Napoleon LEX 605 Built-In Grill with Infrared Rotisserie Review
The Napoleon LEX 605 lands in the middle of their drop in gas grill range. It is specifically set up to run on propane and includes three 16,000 BTU burners, as well as a rear 12,500 burner. It also has a sizzle burner that generates 13,500 BTUs of intense heat for searing and marking pieces of meat. All burners can be lit by the built-in Jet Fire ignition system that Napoleon installs in all their high-end grills.
The rear burner comes setup with a special infrared element. As the underlying propane flame heat it, the element starts to emit safe, yet intense infrared radiation. This cooks meat differently than direct flame. You see infrared radiation doesn’t interrupt food’s natural moisture barrier. This means more of the natural juices remain inside the meat, as they come up in temperature.
The rear burner is specifically designed to work with an accessory rotisserie. However, the rotisserie unit for the Napoleon LEX 605 is sold separately.
The primary grill grate measures in at 605 square inches and is made from stainless steel in Napoleon’s brand image “Wave” pattern. This makes for visually interesting grill marks, as well as better heat distribution along the entire grill surface. There is also a chrome plated 245 square inch warming rack.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
Napoleon prides itself on offering quality products. This is especially true with the gas grills that make up the primary focus of their line. The majority of the LEX 605 is made from high quality 304 stainless steel. This type of stainless has a reputation for resisting corrosion and maintaining it’s gleam in the long term.
Two areas where Napoleon misses with the LEX 605 is the lack of a rotisserie and grill cover in the initial purchase. The cover would help this drop-in grill head to maintain the stunning visual appeal, while also protecting your investment. Without the rotisserie, the rear mounted infrared burner really has no purpose. Most other grills of this caliber in the Napoleon line include the rotisserie standard.
Assembly isn’t overly complicated with the LEX 605. If you aren’t mechanically inclined there are some online retailers who offer an affordable “Expert Assembly” service. Just keep in mind that these services are limited to putting the grill head together and it does not carry over to installing it into the counter or outdoor kitchen space.
Grilling Performance
The Napoleon LEX 605 will do just about everything you expect a high-quality gas grill to do. The “Wave” grill grates create some visually interesting sear marks. They also help to redistribute the heat of the three 16,000 BTU burners to reduce hot and cold spots.
The three-burner set up allows you to create two distinct heat zones. However, there isn’t enough space between each element to properly create three heat zones. This means you can still hybrid grill bone-in pieces of chicken and stuffed pork chops over low heat on one side. Then you can finish and mark them on the high heat area or the sizzle burner.
Another way to make the most out of the dual heat zone setup is to grill an herb-rubbed, bone-in, leg of lamb. You simply set up the left and right burners to medium heat. Leave the center burner off. Set the leg of lamb with the bone running in the same direction as the burner elements. Roast for 20 minutes. Then rotate it 90 degrees. The ambient heat absorbed by the wave grill grates will lightly mark the exterior, while the heat cooks it through to the bone.
The fact that the rotisserie isn’t included in the initial purchase is a little bit disappointing. Still, it is completely worth it to spring the extra money for it. I think you will find yourself falling in love with infrared roasted rotisserie chicken. Just don’t overload the spit.
Grilling Areas
The stainless steel primary grill grates offer 605 square inches of grilling real estate. The warming rack is also rather large measuring in at 245 square inches. Combined it gives you 850 square inches of cooking/warming space.
Special Features
The Jet Fire ignition system allows you to light all the burners without having to fiddle with a lighter or matches.
The sizzle zone burner allows you to sear and mark off pieces of meat.
The rear propane burner comes with an infrared element. It’s meant to work with an accessory rotisserie, which is not included in the purchase.
Ease to Clean
The Napoleon LEX 605 is relatively easy to clean. The Wave style grill grates can take a little more scraping than a standard straight grill grate. It might help to use a nylon-bristled grill brush, which tends to handle the curved angles of the Wave pattern.
If you set it up to use the accessory rotisserie, you should place a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil or a disposable baking dish under the bird. This will catch the drippings while also reducing the mess that typically occurs when a chicken is slow roasted on a rotisserie.
Warranty
The Napoleon LEX 605 comes with a multi-tier limited warranty.
The stainless steel base, stainless steel lid, and cooking grids all come with a 15-year warranty against manufacturer defects. The stainless steel propane burners are covered by a 10-year full coverage, plus 50% off until the 15th year. All other parts and components carry a basic 2-year warranty.
This level of warranty is typically a full step higher than the competition.
Conclusion
The Napoleon LEX 605 lands in the middle of their drop-in gas grill line. It echoes their reputation for quality and can handle pretty much everything you throw at it. It’s also backed by a superior warranty.
The lack of a cover and a rotisserie in the initial purchase is a little bit of a letdown. However, these accessories don’t really cost all that much and they will help you make the most out of the LEX 605 for many years to come.
