By Christie Vanover | Published June 26, 2011 | Last Updated January 2, 2019
One thing that’s hard about moving around the world is changing grills so often. Unless, you get a grill spotless, customs has issues with moving it across continents. We’re nearing retirement now, so I just invested in a STOK Quattro Grill…more on it in a moment.
My first grill was a cheapy, but lasted a few good stateside moves. I remember my first meal on that grill; I had no idea how to BBQ. I slathered up some chicken parts in BBQ sauce, cranked the grill to high and threw them on the grates. They caught on fire and were burnt to a crisp. I tried to serve them to my newlywed husband, and when he took his first bite, they were raw inside. My how times have changed. (“Thank God!” my husband interjects.)
I later invested in both an expensive grill that had a hard line connection to the gas line at our house and an extra large smoker, but I couldn’t take them with me to Europe. So in Belgium, I bought another crappy grill and a tiny smoker. We left both there and gave them to our Belgian neighbors.
When we moved to Texas, at first we settled with another cheap grill. A good grill really can make all the difference. We may have only spent $100 on the grill, but we easily ruined $100 in meat because the grill didn’t cook evenly. The steaks were far from restaurant quality.
So finally I talked my husband into an upgrade. After a lot of research, we decided on the STOK Quattro Grill. STOK stands for “Special Technology in Outdoor Kitchens.” This grill is only available at Home Depot and sells for $299, but Home Depot always offers a 10% military discount. The grill is created by Ryobi, the company who has made quality tools for years.
What do tools have to do with grills? Well, according to the STOK facebook page, “STOK is part of the TTI family (responsible for RYOBI, RIDIGD Power Tools, and Milwaukee). We are always looking for new challenges, so we decided to bring the innovation we are known for in Power Tools over to grills.”
Like many high-quality grills, the STOK Quattro has 4 individually controlled burners and 450 square inches of cooking space. It has an attractive sturdy stainless steel exterior and lots of cabinet space inside with spice racks and shelves.
What makes this grill stand above the rest though are all of its unique gadgets. It came with three interchangeable inserts: a vegetable tray, a pizza stone and a griddle.
Since it was Memorial Day, we quickly assembled the grill, which was quite easy with two people, one being my handy husband. We cranked this baby right up and grilled some rib-eyes. They were the best steaks we’ve had in years.
I’ve always wanted an outdoor pizza oven, so the stone was the first insert I tried. Using my recipe for Italian Pizza Dough, I made breakfast pizza.
I rolled the dough out, formed an edge and topped it with seasoned eggs, cheese and chorizo.
Then, I slid it onto the preheated, cornmeal dusted pizza stone and grilled it until the crust was crispy on the edges and the eggs were cooked through.
It was so good.
We had some leftover steak from the night before, so next I used the vegetable tray to make fajitas, and at the same time, I used the griddle to make quesadillas. This grill is so versatile.
I was having so much fun, that I went back to Home Depot and bought two other inserts: the chicken roaster and the kabob and rib rack.
The center of the chicken roaster fits a soda or beer can, but I wanted wine chicken, so I emptied out a can of enchilada sauce and it fit perfectly.
I rubbed the chicken down with Herbes de Provence and filled the can with white wine, butter and more herbs.
Another success.
Next, it was time to test the kabob and rib rack. I seasoned two slabs of ribs and a whole brisket with Zestuous Rub and slid them right in the racks. After a few hours on indirect heat, they were the best ribs I’ve ever made.
Today, I put the grill to its final test. My STOK is a grill, a pizza oven, a griddle, a wok…but can it replace my smoker? That’s what I aimed to find out.
I soaked some mesquite chips in water. Then, I poured them into the vegetable tray and inserted it into the grill. I topped the chips with the bottom of the rib rack turned upside down.
My extra large smoker was awesome because it had a side box where the wood burned and the smoke moved through the barrel, cooking the meat indirectly at a temperature between 250-275 degrees.
By placing the wood chips in one side and the meat on the other, I was able to create the same effect with my STOK. And with four burners, I could monitor the heat to keep the temperature where I needed it. I turned the left two burners on low. The temperature reached about 325, but if I just used one burner, the temperature dropped to 225, so I went with the two burners. When I closed the lid, smoke filled the inside, but easily escaped out the sides and back.
