VonHaus Gas BBQ 4+1

Is the VonHaus Gas BBQ 4+1 worth buying?

Yes, the VonHaus Gas BBQ 4+1 is worth buying at £179.99 if your patio is compact and four to six people sit down to eat, because it fits four main burners, a side burner and 2,362.5 cm² of enamel coated steel grate into a body only 116 cm wide. The gas hose and regulator come in the box, so the first cook happens as soon as you connect a propane bottle. 245 owners rate it 4.2 and it carries a two year warranty.

It is not the grill for a cook who wants a hard sear on thick steaks, because 2,808.7 W is a family cooking figure rather than a steak-house one. For burgers, sausages, fish and vegetables for a handful of people it does the job without taking over the garden. Anyone regularly feeding eight at once is better served by a 6+1 grill.

How hot does the VonHaus Gas BBQ 4+1 actually get?

The VonHaus Gas BBQ 4+1 runs at 9,500 BTU, which is 2.8 kW, shared between four main burners and one side burner. Divide that out and each of the five heating elements carries around 562 W, so no single burner will blast a pan the way a 3 kW burner does. The temperature gauge sits on the outside, which lets you watch the heat without lifting the hood and losing it.

Spread over 2,362.5 cm² of grate, that works out at roughly 1.19 W for every square centimetre, a gentle figure built for even cooking rather than quick charring. Four individually controlled burners and three power levels let you hold one zone low for chicken and run another hotter for sausages. Read it as a controlled family grill, not a searing machine.

What comes in the box with the VonHaus Gas BBQ 4+1?

You get the lid, a main rack, a warming rack, a side burner, a storage shelf and wheels, plus the gas hose and regulator needed to connect a propane bottle. The frame is powder coated steel, and the enamel coated steel grill resists rust and copes with fast temperature swings without warping. The unit measures 51 cm deep, 116 cm wide and 101.5 cm high, so a narrow patio handles it comfortably.

It weighs 19.7 kg, light enough for one person to wheel about and store in a shed after the meal. Assembly is required when it arrives, and the model number 2500545 is the one to quote if you ever order spares. VonHaus covers it with a two year warranty.

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

Heat is the first limit: 2.8 kW in total cooks a family meal well but will not put a dark crust on a thick ribeye. The enamel coated steel grate holds its shape and resists rust, yet it does not retain heat the way a cast iron grate does. There is also no cover in the box, so the 116 cm wide body needs a shed, a garage or a separate cover to survive the winter.

245 ratings at 4.2 is a solid record rather than a leading one, behind the stronger averages carried by the larger grills. A single warming rack means resting meat and a second round need some juggling on a long cook. The side burner folds into a shelf, which is handy, but that is one work surface rather than two.

How does the VonHaus Gas BBQ 4+1 compare with the CosmoGrill Original and the Outsunny 4+1?

The CosmoGrill Original 5 Burner costs £20 more at £199.99 and delivers 9.3 kW, more than three times the heat of this grill, with 1,036 owners rating it 4.4. Anyone who wants to sear steak or cook for eight should pay the £20. The VonHaus answers back on footprint, at 116 cm wide and 19.7 kg, which is the lighter, tidier machine for a small space.

The Outsunny 4+1 costs £24 less at £155.99 and gives 2,268 cm² of grate, so you give up only 94.5 cm² of cooking surface, with a hose and regulator the same way. On a very tight budget the Outsunny is the sensible buy. Pay the extra for the VonHaus if you want the better rating, 4.2 against 4.1, and the side burner that turns into a shelf.