The Grilling Dad is back today with a review of the Monument Grills New Mesa 415BZ series four-burner grill. It’s a great starter grill, especially when it’s priced under $500!
I’ve been cooking with it for about two months now. My initial impressions so far:
- The grill looks sharp.
- It has 4 fully rotating caster wheels.
- The removable drip tray/grill bottom is a nice touch.
- It heats up extremely fast.
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Things I Really Like
Hey Good Looking
The grill looks sharp! I really like the window on the hood allowing you to see right in as you’re cooking your food. If flare-ups happen, you can handle them quickly so your food doesn’t burn.
The stainless steel looks nice, and the accent colors on the knobs are great. The gas propane tank is hidden behind the doors. So all together I think it looks really sharp.
You Spin Me Right-Round, Baby
The New Mesa has four caster wheels that fully rotate. Most grills in this price range do not have this feature. I’ve never had that on a gas grill! But I love it! I don’t store the grill in the middle of my deck, I put it away after it’s cooled down. Having those four wheels makes it SO easy to move around.
Clean Up, Clean Up
Finally, around back, the third thing that I really like so far, is that the grease tray slides right out the back. The grease bucket is down there to catch it. I’ve never had a grill that makes cleaning it this nice. Your grill will won’t look
dirty after you start cooking and I appreciate that.
Hot Hot Hot
I like how quickly the grill heats up. It’s incredible! I’ve gone from ambient temp to 600* in under two minutes. That’s what I’m talking about!
When I’m using a gas grill, I’m here for convenience. Just picture: you got home from a long day’s work and in charge of dinner. Time to go for speed and ease, not for maximizing flavor.
If I wanted maximum flavor, use the smoker! But that’s not gonna work when you’re a busy grilling dad.
Another great feature of this grill is that the price starts at under $500 (as of the time publishing). It is plenty big, high quality, and it’s a great price point for this type of grill. Speaking of quality, it’s constructed of almost all metal. I think the only part that is plastic is the little hanging part for your tools on the side of the grill.
Specs & Such
Size Matters
Size-wise, the New Mesa grill comes in a variety of sizes. Mine has four burners, but Monument does offer this same model in two- or three-burner options. Because I have a lot of kids and often cook big meals, it was an easy choice to get the largest offering.
The four-burner provides about 450 square inches of cooking space, PLUS a rack up top. To put it in perspective, I was able to cook a whole family pack of chicken thighs, a couple of cut-up zucchinis, and a foil pack of potatoes. It all fit without much effort!
They’re GRATE!
The New Mesa grill has porcelain-coated cast iron grates. The porcelain coating provides a nonstick cooking surface (without PFAS).
The cast iron grates are meant to last. From other grills I’ve had, the cast iron holds up extremely well (especially if your grill is covered/kept dry). They should last for the life of the grill!
More Power *Grunt*
A grill’s horsepower is measured in BTU’s. Just know that BTU’s = the energy output of the burners. The more BTU’s, the more power a grill has. Capiche?
The Monument Grills New Mesa has 62,000 BTU’s. That’s PLENTY the average backyard BBQ hero. Here’s what that means for you: it heats up fast! I had the burners on high and it only took a few minutes to get to 500-600°F.
NOTE: Once up to temp, turn the heat down to medium or low for cooking! Or else you’ll just burn everything!
Searing BEAST
“I thought you said your New Mesa has four burners. Why do I see another one there?!” GREAT question! I’m glad you asked 🙂
You’re right! There’s a fifth burner! The fifth burner is your Ludicrous Speed, your Turbo Boost Mode, your sear burner, your Broil Zone! This one gives that perfect sear on a steak. I mean… just look at those grill marks. (PS: Check out the Youtube video linked at the top of this article. I teach you exactly how to make your steak turn out this way too!)
Any Good Ideas?
Ok, I lied. There is a sixth burner as well. The side burner. I don’t know about you, but I never use the side burner. The only time I’ve ever used it was to boil brats or fry bacon (to keep the grease out of the kitchen and make my wife happy!).
If YOU use the side burner and have good ideas for doing so, drop them in the comments. Please. Let me know! I have never found a great use for it.
Assembly… Everyone’s Favorite Part
… I said sarcastically. But, don’t worry. This grill was easy to assemble and came together quickly. Maybe it’s memory loss or rose-colored glasses. But it seemed faster than others I’ve assembled.
My only gripe was some of the hardware containers were broken open, and the pieces were scattered in the box. Luckily I found them, so I didn’t lose any. But that was my only complaint.
Party Trick
The last thing I want to show you is a cool little party trick. The knobs light up! Now, I don’t cook very often at night (because little kids eat at like 5p or they’re monsters), so this probably won’t get used by me much. But it’s fun!
Also – they turn red underneath when a burner is turned on. An easy way to tell if you’ve left the burner on at night. Cool!
Wrap It Up Already
Monument has been great to work with. There’s a Facebook group that you can join once you purchase your grill. It’s surprisingly active. A lot of people on there asking questions and showing off their cooks. It has been fun to engage with other people in the Monument community.
With that, I don’t know what else to say. This has been a great grill, nice to cook on, and easy to use. It’s the perfect size for my family and gets the job done. It heats up super fast. You can’t beat it, especially at the price.
