Royal Gourmet Regal GB2000 2 Burner Gas Griddle Grill Review
Outdoor gas-fired griddles are surprisingly more popular than you might think. They are especially handy if you have a family cabin or you simply need to cook for a significant number of people.
The Royal Gourmet Regal GB2000 Propane Griddle offers enough space to cook a fair amount of food. It also comes with two very large, folding side tables, that lock down into the base. This sort of compact design gives you the space you need to hold prep and serving platters when you need them. Then it doesn’t take up a lot of space when you aren’t. It also has a very sturdy lower shelf to hold extra equipment, while also tying the legs together for a rock solid base.
Two stainless steel propane burners pump out an impressing 13,000 BTU’s of heat each, for a total of 26,000 BTU’s. This is typically more efficient and consistent heat than you find with most other grills of the same size and price point. The burners also have a reliable electric ignition system to spare you having to fiddle around with a lighter.
There is also a built-in grease management system, that gradually drains grease down to a lower grease trap that can be easily cleaned out after you are done cooking.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
The Royal Gourmet Regal GB2000 2 Burner Propane Griddle is made from sturdy materials in the base and side tables. The burners and controls are made from stainless steel and they feel firm. The side tables also have a special micro-textured non-skid surface. This is really nice if you have every bumped a serving platter right in the middle of a grilling session.
When it comes to assembly. The griddle and propane burner system goes together relatively easy. Unfortunately, the side tables seem over-engineered. Strangely you will likely spend most of your assembly time getting them lined up and tightened in place. All things being equal, you should expect to take around an hour to an hour and a half to fully assemble the Royal Gourmet Regal GB2000 2 Burner Propane Griddle.
Grilling Performance
The Royal Gourmet Regal GB2000 2 Burner Propane Griddle produces a nice amount of heat. It also spreads the total 26,000 BTU’s evenly across the griddle top. It does technically come pre-seasoned, but it’s still a good idea to give the griddle top a light rubdown with shortening and a little kosher salt. Then fire up the grill on medium to low heat. Allow everything to sizzle for a good 15 to 20 minutes. This should make sure that your first fry session doesn’t have any problems with food sticking.
At first glance, the grease management system is a nice touch. However, it has one flaw, in the size of the grease drain, which is little more than a coin slot. When it works perfectly, the slot nicely drains grease away. Unfortunately, when a little debris like a fleck of burned bacon, or some crust from a slice of French toast finds its way to the slot, it can plug it up pretty quickly.
While this problem can happen from time to time when you are cooking, it’s more likely to be an issue when you are cleaning or scraping the griddle down. To keep this from becoming a problem, you will, of course, need to keep an eye on it. A simple wooden grilling skewer can usually clear the slot to keep the grease draining away properly.
When it comes to cooking, the Royal Gourmet Regal GB2000 2 Burner Propane Griddle holds its own with the competitors. The 26,000 BTUs of consistent heat is great for frying up burgers and steaks. It also does a great job of creating truly crispy hash browns and home fries.
Grilling Areas
The Royal Gourmet Regal GB2000 2 Burner Propane Griddle provides 434 square inches of griddle space. This is more than enough to do something like cook up a full English breakfast for a family of four.
One minor missed opportunity with the Royal Gourmet Regal GB2000 2 Burner Propane Griddle is that it doesn’t come with an interchangeable grill feature. Some of the competitors in the next class up either has a grill grate that you can swap out or one that can replace half of the cooktop space.
Special Features
While I know it seems a little understated, but the large folding side tables really are a nice feature. When you aren’t using the griddle, they fold down conveniently to save space. Yet when they are folded out, they give you all the space you need to hold prep and serving platters. Which is actually more important with an outdoor griddle than you might think. To micro-textured non-skid surface is also a nice touch.
The grease management system is also very nice. Grease can become a pretty serious issue when you are cooking on a fully loaded griddle. Just be aware of the small grease slots ability to clog up, and be prepared to clear it when it does.
Ease to Clean
The grease management system on the Royal Gourmet Regal GB2000 2 Burner Propane Griddle helps with cleanup. This means you can simply scrape the griddle down with a board scrapers or offset spatula, then pour the grease tray out.
It can help if you scrape in one direction to release any physical debris. Then pick it up with some folded paper towels. Once this is done, you can scrape the remaining grease toward the slot, where it will drain away.
Warranty
The Royal Gourmet Regal GB2000 2 Burner Propane Griddle comes with a 1-year warranty that all parts and components will be free of manufacturer defects. This is a little bit less than competitor griddles in this same class, which tend to offer a three-year limited warranty.
Conclusion
If you are in the market for an outdoor griddle that can cook up a lot of food, yet doesn’t take up a lot of space, the Royal Gourmet Regal GB2000 2 Burner Propane Griddle should be high on your list. Just keep an eye on the grease slot to make sure it doesn’t plug up on you.
