The Vidallia 628 propane gas grill has features found on no other make. As claimed, it cooks from the top down when food is placed on the non burner side. It cooks evenly, and the fat drips into the provided drip pan, which MUST be kept partly filled with water to prevent damage to the pan. You can also cook directly over the burners, and they do a fine job as well. Flare-ups are nonexistent on the non burner side, and much less than with most grills on the burner side. The grills and the pan lift out easily for cleaning, and I recommend cleaning them after each use. You can also use charcoal on the burners, producing a cooking experience quite like that of a charcoal grill. I've also used soaked wood chips on the burners to get a smoked effect, but it's certainly not like a smoker. One problem is that keeping the temperature at a low enough level for smoking is difficult if there is any breeze. This model seems to be waterproof and can be lift out in the weather, unlike the Weber Genesis. There is also a slide out pan under the burners that will collect charcoal or wood ashes, making it easy to clean.
On the down side, the whole unit is made from very lightweight metal, mostly aluminum in the stand, with stainless steel top, grills, and pan. The knobs are small, and the rollers are also very wimpy. It is put together with small hardware and has considerable flex to it. It is lightweight enough that a strong wind will move it around on a deck. It does not compare with, for example, the Weber Genesis in quality of materials or fit, but it outperforms the Weber hands down. One flaw is that a medium breeze will also blow out the burners. Vidallia knows this, and suggested putting aluminum foil over the vent holes when it's windy. That's a Micky Mouse solution and doesn't work very well. I'm going to try fastening metal screen wire over them instead. The unit is overpriced for the quality of the materials, but I still like it enough to recommend it.
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