After a 2-3 hours, my smoked skirt steak, tasted just like it does on my big smoker. But the icing on the cake…or should I say, the sauce on the BBQ…is that because of how I prepare my skirt steak, this grill was even better than my smoker.
I always smoke my skirt steak first, and then I grill it on high, to sear in that buttery flavor from the natural skirt steak fat. I could smoke it and grill it on all my STOK. Awesome!
My only complaint about this grill is that when it catches a wind gust, it starts to make a whooshing sound. The only way to stop this is to turn the burner off and then back on. However, within minutes, it starts doing it again. It doesn’t seem to affect the cooking, it’s just kind of loud and annoying.
The other thing the grill is lacking is hooks to hang utensils. We adapted and added our own, so all is good. And STOK thought of everything else when it comes to storage.
You can slide the kabob skewers into the side holes.
The insert removal tool also hangs on the holes.
And as I mentioned, the inside has shelves for the inserts and a spice rack.
Other pros: the grill has four wheels, so you can move it around your patio on windy days. Then, you can lock down the wheels, so it doesn’t get away from you. And clean up is a breeze. Because all of the inserts are removable, they can be easily rinsed off under the faucet or with a hose. And the container that catches drippings is very easy to access and clean.
If you can’t tell by now, I love this grill. If it wasn’t so darn hot this time of year in Texas, I would probably cook every meal on my STOK Quattro.
Frankly says
Our STOK is just entering its 3rd summer and all four burners need replacing, they have all failed! These things cot $32 each so we are spending $130 to keep a grill we paid $250 for. I love the features but the things are crap.
zestuous says
Hi Frankly,
I’ve had mine for 4 years now and the burners are still working great. I give the insides a good cleaning about once a year and it’s hanging tough.
Andre says
Hi.. thanks for the great advice. We just bought the Stok Quattro grill a couple of weeks ago at Target. Got it on clearance (70% off) for 89.99! My partner and I quickly assembled it. We bought it for our new house, which comes with a natural gas connection for grills. Not knowing much about grills, we assumed any grill could easily be hooked up to the natural gas line, come to find out, a natural gas conversion kit would be required. After searching online, it appears only Amazon is the current seller of this kit (interestingly, we’ll probably end up paying the same for the kit as we did for the grill). Amazon is out of stock and they have NO expected date of restocking. I contacted a local grill store and told them our situation, they quickly told me that Amazon would likely never carry the conversion kits again as recent injuries related to these types of kits have created a liability issue and thus most vendors are hesitant to sell these kits any longer.
Have you heard if this is the case? I went to the Stok website and they refer me to three vendors, two of the three say they no longer sell it. The third is Amazon and as I mentioned, they are out of stock with no expected date of restocking. The fact that 2 of the 3 vendors suggested by STOK no longer carry this kit makes me think STOK won’t be selling these any longer.
I was hoping you or one of your followers have heard anything related to the future availability of this kit. We were really looking forward to not having to use a propane tank for grilling. We might sell it and buy a Weber, which I’ve been told makes natural gas grills that do not require a conversion kit.
Thanks again for all of your great grilling advice!
zestuous says
Hi Andre,
I actually just added the conversion kit to my grill in July. I had been putting it off for months. I saw it online, but wasn’t ready to drop $90 on it. When I finally went to order it, it was out of stock. Amazon lets you set up an alert where they will notify you when it’s back in stock. I set up the alert and within 2 weeks I got an email saying they had them again. I ordered it, and it works great! I don’t know why I ever waited so long. Hope they get them in stock for you soon.
zestuous says
Kimberly,
I do not work for STOK, nor have I ever received compensation for this review. I simply bought the grill, fell in love with it and wrote a blog post about all the cool things it does. STOK did issue a recall in 2012. I registered my STOK product online (I even got a certificate, indicating that my grill was one of the first 10,000 made). I assume because I registered, they had my address and knew how to reach me to tell me about the recall. They sent me the replacement part and I’ve never had a problem. I’ve never been disappointed with the materials they used. In fact, I’m impressed that this was built like a power tool. My only complaint about the grill has been that strong winds can blow out the flame if I don’t position it on the patio right. The warranty on the grill is great. I recommend contacting the company and letting them know what happened. Best of luck and happy grilling.
