Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D Charcoal Grill Review

Welcome to our humble abode where you’ll find all sorts of grills. Here, you can find the grill of your dreams no matter what your requirement is. For example, one of our friends told us to show us a grill that has a mind-blowing price and performance. That’s why we ordered this grill and wrote a Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D Charcoal Grill review.

Note: I would highly recommend Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D compared to Weber Genesis II E-315 Liquid Propane Grill, see why?

We got the features and performance that one expects from a professional charcoal grill. But what blew our minds was its total cooking area. For such pricing, we thought we would get something smaller because of all the other high-end features. Clearly, that’s not the case here and without any due, let’s start reviewing the grill and answering some FAQs.

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Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D vs Weber Genesis II E-315 Liquid Propane Grill
FAQ About Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D Charcoal Grill

Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D vs Weber Genesis II E-315 Liquid Propane Grill

The first one is a charcoal grill and the second one is a propane grill. So, deciding one to order won’t be that hard, right? Regarding the price, you’ll see that the Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D Charcoal Grill costs way less than Weber Genesis II E-315 Liquid Propane Grill where the grilling-area size difference is not that much.

Weber Genesis II E-315 3-Burner Natural Gas Grill (66015001)

Both of the grills have porcelain-enameled cast-iron durable cooking grates and a very efficient temperature controlling system. The propane grill has a grease management system because it is essential for the grills with burners. On the other hand, drips on charcoal won’t be a problem for your grill and that’s why Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D doesn’t have a grease management system. Instead of grease management, it has an ash management system.

Both grills got excellent performance reviews from the customers and professionals. They have the features that everyone expects while grilling. Both charcoal and propane have advantages and disadvantages as it normally happens for different types of products. So, you can buy the one according to your demand.

Key Features of the Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D Charcoal Grill

What Users Saying About Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D Charcoal Grill

Great Grilling

For great grilling or searing, you will require perfect temperature, precise heat controlling capability, adjusting the height of the charcoal tray, and measuring the heat when the lid is closed. The assuring fact is that Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D has all of those that you would see in a high-end grill. The coal tray height can be adjusted with the handle at the front right. Also, you can see the temperature inside when the lid is closed and you’ll see that it is capable of raising the temperature to more than 500 degrees Fahrenheit. So, the next time, bad searing will not be because of the grill’s performance.

Large Space

We talked about the cooking area in the beginning because we were really surprised as it has 381 square inches of primary cooking area and 165 square inches of secondary cooking area. So, that’s a total of 546 square inches of cooking area which you have to admit is enough to cook for 3 persons at the same time.

Cleaning

Cleaning this grill is comparatively easy as it has porcelain-enameled cast-iron grates that don’t allow stubborn residue. Cleaning bare cast iron sometimes gets tough. Also, the ash is collected in a tray that you can take out without making any mess. Overall, cleaning and maintaining this grill is easy like other Dyna-Glo charcoal grills.

Build Quality

With thin metal sheets on the body, this is a grill that can’t give you the ultimate feel. You can get heavy muscles with a budget that’s 8 or 9 times more than this. But you’ll get amazed as this has a sturdy build-quality, almost perfect finish, and durable material selection. This is a reliable grill under your budget that you can use for many years.

What Users Saying About Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D Charcoal Grill

Let’s talk about the bad news first. Some of the customers complained about dented body parts. Also, some told us that they couldn’t get to close the lid perfectly as the sheet was bent. But is that really bad news for the product? We think your delivery guy or the agency that is handling the delivery of the product is more likely to blame. So, please don’t judge this product based on bad reviews that happened because of mishandling.

A really concerning matter we saw was the exterior painting. Our experts also tested and gave us the same feedback as some customers. To keep the price lower, Dyna-Glo must’ve put some low-quality heat-resistant coating on the exterior. That’s why it was gone after a few months of careful use. But this issue can be solved easily by spraying some high-quality spray paint on the outer part. It’ll look good as well as keep the grill protected from rust forever.

Apart from those complaints, we saw tons of great compliments about the Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D Charcoal Grill. The assembly of the product was easy and can take at most 3 hours. You can do it all by yourself in your garage. However, the customer care guys at the Dyna-Glo are really helpful and you can call them to ask anything. With the pro-features and big cooking area for such a low price, the customers are really satisfied.

FAQ About Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D Charcoal Grill

Can I cook the dish called Rotisserie Chicken on this grill?

Yes, because you’ll need rotisserie to be installed if not present on the grill and this Dyna-Glo grill will allow you to install one.

Are the grates on this grill good enough or should I replace them?

You won’t have to replace them as the grates are of great quality. We got assured of its quality because the manufacturer stated that they used porcelain-enameled cast iron to make the grates.

Are the grates needs seasoning like other grilling machines?

No, these are porcelain-enameled cast-iron grates and that’s why you won’t need to do the seasoning.

What is the height measurement of the cooking grates from the ground?

The cooking grates or the primary grilling area is 3’6” high above the ground. This allows more space for the coal tray to move with multiple height adjustments. As a result, you can cook with a more precise heat controlling ability.

Is it necessary to do seasoning before using this grill?

You should season the grill properly before using it for the first time. On the manual that you’ll get with the grill, there is the detailed instruction on properly seasoning the grill. You should use vegetable cooking oil and not much coal. Before coating the inner part, you should remove commercial seals and stickers except for the warning labels.

There’s a bent metal piece on the lower-left frontside. What is it used for?

It’s used to open bottles with an aluminum seal like a beer bottle or a bottle of cold drinks.

Can I add a smoky flavor to my dish cooking on this grill?

Yes, you can do it by adding some small wood chips mixed with the charcoal. Don’t make too much heat and you’ll have a nice smoky flavor.

Do you require to use any special charcoal briquettes for more efficiency?

No, just the regular charcoal will help you with the perfect temperature and great searing.

Can I use it on my camping trip? How about its portability?

As long as you have a truck or a large vehicle, you can take it with you. Otherwise, we wouldn’t recommend you as it’ll be too much of a hassle to handle.

Is there a smoker on the side that I can install later?

No, this model doesn’t have a smoker on the side like some other smoker models from Dyna-Glo charcoal grills and you can’t install one later. See our Dyna-Glo grill reviews of some expensive models and you’ll be able to have a great smoky flavored dish.

Final Verdict

Don’t you think that a grill’s cooking area of 546 square inches is more than enough to arrange a party in your backyard or on a camping trip? Reading our Dyna-Glo DGD381BNC-D Charcoal Grill review, you should realize that you can’t get a better deal within 130 bucks. So, go to Amazon and order now reading the customer reviews. We’re sure that you won’t get disappointed.