Here at Pro Tool Reviews, we’ll use just about any excuse to fire up a grill and gather around the table for a team lunch. Over the last few years, we’ve used and reviewed several of Monument Grill’s products, and the experience has been overwhelmingly positive. Now, Monument is kicking up the heat with a brand-new line of premium grills with an advanced feature set and electronics packages. A few weeks back, we got our hands on the Monument Grills Eminence 425 gas grill, and that meant it was time for a cookout. So, we stopped by our local Publix Supermarket for supplies and got to work.
Monument Grills Eminence 425 Grill Basics
Cooking Areas, Burners, and BTUs
The Monument Grills Eminence 425 includes four burners and 510 square inches of cooking space on the porcelain-enameled cast iron grates. You also have an upper stainless steel cooking area that provides an extra 170 square inches of cooking space. Unlike the Eminence 605, this grill is not equipped with a rotisserie burner, but it is compatible with Monument’s electric rotisserie system (sold separately).
To the left of the main cooking area, you have an ordinary side burner with a stainless steel grate. This is perfect for heating sauces, preparing side dishes, or putting a hard sear on your steak after an indirect cook. Collectively, this brings the total BTUs up to 60,000.
Counting the main and upper cooking areas, the Monument Grills Eminence 425 provides 680 square inches of total cooking space, excluding the side burner. That gives you plenty of room to prepare multiple dishes simultaneously.
LED Knobs
One cool feature on this grill is the 3-mode LED knobs. The knobs glow white when the burner is off, orange when on low heat, and red when the burner is set to high heat. It provides a nice visual cue so you don’t have to second-guess your burner settings.
Build Quality
After getting some hands-on experience with this grill, it’s clear that Monument built the 425 to last. It features thicker, soft-close doors and a dual-layer reinforced lid that adds some rigidity and helps trap heat. Additionally, it sports locking casters that allow it to glide smoothly on concrete.
More Features
- Electronic Ignition: Turn on the burner and press the button—you’re ready to cook
- Robust Cabinet Doors: Thick, quiet-close cabinet door construction offers higher durability
- 360° Locking Casters: Roll easily when it’s time to move and maintain stability while you cook
- High Temp Cooking: Achieve cooking temps up to 750°F with the lid closed
- Fast Heating: Reach 600°F in just 5 minutes and 700°F in 10 minutes
- Eye-Popping Finish: Silky-matte black finish looks great and resists heat
- Quick-Change Grease Trap: Swap out throw-away grease trap trays in seconds
- 10-Year Limited Warranty: You read that right—your grill is covered for 10 years
Eminence 425 Grilling Performance
Going over a grill’s features is one thing, but how it cooks determines whether it’ll earn our recommendation. I tried it out on the Pro Tool Reviews crew with some burgers, veggie kabobs, and a side of sautéed summer squash. This gave us the opportunity to utilize all four burners, as well as the side burner.
Getting started, I kicked all four burners up to high heat, and we were up to temp in a matter of minutes. I was pleasantly surprised by how well the flame tamers performed, given that our burgers were 80/20 chuck and are prone to flare-ups.
Our burgers definitely received a good kiss of flame from time to time, but overall, the heat was even across the grates and easy to control. Towards the end of the cook, I even set up the burners for dual-zone cooking to keep the burgers warm while we finished our other components.
In my experience, side burners can feel like an afterthought, but the Monument Grills 425 put off some pretty good heat on the top end for searing and sautéing. However, I wish there were a little more variance in the size of the flame. The lowest flame setting is still a little too hot for simmering delicate sauces and marinades, but you can always toggle the flame on and off if you want to keep something warm.
Monument Grills Eminence Comparison
Monument Grills makes three different models in the Eminence lineup. To give you an idea of how they compare, I rigged up a chart to highlight the differences. Overall, the 605 represents the flagship model, with the 405 offering a bit less space and the 425 removing the Digitemp digital display and some other features:
| Feature | Eminence 425 | Eminence 405 | Eminence 605 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Burners | 4 main burners 1 side burner | 4 main burners 1 rear infrared burner 1 side searing station | 6 main burners 1 rear infrared burner 1 side searing station |
| Total BTUs | 60,000 | 60,000 | 89,000 |
| Primary Cooking Area | 510 sq. in. | 510 sq. in. | 640 sq. in. |
| Secondary Cooking Area | 170 sq. in. | 170 sq. in. | 220 sq. in. |
| Total Cooking Space | 680 sq. in. | 680 sq. in. | 860 sq. in. |
| Number of Side Burners | 1 | 1 (infrared) | 1 (infrared) |
| Searing Burner | No | Yes | Yes (rear + side) |
| Grill Finish | Matte black | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Ignition Type | Electronic ignition | LED touch panel with electronic ignition | LED touch panel with electronic ignition |
| Cooking Grate Material | Porcelain-enameled cast iron | Heavy-duty porcelain-enameled cast iron | 7mm SUS304 stainless steel |
| Natural Gas Convertible | No | No | Yes |
| Price | $749 | $949 | $1,349 |
Pricing and Final Thoughts
Although the Monument Grills Eminence 425 isn’t quite as feature-heavy as the flagship 605, there’s still a lot to love about this grill. It delivers even cooking temperatures, fast pre-heating, and a premium design that’s built to last.
The 425 retails for $749 and comes with a 10-year limited warranty. While the price tag is a little higher than what you might see with your run-of-the-mill big box store propane grill, the overall build quality and feature set justify the cost.
So, if you’re looking to elevate your backyard grilling this year (and for years to come), the Monument Grills Eminence 425 is your new best friend.
