Char-Griller 3001 Grillin' Pro 40,800-BTU Gas Grill Review

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(More customer reviews)I've done plenty of research and seen many grills before picking the 'Char-Griller Pro 3001'. I think if you really want a solid grill that lasts forever, get a Weber. For me paying $700+ for a similar Weber isn't an option. You also should beware of the inexpensive stainless steel grills (anything under $400). Their not stainless, the metal is thin & flimsy and they start showing signs of rust in a matter of months. I even saw some demos with rust stains?? This shouldn't be a problem with the finish on the Char-Griller. Plus I noticed it ranked well in Consumer Reports. I picked mine up at Menards for $149.00 (on 06/26/09).
At times it was challenging to put together. The pictures and directions could've been more descriptive on which way things face when you put them together (ie: the legs). Plus the location of parts within the box. I had to find parts that I needed early in the installation that were wrapped up with things late in the installation?! Once you get it together it's pretty solid. It starts easily and heats up fast. For me in less than 5-10 min. on high the temperature gage was at 650 degrees (on a windy 70 degree day in Chicago). The grates are porcelain coated cast iron. That's a feature you want to look for in a grill. You'll see those on higher priced models. The grates have a side for 'Searing' and a side for 'Grilling'. They cleanup easily and give GREAT grill marks. Now mind you my last grill was a 12 year old 'Char-Broil' that was shot and I've only used this one twice. But from what I can tell (so far) unless you want to pay a ton for something better this is a great grill for the price.
Update: 07-27-09
It's still a great grill for the price. I have one thing I never liked and if you're coming from an older grill like me you should be aware of this. Older gas grills (5 or 10 years) had the burners right along the bottom of the grill base with a metal shield over the top. You then had 5 inches or so between the shield and the grilling grates. This would give you space for 'Lava Rock', 'Ceramic Brickets' and some wood chips if you choose. The rocks or bricks would catch grease and reduce flare ups. To keep the grill clean you change the rock out once a season or so. NONE OF THE NEW GRILLS (including the Char-Griller) are setup like this. They ALL have the burners and shields right below the grilling grates. And you have no room for anything below the burners. So you need to be sure to keep the bottom of the grill CLEAN and CLEAR of debris (drip trays too). As I stated before this grill heats fast and puts out a good flame. Well after cooking about 10 times or so I had some debris and an oily film on the bottom from cooking & basting things. Yep you guessed it, FIRE, FIRE! Luckily I caught it after just a couple minutes of cooking and shut it down and put everything out. I cleaned out the bottom turned it back on and it was fine. So be safe and keep it clean!

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Housed in durable steel, this gas grill features plenty of room for outdoor cooking--630 square inches total. The unit's 438-square-inch main grilling area nicely accommodates burgers, shish kabobs, or summer vegetables, while its warming rack offers 192 square inches of space for heating buns or keeping already-cooked foods at a perfect serving temperature. The grill supplies three stainless-steel burner tubes that generate a total of 40,800 BTUs, plus a 12,000-BTU side burner for heating up sauces to slather onto meat or grilled tofu. Other highlights include simple electronic ignition with an igniter probe on every burner, porcelain-coated cast-iron grates, dual stacks for even heating, and a front panel to conceal the propane tank. Its stainless-steel thermometer, stay-cool hood handle, large side shelf, and smooth-rolling wheels provide added convenience, and utensil hooks come included for keeping spatulas, tongs, and other tools within reach. A custom-fit vinyl cover (model 3055) can be purchased separately to keep the grill protected from the elements when not in use. Great for any back deck or patio, the gas grill measures 50 by 25 by 42 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

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Char-Griller 5050 Duo Gas-and-Charcoal Grill Review

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(More customer reviews)I used a Weber charcoal grill for years. I used it to grill and smoke. I loved the taste of charcoal, but finally got tired of the hassle. When I saw the duo, I thought my prayers had been answered. They were....but not really.
This is definitely the most versatile grill on the market (I added the smoker box) but they could have done so much more to make it a 'great' grill. When I saw the price tag, I was worried about the craftmanship. My worries were justified.
First, the materials that the grill is made out of are pretty good. The steel is heavy, the grills are solid, and the frame is rigid. The problem is the design and craftsmanship. A previous reviewer complained about the wheels being cheap plastic. Chargriller must have taken the advice, because the wheels that I have are fairly solid. It took about 2 hours to put the grill together by myself. While putting it together, I noticed the charcoal side and smoker are far from air-tight, not good for charcoal and smoking. You want a very tight charcoal grill so temperature can be controlled precisely by the dampers (the Weber I had was as tight as a drum). This grill is far from air-tight. The area around the lid has about a 1/4 inch gap and the smoker has many many areas where the pieces don't fit together perfectly. There are also a few holes in the smoker where screws for the feet would have gone (the smoker can also be a standalone grill). All these gaps and cracks make it nearly impossible to control the heat. With all the dampers closed, I should be able to smother the fire/coals/wood, but the grill burns at 400+ degrees even with all the dampers closed!!!
Other Cons:
- When the lids are open, the warming racks go up/back right over the lid. Anything that drips off the warming rack goes right down the lid and onto the ground behind the grill. I found this out the hard way after an afternoon of cooking burgers. What a mess!
- There are no bumpers around the grilling perimeter. One bad spatula or tong move and your meat will slide right off in any direction! They should have at least put a bumper in the back!
- The joints aren't tight. Any grease that drips down on the propane side in the corners between the bottom and side pieces of the grill goes right between the two pieces of metal and drips on the propane tank.
- No natural gas option
Pros:
- Propane, charcoal, smoker, side stove. Nuff said
- Cover that was ordered separately covers everything, including smoker box.
- Lots of grilling surface
- Grill plates are nice, solid, iron.
All in all, I would have paid $500 for this grill if it were of better quality. I'm not to upset, because I feel I got what I paid for, a substandard grill at a low price.

