Royal Gourmet CC1830SC Charcoal Grill Offset Smoker with Cover, 811 Square Inches, Black, Outdoor Camping Everything Else
$111.30
Brand Royal Gourmet
Product Dimensions 27.95″D x 53.39″W x 48.82″H
Special Feature Grill Cover Included
Color Black
Fuel Type Charcoal
About this item
811 Square Inches: Includes 443 sq. in. porcelain-enameled steel wire cooking grates, 184 sq. in. chrome-plated warming rack and 184 sq. in. offset smoker.
Tasty Smoke Flavors: The offset smoker is firmly attached to grill to ensure good circulation of heat and smoke. Easy to open side door to add charcoal and remove ashes; air vent stokes fire instantly.
Adjustable Pan: 2-level height-adjustable charcoal pan creates better heat control and holds up to 4.4 lbs. of coal.
Temperature Monitor: Lid-mounted thermometer gauge helps check and monitor the cooking temperature and you can cook with great confidence.
Grill Cover Included: Made of heavy-duty fabric, the cover protects your grill from elements and withstands the harshest weather.
Ample Space: Front and side tables offer workspace for seasonings and grilling tools. The bottom shelf provides extra storage space and holds up to only 20 lb. accessories when they are evenly distributed.
| Brand |
Royal Gourmet |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions |
27.95"D x 53.39"W x 48.82"H |
| Special Feature |
Grill Cover Included |
| Color |
Black |
| Fuel Type |
Charcoal |
| Recommended Uses For Product |
Outdoor |
| Finish Type |
Brushed |
| Included Components |
Grill Cover, Grill Parts |
| Assembly Required |
Yes |
| Material |
Steel (Main body), Porcelain-enameled (cooking grates) |
| Handle Material |
Alloy Steel |
| Item Weight |
54.5 pounds |
| Model Name |
CC1830SC |
| Frame Material |
Alloy Steel |
| Installation Type |
Free Standing |
| Main Burner Count |
3 |
| Cooking Surface Area |
811 Square Inches |
| Manufacturer |
Royal Gourmet Corp |
| UPC |
810001890285 |
| Item model number |
CC1830SC |
DawnDawn –
2.0 out of 5 stars
One year later
Ok so we first got this in 2023 August and did my first smoke on it a couple weeks later. I do a cook once a month sometimes twice but overall I probably have 18 smokes on the unit in a year. In the world of smoker cooking I’m a light user compared to many. So what’s the issues?The metal is really thin so the temperature control is difficult on cool let alone cold days. I use lump charcoal and stick wood, no lighter fluid, or accelerate loaded briquets, etc.The thin metal warps very easily. The burn tray in the offset has warped really badly. It still works fine but it posses issues when loading more wood or charcoal. I have not used the drip tray in the main unit for direct bbq simply I’m concerned for the quality warping etc.Leaks: air leaks are bad enough. GREASE LEAKS! The drippings from the meats leak EVERYWHERE! They drip from areas I far from expect it to be coming from. It hardly ever actually drips in the drip bucket where is it supposed to. Additionally it runs back to the base at the burn side and leaks from the seal there too. It has also caused a few flare ups and has burnt the food quickly.The air leaks are really bad and you can’t stop the fire due to the air flow and it continues to burn and you can’t choke it out. This has caused the fire box to have burnt off all the exterior paint already and seeing rust on the box. I keep it under a covered roof so it is out of direct rain.I vacuum the unit out every use or every other if I have a quick turnover to a second cook.The hinges are already starting to show signs of fatigue. I fear they are going to fail before spring at this point.The unit is very very lightweight. A windy day and it blew over. The front tray has a dent but the entire unit sits uneven before the fall and almost fixed it in a way. Just put the lean into a different direction now.Pros. So after listing the cons it’s only fair to list the positives.For someone (like I was) just starting out on an offset it’s a great starter unit. Just beware it may only last a couple of seasons. If you’re in a colder climate it may be harder to control temps. (Hot days she also like to run hot.)It does produce some great food and you can learn how to negate the issues on it and eventually you will have experience of the oh crud’s to be able to still produce good eats.It’s cheap. For $150 you can have fun, make good food and learn.Would I still recommend this unit to someone who is unsure if they want to spend a lot of money on a unit and just learn and experiment yes all day long. Would I say plan to buy a bigger better unit in the next year or 3, yes absolutely. I’m hoping to get 2 seasons out of it and get a heavyweight steel unit. But I wouldn’t have bought the right unit a year ago if I didn’t learn here first.In the photos you can see the air leaks which is heat and flavor escaping. Also see the size comparisons for the different types of items you may want to cook. That was some of my biggest issues was how big do I need vs too small or too big. Err on larger than smaller. You always find more to add to the smoker. Trust me.