Bruce McKibben says
Have used my STOK Quattro for several years. It’s very versatile and can generate 400-500 degree heat if cranked up high. Too high to be useful, so once warmed, the dials get turned to lower settings. Easy to maintain 300 degrees once the learning curve is figured out. regulator was replaced as a warranty issue shortly after purchase (mine was on the tail-end of recall). Easily installed, tested and has worked fine ever since. Inserts have proven useful, if a pain to clean. With some pre-cleaning, most will do fine in dishwasher. Pizza stone was never used; broke early on, so no experience with that. Two of the iron grill inserts have cracked. Both in the same place; back near the handle grip extension. First one was replaced under warranty, It’s been over two years, so probably out of luck now. NOT particularly well made, for being cast iron. With the open back, wind can blow out the burners at low settings. But with the rollers, you can move the grill to minimize that. Two of the burner tubes have developed cracks. Contacted STOK as a warranty issue, so will see. The clips that hole the burners in place in back have disappeared on 3 of 4 tubes. Will wait to see what STOK response is before I go further. Mostly this is a very useful grill. If they could figure a way to use a quick-detach back cover, it would be closer to almost perfection.
zestuous says
Good feedback Bruce. I haven’t had any issues with breaking or cracking, but I agree about the wind issue. They’re selling these at Target now. I’d be curious to see if they redesigned the back at all over the past 3 years…I might have to stop in and check em out.
Flavia says
What a great review! How has this grill held up? I’ve read a lot about rust. Thanks!
Michelle Baldwin says
looking for a rotisserie for my Stok Quattro., any suggestions
zestuous says
I have the Mainstays Electric Rotisserie from Wal-Mart model number MS11-100-031-17.
Marc Bond says
This is a great review — very specific and very informative, in addition to being an inspiration to try the different capabilities of the inserts.
A couple of years ago I got tired of hauling propane tanks hither and yon, and I had the natural gas company install a natural gas supply to my BBQ location. I love cooking with natural gas — I never worry about the gas tank emptying in the middle of a long slow-cook operation.
Does STOK make a model that operates on natural gas?
zestuous says
Marc, I have the same issue. I moved back to Vegas and I have another grill here that connects right to the gas line of our house. By default, I’ve been using that grill lately.
Good news though!!! STOK is coming out with a natural gas conversion kit soon.
http://www.stokgrills.com/accessories/gas_conversion.php
Emily Kelley says
Just wanted to add that Amazon.com carries STOK products. With Amazon Prime, my two-day shipping on the Quattro was free! We assembled ours on Sunday and plan to use for the first time this evening.
Marc Bond says
I saw that Emily — and the price is really good as well.
JermB says
Now that you’ve used this grill for a while, do you still love it? What pros and cons have you noticed over the past year? How is it holding up?
zestuous says
Yes I do still love it. I don’t use all the inserts as frequently as I did at first, but it’s a great grill for everyday grillin’. It’s holding up great. I keep it under a covered patio, so I’ve never seen any rust or flaking (like I’ve seen in other grills).
Sometimes I forget to clean out the grease trap, but it’s really easy to do, and whatever material they used is so great because it cleans really easily even after months.
The only con that I can think of is that the bottom cabinet could use a backing. When I blow leaves and grass off the patio, they seem to find their way into the cabinet, so I have to clean my inserts before using them…but that’s minor. It really is great!
Anonymous says
I would love to hear how your STOK grill is holding up the test of time. I’ve seen reviews where people have said that theirs has rusted out, falling apart, etc. I am thinking of getting a grill and not sure if a Weber is better.
stuart says
I like my grill. It did rust out after 2 years though. I paid 150 for replacement parts. I can’t use it now because they put a screw on the burner that is not possible to remove because of corrosion.
leslie says
thanks for the great blog…can you fold the side tables down?
zestuous says
No Leslie. They don’t fold down.
Danielle says
I have read a lot of reviews on this grill and a lot of the cons mention that the fact there is no back on the bottom section is inconvenient and that the side tables get extremely hot. Have you noticed this or had an issue at all? Also, I have a composite wood deck, does the grill get so hot that I would have to worry about this on my deck? Thanks for the in depth info in your review, very very useful!
zestuous says
The fact that there is no back doesn’t bother me because I have it against the brick wall on my patio. I guess I could see how it could be unsightly, but it makes it easy to replace the propane tank.
The sides do get warm when the grill is on high. They get warmer the closer they are to the grill and cooler on the ends. It’s never been a problem for me though. I’ve set everything from plastic to glass on them while grilling with no issues.
