The Bottom Line

This is more grill island than grill. At nearly 8 feet, end to end, this $1,300USD monster has virtually everything, including a cover. It nine burners include three side burners, two standard and one infrared. This is also a rotisserie burner in the back. Big and shiny, this gas grill won't make it to the floor of most Lowe's stores and will generally be available only as a special order grill. Even at this price this grill cuts back on quality and much of the stainless steel body parts are very thin. Given the lowered quality the biggest problem with this grill are the large number of points of failure.

Pros

• Large, powerful grill loaded with features
• Complete stainless steel construction
• High heat output

Cons

• Low grade stainless steel construction
• Many parts, many points of failure
• Inefficient design

Description

• Six 12,000 BTU stainless steel tubular main burners
• 683 square inches of primary cooking space with a total of 950 square inches
• 72,000 BTU maximum output from the main burners
• Two large 15,000 BTU side burners
• 12,500 BTU infrared side searing burner
• 13,000 BTU rear mounted infrared rotisserie burner (rotisserie kit sold separately)
• Complete stainless steel construction including stainless steel rod cooking grates
• Electronic ignition, internal halogen lighting, LED lit control panel
• Cover and natural gas conversion kit included, propane tank and rotisserie kit sold separately
• Made in China exclusively for Lowe's Master Forge Brand

Guide Review - Master Forge 9-Burner Silver Gas Grill Model# 6318B

Lowe's has made a habit of keeping a giant, full featured gas grill in it catalog. This grill is the current model of that grill. At nearly 8 feet end to end, this large grill is loaded with features. Not only do you get a 6-burner gas grill that pumps out a lot of heat, but two 15,000 BTU side burners on the cart so you can do a lot of cooking. This grill also has a 12,500 ceramic type infrared sear burner on the other side so you can sear a steak (one at a time) before finishing it off on the grill. With every burner on, this grill pumps out 115,500 BTUs meaning it empty a 20-pound propane tank (filled to 18-pounds) in about 3 hours.

The thing about this grill is that the person who buys it probably doesn't really need to grill up 65 hamburgers at a time while searing a steak, boiling a pot full of corn and cooking up a can of soup. The person who buys this wants to impress his neighbors (yes, men will buy this, most women will probably know better). The problem is, that to really keep impressing your neighbors you are going to have to look after this grill obsessively. This grill isn't made with the kind of stainless steel that will retain its appearance for long so like on of those silly European sport cars it would be best if you kept this grill in your garage and only touched it to polish it.

Okay, maybe that's a little harsh, but before you buy this grill, ask yourself, does this grill really do what you are buying it for or does it just make you feel better about yourself, and as it corrodes over the next couple of years on your back porch, how will you feel? Yes, it will last you a couple of years but once parts start to fail you will find yourself owning a store brand grill from a store that doesn't carry parts and at this writing none of the parts suppliers I know have anything for this grill in stock, and when they do, they will be expensive.

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The Bottom Line

This is a dual head (or two lid) gas grill. One compartment is a standard, three burner gas grill that gives you 36,000 BTUs under 380 square inches of cooking area. The other side is a single 13,000 BTU infrared burner under 155 square inches. You get an independent infrared searing grill and a standard gas grill. I have said in the past that I like this combination. Unfortunately on this grill it isn't well executed. The weak construction, many plastic parts and poor quality stainless make this an unreliable grill that simply isn't built to last. At around $330USD this is a lightweight, gimmicky grill.

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Pros

• Dual head grill, one standard, one infrared
• Large amounts of storage space

Cons

• Poor quality materials throughout
• Thin, lightweight burners
• Dual head is an either or proposition
• Many plastic parts

Description

• Dual head gas grill with one 36,000 BTU standard grill and one 13,000 BTU infrared grill
• Three 12,000 BTU 430 stainless steel standard burners and one ceramic type 13,000 BTU infrared burner
• 535 square inches of primary cooking area for a total of 703 square inches of cooking space
• 11,000 BTU side burner under a flush mounted cover
• Porcelain coated cast iron cooking grates
• 430 stainless steel and powder coated steel construction
• Porcelain coated steel firebox with porcelain coated heat tents
• Propane tank and cover sold separately
• Pull out drawer in side table and fully enclosed cart
• Made in China exclusively for Lowe's Master Forge brand

Guide Review - Master Forge 4-Burner Split-Lid Gas Grill Model #SH3118B

The idea of the dual head grill is that you have one standard grill and one small infrared grill. You use the standard grill for regular cooking tasks and the infrared grill for high temperature searing. In a large, well built grill this is a great combination. This grill however is small and poorly constructed. After all, this one only costs around $330USD. Try to think about each of the two grills separately and decide if this combination makes sense to you.

One grill is a standard three burner, 36,000 BTU gas grill. The 380 square inches of primary cooking space makes this a small grill with average power for the size. The porcelain coated, cast iron cooking grates and the dual layer hood are nice features, but the thin metal and lightweight burners are pretty standard for the price range.

The other grill is a single burner, 11,000 BTU infrared gas grill. The 155 square inches makes it very small, but since you would use this as a searing station you don't need a lot of space. However, at only 10 inches wide it is a very narrow space to work with. The problem with this small searing grill is that you can really only put a steak or two on it. Not very practical unless you don't cook for very many people.