Shelly bailey –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice grill
It’s a nice grill but rusted very quickly
Samuel Orstein –
5.0 out of 5 stars
very good
Everything is good, everything as expected in the advertisement, good material, fast delivery, reasonable price, very satisfied, highly recommend
millie2divamillie2diva –
5.0 out of 5 stars
My son in law uses it every week
He loves it. Haven’t used the smoker yet
NoNo –
3.0 out of 5 stars
A few thoughts
1. The smoker door hinge was bent on one of the rivets. This caused the smoker door to not close fully. I bent it back using a pliers wrench. The metal is somewhat thin compared to my dad’s Weber grill.2. This is an “Offset smoker” grill, but it doesn’t come with a Wood Chip Box that would actually make it a smoker grill. Annoying that I still have to separately buy a Wood Chip Box. The manual states to use a wood chip box when smoking with wood chips, but doesn’t specify that none is included. I should have checked the description for parts included, but honestly, a smoker grill should come with a Wood Chip box. Perhaps there was no more room in the shipping box to include this. Perhaps they want to sell more accessories.3. There is a small hanger hooky type thing included which was not listed in the parts manual. I finally figured out, it dangles underneath the grill and is apparently supposed to hold a cup to catch the grease. This cup is not included with the hooky thing. I cut the bottom half of an aluminum Ball cup, and now use it as the grease collection tray with this hooky thing. Still not sure if this is correct, but it functions as a collection bin.4. The Offset Smoker chamber on the left side has no holes in the bottom and no ash collection bin. Neither does the main chamber., so charcoal and wood ash needs to be vacuumed out with a dedicated vacuum (otherwise the vacuum stinks) In order to wash out the offset smoker chamber, I will need to drill a big hole to let the ash drain out.This grill will surely work in a pinch, but there are things missing that will make maintenance an ordeal.
R PellyR Pelly –
4.0 out of 5 stars
For the price, it’s works well
This thing is designed to be assembled by yourself, I know because my mom and kids watched me assembly it without helping. It takes about 3 hrs to assemble. I put some high temp heat tape around edges to seal her up. I also added a second thermometer near the meat for more accurate heat temps. For 150 w a cover it’s good to go.
2 people found this helpful
Pedro PerezPedro Perez –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good Bbq Grill
There is enough space to grill for an entire Family. An important plus is the cover included. It was a great bough for the price.
best game ever it has awesome graphics.best game ever it has awesome graphics. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
My barbecue
Excellent item very convenient easy to ensamble I have it for 2 years and is very handy when power is off (hurricane Milton)
Angela Fimbres –
5.0 out of 5 stars
So far, so good!
Assembly easy but easier with two people. All hardware was simple, holes lined up, tapped holes had excellent threads, instructions were mostly pics but not complicated. Easy to clean out ashes, temperature gauge is my favorite feature. Wish it came with tongs, but no biggie. Paying slightly more for the smoker was worth it. Wheels plastic but did the job moving it over rocky landscaping where I wanted. Canvass cover is a nice accessory. Could fit 6 ears of corn with husks, 4burgers and four hotdogs all at once and still had room on top shelf for some more veggies. Easy to light with long lighter. Happy with purchase
3 people found this helpful
sapphire –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Wasn’t sure how to rate this, so average it is
This is a cheap smoker, no more, no less, so expectations were not high. Controlling the temp is a huge challenge every single use and requires more time and attention than a serious smoker might prefer. On the other hand, it suits my current needs at a budget price, so not really a complaint. Not the best choice for a beginner, because the frustration level might deter enthusiasm.On the plus side, fairly easy assembly, certainly sturdy enough for the price, the front and side shelves are very convenient and the smoke flow is good.Neutral: Grill space is adequate.Problem areas: Temperature control – almost constant attention is necessary to maintain a good, long, slow, smoke.
