I’ve been cooking on charcoal grills for fifteen years. I’ve burned through cheap models that rusted out in a season. I’ve envied neighbors with thousand-dollar smokers. And I’ve spent countless Saturday afternoons flipping burgers for crowds of hungry friends who always show up right when the coals are perfect.
So when I needed to replace my aging grill last spring, I had one clear mission: find something big enough for my cookouts without emptying my wallet. Enter the Royal Gourmet CC2036F charcoal barrel grill – a massive smoking and grilling machine that costs less than a fancy weekend hotel stay.
After six months of heavy use, I’m ready to spill everything. The good stuff, the headaches, and whether this budget-friendly beast deserves a spot in your backyard.
First Impressions: Unboxing Day
The box showed up on my porch looking like it had been through a war. That’s freight shipping for you. Inside, though, everything was intact – just packed in about a million pieces.
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The Royal Gourmet CC2036F dimensions are serious business. This isn’t some compact apartment balcony grill. We’re talking 65.94 inches wide, 29.92 inches deep, and 51.18 inches tall when fully assembled. It weighs 87.5 pounds, which sounds heavy until you realize competitors in this size range often hit 100+ pounds.
My first thought? “I’m going to need more beer for this assembly job.”
Assembly: A Weekend Project (Fair Warning)
Let me be straight with you. Anyone who says royal gourmet charcoal grill assembly instructions are “easy” either has superhuman patience or low standards. I’m a reasonably handy guy. I’ve assembled furniture, built decks, and once put together an entire swing set without cursing more than a dozen times.
This took me seven hours spread across two days.
The instructions are clear enough. The problem is the sheer number of parts. Bolts, screws, washers, hinges, handles – it’s like a mechanical puzzle where every piece matters. My buddy Mike came over to help for the second half, and that made all the difference. Two sets of hands meant one person could hold pieces in place while the other tightened bolts.
Here’s my assembly survival guide:
- Clear a huge workspace. I used my garage floor and still felt cramped. Spread everything out so you can find parts quickly.
- Sort the hardware first. The instructions label everything, but separating screws by size into cups saved me countless minutes of hunting.
- Don’t fully tighten anything until the end. This is critical. Get everything hand-tight first, make sure it all lines up, then go back with tools for the final tightening. I learned this the hard way when I had to take apart an entire section because one bolt was three threads off.
- Check the wheel placement carefully. One reviewer mentioned putting wheels on the wrong end and having the whole thing fall apart. I triple-checked this step.
The legs attach first, then the main barrel body, then the firebox, and finally the Royal Gourmet CC2036F offset smoker. Each stage feels like a small victory. By the time I bolted on the chimney stack and temperature gauge, I felt like I’d earned a degree in grill engineering.
Is it the worst assembly ever? No. But it’s not a casual Sunday morning project either. Budget the time and recruit help.
The Cooking Space: Size Really Does Matter
Once assembled, this grill is an absolute monster. The total cooking area hits around 1,200 square inches. Let me break that down in practical terms.
The main cooking grates offer 668 square inches. That’s enough room for 25-30 burgers at once, or about a dozen chicken quarters with space to spare. The grates are porcelain-enameled steel wire, which sounds fancy but really just means they resist rust and clean up easier than bare metal.
The warming rack adds another 260 square inches up top. I use this for buns, keeping finished meat warm, or slow-cooking vegetables while the main event happens below.
Then there’s the offset smoker box attached to the side – 272 square inches of additional space. This is where the magic happens for low-and-slow cooking. The design pulls smoke and heat from the firebox through the main chamber, giving everything that authentic BBQ flavor.
I hosted a graduation party last month with forty people. I loaded the main grates with burgers and brats, threw chicken wings in the smoker box, and kept finished food warm on the top rack. Everything cooked at once. No one waited. That’s the kind of capacity that turns a stressful cookout into an actual party you can enjoy.
Read more: Charbroil Pro Series Review
Build Quality: The Elephant in the Backyard
Time for some real talk about construction. The Royal Gourmet CC2036F is not built like a tank. The metal is thinner than premium smokers. The paint job isn’t showroom quality. This is a budget grill, and it feels like one when you’re putting it together.
But here’s the thing: it’s not falling apart either.
The frame is alloy steel. It’s lighter gauge than what you’d find on a Weber or high-end Char-Griller, but it’s not the flimsy thin metal of those $50 tailgate grills. It flexes a bit under pressure but holds together fine under normal use.
The porcelain-enameled cooking grates are actually quite nice. They’re thick enough to hold heat and resist rust better than chrome-plated grates. After six months of regular use, mine still look great.
