*****See Update Below******Having now had this grill for over a year, I would describe it as a decent quality grill for a fair price. I use this grill frequently, probably twice a week or more, even in winter. If you are an occasional user, you may find this a more ideal product.
The Good Points-
1) It looks great and is perfect if you don't want and over testosteroned massive stainless grill on your property.
2) The quality and functionality is decent.
3) If you get a hold of a real person at Minden, they are very nice and will go out of their way to help you.
4) Heats up very quickly.
The Bad Points-
1) You MUST purchase separately the stainless steel grate. The included enameled grate will wear out in less than one season.
2) The wood handle will also become moldy in less than a season. I extended it's life by using some spray varnish on it, but I would still prefer the stainless steel one (which I've seen at Williams-Sonoma on a version of this grill that only they sell).
3) The spatter plates become quickly rusty. Minden was nice enough to send me (essentially for free) 3 stainless steel ones.
4) Some of the bolts which hold the unit together become rusty over time, they should be made of stainless steel, but they aren't.
5) The grill does not evenly heat, and has hot and cold spots, which over time if you understand where they are you can compensate for them.
They really have the makings of a great grill with some small modifications, I would encourage them to change some parts to stainless steel (described above) and attempt to resolve the unevenness of the heating surface.
******UPDATE April 8, 2012********
After having this grill for about two years, I sadly have to conclude that it's not something I would buy again.
The rust has continued to the point where critical functioning parts are failing. The bracket for the trough which supplies gas from burner to burner has failed, causing the trough to fall off. I've managed to stick it back using some rocks so I can still use the grill.
The hot and cold spot issue seems to have gotten worse, and it's also now hard for me to get the grill started without pressing the start button 10 or 15 times.
Additionally, the threaded plastic gas tank hookup broke in half, and I had to replace it with a new one.
After doing some math, I've concluded that the cost of ownership of this grill is simply too high.
At 479, lasting two years, means 249/year (this does not include the MANDATORY cost of buying the Stainless Steel Grate)
***Conclusion: I've pretty much settled on purchasing the American Outdoor Grill Model 25PC (with back burner). It's basically the same physical size, but at 1650 is considerable more expensive. However, nearly every part on the grill is guaranteed for 10 years, with some parts being guaranteed for longer. Even if one figures that the all stainless steel, made in America grill will last for 10 years, the cost of ownership per year is only $165.This Minden Grill Company 30,000 BTU Master Grill has been working perfectly for me since day one.
I received the grill in after just a couple of days (with free shipping and no sales taxes). I spent about 3o minutes assembling it without the instructions (I was hungry and it looked simple). The grill looked great. The only problem was that I assembled one piece backwards so the hose would not connect properly. I had to rewind what I did and assembled it correctly (so follow those simple directions). Soon there after the Tuna steaks were cooking.
This quality grill has worked perfectly from then on out. It fires right up with the presto igniter. You can control three internal burners quickly get the temperature to the optimum temperature (temperature gauge works fine).
The grill is the right size for most families or get together, looks great (we went with the forest green) and is simple to work with.
I realize after it arrived that I had better then expected grill for the long haul so I came back to the site and upgraded to the bamboo cutting board (heck only $14), the side burner and a cover to keep this master grill looking good.
This grill is a solid value and I highly recommend it.
Buy Minden Grill Company MMG1000 30,000-BTU Master Grill, Green Now
It's a very compact grill and the heat output is great. The footprint is small and it's well designed. However, the "flavor" bars (not the grate itself) are already showing some rust. My grill is only two months old and I've only used it half a dozen times. I'm disappointed that it's showing rust so quickly. Also, know that there are very noticeable hot and cold spots with this grill just like any other grillbut this is more so than my old Weber. This grill has cold spots closest to the knob side and it's hottest the farther away from the user.Read Best Reviews of Minden Grill Company MMG1000 30,000-BTU Master Grill, Green Here
I ordered via Amazon and assembled. Apparently the natural gas supply line that came with the grill was wrong. I subsequent grease fire ( the cleaning plate could not be removed due to the supply line route ) burned the supply line and made the grill useless. I called Reno and they shipped me a new line at no cost. Installed and now the grill works great. It is difficult to find a grill from a supplier at a reasonable cost that will operate with natural gas. But for the money this is a great grill. I have a TEC grill at another of my homes, but it is a very expensive product. Great, but pricey.Want Minden Grill Company MMG1000 30,000-BTU Master Grill, Green Discount?
Well built, no nonsense, great looking grill. Performance is excellent. At an elevation of 3600 feet with snow on the ground and an outside temperature of 22 degrees, it can peg the thermostat in a very, very short few minutes. It holds whatever temperature you're working with and cooks evenly throughout the grilling surface. I appreciated "building" the unit in the manner I wanted it. I didn't want the side burner, but I can add it later if I choose. Contact with the company directly got me the general manager (Clint) answering the phone. He went into the warehouse, found the part I needed (a hose to connect directly to my house propane), shipped it that same day, and I received in about 24 hours. This is a company that cares about building quality equipment and backing it up with fantastic service. Definitely the opposite experience I had previously with a Weber. Obviously I'm completely happy.

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