Outsunny 4+1 Gas BBQ

Is the Outsunny 4+1 Gas BBQ worth buying?

Yes, the Outsunny 4+1 Gas BBQ is worth buying at £155.99 if you cook for four to six people and your menu is burgers, sausages and vegetables rather than thick steaks. It brings the gas hose and regulator in the box, so you connect a propane bottle and start cooking, and 236 buyers rate it 4.1.

The case for it rests on space and price: 2,268 cm2 of cooking grate, a separate warming rack and a side burner for sauces, all for less than the £179.99 VonHaus and £44 below the £199.99 CosmoGrill Original 5 Burner. The case against rests on heat, because 9,500 BTU is 2.8 kW, which is about a third of what the CosmoGrill Original delivers. Buy it for simple family food on a modest patio.

What does 2,268 cm2 of grate mean in practice?

The cooking grid measures 63 by 36 cm, which is 2,268 cm2 of usable grate, with a 57.3 by 12 cm warming rack sitting above it. That is enough for a family meal in one round, and the warming rack is where the first batch rests while the second cooks. The four main burners are individually controlled, so you can run two hard and leave two on low with the lid down.

The heat figure is 9,500 BTU, which converts to about 2.8 kW, or roughly 700 W for each of the four main burners. In practice that cooks sausages, burgers and vegetables steadily and keeps the lid hot enough to melt cheese, but it will not put a hard brown crust on a thick ribeye the way a 9.3 kW grill can. Treat it as a family grill, not a steakhouse grill.

What comes in the box and how do you live with it?

The box holds the grill, lid, warming rack, thermometer, grease tray, gas hose and regulator, so the only extra you need is a propane bottle. It measures 125 cm wide, 51 cm deep and 100 cm high, and it weighs 22 kg, which is light enough to move with one person once the wheels are on. Assembly is required, and it arrives flat packed as a single pack.

Living with it is about storage: there are two side shelves, each 30 by 40 cm, and a cabinet below with an internal space of 64 by 35 by 50.5 cm for tools, sauces and plates. The body is powder-coated alloy steel, the lid has a built-in thermometer, and the grill rolls on two wheels at one end. A 6-month warranty covers manufacturer defects.

Where does the Outsunny 4+1 Gas BBQ fall short?

Heat is the main shortfall. Its 2.8 kW total is about a third of the 9.3 kW of the CosmoGrill Original 5 Burner, so it cooks gently and will not sear a thick steak quickly. If your idea of a barbecue is a hard crust and a pink middle, this is not the grill for that job.

It also moves like a trolley rather than a cart: 22 kg on two wheels means you lift one end to turn it. The grate is 2,268 cm2, which is smaller than the 2,362.5 cm2 of the £179.99 VonHaus, and the finish is powder-coated steel rather than stainless. No cover is included, so it wants a shed or garage if it lives outside.

How does the Outsunny 4+1 Gas BBQ compare with other grills?

The CosmoGrill Original 5 Burner costs £44 more at £199.99 and gives 9.3 kW against the Outsunny's 2.8 kW, with 1,036 ratings at 4.4 behind it. That is the upgrade for anyone who wants to sear steaks or feed a bigger table. The Outsunny is the better buy if £155.99 is the limit and the menu stays simple.

The Outsunny 3+1 Gas BBQ costs £13 less at £142.99 but gives 1,764 cm2 of grate against 2,268 cm2, and one fewer main burner. Choose the 3+1 for two to four people and the tightest budget, and choose the 4+1 when four to six people eat at once. Neither will trouble the 14.5 kW six-burner grills, which is the next step up.