Char-Broil sells this complete propane grill for about the price of a good cast iron pan. Something had to give to get there. So what did Char-Broil leave off? And is what it kept worth having?
The grill is the Char-Broil Classic Series 2-Burner, model 463664325. It replaces the older Classic 2-Burner, which is no longer made. The burner output, the grate size and the footprint carry over almost unchanged.
So if you searched for the old one, this is the grill you can buy today. The badge on the lid is new. The proposition underneath it is not.
First Impressions of the Char-Broil Classic Series 2-Burner
The carton holds surprisingly few parts. You get a cookbox, a lid, two shelves, the cart frame and wheels. A bag of hardware holds the rest.
This is where owners lose patience, and the instructions are the reason. The drawings are small and busy, and the hardware bags are poorly labelled.
Give it an unhurried afternoon, with every part laid out on the floor first. That one habit saves most of the frustration.
Assembled, it looks tidier than its price. Its black lid and firebox are steel under a porcelain finish. The two side shelves fold out wide and give real elbow room. The control panel holds two knobs and a red ignition button, and nothing else.
What you notice next is what is missing. It has no lid thermometer, no upper rack and no cabinet doors. The propane tank stands on the ground beside the cart, held by a wire hook.
None of that is hidden. It is simply the line Char-Broil drew to hit the price. It is worth knowing before you buy.
Our first cook on it was quiet and predictable. Burgers and sausages brown evenly from edge to edge. Corn chars lightly. Nothing flares badly, because there is not enough heat to make it.
Key Features of the Char-Broil Classic Series 2-Burner
The feature list is short on purpose. Every item on it is something you will use every time you cook. Nothing below is there for show.
- Two stainless steel burners. They run in line front to back and share 20,000 BTU. Stainless resists rust far better than painted or plated burners at this price.
- A 280 sq in porcelain-coated wire grate. It is the only cooking surface. There is no secondary rack to toast buns or rest finished food.
- Push-button igniter. A piezo spark needs no battery. Some owners press it several times before the burner catches.
- Two black steel side shelves. They hold a plate, a tray and your tongs. They are painted, not stainless, so wipe them dry after rain.
- Porcelain-coated steel lid and firebox. The coating protects the steel from weather. Chips in it are where rust would start.
- A pair of wheels and a pair of feet. Tip it back and roll it. At 43.5 lbs, one person can move it across a deck.
- An open cart with a tank hook. The tank sits outside the frame on the ground. That keeps the price down and the footprint small.
The maker’s specification table answers “No” to grease tray, side burner, griddle and warming rack. It also lists a “Swing-a-way” rack style, which contradicts its own zero warming rack area. Our reading is that no rack ships with it. Check the box contents if a rack matters to you.
The figure that explains this grill is its heat density. Run the maker’s numbers and you get about 71 BTU per square inch. That is low for a gas grill.
In practice, it means gentle, even heat across the whole grate. Burgers, chicken pieces, sausages and vegetables cook well. The grill rarely punishes you for looking away.
The cost shows up with steak. A thick ribeye wants a fierce crust while the centre stays pink. Here, the outside browns slowly, and the middle cooks through before the crust arrives. Owners say the same in plainer words.
You can help it along. Run both burners on high with the lid shut, and give the preheat extra time. Keep the lid closed while you cook, because the heat escapes fast when it is open. Thinner steaks give the crust a fairer chance to form before the centre overcooks.
Two burners also limit your zones. You can run one high and one off for a simple indirect setup. That works for a few chicken thighs. It struggles with a whole bird or a rack of ribs.
Build, handling and durability
The burners got the budget here. Stainless burners are the right choice, and Char-Broil backs them for five years. The porcelain-coated cookbox should hold up well if you keep it covered.
Elsewhere, you can see the price.
The shelves are painted steel. Below the cookbox sits a bare frame, not an enclosed cabinet. Owners single out the propane tank holder as flimsy. It does look like the weakest piece.
None of this makes it fragile. It makes it a grill to treat kindly. Tighten the bolts after the first season, and keep it covered.
Handling is easy. The grill is light, and the wheels make it simple to move for cleaning or storage.
Running costs, upkeep and value
Running costs are modest. Two burners sharing 20,000 BTU sip propane compared with bigger grills. A tank should last you many weeknight cooks.
Cleaning is straightforward. The porcelain-coated wire grate releases food well and brushes clean while warm. Because the spec table lists no grease tray, look underneath before your first cook. Know where the grease goes and empty it often.
The warranty needs a careful read. The burners get five years, the lid and firebox two, and everything else one. Confusingly, the maker’s own page also shows a “1 Year Warranty” badge beside the price. The detailed terms are the ones to keep, along with your receipt.
If you buy this grill, you buy it on price. At around $149.99, it is a full-size cart grill with stainless burners. Walmart owners rate it 3.8 out of 5 from 116 ratings. That fits a grill that does its job and annoys people during assembly.
Add a cover to the bill when you order the grill. The painted shelves and the porcelain coating both last longer out of the rain. A cover also keeps insects out of the burner tubes. Nests there are a common cause of weak, yellow flames.
Char-Broil’s web store has had no stock of it lately. Walmart carries it at the same $149.99, so buy there.
Possible Char-Broil Classic Series 2-Burner Complaints
Most complaints trace back to the same cause: a low price that shows in the details.
- Assembly instructions are poor. The drawings are hard to read and parts are not well marked. Lay everything out and match parts before you start, and it goes far better.
- It will not sear like a hotter grill. With about 71 BTU per square inch, the heat is gentle by design. Thin cuts and burgers suit it. Thick steaks do not.
- The igniter can be fussy. Some lights need several presses. Keep a long lighter nearby as a backup.