Added to this grill is a standard 11,000 BTU side burner under a flush mounted cover. This is a little low powered so don't expect it to heat a large pot.

The biggest problem I have with this grill is, again, that the construction is weak. If you take hold of the plastic handle over the infrared grill part, lift it half way up and then twist it you will find that you can bend it pretty easily. The entire grill is built like this, lightweight. Add to that the fact that all the stainless steel parts are 430 grade (poor quality) stainless. This means limited durability and that the grill can be easily damaged. All the handles and knobs are cheap plastic and the internal components (including hoses, regulators etc.) are as cheap as you can buy.

To illustrate this point, the first time I saw this gas grill, it was a model that had been stored outside. The screws, that are little more than decorations around the lid were rusted. If you have this grill, I bet you will store it outdoors, and I bet it will rain one day. The next day you will find rust.

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The Bottom Line

This compact three burner gas grill was designed to ship directly to consumers limiting the size and weight of the unit to something most shipping companies would transport. Even with these limits this 3-burner gas grill produces high, even heat and works very well as a basic grill for around $400. With additional features (purchasable anytime) you can give this grill a side burner, stainless steel cooking grates, a full sized griddle and much more. What is impressive about this grill is that despite the lightweight construction this grill is strong and durable, certainly worth the price.

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Pros

• Even heating
• Compact design
• Available in black, blue, green, and red

Cons

• Basic grill with all options costing more

Description

• Three 10,000 BTU Stainless Steel burners
• 365.5 square inches of primary cooking area with 535.5 square inches of total cooking area
• 30,000 BTU maximum output from the main burners
• Heavy porcelain coated cooking grates
• Porcelain coated firebox and hood with powder coated steel frame and body
• Large side tables set level with the cooking surface for a continuous work space from end to end
• One side table come standard with a removable cutting board while the other has a covered utility space
• Side burner, bamboo cutting board, stainless steel cooking grates and full sized griddle are available options
• Slide out propane tank drawer
• Propane tank and cover sold separately

Guide Review - Minden Master Gas Grill

The Minden Grill is designed as a full sized gas grill that can be mail ordered. The designer has worked out a way of putting together a good grill that breaks down for shipping and weighs in at around 110 pounds (making it possible for affordable ground shipping). The grill comes in four colors and has a series of upgrades possible. The basic unit is a good, straightforward grill with a number of customizable extras like a side burner, griddle, ice bucket, and more. Because of the design the makers of this grill promise that you can complete the assembly and be cooking in 30 to 45 minutes.

As a basic gas grill this unit seems on the expensive side (around $400) especially for a grill that is small in size and has not stainless steel (other than the burners). On the other hand this is a good quality grill that is durable and cooks very well (very even heat). The interesting design feature of this grill is the continuous work space across the top. The cooking surface is level with the side tables and there is no interruption of this space from side to side. This gives it an almost Japanese feel to the unit. As for the size of the grill, this is not the grill for someone who needs lots of space (or wants to brag about the size of their grill) but it is perfect for the person who needs a smaller grill. It is a perfect unit for the small family.

One of the strengths of this grill is the ability to add to it additional features in the future. There are not a lot of grills on the market that you can put a side burner on. Adding a side burner into this unit is a quick and easy operation that virtually anyone can do. Similarly other features can be easily replaced or added as needed.

One other advantage of this grill is that it can be shipped virtually anywhere in the U.S. or Canada so you can get it shipped where you need it.

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The Bottom Line

When it comes to products labeled "indoor grill" what you typically find are electric contact grills that can certainly cook, but don't do much for authentic style grilling. Granted, you can not get the same flavor on and indoor grill that you would with an outdoor grill, but the Minden Master Range Top Grill gets you pretty close. Looking like a dutch oven, this grill fits over the small burner on your stove top with an open bottom. The internal heat shield spreads out the heat and keeps drippings from hitting the burner. The internal channel around the outside can hold the grease of 3 or 4 burgers.

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Pros

• Authentic open grill design
• Heats up quickly
• Easy to clean
• Heavy, durable construction

Cons

• Can not be used on ceramic (glass) cook top

Description

• 110 square inches of cooking area
• Weight: 11 pounds
• Heavy porcelain coated cooking grate
• Dishwasher safe
• Stay cool handles

Guide Review - Minden Master Range Top Grill

Most stove top grills are cheap metal plates that sit on your range burner and create a lot of smoke. What the Minden Range Top Grill does is lifts the cooking surface high enough from the burner to reduce burning, gives you a really cooking grates (heavy porcelain coated steel) and puts a lid on the unit to hold in heat and prevent splatter. With all this, you get a stove top grill that actually grills and does a good job of it. Of course at around $100 this is more than those cheap excuses for a grill (and it does produce some smoke so you need a vent fan to use it).

The solid construction of this little unit makes it a durable grill that you will be able to use for a very long time. The porcelain coated materials and stay cool handles are easy to clean and the whole unit is dishwasher safe, making it very easy to clean.

At 110 square inches of cooking area this isn't a big grill. You should have room for about three to four burger patties or two small steaks. Perfect for a two people, but certainly not large enough for entertaining.

One important point about this unit. It needs to sit over the burner on your grill to keep it from moving. You can not use this stove top grill on a ceramic (glass) cook top. However, if you don't have a ceramic cook top and are willing to pay for this unit, then this is a grill you should certainly consider for your indoor grilling needs.

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