2 people found this helpful
Madz –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Gets the job done but very cheaply made
This BBQ requires full assembly and comes with some challenges. The materials aren’t the highest quality, with pre-cut pieces often not fitting perfectly. Once assembled, it stains easily and is quite difficult to clean thoroughly, which can be frustrating. Despite these drawbacks, it still functions adequately once set up, making it a decent option for those willing to invest extra time and effort in assembly and maintenance.
One person found this helpful
Blair –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Recommend for beginners
I bought this item upon a recommendation. I bought the Lava Lock Sealant RTV450 Black and High Temp Smoker Gasket as well. After firing it up to test for smoke leakage I found a few. As a precaution I sealed the the where smoke was leaking. My first cook of a Roast came out “very good”! If you are a beginner or just want a backup smoker get this one. I only wish Royal Gourmet would send “Lava Lock Sealant and Gasket with the orders, it would be worth the extra $25.
Bobby Radford IIIBobby Radford III –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great grill and great price!
I love the size and quality of this grill and you can’t beat the price! I’ve only used it once so far but I can tell I will be grilling on this for the next several years. It doesn’t feel cheap like I was fearing it might. I cant’t wait to try smoking something in it also. I recommend this grill for anyone.
David D Pearson-ReedDavid D Pearson-Reed –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Easy build….
This my first smoker so I started simple. O after reading reviews and watching YouTube reviews a lot of people was saying they had problems and issues but the build was easy and smooth. Just seasoned it and had a smoke very minimal smoke like. Great product so far cant wait to smoke my first rack of rubs….
Carol D MitchellCarol D Mitchell –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Ok to grill with.
I use it for my cooking of course but it’s a lil on the flimsy side , not heavy duty. Windy weather almost blew it away….it wasn’t severe weather either. ..have to keep it tied down to prevent that. Comes with a cover though!
Will –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great value!
Thrilled with the price vs the functioning. It is a good value for the weekender to use. I would buy again.
One person found this helpful
Ally –
5.0 out of 5 stars
So far, so good
This grill and smoker has worked perfectly so far. It took two of us to put it together and watched a YouTube video since the directions weren’t entirely clear. It’s been easy to use. Very affordable and worth the money.
david pinedadavid pineda –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great beginner smoker
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Wanted to learn how to smoke I know the reviews ain’t the best but idk if it’s an updated version but only ain’t peel was wer the coals go this for the price is great did about 8 hr smoke works like a charm . Easy to install my girl did it while I was at work
Mrsbunnybrooks –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic
Fantastic for the price and what you get
Evelyn –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works great, fairly easy to assemble.
My first BBQ as a newly single older woman. I put together by myself, as I am pretty good at assembling items with instructions. Could have used extra hands for a couple steps. Super easy to use. I like charcoal taste better than gas. I got a cheap chimney grill starter and some standard briquettes, and have had great success.
6 people found this helpful
Erin howard –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Leaks
The body and lid went out of alignment after a few months of light use. Now it won’t hold temperature and is pretty much unusable.
DivineGrandma –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Haven’t Used Yet
We haven’t actually used it yet, my sons put it together a couple of weeks ago.I’ll update the review after we use it.The put together wasn’t that difficult, I think it only took them about 30 min.
Amy Borden –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Buy Lavalock with this grill
It works great now, because we bought lavalock and sealed it. It was not lined up when we put it all together, so heat & smoke were leaking everywhere. Also there is a step in the instructions, towards the end, that is not explained well, & took forever to put together. Have patience & buy Lavalock with this grill. You will need it. We love the grill now. ????
6 people found this helpful
Placeholder –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Works good
It’s great for the priceIt’s a little hard to control the temp and would recommend replacing the thermostat with a better one but it works pretty good
One person found this helpful
Penny –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good grill for the occasional bbq
Our second offset barrel grill, this was a great value for us, as we only use one a few times a year. We can grill or smoke on it, and if we need extra room, we can even grill hot dogs or veggies on a smaller fire in the smoker section. Only gave four stars because it’s somewhat thinner weight material than our last one, so will need extra care protecting from rust. But, it DID come with a cover (I bought one, having somehow missed seeing that detail!). We’ll store it covered out of the weather and be sure to clean it well between uses, and it’ll be there whenever we get the urge to grill something!
