There’s a moment every backyard chef dreads. It’s that feeling of disappointment when you lift the lid, full of hope, only to find steaks that are more gray than brown, burgers that are steamed instead of seared, and chicken with limp, pale skin. For years, I battled with a succession of big-box store grills that promised the world but delivered mediocrity. They’d flare up uncontrollably one minute and struggle to stay above 300°F the next. The “sear zone” was a marketing gimmick, and the side burner could barely boil water. I was tired of compromising, tired of making excuses for my equipment. The search was on for a grill that could do it all: provide immense, controllable heat, offer the versatility of multiple cooking zones, and feel like a permanent, quality fixture on my patio—all without demanding a second mortgage. This wasn’t just about buying a new appliance; it was about reclaiming the joy of outdoor cooking.
- STAINLESS STEEL BURNERS - Four main 304 stainless steel burners, one side burner, and one side sear burner with 72,000 total BTUs deliver powerful heat and...
- LARGE COOKING AREA - 723 square inches of total cooking area offers plenty of grilling space; 513 square inches of primary cooking area and 210 square...
What to Consider Before Buying a Propane Gas Grill
A propane grill is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for creating memorable outdoor dining experiences, from quick weeknight dinners to elaborate weekend feasts. It solves the problem of inconvenient, messy charcoal and slow preheat times, offering instant, controllable flame at the turn of a knob. The main benefits are speed, convenience, and precise temperature control, allowing you to focus on the art of cooking rather than the chore of fire management. A quality grill becomes the centerpiece of your backyard, a gathering spot for friends and family, and an indispensable tool for expanding your culinary repertoire.
The ideal customer for a feature-rich grill like this is the home cook who is serious about grilling and sees it as a true cooking method, not just a way to char hot dogs. They host gatherings, enjoy experimenting with different techniques like searing, slow-roasting, and side-dish preparation, and value having a single, powerful station for all their outdoor cooking needs. It might not be suitable for those with very limited patio space, apartment dwellers with restrictions, or the casual user who only grills a few times a year. For them, a smaller, portable grill or a basic kettle grill might be a more practical and economical choice.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: Measure your available patio or deck space carefully. A large, cabinet-style grill like this one, measuring 54 inches wide, requires a significant footprint. You must also account for clearance on all sides for safety, as well as space to comfortably stand and maneuver while you cook.
- Capacity/Performance: Think about how many people you typically cook for. With 723 square inches of total cooking space, this grill is built for a crowd. Beyond size, consider the BTU (British Thermal Unit) output. A total of 72,000 BTUs across six burners indicates serious heating power, which is essential for quick preheating and achieving a proper, high-heat sear.
- Materials & Durability: The longevity of your grill is determined by its construction. Look for high-grade materials like 304 stainless steel for burners, which offers excellent corrosion resistance. Porcelain-coated cast iron grates are prized for their superior heat retention and non-stick qualities, while a full stainless steel body provides a premium look and good weather resistance, though long-term care is still vital.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: Features that simplify the grilling experience are invaluable. Look for reliable electronic ignition, a clear built-in thermometer, and easy-to-clean components. A slide-out grease tray, for instance, can turn a dreaded chore into a simple task. Consider the long-term care required to prevent issues like rust and ensure your investment lasts for many seasons.
While the Monument Grills 4+2 Burner Propane Gas Grill with Side Burners is an excellent choice that ticks many of these boxes, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models that deliver great value, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- High-Heat Propane Gas BBQ Grill – This 4-burner gas grill with an additional 8,500 BTU side burner delivers a total of 46,500 BTU. Enjoy rapid...
- ❤ STAINLESS STEEL BURNERS: This propane gas grill has 3 Stainless Steel burners, can put out 30,000 BTU-per-hour with integrated piezoelectric ignition...
- Heavy-Duty Griddle Plate – Built with a 4mm thick, reinforced hot-pressed steel griddle that ensures excellent heat retention and durability. Perfect for...
First Impressions: Unboxing a Backyard Powerhouse
The Monument Grills 4+2 Burner Propane Gas Grill with Side Burners arrives in a formidable, heavy box. Our first piece of advice: have a helper on hand. Unboxing it, we were immediately impressed by the meticulous packaging; every stainless steel panel was protected with film, and components were neatly secured in foam. This attention to detail, which many users also noted, minimizes the risk of shipping damage, though a few online reports mention occasional minor dents. The vibrant blue control panel and lid accents are striking, a welcome departure from the sea of monotonous black and stainless grills on the market. It feels substantial and looks more expensive than it is. Assembly is a project, not a quick task. Following the diagram-heavy instructions, it took us just under three hours at a steady pace. This aligns with user experiences, which range from two to four hours depending on skill level. The hardware is well-organized, and the main cabinet structure feels solid once bolted together. It’s clear from the start that this isn’t a flimsy, disposable grill; it’s a serious piece of cooking equipment you can explore in more detail online.
Key Benefits
- Massive 72,000 BTU total output for powerful, rapid heating.
- Incredibly versatile with four main burners, one standard side burner, and an infrared sear burner.
