Specifications
- 480 square inches of direct cooking space
- Adjustable height cooking grate
- All stainless steel construction
- Two fold-down side tables
- Two-piece cooking grate
- Two wheels
- Made in China by IGBBQ
Full Review – IG Charcoal BBQ Grill
PROS
- Large cooking surface
- Traditional open charcoal grill
- Stainless steel construction
- Large side tables that fold down
CONS
- Poor construction quality
- Thin metal materials
- Clunky engineering
Ah, the pure beauty of simple grilling. Fire and food and little else. The IG Charcoal BBQ Grill provides just that. This open grill has no vents, lid, or anything else to get in the way. There doesn’t even seem to be an available cover you can buy for this grill. It is all stainless and has a grate to cook on. Simplicity and beauty.
Okay, enough of the philosophical waxing. The IG Charcoal BBQ is the simplest grill you can buy. You would think that at well over $400USD there would be more to it. Constructed of high grade stainless steel, this is an old-school charcoal grill. The coal grate can be raised or lowered to adjust the intensity of the heat at the cooking grates. You build a fire and put food over it. In many ways, this was the way grilling was meant to be. And best of all, it works.
So this should be a grill that is hard to get wrong. And I am not saying that IG BBQ got it wrong, but there are some issues. First of all, this is a stainless steel grill. It is all stainless–every part of it other than the insulated covers on the handles of the cooking grates and the rubber wheels on the casters. The manufacturer is of the opinion that this grill will always be easy to clean and doesn’t need a cover of any kind. It still fills with rainwater though. Also, the stainless steel isn’t of great quality. It’s good, but not great.
On the model I received to test the legs didn’t lock into the body. If you lift the grill the legs fall off. This wouldn’t be too big of an issue if mine had four casters like the models shown on their website. Mine has two casters. To move the grill you have to lift it by the legs and drag it. Not terribly convenient.
Then there is the metal on this grill. Stainless, yes. But stainless steel metal. It pops and groans when the grill is hot due to the thermal expansion of the metal.
The Bottom Line
Aside from the limited engineering, this is a good grill. It is a lot of fun to cook on. I love the purity of it. Just light up some charcoal and cook. Crank the coal grate up or down and it is just a blast to use. Would I pay for one? No. Should you? I won’t tell you what to do. If you have nearly $500USD and want a shiny charcoal grill that doesn’t do indirect cooking, buy it. It’s definitely a fun conversation piece.