2 people found this helpful
Vanessa Jackson-CannonVanessa Jackson-Cannon –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty easy to put together.
It’s very nice, easy to put together, plus it came with an awesome weather proof cover.
One person found this helpful
Spectre Gadget –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Easy to assemble and use, hard to clean
Arrived with small scratches in exterior paint. Since it was exterior I just cleaned up with high heat spray paint.Easy to assemble, good directions. Access door for offset didn’t close tightly and I had to add a few washers to the pin.Cooking is great, only complaint is that there is no back stop. I’ve lost a couple brats into the hood.Cleaning main area is fine, but the offset doesn’t have a removable pan for the ashes.Cover is decent quality.Overall for the price I can recommend, but it’s not perfect.
2 people found this helpful
Brenda Zavala –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excelente asador
Demasiado fácil de armar y de buen tamaño. Que traiga su cubierta lo hace estar totalmente completo.
Mkl markus –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Value wise, hard to beat
Not the best smoker or grill longevity wise. But have had it for 2 years and still working fine.Incredible value for what it costs
One person found this helpful
Talib A. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very good grill
Very efficient and east set up. A big plus on the delivery time
William C. King –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Cheap, but Effective for Smoking
The grill is cheaply made, which I expected to a point. This is the first barrel grill I’ve purchased with the thin wire grates for grilling and that is disappointing. The ash pan is super flimsy, hard to empty, and falling apart after about a dozen uses.However, this is my first offset smoker and that part is really effective. I’ve done a brisket, ribs, and pork butt and controlling the temp was pretty easy. I use a mix of chunk charcoal and hickory mini-logs for smoking and they fit really well in the box. There is a lot of smoke loss, but that’s to be expected with a cheap unit. I have some sealer tape to apply to help limit that.TL;DR: Great for smoking meats, but less than satisfying for grilling.
4 people found this helpful
Nathanael HallNathanael Hall –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not the best quality
It’s a great price and it assembled easily. However, the quality is not great. The outer shell was easily damaged during shipping and now the lid does not close evenly.
Robin T –
5.0 out of 5 stars
ITS STURDY & PLENTY OF ROOM
It cooked great! The smoker is awesomeI’m very pleased with my purchase
LaQuana Lewis –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Easy To Put Together
This grill has been a godsend! It was easy to put together. You will need to have 2 people to make the process easier.The only thing I’m not a fan of is the racks. You would need to use foil or buy cast iron racks which I’m gonna do. I used a lot of oil (avocado oil) to prevent the food from sticking and it kept sticking to the racks. The only downfall!
4 people found this helpful
DF –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Quality
This product exceeded expectations. Great quality, great price and it comes with a cover too.
Bernard AlfrutoBernard Alfruto –
5.0 out of 5 stars
It’s a Good Grill
Was fast to put together and an amazing grill
2 people found this helpful
Kerby lamotheKerby lamothe –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I loved it
It’s really easy to set up and it works great.
2 people found this helpful
Kerry Siegrist –
5.0 out of 5 stars
For the price, it’s amazing
You get what you pay for. There’s not a lot of square footage, the legs were not level to the ground, and the smoke box vent comes loose when the grill is hot. You need the smoke box vent to regulate temperature, so that’s not great.If your smoke box vent comes loose in the middle of a cook, open the vent door and wait for the screw to cool down enough to tighten it up. My word of advice.5/5 because you’re paying very little for the materials. I promise their profit margin can’t be 40%.
3 people found this helpful
huggie –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Grill
Easy to set up. Roomy cooking surface. A great housewarming gift. Use immediately and daily.