- Premium features like a Clearview® glass lid and LED-backlit control knobs.
- Large 723 sq. inch total cooking area is perfect for entertaining.
- Solid construction with porcelain-coated cast iron grates and stainless steel components.
Potential Drawbacks
- Assembly can be time-consuming and instructions could be clearer.
- Reports from some long-term users of rust and durability issues if not meticulously maintained.
- Does not include a propane tank slide-out tray.
Performance Under Fire: A Deep Dive into the Monument Grill Experience
A grill’s true worth is proven not on the spec sheet, but over live fire with a thick-cut steak sizzling on the grates. Over several weeks of intensive testing—cooking everything from delicate fish to slow-cooked ribs and flash-seared ribeyes—we pushed the Monument Grills 4+2 Burner Propane Gas Grill with Side Burners to its limits. Here’s our in-depth breakdown of how it performed.
Assembly and Build Quality: A Rewarding Weekend Project
Let’s be clear: assembling this grill requires patience. While some users found it “plainless,” others reported it took up to four frustrating hours. Our experience fell somewhere in the middle. The packaging is excellent, protecting the handsome brushed stainless steel and vibrant blue finish. The instructions rely heavily on diagrams, which are mostly clear but require close attention. As one user wisely noted, “use the black screws to install gas lines, not the ‘A’ screws!” Paying attention to these small details is key. The most challenging part, a sentiment echoed by others, was connecting the wiring and gas lines for the side burners underneath the shelves, especially for those with larger hands. However, once assembled, the unit feels impressively sturdy. The cabinet doors align well, the frame is solid, and the oversized caster wheels make it surprisingly easy to move around the patio. The porcelain-coated cast iron grates are hefty and scream quality, a feature many users called “awesome.” While the majority of the body is stainless steel, it’s important to note that some users have reported rust issues after a couple of years, particularly on the bottom panel. This underscores the importance of using a good cover and performing regular cleaning to protect your investment. For its price point, however, the initial build quality and material selection are a significant step up from typical entry-level grills.
Unmatched Cooking Power and Versatility
This is where the Monument Grills 4+2 Burner Propane Gas Grill with Side Burners truly shines and justifies its existence. The combined 72,000 BTU output is monstrous. Turning all four main burners to high, the grill preheats with astonishing speed, easily pegging the built-in thermometer past 600°F in under 10 minutes. This raw power is exactly what you need for a deep, flavorful crust on your food. One user perfectly captured our feelings: “Don’t turn your back on this grill if you have all 4 burners on, you’ll have a bad time.” This is not an exaggeration; the heat is intense and demands your attention, but it’s also wonderfully controllable. The stainless steel flame tamers do an excellent job of distributing that heat, minimizing hot spots across the expansive 513-square-inch primary cooking area.
The real game-changer is the dual side burner setup. On the right, a standard 12,000 BTU burner is perfect for simmering a barbecue sauce or sautéing onions. But on the left is the crown jewel: a 12,000 BTU infrared side sear burner. This thing is a blowtorch. It glows red-hot in seconds and creates a steakhouse-quality, edge-to-edge crust on a thick ribeye in about 60 seconds per side. We used a reverse-sear method—slowly bringing steaks up to temperature on the main grates and then finishing them on the sear station—with spectacular results. This single feature elevates the grill from a simple backyard cooker to a versatile outdoor kitchen. It’s a capability, as one user researched, that’s “about impossible unless you want to spent $1k to find one.” This level of cooking versatility is rare at this price and is a primary reason to seriously consider this model.
Thoughtful Design and User-Friendly Features
Beyond raw power, Monument Grills has incorporated several features that genuinely enhance the grilling experience. The most prominent is the Clearview® Lid. At first, we were skeptical, thinking it was a gimmick. We were wrong. Being able to visually check on your food—watching for flare-ups or monitoring the browning of chicken skin—without lifting the lid and losing precious heat is a massive advantage. It helps maintain stable cooking temperatures, which is crucial for things like beer-can chicken or slow-roasting a pork shoulder. Several users specifically praised this feature, with one loving “the window to check on the grilling process.”
Another standout feature is the blue LED lighting on the control knobs. This isn’t just for show; for anyone who has fumbled with a phone flashlight while trying to grill after sunset, this is a brilliant, practical touch that improves both convenience and safety. The electronic ignition system worked flawlessly on every burner during our tests, firing them up on the first try. Cleaning is also refreshingly straightforward. The full-width, slide-out grease tray is easy to access from the back. We took a cue from another reviewer and lined it with heavy-duty aluminum foil, making cleanup an absolute breeze. While the grill isn’t perfect—we agree with the user who wished for a slide-out propane tank tray—the combination of these thoughtful features makes the Monument Grills 4+2 Burner Propane Gas Grill with Side Burners a joy to use day in and day out. These are the kinds of additions that truly set a product apart from its rivals.
What Other Users Are Saying
Our positive experience is largely mirrored by the majority of online feedback. Many users are thrilled with their purchase, calling it “extremely well built” and noting that “you can see the difference in quality compared to a lesser priced grill.” One happy customer said, “I can’t say how much I love this grill… I highly recommend it.” The powerful heat, versatile side burners, and premium features are common points of praise.
