Our Char-Griller Grillin Pro 3001 review makes this particular grill look like a solid choice. You'll need to put in a decent amount of time to put it together (especially on your own), but it's sturdy, easy to maneuver, and holds heat well, making it a decent enough contender for the average home cook. But does it deserve to be called one of the best gas grills you can buy? Read on to find out what we thought.
J D. Chadwick worked at Top Ten Reviews between 2008 and 2018. He was an expert in software and covered everything from antivirus programs, software and apps, power tools and outdoor grills in that time. During his tenure, he reviewed the Char-Griller Grilling Pro 3001, testing for cooking performance, heat consistency and ease of use to see whether it matched up to some of the best units on the market.
Char-Griller Grillin' Pro 3001: Assembly & Design
The Char-Griller Grillin’ Pro 3001 has a unique design we really like. The black, durable-steel dome with small twin smoke stacks gives this model an attractive industrial look. And since your grill becomes a visible extension of your home, we think many people will gravitate to the Grillin' Pro's interesting aesthetic.
The design also gives a sense of durability, steadiness, and longevity. And for us, it delivered on the first two. It took two members of our lab crew more than two hours to put this grill together, which had several moments of frustration as the instructions aren’t totally clear.
However, when it was completed, they remarked that the grill was one of the most solid and steady of the group. We were able to move it around the testing area with greater ease than most of the other standing grills we tested. The sturdy wheels are heavy and plastic as opposed to the small casters on some other models. We never felt like it would tip over if someone was moving it.
As for longevity, we can’t determine how long this grill will last, but we did check user reviews for feedback about how long you can expect the grill to work. And while the reviews are generally positive, we saw more than a few complaints about how their models rusted relatively quickly, some in as little as three months. But that is anecdotal and should be taken with a grain of salt.
Char-Griller Grillin' Pro 3001: Heat consistency
We thought the Grillin' Pro had good heat distribution and consistency. To test its performance, we measured the grill’s temperature at periodic intervals to see how well it stayed at an even temperature and timed how long it took to return to its previous temperature when the lid had been open for a minute.
Whilst we though the Grillin' Pro was good, we felt the Weber Spirit II, Char-Broil Performance, and Dyna-Glo all performed a bit better.
Char-Griller Grillin’ Pro 3001: Cooking performance
Of the grills we tested, the Char-Griller Grillin’ Pro has an above-average cooking area. You’ll be able to fit about nine frozen burger patties across its 438-square-inch grill plate, which is more than enough real estate to cook for a family dinner or small get-together. It also includes a 12,000 Btu side burner, which is very convenient for cooking vegetables or other meal components, so your food can all be ready to serve at the same time.
Once you get past the design and on to the actual grilling, you won’t be disappointed, but the Grillin' Pro also won't blow you away as the unit offered up a perfectly acceptable cooking experience.
We noted some issues with flare-ups on this grill, especially with burgers. It took more than a few minutes to experiment with the burner settings to avoid the flames. Once that was accomplished, things went smoothly.
Char-Griller Grillin' Pro 3001: Warranty
The Char-Griller Grillin' Pro comes with an impressive five-year warranty for both the burner and parts. This is pretty good considering other warranties only last one to three years.
In our experience, the longer the warranty, the longer you can expect something to work, suggesting that you can rely on the Grillin' Pro for some time. And while a five-year warranty is better than most, our top pick, the Weber Spirit II, has an even more impressive 10-year warranty for its burner and parts.
Char-Griller Grillin' Pro 3001: Verdict
The biggest obstacle to using this grill is assembly. Be prepared to invest some time to make sure you get it right the first time. Outside of that, we found this grill to be a suitable choice for a backyard cooker. It’s sturdy, moves around easily, creates and retains heat well, and has a convenient side burner. However, aside from its homey design and stability, there’s nothing to recommend above products like our top pick and best value choices.
