Broil King Keg 5000 Barbecue Grill Review
The 10 Second Review:
The latest in Broil King's line of Kamado grills; the Keg 5000 BBQ is of double-walled steel construction with a high quality insulated core. It boasts a ton of features that other kamado's are missing such as a tailgate adapter and integrated bottle openers. The heavy duty cast iron grates and dampers are of high quality and can be expected to last several years. The price and value of the Broil King Keg is comparable with top of the line ceramic kamado grills such as the Big Green Egg. The real question comes down to your preference of ceramic or steel.
Full Review
The Broil King Keg 5000 is the latest in Broil King’s line of Kamado style grills and they have put a lot of thought and care into the redesign. They have added many neat features and accessories that have not been addressed with their previous models; or ANY kamado grill. From the pull out ash tray and ability to add wood without moving the grate, to the tailgate bumper adapter (sold separately); you will be quite impressed with the features of the Keg 5000.
Double-walled steel with high-grade insulation
The construction of the Broil King 5000 is a high tech double-walled steel sandwiched around high quality insulation. This differs from the traditional ceramic material of other kamado style grills. One of the perks of steel instead of ceramic is that it is much lighter and impervious to cracks.
480 sq in. of Cooking Surface & Deluxe Accu-Temp Thermometer
There is 480 square inches of TOTAL COOKING AREA. This can be a bit misleading as this is actually a 280 sq in cast iron cooking grate along with another 200 square inch chrome grate that stacks as seen in the pictures above. You can cook with both at the same time but you will be limited on vertical space on one of the grates.
That being said the heavy duty cast iron grate is of very high quality and once ‘seasoned’ correctly it will provide years of non-stick cooking.
The accu-temp thermometer is a trademark design from Broil King. In a day where most grill manufacturers outsource parts like thermometers, Broil King really stands out with their high quality custom thermometer. It offers reliable temperature readings year after year.
Design & Other Features
Starting with the heavy duty cast iron upper damper on the top, all the way down the porcelain coated keg cooking chamber painted with a high quality metallic epoxy to the durable steel stand with large wheels; the Broil King Keg 5000 was crafted with care and thought.
Two handles on the front, with bottle openers ensure that your obligatory beer is at hand while you are tending your grill. The heavy duty resin handles allow you to maneuver the grill when needed. Couple that with the large wheels and optional tailgate adapter and you have yourself the ultimate tailgate grill!
The lid latches and locks closed with ease ensuring that you have a great seal that keeps the heat in while the hinge allows for easy opening with a single hand. The resin side shelves are removable and have integrated hooks to hold all of your grilling tools.
The removable steel ash tray has a chrome damper and is super convenient for removing ashes or even adding coal to your kamado without having to remove the grate.
To recap…
The Broil King Keg 5000 BBQ Grill quite possibly could be setting the bar for non-ceramic kamado style cookers. With it’s competitive price, incredible features and accessories and solid construction; it is certainly in the top ranks of charcoal grills.