Char-Broil Performance 475 4-Burner Gas Grill Review

For large family cookouts that the whole family can enjoy, you need a grill that is sturdy and can deliver the heat you need, with ample cooking space and easy cleanup.

In this Char-Broil Performance 4 Burner gas grill review, we’ll take a detailed look at the Char-Broil Performance 475 Gas Grill and give you a breakdown of its key features, build quality, performance, and value.

We’ll also look at the pros and cons, ease of assembly, use, and cleanup of this grill, so you can decide if this is the right grill for your next big cookout.

Key Features

The 4 burner char broil gas grill is a well-built gas grill with four stainless steel burners that deliver 36,000 BTUs of heating power.

The burners disperse heat across 475 square inches of primary cooking space, and there is an additional 10,000 BTU lidded side burner tucked away in the left side table. The lid folds down over this burner to provide extra workspace for food preparation.

The cooking space accommodates around 16 to 20 burgers and features a 175 square inch swing-away warming rack for buns and sides.

Its ample cooking space makes this grill attractive for larger cookouts, where you’re trying to grill for twenty or thirty people at once.

The warming rack and main grates are also rust-resistant porcelain coated cast iron for better durability and easy cleanup.

This grill also features a single-button electronic ignition system that lights all burners at the same time with the simple push of a button. There’s no need to light the grill manually.

In addition to starting up easily, it’s also semi-portable with two stationary legs and two 7-inch wheels for easy maneuverability, and the lid-mounted temperature gauge allows you to control and monitor the interior heat closely.

Detailed Review

Taking a quick look at the Char-Broil Performance 475, it clearly has some great features, but how well does it perform?

Here we’ll take a closer look at its design, assembly, performance, cleanup, and price to give you a detailed review of what it has to offer.

Design and Build Quality

This Char-Broil 4 burner gas grill has a very durable design and build, and it’s made with high-quality, sturdy materials.

The lid, handle, control panel, and burners are all stainless steel, and the black zinc-coated iron on the rest of the parts has a beautiful look and seems like it would hold up for quite some time.

The burners feature stainless steel heat tents above them as well for safe grilling and to prevent juices from dripping onto the burners and causing flare-ups.

Flare-ups should rarely happen, if at all, with this grill, especially with the convection cooking system, which reduces flare-ups and ensures even heat distribution.

The 475 square inch cooking space’s design allows for a lot of food to be cooked at once, and the additional lidded side burner is a huge plus.

The lid-mounted thermometer keeps accurate readings only when the lid is closed, which is typical for most grills.

The Char-Broil Performance series has several style variations. The 475 is a cart design with an exposed back and sides. Two black panels cover the front of the grill, and there are no cabinets for storage. This design is pretty standard for a cart-style grill in this price bracket.

The grill is maneuverable and features two wheels and two stationary legs. If you’re planning a cookout in another location, a portable grill that’s easy to maneuver can make things a lot more convenient.

Keep in mind that there are no locking mechanisms for the wheels in the case of uneven ground, but this shouldn’t pose an issue in most cases.

Ease of Assembly

Assembly of this 4 burner gas grill is relatively simple and easy, though some users have expressed that the instructions can be confusing.

The firebox comes pre-assembled, and assembling the rest of the grill takes typically about one to two hours on average.

Assembly requires some tools, and the package does come with them. You’ll need an adjustable wrench, a screwdriver, and a 7/16″ combination wrench to put this grill together. It does come with a labeled blister pack of hardware, which makes it easy to stay organized.

You start by assembling the base, along with the panels, and then the feet and wheels. The firebox and side arms are attached next, and then, all you’ve got are the finishing steps.

The last assembly steps, involving hookups for the burners and other details, are where things can get tedious, but they’re pretty straightforward in the instructions.

In case you get stuck, there are several tutorial videos available online for help if you need it during the assembly process.

Watch the assembly of the Char-Broil Performance 475 4-Burner in SevenFortyOne’s video below:

Ease of Use

Once assembled, the Char-Broil Performance 475 is effortless to use thanks to its well thought out design and features.

