List Price: $499.00
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Poor design ...almost dangerous
The Gas tank can only be turned off and on from behind the unit...
The wheels are located on only one side .. they do not swivel.. thus the unit is moved by dragging it
These items work together to make this a very poor design ...how could anyone think this is a good design?
To turn on the gas you have to crawl behind the unit or drag it out from the position you placed it in.. here I make an assumption that you (like most people) have the unit backed up against a wall or something.. Remember those wheels that are only on one side and do not swivel... that means you have to drag the unit. Hard enough to do to turn it on.. even harder when the unit is hot ... that is dangerous.
I am sorry .. I so much wanted to like this unit ... small and nice to look at .... but the design is so flawed as to make me think the company never even tested this unit in the field
Some one please disagree with my comments ... what am I missing
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My experience with this product reinforced the fact that there are still reasons to buy products at brick and mortar locations, rather than ordering from amazon.com.First, the shipping took forever... over a week. For Amazon Prime, this is a long time. I could have gone to a local retailer and picked up the grill, fully assembled and had it home the same day to grill on.
When it arrived, over a week after I ordered it, it came unassembled. I started to unpack it and discovered that there were several scratches and one large enamel chip on the hood of the grill. Also, the Allen wrench they give you, didn't fit the screws that were supplied, so I had to purchase one that fit. By this point, there was no way to get the grill back into the packaging to return it to Amazon.
Next, the starter is a silly design. The spark, which only works some of the time, only lights the middle flame. You are supposed to use a flimsy match extender to light the other two flames (which turns out to be easier than the spark starter).
Also, the images for this item are deceiving and incorrect. They show a bamboo prep board on the side. However, rather than coming with the nice prep board that is featured in the images for this item, you get a flimsy brown plastic prep board, which cheapens the entire look of the grill and you question weather you want to place food on it.
The wheels are silly too. there should be 4 wheels on this. Because the fuel tank is accessed through the back of the unit, you have to move the grill every time you use it, and having only two wheels, it makes things very difficult.
I thought this was a great looking grill when I purchased it, but I was highly disappointed with is when I got it. Now I'm stuck with it. I would not recommend this item.
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This is a copy of my review for the exact same GREEN model of this grill. For some reason they are not listed as one item with color choices so I have posted the review for the other colors, having actually purchased the Green model.*****See Update Below******
Having now had this grill for over a year, I would describe it as a decent quality grill for a fair price. I use this grill frequently, probably twice a week or more, even in winter. If you are an occasional user, you may find this a more ideal product.
The Good Points-
1) It looks great and is perfect if you don't want and over testosteroned massive stainless grill on your property.
2) The quality and functionality is decent.
3) If you get a hold of a real person at Minden, they are very nice and will go out of their way to help you.
4) Heats up very quickly.
The Bad Points-
1) You MUST purchase separately the stainless steel grate. The included enameled grate will wear out in less than one season.
2) The wood handle will also become moldy in less than a season. I extended it's life by using some spray varnish on it, but I would still prefer the stainless steel one (which I've seen at Williams-Sonoma on a version of this grill that only they sell).
3) The spatter plates become quickly rusty. Minden was nice enough to send me (essentially for free) 3 stainless steel ones.
4) Some of the bolts which hold the unit together become rusty over time, they should be made of stainless steel, but they aren't.
5) The grill does not evenly heat, and has hot and cold spots, which over time if you understand where they are you can compensate for them.
They really have the makings of a great grill with some small modifications, I would encourage them to change some parts to stainless steel (described above) and attempt to resolve the unevenness of the heating surface.
******UPDATE April 8, 2012********
After having this grill for about two years, I sadly have to conclude that it's not something I would buy again.
The rust has continued to the point where critical functioning parts are failing. The bracket for the trough which supplies gas from burner to burner has failed, causing the trough to fall off. I've managed to stick it back using some rocks so I can still use the grill.
The hot and cold spot issue seems to have gotten worse, and it's also now hard for me to get the grill started without pressing the start button 10 or 15 times.
Additionally, the threaded plastic gas tank hookup broke in half, and I had to replace it with a new one.
After doing some math, I've concluded that the cost of ownership of this grill is simply too high.
At 479, lasting two years, means 249/year (this does not include the MANDATORY cost of buying the Stainless Steel Grate)
***Conclusion: I've pretty much settled on purchasing the American Outdoor Grill Model 25PC (with back burner). It's basically the same physical size, but at 1650 is considerable more expensive. However, nearly every part on the grill is guaranteed for 10 years, with some parts being guaranteed for longer. Even if one figures that the all stainless steel, made in America grill will last for 10 years, the cost of ownership per year is only $165.
Honest reviews on Minden Grills 94922-89461-8 Master Propane-Gas Grill, Cobalt Blue
Great looking grill. It's a basic grill that meets my needs. I rarely use a rotisserie or a side burner, so why buy them. Looks better than S/S and should last as long, as the burners, venture tubes, and flame diverters are rarely S/S and rust out. Threw out a S/S grill that looked good but required over $300 in parts to repair. This grill heats up faster and takes up less space.
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