Char-Broil Classic 280 2-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill Review
Propane grills are prized by many for the simple convenience and easy cleanup. The Char-Broil Classic 280 2-Burner Liquid Propane gas grill answers this call with a very friendly price point. Over the years many people have purchased it as their first gas grill. It features a pair of stainless steel inline propane burners. Each has its own control knob that allows you to alter the temperature to grill in zones. This is helpful for pieces of meat that might benefit from slow grilling on indirect heat, before searing the outside over direct high heat.
Having two possible cooking zones also means you can do something like slowly sweat asparagus spears over one burner, before quickly searing a Steak over the other burner. The Char-Broil Classic 280 also comes with an integrated Piezo ignition system which allows you to fire up the grill with the simple push of a button. The lid and firebox are made from durable steel and coated with a special layer of black porcelain-enamel. This helps protect the exterior of the grill and extends its life. The 280 square inch grill grate is also coated with a special porcelain material, to help maximize the lifespan of the grate, while also providing you with a semi-nonstick surface. It also has a pair of side tables to provide you with enough space to hold prep trays and serving platters.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
For the price point, the materials used in the grill are durable and a good value. Propane grills often take more time to assemble than charcoal. With some a little mechanical sympathy and some basic tools, you should be able to fully assemble the Char-Broil Classic 280 in an hour and a half.
If you have natural gas hookups at your home, there is a conversion kit available for Char-Broil Classic 280. It costs around $50 and takes around an hour to fully install.
One other thing to note about the Char-Broil Classic 280 is that it is designed to run off of a 25-pound liquid propane tank. The legs are designed to hold it near the wheels when it’s set in place. However, it can be a little wobbly when you are moving it. If you do need to wheel the grill around you should consider strapping the tank in place with a bungee cord or simply disconnecting the tank to carry it separately.
Grilling Performance
The two stainless steel inline propane burners are rated to produce 20,000 BTU’s of heat. This is sufficient for searing thick-cut steaks and just about anything else you want to grill over high heat. The grill grate measures 20-inches wide by 14-inches deep, which is just enough to handle a dozen hamburger patties. It does not have a warming rack built into the area. However, if you are only grilling a modest amount of food, you can set one of the burners to off or low and then use that part of the grill as a warming area.
Grilling Areas
The Char-Broil Classic 280’s grill grate measures 20-inches wide by 14-inches deep, which provides you with 280 square inches of grilling space. This is enough to handle up to 12 hamburger patties or something more exotic like a grilled pizza. If you want to grill something larger like a rack of spare ribs, you may need to cut them down into three rib portions as the grate might not accommodate a full rack. Without placing some of it under direct heat.
Special Features
The integrated Piezo ignition system is designed to light the grill with a single button push. This spares you the potential inconvenience of having to wrestle with matches or a stick lighter when you want to fire up the grill.
Ease to Clean
Propane grills are typically much easier to clean than charcoal. Most of the time, you simply need to leave the fire burning for a few minutes after you are done grilling. This should dry out any stuck-on material. You can then give the grate a light scrape down with a wire or nylon grill brush.
If something is stubbornly stuck on the porcelain coated grill grates, you can wait until they are fully cooled down. At that point, you can easily remove them to soak in some warm soapy water. Once the unwanted material loosens, you can gently scrub it away with a non-abrasive brush.
From time to time a particularly juicy piece of meat might drip on the burner elements. This can be especially bothersome if it happens to plug one of the flame holes. In a situation like this, you shouldn’t use a wire brush or steel wool. A Nylon grill brush is often the right tool for the job. It is soft enough, yet durable enough to break the debris loose.
Warranty
The Char-Broil Classic 280 comes with a multi-tier warranty package. The inline stainless burners come with a five-year warranty. The firebox and lid come with a two-year warranty. All other parts and components come with a 1-year warranty from the date of purchase.
It’s also worth noting that some online manufacturers offer protection plans with very friendly price points.
Conclusion
If you want to be able to grill meat and vegetables over an open flame, with the ease and convenience of a gas grill, then the Char-Broil 280 offers a very friendly price point. It’s the kind of grill you can buy with your first home or one that you can keep at your cabin or vacation timeshare.