While you’ll probably use the wheels to move it around, at 90 pounds, many people may even be able just to pick it up and move it.

Getting started is simple. You can simply turn on the gas and fire up the grill, thanks to the electronic ignition system, which is easy to light and requires the simple push of a button. No matches or lighters are needed.

The grill can take a bit of time to heat up, but it’s good to go once it does. Some people report that the handle gets a bit hot to the touch, but most users say the handle stays nice and cool.

The lid-mounted thermometer allows for easy heat control, and the grill is large enough to use a variety of grilling techniques, including off-set grilling, where the flame isn’t directly under your food.

Performance

The Char-Broil Performance 475 typically heats up in about 10 to 20 minutes. The grill distributes heat very well and retains even temperature with high consistency.

Burgers and steaks cook evenly without having to move them around the grill. The cast iron grates get hot enough for searing and leave beautiful grill marks on pork chops and chicken.

Flipping burgers is easy and straightforward with the non-stick porcelain coated cast iron grates, and the ample cooking space easily accommodates at least 16 burgers. The burner tents effectively reduce the occurrence of flare-ups, so there’s less danger while cooking and no burn marks on your food.

The side burner heats up well and is an excellent addition for steaming corn or boiling vegetables, and the top swing-away rack works well for toasting buns or warming sides. Lifting the lid lets out heat, as usual, but this grill gets back up to temp pretty quickly.

Ease of Cleanup

Scrubbing down a grill is the last thing most people want to do after cooking a large meal, but it’s necessary for food quality, reduced flare-ups, and the grill’s longevity. Fortunately, the features on this grill ensure that cleaning up after a big get-together shouldn’t take hours.

The non-stick porcelain-coated grates, for instance, wipe down very quickly and need minimal scrubbing. An ordinary wire grill brush will generally get the job done very effectively.

The grill’s grease pan is porcelain-coated like the grates and pulls all the way out, making cleanup a breeze.

The grease pan doesn’t quite reach all the way to the back, so there is a little bit of a gap in the back where grease can fall to the lower shelf. However, the lower shelf is easy to access and wipe down, so most people won’t find it a significant problem.

Relative Price

Char-Broil is known for its durable grills at various price points. The Char-Broil Performance 475 is a mid-level grill with a lower price tag, but Char-Broil doesn’t skimp on quality or features at this level.

The design of many lower-priced grills often seeks to provide the bare minimum of features and materials, but this grill isn’t just a bare-minimum design.

Because of its large size, four burners, additional side burner, sturdy materials, and single-button electronic ignition, this grill packs in a lot of features for the price.

This grill is great value for those working with a budget and who are looking for a big grill to accommodate large family cookouts.

The warranty is somewhat short. The burners carry a five-year warranty, the lid and firebox have a two-year warranty, and all other parts have a one-year warranty.

Though this is shorter than some other grill options, this grill is designed well with quality materials and should last a long time with regular use and proper maintenance and cleaning.

Summary

The Char-Broil Performance 475 provides an ample cooking space with four powerful burners and some great features. For a large family cookout, this grill has all the necessary features you’d expect, plus high-quality materials at a reasonable price.

If you’re looking for an excellent grill for your next barbecue that offers a lot for its value, this one is a good contender. Our verdict for this Char-Broil Performance 4 Burner review is that this is a durable and versatile gas grill that will perform very well for the average family at an affordable price.

How Does It Compare?

Weber Spirit II E-310

The Weber Spirit E-310 offers a step up in quality of materials and build as well as a longer warranty.

Cooking results are also excellent. For those with a bigger budget, the E-310 offers great value,

Check out our review here.

Weber Spirit E-330

The Weber Spirit E-330 sits at the top of Weber’s Spirit line.

The E-330 is similar to the E-310 but with the addition of a 12,000 BTU side burner and a 7,500 BTU sear burner,

Check out our review here.

Char-Broil Performance TRU-Infrared 3 Burner

For those looking for a grill that offers a lot of features but are on a budget, we recommend taking a look at the Char-Broil Performance TRU-Infrared 3 Burner.

Check out our review here.

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