I’ll cut straight to the point – the Grid Iron made by Blaz’n Grill Works is an excellent pellet grill. You can feel the quality. It has enough space to feed a party. It is one of our favorites for searing steaks. And it is made in the USA.
If you have the budget (the base model is listed at $1,799 at the time of publication), then I’d recommend this grill. Blaz’n Grill Works (and their sister charcoal grill brand M Grills) may not be well known, but they have a strong cult-like following. You will see M Grills on the competition BBQ circuit, but the Blaz’n line has flown under the radar. After having the opportunity to cook with the Blaz’n Grid Iron, I think this brand should get more love!
Pros
- Made in the USA
- Made with heavy-gauge steel; very sturdy and durable
- Large grilling capacity (base model has over 700 square inches)
- One of the best pellet grills for searing
- Thoughtful design – hopper handle, 4 locking wheels, slide-out burn pot, pellet dump door
Cons
- Price
- Some key features require an upgrade (direct sear kit, wifi, and shelves).
- Weight requires effort when moving, especially since there are no grab handles
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Grid Iron Experience
Let’s start with impressions. The Grid Iron pellet grill looks great, feels great, and performs great. After unpacking the pallet (yes, pallet, see below), I was immediately struck by the beautiful paint job (I chose Black Cherry, because… red!) and the super-smooth and defined flame-decorated handle. “Regal” is probably the right word to describe the kingly feeling I experienced when I first saw it.
My first cooks on the Grid Iron included 3 racks of ribs, some perfectly seared steaks, a chuck tender roast, an eye of round roast, and bacon-wrapped pickles. All of them turned out great, with a nice smokey flavor.
I should mention that the grill was put through the wringer with these cooks… they were done during a Minnesota winter. The grill had no problems firing up or holding its temperature. Once, when it was -20°F, the grill needed two attempts at getting up to temp. I’m not going to count that one, to be fair. Also, once it’s a little warmer (in like April, lol) I’m going to check back in and edit this article to let you know how quickly it heats up under, ahem, normal conditions.
Grid Iron Features
Now for some of the features. The grill is built like a tank. Made with heavy-duty steel, the base model weighs in at over 220 lbs. It makes other pellet grills feel, well, flimsy.
Cooking capacity sits just north of 700 square inches, which is large enough to cook a lot of meat at once. However, if you have a big family like mine or love hosting groups, the optional Pro Shelves are a good upgrade. They add 810 square inches of cooking space! I also love the large shelf on the front. It’s a great place to set things and doesn’t add unnecessary length to the unit.
It has a set temperature range of 160° to 500°. The display allows you to toggle between set temp, actual temp, probe meat temp, and probe grill temp. In all my cooks on this grill, I haven’t had any issues with temp accuracy.
The pellet hopper can hold 30 lbs of pellets, has a handle on the lid (you don’t see this too often), and has a dump door underneath for easy pellet change-out.
The Grid Iron features four swiveling, locking caster wheels. This makes maneuvering much easier than if only 2 wheels rotated (or none!). However… I really wish the grill had some handles. Given the weight, it needs a good spot to grip! Update: Blaz’n contacted me to say that others have had the same feedback, and they’re working on a solution.
Oh, and this thing comes fully assembled. On a pallet. Bolted in with steel brackets. Wild. I’m going to refer to this as my “pallet grill” from now on!
Steak Searing – This Grill Shines
The Grid Iron made our list of Best Pellet Grills for Searing Steaks, and it didn’t require a second thought. Here’s the proof:
Now, the only real disadvantage of this grill is that it requires an upgrade for the searing package, which includes a thicker (12 gauge) steel drip tray, thicker drip cover, hopper-side steel heat shield, and GrillGrate aluminum grates. But upgrading to this package ($224 at publication) is a lot cheaper than buying a separate gas grill just to hit high temps. I got my grates up to 530° (again, in the middle of winter), which is right where you need to be for searing.
Cleaning Made Easy
An important step to maintaining any pellet grill is keeping it clean. This prevents health issues, damage to the grill, and it keeps your food tasting great. This process usually isn’t too difficult, but Blaz’n has made it very easy on the Grid Iron.
The burn pot slides out:
The grill cavity is easily accessible for vacuuming out the ash. The various parts come out nicely. There aren’t really any spots for the cooking residue or ash to hide.
I did notice that grease found a way behind the drip-tray when I was making ribs. I think it was my fault, as I may have had the meat placed too far towards the back. But that grease found the seam down and out the back leg.
Blaz’n Grill Works Info
Blaz’n Grill Works offers two different pellet grills: the Grid Iron and a smaller version, the Grand Slam. Both come with a host of options, like additional shelves (“Pro Shelving unit”), a direct sear kit, and an insulated lid.
These are some of the few remaining pellet grills Made in the USA (they operate and manufacture out of Beatrice, Nebraska). When the grills arrive, fully assembled, on a pallet, you can see their quality. But when you open it up and fire it up, you can feel it too.
Like I mentioned up top, Blaz’n Grill Works may not be the most well-known brand, but I think they should get more love. My experience with the Grid Iron has been nothing short of great, and I look forward to cooking on it for many years to come!
Final Thoughts on the Blaz’n Grid Iron
If you’re looking for a quality pellet grill that’s made in the USA, great for searing steaks, and has a large capacity then I recommend the Blaz’n Grid Iron. It’s expensive relative to other pellet grills out there, but you won’t be disappointed!
Learn More About Grilling
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