2 people found this helpful
Christna Fredrick KimChristna Fredrick Kim –
3.0 out of 5 stars
It’s not bad
It took 40 minutes to assemble solo. The manual isn’t great so I can see how some people could get confused. Everything came packaged really well. No damages to the contents of the box. You’ll need a screw driver for 90% of the job.The metal is thin and there’s a lot of gaps between parts. No matter how I adjusted the angles of pieces, there would always be gaps somewhere. I read online that you can mod it and make it a very good grill but I’m not going to do that yet so I can only comment what it is out of the box. You could do worse for the price. It’s pretty “aight”. I’m a little worried about it’s longevity since it’s so thin and I’m leaving it in the backyard.
One person found this helpful
jeremy c. –
4.0 out of 5 stars
great design but thin metal
for the price this is a great beginner offset smoker. but requires lots of attention partially because of the thin metal construction. outside temperature will effect cooking temp more than a stronger build. I’ve been using this grill every week for about 3 months and the paint is holding up great. I also upgraded the smoker with some grill gasket. I think as long as you take good care (clean out fire box and keep covered) of the grill it will last.
9 people found this helpful
Anonymous –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thin metal but still holds high heat
I do like it, I do enjoy it, it is cheap lolIt’s certainly thinner than anticipated so more fuel is needed (wood/charcoal) over a duration of extended time. Not really an issue in my personal opinion. Grilling multiple plus years natural fuels.Does help it cool down quicker too though, so maybe a safety aspect there? Maybe?Works well, as expected.Easy to assemble.Easy to control temp/smokeFun as hellDo recommendLots of grill space, easy to move grill grates, easy to start, maintain embers. All around seems legit. All grilling, bbq, temp gauging aspects seem to work after multiple intense grill sessions.Upper grill works great for warmer, stones, pans, etcSo yea, if you’re looking at it… You want it.. Just get it lol If ya chill; this should be worth it for sure.(Be sure to burn a few hot sessions before food as factory surfaces have things that really should be cleaned or burned off prior to cooking food. And to prevent any potential fowl flavors. Your welcome)Cheers Fam
20 people found this helpful
DRDR –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tips on assembling the offset side door.
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For earlier models, I can’t say if there was a design flaw but on this model, the hinge folds internally and screws to the offset box with the door open. It will fit perfectly and latch correctly. It doesn’t lay outward like other reviews show.Also, ALL bolts and screws should be attached by hand initially and barely tight to avoid cross-threading. Once things are in place and square for a section, then tighten with a screwdriver. A power driver may strip threads or warp the metal leading to cracked paint and finish failure upon burn-in. Hope this helps. Happy smoking!I will update after a few uses. I can see the possibility of having to apply grill seals in certain areas to prevent smoke loss.First use update:Followed burn in explicitly-lightly oiled interior, single layer of coals, temp not over 400°, two hours, then cool down.While waiting for charcoal to get ready in the chimney starter, realized the ash pan hangs from the bottom of the hanging charcoal grate, not clear in the instructions.First smoking update:Bacon wrapped shrimp cheese jalapeno poppers! Turned out great! One hour smoke with 15-20 briquets (6 in the offset with 2 chunks of pecan wood and 9 in the main pit), then 5 more to crisp up the bacon for a few minutes. Shrimp was juicy, bacon was crispy and smoky.Post use update:After cool down, removed ashes completely and wiped down grill inside and out. No rust or flaking paint and it was very humid!.Possibilities for why others are having this issue:Overheating the grill during burn in, leaving ashes in the pit (they absorb moisture from the air)The instructions say NEVER to let the grill exceed 400°. I would say If you do, make sure it’s for grilling or searing only with the lid open.Side note: Still considering grill seals or high temp caulk. Some smoke escape but still plenty to smoke with.Update 2:Smoked a brisket Thanksgiving weekend. Still no rust or flaking paint. Did an awesome 12 hr cook on it with a mix of pecan wood and briquettes. Will need to clean ashes out half way thru. They were keeping my fire from staying hot during the last half of cooking. Didn’t add grill seals, smoke flavoring is fine even with the excess leak. No complaints so far. Totally recommend an inserted thermometer. The included lid thermometer is about 50° higher than the temp an inch away from the meat.Each time, clean ashes out completely, wipe it clean and re-oil inside (at least till it’s seasoned good). Only issue was the dripping grease from the brisket drained to the outside right seam instead of the drip hole but that was most likely leveling and operator error. It has been well worth the small price it cost overall. I’d have spent more buying the brisket already smoked from a pit place and I can control the smoke, salt and flavor.Next project: baby back ribs and a smoked chicken for Christmas. Update following…Didn’t get to ribs until New Year’s day. Have my first sign of any rust. It’s on the door to the offset, where the most heat is. I’ve sanded it down and sprayed it with oil to hold till I have time to clean and cover with high heat grill paint. The main pit is still holding up great, no problems. Full rack of baby back ribs, smoked cabbage and cream cheese and my brisket boats for New Year prosperity and good luck!Update 2/28/23:Haven’t gotten around to repainting the area that has started to rust but after steel-wooling off rust and spraying with Pam oil, it hasn’t started rusting again.
