thegoomdman
I am a longtime charcoal grill user and smoker, but with a growing family I really don’t have time to deal with all the hassles of charcoal so I searched for a propane grill. My criteria were: lots of heat, cast iron grate, side burner, a build-in thermometer, and of course good value. I looked into some of the more expensive brands, which are indeed very nice but I couldn’t justify spending close to $1000 on a grill. I did research in the sub $400 range and I found this product. Here are my thoughts:
Assembly: this product arrived well packaged. My uncle helped me move the box to the backyard since it was 80+ pounds. When we first opened the package, he said he could tell it was a quality product based on the packaging. I read the assembly booklet and also scan the QR code for the assembly videos, the combo made it easy to install, and I completed the assembly less than hour.
Double layer lid: This was a surprise to me since I was not looking for this feature. As a charcoal user and smoker, none of my grill ever had this. Because of the lid, this grill was super fast to heat up and really maintained heat very well.
The enamel cast iron grate: A cast iron grate is a must, but you have to season it. My first grilling session was a steak which I didn’t expect to stick. I moved the steak around the grate to give an initial seasoning. My second session was salmon, which amazingly stuck very little despite it only being the second grilling session, this is a surprise and very welcome feature. With some more sessions and more seasoning. I expect the grate to be 100% none stick.
Grill performance: as mentioned before the double layered lid helps tremendously with heat retention and keeps the heat uniform. The cast iron grate also helps with heat retention and uniformity because of how much heat retains in the iron. Also, the burners were powerful and preheating the grill took less than five minutes. This is a huge time saver versus charcoal grill, exactly what I want. It seared my steak pretty nicely too.
Oil tray: another surprise after I got the product is that it has a two tray oil catching system. A big tray that catches all the droppings then a smaller tray which attaches to the bottom of the big tray. This way you don’t have to move the big tray every-time. You just have to dump out the small tray. Very useful and makes clean up simple.
Overall, a grill with incredible value and included a double layer lid and a two tray drip collection system, which was beyond what I expected for a product in this price range.
| Brand | Captiva Designs |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 22"D x 51"W x 41.5"H |
| Special Feature | Built-In Thermometer, Superior Heat Retention, Removable Grease Tray, Warming Rack, Locking Caster |
| Color | Silver |
| Fuel Type | Gas |
| Recommended Uses For Product | Outdoor |
| Finish Type | Painted |
| Included Components | Thermometer, User Manual, Tool Holder, Lid, Adapter Hose |
| Assembly Required | Yes |
| Material | Porcelain, Stainless Steel, Alloy Steel, Cast Iron, Iron, Metal |
| Handle Material | Stainless Steel |
| Item Weight | 86 Pounds |
| Heating Power | 12 Kilowatts |
| Model Name | GR001 |
| Frame Material | Alloy Steel |
| Installation Type | Free Standing |
| Wattage | 12 KW |
| Side Burner Count | 1 |
| Main Burner Count | 4 |
| Cooking Surface Area | 545 Square Inches |
| Number of Racks | 4 |
| Heating Elements | 5 |
| Manufacturer | Captiva Designs |
| UPC | 670724048734 |
| Part Number | GR001 |
| Item Weight | 86 pounds |
| Size | 4 Burner-Grill |
| Style | 4-Burner Grill,Silver |
| Finish | Painted |
| Shape | Rectangular |
| Power Source | LPG |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Special Features | Built-In Thermometer, Superior Heat Retention, Removable Grease Tray, Warming Rack, Locking Caster |
