LotusGrill XXL: The biggest brother in the family
24.8.2017
Translation: machine translated
Want to quickly barbecue for 20 people over the lunch break? No problem with the XXL version of the LotusGrill. Find out what else it can do and whether it's worth buying one in our test report.
LotusGrill is a German company that started producing its barbecues in 2010. The team of just 12 people now exports their products to over 25 countries worldwide. With the LotusGrill XXL, they have launched their largest charcoal barbecue to date. I was allowed to test it for a short period of time and in this report I give you an overview of its functions, look at where its limits lie and in which areas it still has room for improvement.
Structure
In my life, I've probably had the pleasure of assembling around ten different barbecues. The LotusGrill XXL is definitely one of the simpler constructions. You only have to assemble the legs and the wheels. The rest of the barbecue arrives already assembled in the packaging. It took me just 30 minutes from opening the packaging to the barbecue being upright. I would certainly have been able to assemble it even quicker if I hadn't screwed the two legs together the wrong way round on the first attempt. I don't know why, but it happens to me all the time. Whether it's a barbecue, a wardrobe or a USB stick. I usually assemble or insert it the wrong way round on the first attempt. 😀
Once the legs and wheels are in place, 90 per cent is already done. All you have to do is connect the grill unit to the legs and insert the four AA batteries. Your LotusGrill is then ready for its deflowering.
Functionality
Unlike conventional charcoal barbecues, the LotusGrill has built-in fans. Thanks to them, you can place the food on the grill just a few minutes after firing it up. During my first test, I was quite hungry and therefore a little impatient. I put the meat on the grill after just five minutes. However, I recommend that you wait about ten minutes. This allows the heat to develop and spread better.
To start the barbecue, you first need to apply a fuel paste. Once you have lit this with a lighter or a match, you can place the two filled charcoal containers on top. Now all you have to do is switch on the fans using the two wheels on the side and wait until the embers generate enough heat. The fans can be adjusted as required. They get the electricity they need either from the batteries or you can plug the supplied network cable into a socket. The two fans do not need a lot of juice. So far, I have only operated the LotusGrill with the batteries and have never had to replace them.
Note that the temperature on the grill is not the same everywhere. The closer you are to the charcoal containers, the warmer the grill will be. This is particularly important to know when grilling larger items. After grilling three or four times, however, you should get the hang of it. You can also regulate the temperature with the two fans. Depending on how much heat you want, you can adjust these to a greater or lesser extent. There is a round plate in the centre of the grill. This serves to prevent fat from dripping from the food into the embers and thus creating a flame, smoke or a burnt odour. You can also grill on it, but you have to make sure that nothing sticks. Unfortunately, I didn't realise this during my first test. That's why I placed aluminium foil on top of it for each subsequent pass. No matter whether fish, meat or vegetables. Thanks to the aluminium foil, nothing sticks to the plate.
After the barbecue is before the barbecue. That's why you should clean your barbecue and especially the grill thoroughly after use. The best way to remove any residue from the grill is with a steel brush. This won't make it sparkling clean, but it doesn't have to be. However, all coarse dirt should be removed. One advantage of the LotusGrill is that the individual parts can be removed. This makes the grill much easier to clean. The large drip tray on the LotusGrill XXL has just enough room to fit into conventional chutes. The smaller versions of the LotusGrill even fit in the dishwasher.
Accessories
LotusGrill offers a wide range of different accessories. For this test, I used their barbecue tongs, charcoal and fuel paste.
The barbecue tongs are coated with silicone, heat-resistant up to 300 °C and dishwasher-safe. I can definitely recommend them, but they are not a must-have. Grill tongs are available on the market and fulfil exactly the same purpose.
I have had very good experiences with charcoal from LotusGrill. The individual pieces of charcoal are rather small and therefore fit better in the charcoal containers of the barbecue than large chunks. They are made from purely natural products and are CO2-neutral. You do not necessarily have to use LotusGrill's own charcoal. You can buy a bag to try it out and decide for yourself whether it's worth it. It is also not significantly more expensive than conventional charcoal.
I can highly recommend the LotusGrill fuel paste as a lighting aid. It is made from odourless ethanol and comes in a handy 200 ml bottle with a child safety lock. You can also use other fuel pastes, but I recommend using the one from LotusGrill. It has always worked for me without any problems and is also affordable in terms of price.
There are currently a lot more accessories available for the smaller versions of the LotusGrill than for the XXL. For example, there is a lid, a teppanyaki plate and a fondue attachment. According to LotusGrill, however, further accessories for the XXL grill should also come onto the market next year.
The other Family members
If you like the LotusGrill but don't have space for the XXL version, you can also take a look at its smaller brothers. The smallest of them has a diameter of 32 centimetres, the middle one 40.5 centimetres. They are therefore noticeably smaller than the LotusGrill XXL with a diameter of 57.6 centimetres. Compared to the tested product, they also only have one fan instead of two. However, this does not matter due to their smaller size. The principle and design do not differ greatly. Only the size and price.
Conclusion
The LotusGrill XXL is a charcoal grill with additional features. Thanks to its fans, the embers heat up in just a few minutes and there is no smoke development. With a diameter of 57.6 centimetres, you have enough space to barbecue for a larger group. The LotusGrill is available in different colours and is easy to clean thanks to its removable individual parts. The price is certainly justified, but still in a higher segment. Due to its size, you also need enough space to store it. If you have a small balcony, you might run out of space. The two fans are always dependent on electricity. Be it from the battery or via a power connection. Furthermore, there are not yet as many accessories available as for its two brothers. However, these will be coming onto the market soon.
The LotusGrill XXL has left a positive impression on me. It's fun to barbecue with because it heats up much faster than other charcoal barbecues. The only thing is that cooling down after use is the same as with all conventional kettle barbecues. This would certainly be the next challenge that LotusGrill could take on. Let's see what else may come. I am curious.
Pro
- heats up quickly
- temperature adjustable
- large range of colours
- easy cleaning
- no smoke development
Contra
- Price rather high
- requires a lot of space
- requires power or battery
- still too few accessories
Riding my motorbike makes me feel free, fishing brings out my inner hunter, using my camera gets me creative. I make my money messing around with toys all day.
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