The paint situation is where things get dicey. After just three cooking sessions, I noticed the coating starting to peel near the firebox where heat concentrates. By cook number ten, there was visible flaking in several spots. This seems to be a common issue based on other reviews I’ve read.
Does it affect performance? Not really. Does it look pretty? Definitely not.
I added a DIY heat shield (just a thin piece of steel I had lying around) to the bottom of the firebox to protect the metal from direct flame exposure. That’s helped slow the deterioration.
The charcoal pan showed some rust after getting hot and wet repeatedly. Same with the inside of the smoker box. I’m not shocked – any bare metal exposed to moisture and high heat will rust eventually. A light coating of cooking oil helps, but accept that this grill will show its age faster than expensive models.
The hinges and handles feel solid. The wheels roll smoothly. The fold-down side shelves give me needed workspace and lock securely in place. These functional elements all work well.
What About a Grill Cover?
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The Royal Gourmet CC2036F grill cover question comes up constantly. Royal Gourmet sells a fitted cover for about $30-40. I bought one immediately, and it’s been worth every penny.
Given the paint issues and rust concerns, keeping this grill protected from weather is essential. The cover fits snugly over the entire unit, has drawstrings to secure it against wind, and seems to be holding up well to sun exposure.
I’ve left the grill uncovered during a rainstorm exactly once. Within days, I noticed new rust spots forming on every exposed metal surface. Lesson learned.
If you’re going to invest in this grill, budget another forty bucks for a quality cover. It’ll extend your grill’s life significantly.
Royal Gourmet CC2036F vs CC1830F: Bigger Is Better
| Feature | Royal Gourmet CC2036F | Royal Gourmet CC1830F |
|---|---|---|
| Total Cooking Space | 1,200 sq. inches | 811 sq. inches |
| Primary Cooking Area | 654 sq. inches | 443 sq. inches |
| Warming Rack Area | 260 sq. inches | 184 sq. inches |
| Item Weight (Net) | 87.5 lbs | 49.8 lbs |
| Firebox Size | Larger (Holds more charcoal) | Smaller (Holds less charcoal) |
| Charcoal Capacity | Holds up to 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) of coal in main pan | Charcoal pan has 2-level height adjustability |
| Refueling for Smoking | Less frequent | More frequent |
| Ideal For | Cooking for groups constantly (parties, graduations, etc.) | Small families or couples who grill occasionally |
| Advantage | Can cook everything at once, saves time | Easier storage, uses less charcoal to run |
| Recommendation | Recommended if budget allows (to avoid regretting not enough space) | Recommended for occasional use and smaller needs |
Royal Gourmet CC2036F vs Weber: David and Goliath
| Feature | Royal Gourmet CC2036F | Weber Ranch Kettle |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Barrel Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker | Kettle Charcoal Grill |
| Total Cooking Area | Up to 1,200 sq. in. (main, warmer, smoker) | 1,104 sq. in. (Primary) |
| Weight | ~87.5 lbs | ~148 lbs |
| Build Quality | Thinner steel, less durable paint, lower durability (estimated 5-7 years) | Thicker steel, more durable paint, tighter tolerances, superior longevity (estimated 10-15 years) |
| Cooking Performance | Cooks "just as well," temperature control is comparable, food tastes the same. | Cooks well, comparable temperature control. |
| Warranty & Service | Less established network parts can be found online. | Better warranties, better parts availability, more established customer service. |
| Ideal Buyer | Budget-conscious, wants to start smoking/grilling now. | Values longevity, brand reputation, and long-term investment. |
What I’ve Made
Theory is nice. Let’s talk about actual food.
I’ve grilled steaks at least twenty times on this thing. The adjustable charcoal pan lets me get screaming hot for perfect sear marks. I drop the pan to the lowest setting, load up the coals, and open the vents wide. Five minutes later, I’m at 500°F+ and ready to cook. Two minutes per side on thick ribeyes gives me a restaurant-quality crust with a perfect medium-rare center.
Burgers and hot dogs are almost too easy. I can fit thirty burgers on the main grates without crowding. The warming rack keeps finished ones hot while stragglers cook. For a July 4th party, I cooked seventy burgers over three hours, and the grill’s temperature never fluctuated.
Chicken quarters love the indirect heat setup. I push coals to one side, put the chicken on the opposite side of the main grate, and let them cook slowly for 45 minutes. The skin crisps up perfectly without burning. The meat stays juicy.
The brisket I mentioned earlier was a twelve-hour marathon. Started at 6 AM with a full charcoal pan and three chunks of hickory wood. Maintained 225°F all day with just one charcoal addition around hour six. The bark formed beautifully. The fat rendered perfectly. When I sliced into it that evening, the smoke ring was a half-inch deep.
