set a bit closer to the grates, C: the spacing of the grate rods themselves should be a bit closer, and add more cross ties underneath the grates so that there is better heat transfer from one grate rod the next.

I cooked some burgers the second time I used it and once again, way too long to cook a burger. I know this grill has the infrared side burner for searing, but if you are cooking burgers for 6-8 people at once, thats not practical.

The grill is actually more like an oven than a grill, but who cooks burgers in an oven? I have double checked and triple checked everything about the setup and gas regulator etc etc. and found nothing wrong.

My suggestion to Napoleon is to come up with a better design of the burners and the sear plates that cover them. Make the new burners fit the existing grill models and make them available to previous owners.

Also don’t use plastic for the door handles. I’m not sure how long the fake chrome plating on the plastic will hold up.

Ordered from BBQ Guys and 4 days later grill arrived. First Step, find the directions and all the screws, sort and inventory them. Turns out I had spares, plus a few found in the box that don’t go anywhere.

at least from what I can tell. Assembled by myself with the help of my wife for the 3 person step. I have a 2 shelf utility cart that I used to move the parts from the garage to the deck. Unboxed everything and placed the items around the deck and started following the steps in the assembly book.

No words, just pictures and arrows. I am 63 years old and grew up playing with Lego and can follow an image or diagram with no problems. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the hardest, I rank the assembly a 4.

A 3/8″ nut driver, 3/8″ wrench, rubber mallet and Phillips screwdriver was all the tools I used. Found all the screws in the box with the wheels-Package N020-0213. Steps that I had to pause on – The wheels, I wasn’t sure about taping the plastic block into the corner that the wheel goes into because there was a metal tap in the way for two of the corners.

Just do it, its works fine. The chrome bars had some screws tightened really tight and other loose. Turns out the tightened screws worked better after I broke them free with the wrench, the loose screen won’t screw in without force.

I removed the bar and tighten all screws to about 3/8″ gap then reinstalled and it worked fine. One last hiccup which is funny but caught me off guard, the lights would not turn on. I was looking for the battery but it turns out the lights require electricity.

After reading so many reviews and researching I did not see any reviews or on-line videos show an extension cord. I though the plug on the grill was for the rotisserie. Plugged in, works great. Looks even better at night.

Broke grill in cooking steaks. I know its new, but it’s going to get dirty and need cleaning. But its new and shiny.

This is a very nice grill! I have only owned one other gas grill, much smaller and inadequate BTU at my altitude of 7800′ above sea level. Gas grills tend to struggle a bit here however after seeing the overall burner design I thought it might fill the gap in my grilling needs.

I have a pellet grill which has fantastic flavor yet will only get up to about 400 degrees at my location. Not adequate for searing most meats. I have used the Napoleon grill a few times now and I am impressed with its speed of heating and overall function.

The build quality also seems better than many other grills and it should be given the cost of this unit. I also like the accessories that I was able to purchase with the grill like the charcoal/smoker tray although with winter coming on and the hazards of charcoal fires in my area I have not been able to make use of it yet.

My only criticisms so far are the the pictorial assembly instructions are a task to make sense of in detail and are in dire need of some verbiage added for clarity. This grill is definitely a “some assembly required” project in its shipping box and took me about 2 hours.

The other item that could be better expressed in the instructions is the set up for higher elevations such as mine. The burners closest to the regulator burned with black soot and smoke until I adjusted the airflow intake feeding them.

Luckily in my youth I was an apprentice plumber and had experience with these types of adjustments. Again, so far as my limited use, great grill overall, assembly and set up instructions could be improved upon significantly.

1. Upon delivery of the grill, I inspected the box for damage: there was none. I then unpacked its contents to check that the contents were complete and unharmed. The only problem was that the back panel was bent, and as the finish looked good, the panel had obviously been bent prior to application of its finish paint.

2. I reviewed your instruction booklet which seemed decent, but found the most detailed illustrations to be a bit fuzzy; the exploded views at the end of the book were helpful. 3. When assembling the base, I had to bend the back panel so it would fit the left side panel.

This caused a cracking sound from the back that I believe was from the painted finish separating from the metal. 4. There was a problem with the screws; especially the smaller screws that use the square (Robertson) post drive which you included.

I used a Dewalt variable speed drill driver with both straight and angled attachments and even reverted to using my own Robertson bits. It seems that the screws were made properly, but the application of the finish reduced the size of the hole so that the driver bit wouldn’t fit without tapping it in, which made for a difficult release.