The grill does not get warm toward the bottom, so your deck will be perfectly safe. Just don’t put it up against siding. I learned that years ago when I melted the siding on our house with a different grill. If the grill is against a composite rail, you may need to pull it out a bit when cooking just to be safe.
I think the pluses far outweigh the cons. I don’t use the inserts all that often, but I grill a few times a week, and I am continuously pleased with the consistency every time. And I love that it has 4 burners, so I can adjust for direct heat and indirect heat.
Danielle says
Awesome! That is exactly what I wanted to hear! Thanks again for the great info!
Gary Swan says
I recently learned that Home Depot has discontinued the STOK line of grills. Doesn’t bode well for this product.
zestuous says
Thanks Gary. That’s too bad. I’ve enjoyed the grill. Good thing I’ve already purchased all of the inserts.
trevecca says
we were just at Home Depot in Montreal this afternoon and they not only CARRY the STOK grills . . . the very ‘grill-knowledgable’ sales guy said they are so popular they can hardly keep them in stock.
Coach George says
Have you are anyone else attempted to set up a rotisserie for the Quattro?
It seems to be a natural for a rotisserie yet Stok doesn’t offer one.
Thanks
George
zestuous says
I actually bought a rotisserie to use with it, I just haven’t taken it out of the box yet. Maybe I’ll try it this weekend.
Sara says
What model of rotisserie did you purchase (I can’t find one by Stok)? Just got our grill today and want to get one ASAP. Any issues or tips for rotisserie cooking?
zestuous says
I have the Mainstays Electric Rotisserie from Wal-Mart model number MS11-100-031-17.
Winnie says
Just found out made in China think I’ll be looking to buy one made in the USA now. Love the geil but the China thing is a deal breaker for me.
Josh says
Just bought this grill and something I’m finding unclear – does the porcelain ceramic need to be seasoned with oil like a cast iron skillet? Is it safe to use a regular wire BBQ brush on to clean? Thanks!
zestuous says
I never seasoned mine. I clean the grates with high heat, a spay bottle with water and a grill brush. I clean the inserts in the sink (after they have cooled).
Mike says
Great info about the Stok Grill..Was wondering how the new one is holding up? Any problems with the regulator?? I’m thinking about buying one..The food you cooked looked very yummy
zestuous says
The new one is amazing. I haven’t had a single problem with it. I think I have all of the inserts now. I highly recommend it.
Mike says
Thanks so much for the speedy reply..Going to pick up the grill tomorrow. Hope to see some more updats here..Your pictures and tips are great.
Tim Taylor says
Hello, I love your blog and although I am happy with my current grill I did have a question about the breakfast pizza, what type of cheese did you use? Was it Mozzerella?
Thanks!
zestuous says
Thanks Tim. I’m not sure what cheese I used on the pizza pictured. I mix it up all the time depending on my toppings on what I have on hand. You can use mozzarella, pepper jack, Swiss, cheddar, even goat cheese. When I was in college, I used to put Kraft Singles on it. With chorizo, you won’t go wrong with a mild cheddar, mozzarella or pepper jack.
zestuous says
Tim I just remembered the cheese I used for the pizza pictured: Manchego.
Eric says
Why did you put another piece over the wood chips?
I just bought this grill and am so excited to use it. But I’ve been too busy to put it together!
Thanks for the great write up.
zestuous says
So the smoke flavor wouldn’t be too overwhelming, and to limit the oxygen flow so they didn’t catch fire. Enjoy your grill. I just grilled a turkey on it today. So moist and juicy!
Smitty says
Thanks for an awesome review zestuous , I’m picking one up today on the way home!!!
ChrisK says
I just got my quattro this weekend and i already love it. Could you elaborate on how you cooked the ribs (temp, prep, seasoning, etc). I like your posts, especially about smoking, and i hope to see more soon.
thanks.
zestuous says
Awesome Chris.
First thing you need to do is remove the silver skin from the back of the ribs. It’s a lining close to the bone that covers the backside of the ribs. Slide a knife under it to separate it just enough so you can grab it. Then, using a paper towel, grab hold of it and pull it off.
Next, generously rub the ribs with Zestuous Rub: https://www.zestuous.com/2011/09/zestuous-rub/. Let the ribs rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Place the STOK rib rack with inserts in the grill. Then, turn all burners of the grill to high to heat to clean off any leftovers from the last time you grilled.
