Meat eaters don't get it much better than this.
Written: Jun 14 '01
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Ease of Use: |
 |
|
| Durability: |
|
|
| Ease of Cleaning: |
 |
|
| Style: |
|
|
|
Pros: Great quality, large cooking surface, generates loads of heat.
Cons: Pricey, and very heavy.
The Bottom Line: Meat eaters and vegetarians alike- your grill is here!
|
|
|
| MagnumForce's Full Review: Vermont American Tool Company VC200 |
After spending the younger years of my life eating off food cooked on inferior barbecues, my father decided to take the plunge this summer and pick up something that not only would last for a long time, but would also cook a steak properly :).
After much comparison, mainly between the choices offered by Vermont, and those from Dukane, we decided on the VC200. As you'll read further down, our choice was a good one.
The Unit
The first thing many will notice when they first look at this grill is how large it is. Every single component looks like it was made to last a long time, and in addition, weighs quite a bit. Unlike other grills we'd purchased in the past, this one had a very nice lid that didn't allow grease to spill onto our deck when opened. The ignition is electronic, doing away with the frantic pumping we used to do, and the controls for the gas are all smooth working, large, and clearly labelled. There's no other way to phrase it- this barbecue looks like it costs a lot (it does), and it looks like it'll last forever (we'll see on that).
The Grill
After you open the lid, you notice just how huge the cooking surface is. Or rather, I noticed how huge it was, in comparison to our previous models. In addition, unlike many lower grade barbecues, the grill is covered in porcelain, lending a neat appearance, AND cooking the food better. I'm not quite sure why, but I think it has to do with the higher heat capacity of porcelain. Don't quote me on that though. All I do know is that when this grill is preheated to a nice temperature, you can cook a steak to perfection due to the heat generated by the grill surface. Also, the porcelain surface is much more easily cleaned than our old iron grills. One thing that may pose a problem in the future I suppose, would be chipping of the porcelain. I don't know how easy it would be to do so, but I assume that the grill plates are expensive, as would a replacement.
Also included with our grill was a rotisserie. It was fairly easy to set up, and once done, you can roast to your heart's content.The burner for the rotisserie is at the back of the grill, and also contains a smoke box. We used it once, and were thoroughly impressed with the way that it added different flavours to our food, dependent on what we used. A very nice touch indeed. One thing to note- we cooked a lamb roast on the rotisserie, and while it was stupendous, it did go for about 4 hours, so you WILL eat through propane tanks if you use the rotisserie on a constant basis.
Other Stuff
Included was a side burner, which is useful for cooking your food all in one place I suppose, rather than running back and forth from kitchen to barbecue. It works well, and I really have nothing else to say about a burner :).
The actual burners of the unit emit a LOT of heat. I'm not sure what the BTU rating is, but the barbecue gets very hot, very fast, as I learned first hand when I burned myself touching it by accident a minute after turning it on. The burners are covered by a metal plate that deflects any grease to the grease slide below. You can also stack charcoal bricks on top if you want, in order to give a more barbecuey flavor.
Storage areas are plentiful as well, with hooks for the utensils, and shelves in the cabinet for anything else you may need. There are also shelves right by the grill for seasonings etc.
I don't know if this was a special add on for us, but we also received a complete set of barbecue tools, which not only look great (all stainless steel with rubber grips), but also exude that same quality feel that the barbecue does.
The only thing I can think of that might be a problem is the weight of the unit. Being cast iron, it is VERY heavy. My brother and I had a rough time moving it around when steps were involved (and we're both well over 6 feet tall, and strong). For flat surfaces, it's fine, but if you need to lift it, be careful.
***
While pricey, I think this grill is a great buy for anybody looking for a quality grill. It has a lifetime warranty, and more importantly, you don't get the impression that it will ruin anytime soon. This barbecue is so good, we even went out a bought a cover for it- something we'd never done before! :)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 900
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
MagnumForce
|
 - Top 1000 |
|
Member: M F
Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Reviews written: 191
Trusted by: 62 members
About Me:
Nothing.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.