American Outdoor Grill 24PPT T-Series 24″ Propane Gas Grill Review
American Outdoor Grills (AOG) love to use commercial grade 304 stainless steel with many of their models. You see this shining through with the impressive gleam of the AOG 24PPT T-Series 24 Inch Propane Gas Grill.
The grill head itself is founded onto a T-shaped pedestal base. There are two large side shelves beside it to hold prep and serving platters without having to worry about crowding or cross-contamination. Though there isn’t anywhere to store a propane tank out of sight. Not that you necessarily need a propane tank, as the AOG 24PPT can just as easily be converted over to run on natural gas. You’ll just need a natural gas line professional plumbed to your chosen grill site.
The AOG 24PPT has a pair of 16,000 BTU burner elements as well as a 10,000 BTU rear rotisserie burner. AOG even includes a rotisserie with the initial purchase. The two primary burners heat special “Vaporizer Panels” which act like large heat tents to vaporize drippings and perfume the meat with just the right amount of smoke. This replicates a lot of the smoky flavors that so many people love in charcoal grills.
Each of the heating elements can be fired up by AOG’s “Rapid Fire Ignition System.” This is essentially an electric piezo igniter that you can engage with the press of a single button.
The stainless steel grill grates measure in at 432 square inches, which is more than enough room to grill for a family of four. The removable warming rack is arguably on the small side and you could simply leave it out of the equation if you don’t need to hold over certain cuts of meat.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
The commercial-grade 304 stainless steel construction used throughout the AOG 24PPT speaks to its superior build quality. They further back it up with an impressive 15-year warranty, which is its own show of confidence from the manufacturer. You also have to like that they included the rotisserie components in the purchase, which isn’t always true of the competitors.
If there are a few knocks on the engineering, it’s that for all the visual beauty and sleek lines of the T-pedestal and firebox of the AOG 24PPT, there still isn’t anywhere to tuck away a propane tank. If you don’t want the eyesore of a propane tank at your grill side, natural gas conversion of this grill is relatively painless.
The AOG 24PPT also comes with wheels for people who want to move it around. Still, the 18 X 24-inch pedestal base works and looks good without the wheels. It also sits firmly on cobblestone patio surfaces.
Assembly takes a little bit of time with the AOG 24PPT. The T-shaped pedestal base can also be a little hard to install on your own. It’s probably a good idea to recruit someone else to help you put it together, rather than risk an awkward fall, while you’re trying to attach the fasteners.
Grilling Performance
The AOG 24PPT has two independent controls for the burners. Unfortunately, it doesn’t truly allow you to create two distinct heat zones across the 432 square inch grill grates. This is due in part to the orientation of the burners as well as the “Vaporizer Panels.”
The trade-off here is that you get very even heat distribution throughout the grill grates. There are veritably no hot or cold spots anywhere. Of course, the Vaporizer Panels also contribute a smoky aroma that you will notice with most meats, as the dripping is transformed into smoke
AOG also understands just how popular rotisserie grilling has become. So, they designed the 24PPT to accommodate a rotisserie then included it in the initial purchase. There even a 10,000 BTU rear rotisserie burner that’s perfectly positioned to slow-roast a rotating broiler-fryer chicken.
Just keep in mind that like a lot of rotisseries, there’s going to be some excess drippings. If you want to spare yourself a lot of mess, you should put a heavy-duty aluminum foil pan under it. Toss in a few quartered red potatoes, to poach in the hot drippings, like the French do, and your side dish is taking care of itself.
Grilling Areas
The AOG 24PPT offers 432 square inches of primary grill grate space. There’s also a very small warming rack that’s removable.
Special Features
The Vaporizer Panels really stand out. Not only do they serve as heat diffusers to create more even heating across the 432 square inch grill grates, but they also turn drippings into smoke. This does a nice job of perfuming the meat with the kind of fire kissed aroma so many people enjoy from a charcoal grill.
Ease to Clean
When you use it as a typical direct flame gas grill the AOG 24PPT is relatively easy to clean. Most of the drippings that escape the meat are turned into smoke and steam by the Vaporizer Panels. Though the panels themselves can get a little gunky over time and need a light scrubbing to keep them from becoming unsightly.
It’s also best to use a nylon bristle grill brush to scrape down the grill grates as it is less likely to scruff the surface like steel wool or a wire-bristle grill brush will.
When you set it up as a rotisserie you need to take extra steps to make sure that you’re accounting for the drippings that are released from the bird. A simple shallow bread pan or a heavy-duty aluminum foil pan can catch the drippings before they get a chance to spatter all over the firebox.
Warranty
The AOG 24PPT comes with an impressive 15-year warranty, which is rare for grills of this size and price point. Many of the competitors only offer 5 to 10-year protection. This is a real statement about the manufacturer’s dedication to quality materials and engineering.
Conclusion
The AOG 24PPT is a sleek stainless steel gas grill that can be set up to run on propane or natural gas. This particular model comes set up for propane, and you’ll have to figure out a way to disguise the gas tank behind the narrow T-shaped pedestal base.
You also have to like the fact that it has a rear burner and the rotisserie components are included in the purchase. Just make sure to take steps to keep the drippings from turning into a spattered mess.
