YOU ARE HERE >> AmazingRibs » Ratings & Reviews » Camping RV And Outdoor Cooking » Aussie 4106 Swinger Square Utility Charcoal Grill Review
Aussie Grills is owned by Meco Corporation in Greenville, TN. They are often referred to as Meco Grills or Meco Aussie Grills. Aussie manufactures three charcoal models: Swinger, Sizzler and their popular Walk-a-Bout grills. All three styles are very similar with about 340 square inches of cooking surface on nickel plated rod grates. Our posted MSRP is for the 4106 Swinger Square Utility model with two side shelves. All MSRPs are between $50 and $90 and they are often on sale for well below that range.
With Swinger and Sizzler models you can angle the grate from the top firebox lip down to the coal, theoretically providing three cooking zones at high, medium and low levels. Swinger models have two levers that tilt the grate mechanically. Swinger is offered with or without side shelves.
The charcoal grate is a thin, rectangular, shallow metal tray with air holes along each side and a steel mesh grate affixed on top. Sliding dampers are located in the front and back of the firebox with a rotary damper on top of the lid. Firebox dampers are positioned above the coal grate so the only air reaching under the coal comes through the air holes on the tray. There is no ash removal system. You must remove the cooking grate, and then dump out the coal grate.
Aussies are great for searing burgers, but not so much for roasting larger cuts, or cooking over a long duration. They have a very shallow lid, little air control and no ash removal system. After a while you’re bound to get a buildup of ash which will stifle air flow under the charcoal. Furthermore, when it’s time to clear the ash and add more fuel, you need to remove the cooking grate and anything on it. They offer a rotisserie, but if roasting is on your agenda, you should reconsider Aussie. Even though they have a lid, unlike many Australian style grills, they are made with thin metal that won’t retain heat, and the firebox is essentially a charcoal tray on four legs.
On the up side, they’re inexpensive and portable. The legs lock in a standing position when in use or fold down flat and lock in a compacted position for easy transport and storage. The lid also locks shut enabling you to grab the handle, roll the compacted grill on its wheels to your vehicle and go! Many owners with limited space like the fold up design for storage.
The current Aussie BBQ charcoal models are lightweight with cheap construction and low pricing. Most buyers are happy with their Aussies and they should do a good job at straightforward grilling. But some long time owners, who bought a replacement for their old model, were disappointed in the new grill quality which they strongly felt was diminished. One such owner commented, “They aren’t what they used to be”.
Widely available in red and black online and at many retail outlets.
Manufacturer:
Aussie Grills is owned by Meco Corporation in Greenville, TN. They are often referred to as Meco Grills or Meco Aussie Grills. They used to make a wide variety of charcoal, gas and electric grills and smokers. The line has been trimmed down to just their popular Walk-About models in red and black. Although value priced and named Aussie, they are Made in America.
Published On: 2/15/2013 Last Modified: 6/22/2023
All of the products below have been tested and are highly recommended. Click here to read more about our review process.
Many merchants pay us a small referral fee when you click our “buy now” links. This has zero impact on the price you pay but helps support the site.
When you make rubs at home we recommend you add salt first then the herbs and spices because salt penetrates deep and the other stuff remains on the surface. So thick cuts need more salt. We put salt in these bottled rubs because all commercial rubs have salt and consumers expect it. You can still use these as a dry brine, just sprinkle the rub on well in advance to give the salt time to penetrate. For very thick cuts of meat, we recommend adding a bit more salt. Salt appears first in the ingredients list because the law says the order is by weight, not volume, and salt is a heavy rock.
Sprinkle on one tablespoon per pound of meat two hours or more before cooking if you can. Called “dry brining,” the salt gets wet, ionizes, becomes a brine, and slowly penetrates deep, enhancing flavor and juiciness while building a nice crusty “bark” on the surface. Sprinkle some on at the table too!
Are they hot? No! You can always add hot pepper flakes or Chipotle powder (my fave) in advance or at the table. But we left them mild so you can serve them to kids and Aunt Matilda
From TBoneJack, the unofficial Poet Laureate of The Pitmaster Club:
AmazingRibs is where you go,
To get the best advice,
You’ll find out how, to smoke a cow,
And it will turn out nice.
Smokers, gadgets, recipes,
Charcoal, gas, or wood?
The how, the why, and what to try,
When things arn’t going good.
Selection, prep, and cook techniques,
Marinades and such,
Rubs and brines and temps and times,
And how to use the Crutch.
Brisket secrets are revealed,
For moist and tender meat,
The point, the flat, the rendered fat,
The proper mix of heat.
I found out how to smoke spare ribs,
Great bark and taste and worth,
I want some more, I’ll have them for,
My last meal on this Earth.
Memphis Dust did suit them well,
I served them without sauce,
Not 3-2-1, not overdone,
No precious flavor loss.
Jambo, Lang, or Meadow Creek,
It’s hard to make the call,
Almost a crime, so little time,
I’d like to try them all.
I’m not ashamed, I’m not alone,
‘Cause many have this lot,
But I’ll admit, here in the Pit,
My wife said Not! Not! Not!
Weber, Brinkman, PBC,
No need for budget breach,
They cook great food, just ask me dude,
‘Cause I have one of each.
Obsessed I am, I know it’s true,
They call it MCS,
I saw the doc, he was in shock,
He too is in this mess.
Myron Mixon, Johnny Trigg,
Cool Smoke’s Tuffy Stone,
Harry Soo, Chris Lilly too,
And Moe who cooks alone.
They’re all good, I like them fine,
I’m sure they cook good Q,
They’ve earned the right, I see the light,
I’ll give them their fair due,
But I have learned, thru many cooks,
This web site is da bomb,
For what to do, browse over to,
AmazingRibs dot com.
Tired of seeing popup ads?
No need to throw a fit,
Don’t you know, just spend some dough,
And join us in the Pit.
And if you travel, don’t despair,
No further should you look,
The answer’s clear, put down your beer,
And order Meathead’s book.
High quality websites are expensive to run. If you help us, we’ll pay you back bigtime with an ad-free experience and a lot of freebies!
Millions come to AmazingRibs.com every month for high quality tested recipes, tips on technique, science, mythbusting, product reviews, and inspiration. But it is expensive to run a website with more than 2,000 pages and we don’t have a big corporate partner to subsidize us.
Our most important source of sustenance is people who join our Pitmaster Club. But please don’t think of it as a donation. Members get MANY great benefits. We block all third-party ads, we give members free ebooks, magazines, interviews, webinars, more recipes, a monthly sweepstakes with prizes worth up to $2,000, discounts on products, and best of all a community of like-minded cooks free of flame wars. Click below to see all the benefits, take a free 30 day trial, and help keep this site alive.
Post comments and questions below
1) Please try the search box at the top of every page before you ask for help.
2) Try to post your question to the appropriate page.
3) Tell us everything we need to know to help such as the type of cooker and thermometer. Dial thermometers are often off by as much as 50°F so if you are not using a good digital thermometer we probably can’t help you with time and temp questions. Please read this article about thermometers.
4) If you are a member of the Pitmaster Club, your comments login is probably different.
5) Posts with links in them may not appear immediately.
Moderators