Flame King YSNHT500 RV / Trailer Mounted BBQ Gas Grill Review
An RV grill needs to be convenient enough to give you an outdoor cooking area that doesn’t heat up the interior living space, while also not being so basic that you can only cook hot dogs or marshmallows on it. After all, you could do this over the camp site’s fire pit.
Entering this niche is the Flame King YSNHT500 RV Trailer Mounted BBQ Motorhome Gas Grill. It’s made from porcelain-coated steel for added rust and corrosion resistance. It has a locking lid with side dampers. This makes it convenient to store away safely without having to worry about it spilling, while also giving you a measure of heat control.
This RV grill is specifically set up to connect to an RV’s low-pressure external propane system. This self-contained connection and the included mounting bracket allow you to keep it reliably connected to the RV’s body.
If you like, you can take it off the mounting bracket, and connect it to Flame King’s 100395-48 quick connect hose. At that point the hanging rack can be converted into a free-standing base, allowing you to move it closer to a picnic area or out of the wind.
The stainless steel propane burner is rated to produce up to 12,000 BTUs. It’s spread relatively evenly across the 214 square inch chrome-plated grill grates. It is connected to a built-in regulator with a convenient electronic ignition system.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
The Flame King YSNHT500 RV & Motorhome gas grill is somewhat utilitarian and for the price point, you see this in the somewhat thin metal and the use of chrome-plated grill grates. Still, it’s a good value for the money, and it’s exactly the kind of grill you might target if your RV purchase has taken a big bite out of your budget.
The fact that it’s designed to connect to an RV’s self-contained liquid propane system is a little bit of a double-edged sword. If your camper or motorhome has an external low-pressure connection, then this feature is very convenient. If you don’t have an external LP connection, then you might need to run a line from one of the interior connections, which could be a bit of a red mark on this unit.
The fact that this grill comes with the correct mounting bracket is a nice touch and isn’t always something you find in competitor grills. It’s also worth noting that if you want to opt for Flame King’s partner hose you can convert the bottom into a free-standing base. However, that base is a little bit on the wobbly side.
When it comes to assembly, putting this Flame King RV grill together is relatively easy. Just take a moment to make sure that the mounting bracket is properly secured into something structural on the exterior of the RV. Then adopt the habit of double-checking the LP connection every time you install the grill.
Grilling Performance
The Flame King YSNHT500 RV Trailer Mounted Motorhome Gas Grill doesn’t have a lot of available height under the lid. This can be an issue if you want to make things like a beer can chicken. It’s probably only capable of handling a thick-cut, stuffed pork chop or three.
The warming rack can seriously get in the way sometimes. If you are grilling something tall, you might want to remove it, and simply use a cooler part of the grill as a foil-lined warming area.
Like a lot of single element propane grills, this grill can be prone to hot and cold spots. If you are only working with a small amount of food, it’s not a big deal. You can do your active cooking over the hottest areas. Then lay down a little heavy-duty aluminum foil over the cooler areas to mimic a warming zone for foods that get done early.
It’s also worth noting that the bottom of this grill can get very hot. There simply isn’t enough insulation or space to prevent it from burning a picnic tabletop. So, you really do need to deploy the free-standing base to prevent a fire hazard when you are using it off the mounting bracket.
Grilling Areas
The Flame King YSNHT500 RV Trailer Mounted Motorhome Gas Grill provides 214 square inches of grilling space. This is enough to grill four hamburger patties at a time, or perhaps two chicken breasts. With some careful placement, you could just about fit three thick-cut pork chops.
Special Features
The locking lid is one of those things that doesn’t seem all that special. Yet it lets you lock all your grilling tools in place to grab them easily. It also gives you some peace of mind that when you turn a corner, the grill in your RV’s storage bin isn’t going to spill grease spattered tools all over your duffle bag.
Ease to Clean
There isn’t any sort of formal grease management system in the Flame King YSNHT500 RV Gas Grill. As long as you aren’t grilling up something that’s particularly juicy, you can just line the bottom with heavy-duty aluminum foil for easy grease cleanup.
The grates are a little bit on the sticky side. If you lightly oil them before laying a piece of meat down, it will lessen the elbow grease that later goes into scraping them clean.
Warranty
The Flame King YSNHT500 RV Gas Grill is backed by a 30-day warranty. This is a little bit less than some of the competitors in this niche. Still, you wouldn’t expect a three-year comprehensive warranty for a grill in this price range.
Conclusion
The Flame King YSNHT500 RV Gas Grill is definitely designed for RV use. If your RV doesn’t have external LP connections, or you want a more portable grill, you might want to look elsewhere. Still, this is a good value unit for an RV adventurer with a tight budget, who also wants to grill food without fighting with the interior air conditioner.