Next, turn off the two burners under the rib rack and turn the other two knobs down the second dot.
Slide the ribs into the rib rack inserts and grill them for about 3 hours or until the meat starts to shrink from the rib tips.
Happy grilling!
bob says
I like the grill and it’s potential. I’ve owned mine over a month and found similar issues such as breeze causing the whistling/bubbling water noise with the flame -very sensitive.
If anyone can help, I can’t get my grill over 350 degrees. I read in the manual that the U.S. had a new regulator laws in place that limit the gas (how unAmerican …can’t get my grill over a cool oven) I tried their solutions to no avail.
HOW DID YOU GET YOUR GRILL TO GET TO BE HOT? WHAT IS THE TRICK? NEED HELP ASAP!
zestuous says
Bob, it could be that your regulator has gone bad. My grill was working great for about 2 months, and then all of a sudden I ran into the same problem you’re having. I thought my tank was running low, so I bought another tank…but same issue. I found if I only used 2 burners, I could get it hotter, but still not as hot as I wanted.
Then, I noticed when I turned on the tank that it was making a hissing sound, releasing gas. I called STOK and they are sending me a new regulator at no charge. As soon as it arrives, I’ll let you know if the problem is fixed.
If you’re in a hurry to BBQ, you could pick up a new regulator at Home Depot for under $20 and see if that helps. Good luck!
zestuous says
Bob. I have an update on my grill. My regulator broke in July. I called the warranty office in early August. They said they were going to ship me out a new one at no cost. I just had to leave the old one in a box on the porch for FedEx. After 3 weeks…I never received a new regulator.
I called them last week to see what was up. The lady said the regulators are on back order and they have no idea when they will be in. I’m on a waiting list to receive one…but I’ve already gone 6 weeks without a grill…missing most of the summer grilling season.
I went to Home Depot today. They gave me a regulator off the shelf for free. I installed it, but it didn’t work properly either. The grill got up to 600 degrees, but it was making an awful noise and the regulator was vibrating. The clerk at Home Depot told me if the regulator didn’t work properly, they would replace the entire grill.
So we brought the grill back and got a brand new one. Great customer service! I’ll be assembling it tomorrow and picking up some nice ribeyes. I can’t wait to grill on a STOK again.
I also have an email into the product designer about this issue. If I hear anything, I’ll let you know.
SkiBum says
I also have a problem with my gs regulator. It worked great for the first 10 uses then began hissing out gas. I hope STOK or Home Depot will help me, it’s a 2 hour drive to the nearest Home Depot where I bought this. Otherwise, I love the grill. Grilling pizzas on the stone that comes with it, it great.
Morpheus239 says
I just bought this STOK today at Home Depot and had only read a few reviews on my phone while I was in the store. I got home and read your review and I feel alot better about my decision. It did make the top 10 at About.com placing #9 for grills between $250 and $500. But I read alot of bad reviews too. But with your review I feel much better. Your Smoker tip with the Veg pan, PERFECT I did not even think of that. I think I will be very happy with this grill. You have great ideas for this grill and I look forward to see what you come up with next!
Anonymous says
implulse buyer!
zestuous says
Thanks. Glad I could help. Happy grilling!
Tripper says
Great read. Thanks. I just bought a STOK last week. We haven’t made pizza on it yet but it has done well so far with our burgers, sausages and veggies.
Question: As you know the STOK has a few openings when the lid is in the closed position (across the back and at the sides where the rotisserie would be). In your smoker experiment, did you have any issues or problems with these openings letting out too much of your precious smoke?
zestuous says
No. They actually worked to the food’s advantage. A little smoke needs to circulate out, so the food is not overwhelmed with smokiness. The back and side openings worked like the stove pipe in my big smoker.
Andrew says
sweet write up.
thnx for the pics & commentary
Todd duncan says
Can you tell me the maximum temperature I should expect my stok quattro to reach? I recently purchased mine and have grilled twice. With all four burners going at full tilt and the lid closed, it was able to reach 350*. I would expect it to reach at least 450*. just curious. Thanks,
Todd
zestuous says
I’ve seen mine reach 600 degrees. I usually have mine on a covered patio against a brick wall, so I don’t have any issues with wind. I have heard other people mention temperature issues though on the STOK facebook page.
Mike Farrah says
This is soooo cool and inspiring! Thanks for such a great and fun article!!! WOW!
Very much appreciated! Mike