It was difficult to assess this, so many of the screws became defaced by the bit slipping out and scouring the finish. 5. When assembling the base to the flame box, I lined up the side on the left (burner side) which produced an overhang on the right.

Compressing the base unit as much as I could; the best I could do was to achieve a 3-mm overhang on the right. This became troublesome when attaching the right shelf. Because the plastic shelf face drops below the flame box and encroaches on the base, it left a 3-mm gap which for anyone who looks closely, looks unsightly: I’m considering trimming the plastic shelf face encroachment to fix this; perhaps using a Dremel tool to shave it down.

6. You specify an anchor bolt/nut to secure the shelves to the flame box. But when the shelves are dropped onto the mounting bolts, the anchor bolt holes in the shelves don’t line up with the flame box holes; about a 5-mm offset.

If you push the shelves backward so that the anchor bolt holes line up, the shelves don’t fit the mounting bolts and this causes the shelves to not line up with the front of the flame box. Additionally, the supplied bolts aren’t long enough to reach the nut threads.

Please instruct me as how to fix this; should I drill new holes in the shelves and get anchor bolts that are long enough? I’ve sent numerous emails asking for hemp to resolve these issues and Broil King has not responded to one.

Problems I’ve had with this grill: 1. The base frame had to be forced together to get it to properly fit the firebox. Shelf anchor bolt holes do not line up with the firebox holes so the holes have to be modified to work, and the supplied bolts are too short to pass through this assembly to reach the supplied nuts.

Supplied screws/bolts don’t properly fit their respective Robertson drive sockets. These are all Design Deficiencies. 2. The rear panel arrived bent, and as the paint was applied properly, the bend had to have occurred prior to paint application.

This is a Manufacturing or Quality Control Deficiency. 3. The igniter for the two right burners fits very loose, locating it too far from a ground to spark. I had to adjust this and manufacture a clip to hold it in place.

As the igniters are preassembled into the firebox, this is a Factory Assembly Deficiency. Customer Support offered to send parts, but I spent HOURS finding all the mistakes and defects and they offered no help here.

Obviously, Support isn’t for customers. All the problems I’ve had in putting this grill together and making it work could have been avoided if Broil King actually cared enough to produce a quality product.

You should be embarrassed putting out something so defective.

I spent a week trying to decide between this grill and a Weber. This grill had more features for the money, so I went with it even though it may not be as heavy duty. It was delivered by a freight company and everything arrived on a wood pallet in good conditions–the box weights over 200 lbs.

Assembly was a bit if a pain. I’m pretty mechanically inclined, but the assembly guide is all pictures and no words. I was able to figure it all out, but it took over 3 hours. The stainless steel is pretty low grade, a magnet will stick to it pretty strongly, whereas “real” stainless won’t hold magnet.

First time using it, I put all 4 main burners on high to see how hot it can get and burn off all the factory chemicals. It only went up to 550 after 10 minutes. I was expecting it could get hotter, but I guess that’s hot enough for most things.

It lights easily with the electric ignition switch. The lighted control knobs are pretty unnecessary but look decorative if you want to impress your friends. The best feature is probably the heavy duty stainless steel cooking grates as they are REALLY heavy–like maybe 15 pounds each.

They hold a lot of heat, so when you get them nice and hot before throwing a steak on there, it will make a nice set of grill marks, if that’s your thing. The grilling area is ample and big enough to hold two racks of ribs in the center part with just the side burners on for indirect cooking.

You could probably add a third rack of ribs on the warming tray above and just rotate them every half hour so they all cook evenly. The side burner seems kind of weak; I haven’t used it for anything yet but even a light breeze will blow the flame around, so you may want to make a wind screen to shield the side from the wind.

Overall, I’m happy with it; I think I will get several years of regular use out of it.

I bought this grill a little over a month ago. It’s definitely not a cheap grill, so I was surprised to find it slightly damaged right out of the box. There was a dent in the metal handle at the front and another one in the metal next to the power cord at the back.

Definitely not what you would expect from such a premium appliance! However, because these damages have no effect on the proper function of the grill and because I had just moved to a new country, I didn’t file a complaint.

In hindsight, perhaps I should have done that. Instead, I started using the grill and I have to say that the grilling results are excellent. I also used it as a griddle for cooking breakfast and this worked really well too.

Overall, I’m satisfied with the grill despite its damages. I’m just not sure if I would buy again from Sage, as their quality control doesn’t seem to be up to par with their pricing.