I’ve smoked pork shoulder, ribs, whole chickens, and even a turkey. Every time, the results have been outstanding. The Royal Gourmet CC2036F charcoal grill with offset smoker design just works for low-and-slow cooking.
Vegetables get the offset smoker treatment. Corn, peppers, mushrooms, even tomatoes. Everything picks up smoke flavor without the risk of burning that comes from direct grilling.
The Maintenance Reality
Cleaning isn’t glamorous, but it matters. The removable ash pan and grease cup make the process less painful than some grills I’ve used.
After each cook, I let everything cool completely. Then I pull out the ash pan and dump it. Takes thirty seconds. The grease cup gets emptied into a can for disposal. Another thirty seconds.
The cooking grates need brushing while still warm. I do this right after moving food off but before the grill cools. A good stainless steel brush clears off stuck-on bits quickly.
Every few months, I do a deep clean. Pull out all the grates and give them a scrub with hot soapy water. Wipe down the inside of the barrel to remove built-up grease and ash. Check all the bolts and tighten anything that’s worked loose from heat cycling.
The paint peeling means I can’t just hose this thing down like I could with a stainless steel grill. Water on bare metal equals rust. I’m careful to only wipe down surfaces with a damp cloth and dry everything thoroughly.
Is it high maintenance? Not really. But it’s not a “set it and forget it” situation either. You need to care for it properly if you want it to last.
Pros and Cons
| pros | cons |
|---|---|
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Who Should Buy This Grill?
This grill makes sense for specific people:
- You host cookouts regularly and need serious cooking capacity. The 1,200 square inches of space is genuinely hard to find at this price.
- Your budget caps out around $250. For this money, you’re getting more grill than most competitors offer.
- You’re interested in smoking meat but don’t want to spend $500+ testing the waters. This is a solid entry point into offset smoking.
- You have space for a large grill. Remember those Royal Gourmet CC2036F dimensions – this thing is big.
- You’re handy enough to handle assembly and minor maintenance. It’s not rocket science, but it’s not foolproof either.
Who Should Skip It?
Pass on this if:
- You want something that’ll become a family heirloom. This is a tool, not an investment piece.
- You grill once a month and cook for two. The size and maintenance requirements don’t justify occasional use.
- You live in a harsh climate with brutal winters. The thin metal and paint issues will accelerate in extreme weather.
- You hate assembly projects with a passion. Seriously, this one is lengthy.
- You need commercial-grade durability. This is a residential grill built for regular home use, not daily restaurant-level punishment.
FAQs
1. What is the primary feature of the Royal Gourmet CC2036F?
Its primary feature is the combination of a large barrel charcoal grill and a side-mounted offset firebox, allowing users to perform both traditional grilling and low-and-slow smoking.
2. What is the total cooking area of the CC2036F?
The grill offers a generous total cooking area of approximately 1,200 square inches, distributed across the main cooking grates, a warming rack, and the cooking area in the offset smoker box.
3. Does the charcoal pan height adjust for heat control?
Yes, the CC2036F is equipped with a mechanism that allows you to adjust the height of the charcoal pan in the main chamber, providing better control over the grilling temperature.
4. How is temperature regulated when smoking with the offset firebox?
Temperature is controlled using adjustable air vents (dampers) on the offset smoker and a smokestack vent on the main barrel, which manage the airflow to regulate heat and smoke circulation.
5. What material are the cooking grates made of?
The main cooking grates are typically made of heavy-gauge porcelain-enameled steel wire, which helps with heat retention and makes them easier to clean.
6. Can I use wood chips/chunks for smoking, or is it only for charcoal?
You can use both. The offset firebox is ideal for burning wood chunks or adding wood chips to charcoal for creating authentic smoke flavor.
7. Does the grill include any features for easy cleanup?
Yes, the grill is designed with a removable ash tray (or charcoal pan) and a grease collection cup to simplify the process of cleaning up ashes and drippings after cooking.
8. How is the lid structured for convenience?
The main grilling chamber has a large hinged lid with a handle and a mounted thermometer, allowing you to monitor the internal temperature without lifting the lid and losing heat.
9. What is the estimated assembled size (L x W x H) of the grill?
The approximate assembled dimensions are inches, reflecting its large footprint necessary to accommodate the main barrel and the offset smoker.
10. Is this grill designed to be stationary or easily moved?
The CC2036F is a large, freestanding grill, but it is equipped with two durable wheels on one side, allowing it to be tilted and rolled for easier movement around a patio or deck.
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