128 people found this helpful
Otter –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good For the Money
DELIVERY: FIVE STARS. On time and quick.ASSEMBLY: THREE STARS. The usual “What IS that thing in the drawing?” moments. One or two disassemble / reassemble false-starts because the orientation of pieces is not always clear in the drawing. Pieces are not labeled, so you’re totally dependent on the drawings. But assembly is extremely easy and can be done in less than an hour with a Philips-head screwdriver. Extra points because they include extra hardware.DESIGN: THREE STARS. It’s a good basic unit, not chef’s quality by any stretch, but for the price well-designed. The ventilation system is not entirely intuitive and takes some fiddling to master, but you get there in the end. The smoker underachieves a bit. The warming rack has a design flaw in its raise-lower mechanism, and the rack falls down at inopportune moments: I improvised a fix, but this is the biggest engineering fail I’ve encountered in the unit. (Note: the instructions are particularly vague on the assembly of the warming rack, so I’ll go over that again.). There is no good handle with which to maneuver the unit. Does come with a decent canvas cover. Grates are thin (we prefer sturdier cast-iron), but they seem to conduct heat evenly. Metal is thin and light but durable against ordinary stress, and retains heat.PERFORMANCE: FOUR STARS. Again, not chef’s quality, but a very good unit for the money. Good heat retention; onboard thermometer is accurate and durable. I haven’t tried the smoker yet: but in the grillings I’ve done so far, there seems to be inadequate draw into the smoker: again, the ventilation isn’t entirely intuitive and takes some fiddling. But we’re pleased so far. Three stars if it were even thirty dollars more expensive, but at this price, this is a good unit.
20 people found this helpful
louisana –
5.0 out of 5 stars
My customer experience.
I only had to return 1 or 2 items because they were broken. Overall, my experiences have been good and only 1 or 2 things were broken. Other than that I haven’t had a very bad experience with things. I would recommend Episodes to Other People and 2 to the prime membership that I have. I greatly appreciated everything I have been done. Thank you.
One person found this helpful
Jeremy Baskin –
1.0 out of 5 stars
I say, “over priced, over complicated, wobbly, pain to clean, pain to assemble, paper-weight grill”
It cooks meat, that is the best I can say. From a do it yourself kind of person:*overly complicated build, screws and overall alignment are an issue from start to finish, the lid does not seat properly and has to be manually bent back to fit or you can have a gap in the front of your grill.*foam and packing do not prevent rubbing in shipment and some surfaces show wear from being handled by packagers and shippers, light scratching will show.*useless features, drop in tray is useless and cumbersome, the hooks for the BBQ utensils fall off with ease if the upper clasp of the hooks are not bent to prevent this.*shows the slightest amount of dirt even when clean and covered.*cover doesn’t have a cut out for the chimney to the grill, so the weather cover sets awkwardly and weight of weather cover is all on that spot and will likely lead to tearing/ wear.*drop plate for charcoal has to be cleaned and then removed to clean underneath it. So, then you have to put back this overly complicated tray that falls apart easily with any kind of movement. It is designed to hold weight, but when weight is not on it, it becomes unstable and handles come off easily leading to frustration.*retains moisture even when covered and rusts easily. The edges along the rim where the lid meets frame hold moisture and have already begun rusting and require cleaning even when grill is not used. So, if you cover after cleaning it retains any moisture left over, but if you don’t cover right afterwards the paint finish shows every spec of dirt, water spot and dust debris that come into contact with it. So, it never looks clean no matter what you do.*the door clasp to the wood pit on the side comes open when cover is removed and door opens when this happens.*Cover gets stuck on wheels when rolled if you do not have the Velcro straps together before you roll it.I will take my cheap open top Weber any day, over this over priced, over complicated, wobbly, pain to clean, pain to assemble, paper-weight grill. I can’t believe this is such a highly rated grill.