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No need to keep up with the Joneses--you are the Joneses! With this powerful outdoor grill, the neighbors will love coming to your house for barbeques. A full-size charcoal grill and a full-size gas grill combine for ultimate versatility in one unit and 1260 square inches of total cooking space. The charcoal grill offers an adjustable-height charcoal grate and dual dampers for controlling the heat and an easy-dump ash pan for quick cleanup. The 40,800-BTU gas grill provides electronic ignition, three burners, and a 12,000-BTU side burner for cooking side dishes while grilling the main course. In addition, the two-in-one grill supplies porcelain-coated cast-iron grates for even heating, a stainless-steel heat gauge, and a chrome-plated warming rack for keeping buns and cooked food warm. Other highlights include an airtight, flanged hood for greater heat control; durable steel construction with a powder-coated finish; smooth-rolling wheels; and large round legs for sturdy support. Add the side firebox (sold separately) to the grill for great Texas-style smoking. The grill measures 60 by 25 by 50 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

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Char-Griller 1515 Patio Pro Model Grill Review

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(More customer reviews)I love to BBQ and I have had my 22 ½" Weber Charcoal grill for the last 5 years. The issue was for day to day grilling when I did not have any guest over, the Weber was just a waste of charcoal and time for light cooking.
I wanted something way smaller for my deck for only 1-2 people. Requirement had to be charcoal (of course). I searched around the market for a while and found that Weber and several other manufactures had mini charcoal grills. The issue was that most of them were low to the ground. They were all selling for $20-$30 depending on the brand. I then discovered the Char-Griller Patio Pro. After seeing the build material (cast iron) and the sturdiness of the support frame in which the cooking box sat on top of, I knew this was the product that would meet my expectations.
Delivery:
I ordered the product from Amazon and received it within ~ 4 days. The correct package arrived on time and undamaged, so the ordering experience was perfect. I arrived from work around 7 pm and saw the package at my doorstep and I was excited to grill that night. However, I had read the review of other customers who ordered this grill and I knew assembly was going to be a nightmare. Sure enough, assembling the grill was absolute HELL!! Needless to say, I was not able to grill the day the product arrived.
Assembly:
The grill will arrive with all the pieces for it within the actual grill box. Everything is sticky as it has been coated with oil from the factory, so make sure you assemble your grill in the proper location. The grill has numerous screws and mini pieces which are not clearly identified at all in the instruction manual. The instruction manual is absolutely worthless as its measurements for the pieces are inaccurate and in my particular case, I had less pieces that what the manual said I needed, yet I still assembled the grill without running out of pieces. I will spare you the agonizing details of my assembly experience and summarize it as: Assembling the grill is going to be the ONLY bad experience in owning this product.
USAGE:
With that said, the actual functionality of this grill is EXCELLENT. It is PERFECT for its intended cause...cooking for 1-2 hungry men, or 1-4 average people. The grate is made out of cast iron and requires to be initially coated in vegetable oil over 300 degree fire for 2 hrs (according to the manual). I recommend doing what I did to get the grill ready for use...in order to burn off all the factory oils and "crap," I just filled it to the rim with charcoal and left it to burn...when I came back, all the oil's, crap, and "new stink" disappeared and the cast iron grates were seasoned and ready for use.
The first time I grilled was excellent. The air ventilation system allows for even heat distribution so you can control your fire. Another excellent feature of this product is the cast iron grates...they get so hot and leave an awesome grill mark on your meat...something I could never get with the grate on my Weber.
In addition, the little tray on the side is a HUGE convenience factor when cooking. You can actually put pretty heavy things on it without worrying it will break. During assembly, when I felt the wood material that was used for the tray, I was extremely concerned because I thought when the grill would get hot, they would burn away. So far, this has not been the case, however, time will tell how long they last. But at the present moment, they are perfect. Not shown in Amazon's picture for this product is three little hooks that you have to manually screw into your tray, which will allow you to hang your cooking tools...another cool convenience factor.
Cleaning:
Cleaning is pretty easy too as the charcoal tray box easily slides out and you just dump the ashes into a trash bag.
Overall quality is excellent and I am pleased that the grill does not wobble. In my opinion, aside from the assembly experience, you will not find a better mini charcoal grill with all the features that this grill has [...].

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250 Inch Grill Area, Large drawer for easy refueling and clean-up, Cast Iron Cooking Grates, Side Shelf

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