Not all propane grills are created equally. When choosing which grill to buy for yourself, you’ll want to consider things like unique features, ease of use, durability, and quality of cooking before you commit to one grill over another.
We want to make the search for a grill easier for you by reviewing one of the top sellers in the propane grill industry: the Monument Clearview 4-Burner Gas Grill. This is widely considered to be one of the 4-burner propane grill options on the market, so we tried it out ourselves.
Monument Grills Larger 4-Burner Propane Gas Grills
The Monument Clearview is an affordable gas grill option with several features that make it different from other options in its price bracket. It features 4 individual burners that each have their own temperature control knobs, making it easy to adjust the temperature of the separate grill grates.
Outside of the main grill hood, there is an additional standard burner on one side and a ceramic searing burner on the other.
This grill has a main grilling area of 513 square inches under the hood with an additional 210 square inches if you include the top warming rack.
This is plenty of space to cook for small gatherings and family meals.
The grill grate is cast iron coated in porcelain, so it is incredibly durable. This material is resistant to rust and sticking, and it’s easier to clean than non-coated options.
Utensils and tool hooks are featured beneath the shelves, and a bottom cabinet hides away the grill’s propane tank for a more aesthetically pleasing design.
Despite a couple of minor flaws we mentioned, the Monument Clearview is still one of the 4 burner stainless steel gas grill options you can get your hands on. The benefits far outweigh any issues, and the cons we noted can be dealt with with a little extra patience.
Features
- The most unique feature of the Monument Clearview is visible right away and the reason for the grill’s name: a clear window cut into the hood of the grill.
- This is meant to keep the grill’s heat inside while allowing you to monitor how food looks without opening it up.
- Another unique feature of this grill is the ceramic sear burner on the left shelf. This burner works similarly to infrared grills.
- It directs the burner flame at a ceramic plate, which reaches extremely high temperatures and then radiates heat to the grill grate above.
- This allows for the meat to be seared right on the grill after it has already been cooked thoroughly.
- All of the grill control knobs feature LED lights, making it easier to control the grill while cooking at night or in a darker setting.
- Another helpful feature is the hooks beneath the grill’s right shelf, which allow you to hang your tools and utensils for easy access while you cook.
- The last unique feature of the Monument Clearview 4-Burner Gas Grill is its portability.
- All four bottom corners of the grill have small and durable swivel wheels which allow for it to be moved from storage to a cooking area outside with little struggle.
- These wheels also feature locks, so the grill stays put when you want it to.
Benefits Compared to Other Grills
- The best benefit that you’ll find with the Monument Clearview 4-Burner Gas Grill is the ability to sear meats after cooking. The ceramic sear burner gets incredibly hot.
- The fact that this burner is located on the left shelf instead of inside the grill’s hood with the rest of the burners allows for both searing and cooking to happen at the same time.
- You won’t need to change temperatures or wait to free up space under the grill’s hood.
- Another benefit of this grill is that it far outperforms other grills when cooking at mid-range temperatures.
- While the sear burner works best at high temps, the inside burners are great for cooking meats slower at more moderate temps. The grill evenly distributes this heat and allows for an incredibly even cook every time.
- It’s also great that this grill doesn’t require you to lift the lid when checking on your food. Lifting the hood allows heat to escape, changing cooking times and creating uneven temperatures.
- The Clearview window, however, lets you monitor how your food looks inside the grill until you’re sure it’s ready.
Cons Compared to Other Grills
- Although it cooks wonderfully at mid-range temperatures, this grill seems to have a hot-spot issue when the burners are turned all the way up.
- At the highest setting, meat in the back cooks noticeably faster than the meat towards the front center.
- Of course, this can be dealt with by rotating the meat to the hotter areas of the grill, but this can be annoying and means the hood has to be lifted more often.
- The grill’s window is a fantastic feature, but it does require some additional maintenance.
- Grease and smoke can quickly make it difficult to see through the window clearly, so it takes some extra cleaning and prepping time to get the most use out of it.
Insights and Takeaways
The Monument Clearview 4-Burner Gas Grill is a unique and budget-friendly propane grill option. One of the most popular grills currently on the market, its additional features set it apart from many other grills you’ll see.
The clear hood window, side ceramic searing burner, LED knobs, and grill tool hooks make this a great value when compared to other options.
Although hot spots may be encountered with the inside burner’s highest temperatures, this issue can be addressed by cooking meats slower at moderate temperatures inside the grill and then searing them with the side burner afterward.
Overall, all of the unique features and the grill’s great performance make us understand why it has been such a popular product among grill enthusiasts and budget shoppers alike.