(4.1 / 5)
Master Cook give you a brand name that sounds like they know what they are talking about so does the mastery extend from the name to the design and functionality of this barbecue grill. The first thing that will draw you to this grill is it’s price sitting nicely right below $200 dollars so it is extremely affordable and the main issue is if the low price presents any value. 340 square inches of cooking space and a 164 square inch warming surface gives you a good enough area to create a meal for the average family. Sadly you don’t get much utility along with it without any side or rear burners.
This is a propane gas grill made to bring you the bare minimum that you would expect to find in a gas grill. Strong materials and a simple build come along with such a beginner goal though nothing really to write home about. Many people will rejoice at this package for providing the basics at such a low price while others will be significantly frustrated by the lack of imagination that keeps this model in the low end bracket.
Main Characteristics
Like many low end grills this one focuses on bringing you strong versions of the most basic parts of any grill without any of the utility that separates higher end grills. The first thing you will notice is even though it has a cabinet style design and four wheels with multiple locking mechanisms it does not have the cabinet for storage. We do have three stainless steel burners however that provide 10,000 BTU’s of heating power as well. This is one of the strongest aspect of this grill as finding three burners of at least 10,000 BTU’s is rare to find even as you get past the half century mark for pricing. That being said don’t expect performance beyond what you’d find in a similar setup.
Another nice addition is the porcelain coated cast iron grill grates that promise impressive durability along with making them easier to clean and better for cooking meals without worrying about them sticking to the grill. The hood is stainless steel even though it doesn’t look like it and provides some extra value in its durability and cleanability.
Pro’s
- Pretty large cooking surface for a grill in its range with enough space for most families
- Higher quality materials in some important places like the porcelain cast iron grill grates
- Covers all of the basics of grilling pretty well
Con’s
- Lacks any feature that steers it towards bonus utility
- Not much stainless steel in the design
- Looks a bit cheap even when compared to some similarly priced models
Design
This will be an important area for many purchaser as it is one of the more interesting spots in comparison to the competition. We have a cabinet style design but no cabinet instead we have some black metal to cover up the dead space which only helps on a stylistic level as opposed to providing any utility.
The side tables provide some extra space and conveniently fold away for storage when they are not needed. The bottom features a couple heavy duty wheels without locking mechanisms which would be a serious problem if the other side didn’t have flat legs for a base. This combination is one of the surefire ways to know you have a low end grill so nothing outside of the box here. The key thing to keep in mind for the design is while all of the basics are covered, they don’t go beyond at any spot and the overall grill feels relatively cheap with thinly crafted metal. All that aside however this is somewhat common for low end grills and becomes along with the rest of the design an issue of you get what you pay for.
Special Features
By now you should start to see a bit of a them here as this is a section that you will find woefully laccking if you keep up with the current trends across the grilling world. This model is relatively bereft of special features unless you count things such as wheels, a thermometer, and a hood as special features.
You could also light up a candle for the push to start electronic ignition, but outside of that you are going to have to be happy with a solid goose egg for special features. At this price however this is about what you would expect to see, some grills might have a side burner but that is about all you will find and this grill somewhat makes up for it with powerful individual burners. You are not paying to be the coolest kid at the grill party so Master Cook just delivers the basic suit.
Warranty
Thankfully this grill is relatively easy to put together and does not have too many elements so the warranty should not be too much of an issue. The big issue however is the information is pretty hard to find and will probably require a call to the manufacturer to get anything hanndled. The issue here is this is not a well know brand and you are probably looking at a decent amount of hassle if your grill breaks down. On top of this the warranty is likely no longer than two years while probably trending towards the 90 day mark. So purchase this grill with a grain of salt and rejoice in the low price because while this grill should last it isn’t exactly great for replacement.
Image Credit: Amazon.com
Master Cook Smart Space Living
-
Score
Summary
You do not have to spend a ton of money to find a solid grill though this one only barely makes it into that category. The materials are pretty good and the main elements are good as well for the price. The biggest issue here comes with the lack of utility and a penchant for going the bare minimum for every aspect outside of the cooking grates, burners, and hood. At the end of the day though those are the most important parts of any grill so this one might just be enough for you (if not, you always can look at my top pick best gas grills under 300, under 500 or even up to 1000).