However, the feedback isn’t universally glowing, and it’s important to acknowledge the criticisms. The most significant concerns revolve around long-term durability. Several users who have owned the grill for two or more years report significant issues with rust, particularly on the bottom panel of the cabinet. One disappointed user stated, “Update Mar 8 2022 – bottom rusted out. So bummed, not even 3 years. Always kept under cover and totally rusted through the bottom.” There are also isolated but severe reports of safety issues like fires, which seem linked to a lack of regular cleaning of the grease trap—a critical maintenance step for any powerful gas grill. Other minor complaints include difficult assembly, initial igniter failures, and occasional shipping damage like dents and scratches.
How Does the Monument Grills 4+2 Burner Propane Gas Grill with Side Burners Compare to the Alternatives?
No product exists in a vacuum. To understand its true value, we need to compare the Monument Grills 4+2 Burner Propane Gas Grill with Side Burners against other options that might be on a shopper’s radar.
1. Char-Broil 1-Burner Portable Propane Grill
- GAS GRILL: Powered by liquid propane gas, this grill runs on a 1-pound propane gas tank, not included. It reaches cooking temperatures quickly, delivers...
- COOKING AREA: Grill up to 10 burgers, 4 chicken breasts or 14 brats on a 240-square-inch grate.
This Char-Broil grill represents a completely different philosophy of outdoor cooking. It’s designed for portability and simplicity, not power and versatility. With a single burner and a small cooking surface, it’s the perfect companion for camping trips, tailgating, or for someone living in an apartment with a tiny balcony. It cannot compete with the Monument grill’s sheer size, BTU output, or feature set like the sear station. If you need a grill for a family of four or for entertaining guests, the Char-Broil is not a viable option. However, if your primary need is a compact, easy-to-transport grill for one or two people, it’s an excellent and affordable choice.
2. Concord 16″ Single Banjo Wok Burner with Stand
- Concord Professional 16" Stronghold burners are capable to putting out up to 270,000 BTU and are built like tanks. This is part of our professional series,...
- This is our DROP IN WOK Edition, this means that there is a custom built wok ring that allows you to drop your 11" or wider wok into the burner. Drop in...
The Concord burner is a specialist tool, not an all-purpose grill. Its massive 270,000 BTU output is designed for one thing: generating incredible, focused heat for wok cooking, home brewing, or large-pot turkey frying. It excels at these tasks, delivering a level of heat that no conventional gas grill, including the Monument, can match in a single spot. However, it offers zero versatility for traditional grilling. You can’t grill burgers, steaks, or chicken on it in the conventional sense. This is an “and” product, not an “or” product—something a serious outdoor cook might buy in addition to a grill like the Monument Grills 4+2 Burner Propane Gas Grill with Side Burners to perfect their stir-fry game.
3. Monument Grills Mesa415BZ 4+1 Propane Gas Grill
- PORCELAIN-ENAMELED CAST IRON GRATES : Achieve optimal flavor with our durable, easy-to-clean porcelain-enameled cast iron grates, ensuring even heat...
- ADVANCED SEAR-REACH UP TO 650F° In 10 MINUTES: Unlike conventional burners with side flame holes, this sear zone showcases U-shaped fire holes at the...
This is the most direct competitor, coming from the same brand. The Mesa415BZ is essentially the slightly smaller, more streamlined sibling to the model we reviewed. It features four main burners and one standard side burner, for a total of 62,000 BTUs. It forgoes the infrared sear station and the Clearview® lid, which are the key selling points of our featured grill. This makes it a great option for someone who loves the Monument Grills aesthetic and build quality but doesn’t need the absolute peak performance of a dedicated sear burner. If your budget is a bit tighter or you primarily grill items that don’t require an intense sear, the Mesa415BZ offers much of the same core experience for a lower price.
The Final Verdict: A Feature-Packed Powerhouse for the Grilling Enthusiast
After extensive hands-on testing and poring over real-world user feedback, our verdict is clear. The Monument Grills 4+2 Burner Propane Gas Grill with Side Burners delivers an astonishing amount of power, versatility, and premium features for its price point. The combination of a massive main cooking area, a functional side burner, and a truly phenomenal infrared sear station creates a complete outdoor cooking system that can handle virtually any task you throw at it. The addition of thoughtful touches like the Clearview® lid and LED-lit knobs pushes it even further ahead of its direct competition.
It is not, however, without its compromises. The assembly can be a test of patience, and the reports of long-term rust are a valid concern that necessitates diligent cleaning and covering. This is not a “set it and forget it” appliance. We recommend this grill to the passionate home cook who is willing to put in a bit of effort in assembly and maintenance in exchange for unparalleled performance and features that are typically found on grills costing two or three times as much. If you’ve been dreaming of achieving that perfect steakhouse sear at home, this is your chance. For those ready to elevate their backyard cooking game, we can wholeheartedly recommend you check the latest price and availability on this exceptional grill.
Last update on 2025-11-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API