Royal Gourmet GB8000C Event 8-Burner BBQ Propane Gas Grill Review
If you need to cook for an event of a large number of people on a regular basis, then chances are you are looking for something that offers maximum capacity, as well as consistency. This is sort of a special niche in the outdoor grill and griddle industry. A variety of manufacturers offer competitive units, with a few extra bells and whistles.
The Royal Gourmet Event 8-Burner BBQ Propane gas grill certainly offers the space you need to cook for a staggering number of people. The eight stainless steel propane burners can be lit by a built-in electric igniter. Each produces a hot 13,000 BTUs of heat. At full tilt, it can generate a grand total of 104,000 BTUs. This is a slight step up on other competitors in this class who typically have burners that generate 10,000 to 12,000 BTUs per burner.
The Royal Gourmet 8-Burner Event also has two folding side tables to reduce its overall footprint when it’s not in use. Most online retailers also offer it with a waterproof cover. It also has a very sturdy base with a lower shelf. If you need to move it, the four strong wheels move easily, and it only weighs around 120-pounds.
Royal Gourmet understands that cleanup can be a major factor with a grill this size. They built the 8-Burner Event with two large and easy to remove drip cups. It also has a pull-out bottom drip tray, for speedy cleanup.
The Royal Gourmet 8-Burner Event is CSA rated for safety. However, this also means that there is no natural gas conversion available.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
The previous iteration of the Royal Gourmet 8-Burner Event drew some complaints when it came to the paint quality and the thickness of the metal used in certain components. Royal Gourmet took these critiques to heart and upgraded all these elements.
As you might imagine a grill this size is going to have a fair amount of assembly required. It’s not the sort of thing that you want to try to tackle all on your own. Recruit a friend to help you and you should be able to get it fully put together in two to three hours. Just take your time installing the folding side tables to make sure everything snugs up properly and they work the way they should.
Grilling Performance
The Royal Gourmet 8-Burner Event can run a little bit hotter than the competition, for the times when you need to grill on high heat. At the same time, the eight burners and 950 square inches of grill grates allow you to set up different heat zones. It is entirely possible to have the left side ripping hot, the middle set to a medium fire, and then a very low flame on the right side to essentially act as a warming zone.
One minor miss with the 8-Burner event is the lack of a griddle in the stock unit or as an accessory. Some competitors in this same class and price point offer a partial griddle or an additional, replaceable griddle top that can be swapped out in a few minutes with the grill grates.
Now it’s not all that hard to address this. If you really do need a griddle for doing something like frying bacon, or sautéing vegetables, there are a lot of manufacturers who offer high-quality cast iron griddles, for a relatively reasonable price. All you need to do is place the griddle over the hot propane burners for 15 to 20 minutes to preheat them before frying.
Grilling Areas
The Royal Gourmet 8-Burner event offers 950 square inches of grilling space. The racks themselves are made from a thick gauge wire that has been coated with a special semi non-stick porcelain material. This makes it easier to clean while also allowing you to maximize the relationship between the heat and the meat.
Special Features
The two large drip cups and the pull-out drippings trays certainly help with cleanup.
The rear of the Royal Gourmet 8-Burner Event also has a special air baffle to help reduce any problems caused by the breeze.
Ease to Clean
Royal Gourmet 8-Burner Event is easier to clean than you might think for a grill this size. This is thanks in large part to the large pull out bottom dripping tray as well as the two large drip cups. The porcelain coating on the grill grates also helps you scrape away any traces of burned on material.
If something gets particularly stubborn and sloppy you can always remove the grates to wash them in water. The porcelain layer prevents any direct contact between the underlying metal and the water to prevent problems with rusting.
Warranty
The Royal Gourmet 8-Burner Event comes with a 1-year limited warranty from the original date of purchase. This is a little bit less than what you find with competitor gas grills in this class which typically offer a 2 or 3-year limited warranty.
Conclusion
If you need to grill for a lot of people on a regular basis, then the Royal Gourmet 8-Burner Event is certainly worth considering. It can run a little hotter than the competition. It’s folding side tables help reduce its physical presence when not in use and can be handy if you need to move the grill from one event to the next.
Past concerns over metal quality and paint problems in previous iterations have been dealt with appropriately. So, you shouldn’t let these complaints in older reviews to sour your perception.
