Not bad, but wouldn't buy again.
Written: Oct 22 '07
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Pros: Aesthetically pleasing, bordering on art. Well constructed. Mechanically and ergonomically well designed and executed.
Cons: Far too much flare-up when cooking fatty meats. Uneven heating. No hooks to hang utensils.
The Bottom Line: A very attractive, very well built package that falls short on execution of the task it is intended to perform.
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| brendang's Full Review: Ducane 30400042 (LP) Propane Grill |
I purchased this unit new at my local Home Depot for $700, after a $200 discount (originally $900). Upon inspection at Home Depot it looked like the best unit for the money. It is well constructed and comes almost fully assembled in the box with a few exceptions. Final assembly once home took only 20 minutes or so. It is made entirely of heavy gauge stainless steel and is one of the more attractive and impressive gas grills available -- superior to any of the mass-market knock-offs that cost considerably less. You do get what you pay for here, no question about it.
I wanted to buy my LAST gas grill -- ever -- and the Ducane looked like it would perform the job admirably. My neighbors (men, of course) came over to ogle the grill and enjoy some of its first-fruits (you can't just put it together and NOT use it!). Not only is it very well constructed, but it has large, locking casters that make it easy to move about with a minimum of effort and then lock into place. The fuel tank is concealed in its own compartment drawer that is easily accessed by sliding it out for turn on/off. Each of the five separate burners light on first turn and generate abundant heat. I rarely have all five running unless cooking for a large party. The Ducane comes standard with an electric rotisserie and a rear ceramic infrared cooking unit that I have yet to use.
It looks like the total package, but it does have a few flaws and omissions, some of which are significant. Some minor issues are the lack of hooks for hanging utensils or cleaning brushes, etc. Also, inherent to any stainless appliance it is insanely difficult to keep clean. With all those cheap $100 grills I owned before I never cared, but this thing is practically a piece of furniture and requires cleaning after each use.
The more important flaws are purely functional. First, even though the burners have the obligatory "flare reducing" stainless covers that inhibit drippings from falling directly onto the flame there is still WAY too much flare-up when cooking fatty meats -- like my beloved Ribeyes, which I cook all the time. Even on lower settings the flame flare-up is uncontrollable and blackens my steaks. Unacceptable. Next, the burners *look* even, but heat is not evenly distributed. Items at the rear cook much more quickly then items up front, and this is on a perfectly leveled surface (using a bubble level). Since the burners run longitudinally front-to-back there is no way to compensate. This forces you to relocate items instead of just flipping them. Unacceptable for costly grill with a Ducane pedigree.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 700.00
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Epinions.com ID:
brendang
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Reviews written: 16
Trusted by: 3 members
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