11 people found this helpful
Lelebert –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Hard To Put Together and Rust Very Easily
I am giving this item three stars still because this grill was very inexpensive, and I do believe to a certain extent that you get what you pay for. However, having had this now for maybe 3 or 4 weeks, I have a few observations.1) This grill was difficult to put together, and I consider myself way above average when it comes assembling things. I watched a couple of videos of people unboxing and assembling before I ordered this item, but they did like a high-speed installation video, they did not get into the details of the installation or the issues that one is likely to encounter with the provided instructions. There were several times that I was lost on what to do next but figured it out through trial and error.2) The grill has gotten rained on a few times which is going to happen here is Florida, and it has spots of rust in multiple different areas of the grill. I have scrubbed those spots with WD-40 but I am afraid that this will only slow the rust in those areas, and new areas are popping up all the time. I will likely need to get a high-heat spray paint and touch it up from time to time to keep the rust from spreading to aggressively. Keeping the grill completely dry will be impossible as there are going to be times when I am cooking outside when it is going to start raining and I will not be able to put the cover on the grill because the grill is still too hot. This is what has been happening.3) The cover does not fit the grill well….it was not made to accommodate the exhaust pipe on top of the grill. Instead of shaping the cover in a way that would accommodate the exhaust pipe, they just made the cover larger than what was really needed for such a small grill, and that was their solution to the problem. Having said that, the cover is sized to protect the grill pretty well and the cover does seem to be well made. My grill sits out in full sun and so only time will tell.4) This grill does not hold heat well. The max temperature the grill reaches with the exhaust closed is about 410 degrees. And, when you open this grill to flip your meats, etc. it loses temperature really fast and it is slow to get the temperature back up where you need it. I know this is one of the challenges of working with Charcoal, but the metal is just so thin on this grill that it really does not hold heat well. This has made cooking on this grill really challenging. I am planning to try a high heat charcoal to see if that can solve part of the problem. I have already checked to make sure that I am using proper charcoal preparation techniques, and it really seems like I am doing everything right (I am preheating the charcoal for 20 minutes in a charcoal chimney for example), it is just a limitation of the grill’s materials.5) This grill can be moved around, but the issue is that to me it feels like when I am moving it over my pavers that it is about to shake apart into pieces. Everything is so thin and so it just rattles like crazy. It is really light weight, but there is no good way to grab it to move it. To move it you have to grab it by the side table and push it along. But the side table is not on there in the most stable way, and so that also feels really precarious.Because this grill was so inexpensive, I wish that I could give it 3.5 stars, because 3 stars feels slightly too low, but 4 start is definitely too high. If you are looking for something inexpensive that will likely not last more than a few years (which is what I was looking for) then I think this grill could be a good value for you. I have not used the offset smoker on the grill yet, and probably will not until I get this whole charcoal thing down and figure out how to handle the issues with the lack of heat sustainability.
2 people found this helpful
Raymond Fluharty –
4.0 out of 5 stars
ok starter smoker
had 1 bolt hole that was stripped but still managed to get it together. now for a list of the pros and cons.Pro: it smokes meat. I smoked 10lb of chicken quarters and 1 6lb boston butt only took 22 hours but it did get it done.Cons: 1 bolt hole came stripped, smoke escapes everywhere, the reason it took 22 hours was because cooler air was able to get in the smoker so the only area you could smoke something was in the center of the grill.The Fix: easiest way to stop the air getting in and the smoke getting out is to buy a lavalock gasket kit and seal it up then it will work almost like a more expensive smoker. While it still won’t be competition quality it will be equal to the next level of smoker.
brittany –
4.0 out of 5 stars
The cover sucks
The cover that it comes with does not fit properly. There is not spot for the chimney in the cover so it sits very tight over the grill and very awkwardly