My family and I recently used the Broil King 986784 Signet 90 Gas Grill with Side Burner and Rear Rotisserie for one month. We did this so that I could write a detailed review for consumers considering purchasing this gas grill. We made a point to grill more often during this review period, so that we would get a clear idea of how this unit performs with regular usage. Here is my review.
This Broil King gas grill will cost you about $550, including the shipping. That puts this in the high-end category and expectations for this gas grill ought to be rather high. I could tell this unit was made of solid materials as soon as the package arrived; it has a shipping weight of 138 pounds! My husband helped me get the box into our backyard so we could unpack it and look it over. The cook box is a solid cast aluminum. The cooking grids are a heavy-duty cast iron. There is a rotisserie with this model and it feels sturdy and well-constructed. There is quite a bit of assembly to be done for this gas grill; my husband and I tackled that right away so we could start grilling that first evening.
I was a bit surprised that the instructions include no written words. It is all pictures. Perhaps that makes it easier for some people, and I’m sure it certainly makes it easier for Broil King to sell these gas grills in different countries without having to translate the instructions. My husband and I, however, would have appreciated some written instructions. It took the two of us almost two hours to set it up, partly because we were being over-cautious due to the high-price of this model. Once it is all put together, this grill is a thing of beauty. It looks like it could have easily cost closer to $1000. It is solid, sturdy and quite obviously well-constructed.
Our first dinner on the grill consisted of bison strip steaks, asparagus and corn on the cob. I fired up the grill, with the center burner on high. I was a bit surprised when the internal temperature quickly rose to 700 degrees F. This gas grill has a bit more fire power than I am accustomed to. Most gas grills require a burner on full-blast to achieve a proper sear on meat; that is not the case with this Broil King. I adjusted the burners accordingly and cooked my first meal. It turned out beautifully. The steaks were cooked in the center of the grill where I had it set to about a medium heat. They were perfectly browned on the outside and beautifully rare in the center. The cast iron cooking grids left picture-perfect grill marks. I lightly coated the asparagus and corn in olive oil and cooked them on either side of the steaks. There was enough carry-over heat from the burner under the bison steaks to cook the vegetables. I am very pleased with this grill after the first day.
The second day I decided to give the rotisserie a whirl and cook a leg of lamb. The Broil King gas grill did not fail to impress. I do, however, have two minor complaints regarding the rotisserie. First, you need to light the rotisserie burner with a match or lighter. I’m perplexed as to why Broil King did not include an electric ignition as they have installed the on the other burners. Second, I wish the rotisserie was adjustable to accommodate larger things, such as a whole turkey. I had hopes of cooking my Thanksgiving turkey outside on the rotisserie this year, but any bird over 6 pounds or so gets too close to the rotisserie burner. Overall though, I am quite pleased with the rotisserie. It is solid and turns evenly. The rotisserie burner is well-powered and capable of proper searing.
I wasn’t sure how useful a side burner would be, but it ended up being one of my favorite features on this Broil King gas grill. I love having it to sautee onions while burgers are on the grill. I also used twice to heat a pot of oil and deep fry outside. The splattering and mess associated with deep-frying is not such a big issue in the backyard as it is in the kitchen. I was also pleased to see that the side burner is not easily blown out by the wind.
I noticed throughout the review period that the cooking box does a fantastic job of keeping the heat in. It makes this gas grill like an outdoor oven when I need it to be.
My husband and I absolutely loved the cast iron grates, but we are huge fans of cast iron cookware. You need to be aware that there is a level of maintenance required with cast iron. The grates will rust if not oiled regularly. I think the superior cooking ability of cast iron makes it worth the effort, however, not everyone feels that way.
Overall, this Broil King gas grill works very well and feels incredibly high-end and solid. My entire family enjoyed both the Broil King and the food cooked by it. We think this Broil King is a great option, if you can afford to own one.
One minor complaint I have involves the door that allows access to the propane tank. It doesn’t open and close as solidly as I’d like. However, that will not stop me from enjoying this gas grill. This Broil King gas grill has a level of quality well beyond that of the gas grills typically found at your local big box store in this price range. Visit Gas Grill Reviews for more information on this model and many more. You will also find more information on the differences between cast iron, stainless steel and porcelain coated cooking grates.