
Broil King kicked off the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association’s annual Expo in Nashville, Tennessee in February 2024 with a bang. We’ve seen the massive growth in technology fueled by the success of the pellet grill industry and even the rise of artificial intelligence in outdoor cooking.
So when the doors opened on HPBExpo 24, Broil King showed off its new line of iQue smart gas grills. The company is marketing the new technology as “auto-pilot for your grill,” and that certainly looks to be true. However, you will still be able to operate any of the five Regal iQue and four Imperial Built-In iQue grills like a standard gas grill.
All of the standard gas grill hallmarks are there. You’ll find control knobs for all the burners and side burner (complete with customizable lighting to make grilling in the dark along with interior grill lights or setting the vibe easier.) The Regal series grills feature a side infrared burner while the Imperial grills feature a standard side gas burner. All models are available in both propane and natural gas versions as well. Weber isn’t the only gas grill manufacturer with smart technology now.
Digital Control Panel

However, when you look at the right side shelf of all of the available iQue grills, you’ll find a digital control panel akin to a pellet grill controller. You can set your customizable temperature using the control knob on the right side of the panel or use the included preset buttons for smoking (225°F,) roasting (350°F,) and searing (600°F.) There are also buttons for settings control, the control knob lights, and the power button. The control knob lights can be set to either red, blue, purple, green, yellow, or orange.
The control panel also features two probe ports so you can monitor the internal temperature of whatever you are cooking. The control panel will display both temperatures and you can monitor from your phone using either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. It even comes with a clock that can either count up as if a stopwatch or be used as a timer.
Also of note is that the controller displays the approximate level of fuel you have in your propane tank. The grill has a smart scale that tracks the weight of the tank and breaks it down into five equal segments. You can visually see this on the tank scale as well as on the digital control panel. Your phone will also receive alerts when the level gets low via that Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection.
Precision Temperature Control In A Gas Grill?
So how does Broil King accomplish a level of control reminiscent of a pellet grill on a gas grill? By utilizing a gas manifold system that allows for input from the control burners or from the computer running the control panel. You can simply use the control knobs as you normally would, turning them to get the right amount of heat for manual grilling.
Where the magic happens is when you start pairing the control panel with the markings around the control knob. The central burners have icons printed around them corresponding to the buttons on the control panel. Do you want to smoke at 225°F or roast at 350°F? Simply leave the central knobs off and pointed at those smoke and chicken symbols, then set the far left and right burners to the iQue settings and let the controller do the rest. You can also set custom temperature settings by turning the control panel’s knob and locking it in with a single push.
When you select this mode and your desired temperature, the grill knob lights will turn red to indicate that the grill is preheating. Once the grill reaches the set temperature, the lights will turn back to your desired preset color.
The iQue grills utilize an included temperature probe that anchors inside the lid to help monitor the air temperature for making adjustments. It also comes with a grate clip if you want to monitor the temperature right at the grill grates. Broil King says this is ideal for grilling pizza.


Rotisserie-Ready Out Of The Box
It’s not uncommon for a number of grills to say they are compatible with rotisserie accessories. After all, we love versatility, right? However, you don’t have to worry about purchasing additional equipment to make any of these new iQue grills ready for rotisserie-style chickens. Every model comes with a battery-powered rotisserie spit as well.
One of the interesting features of the rotisserie kit is that it comes with a wired temperature probe wrapped to the spit so it will not get tangled. It runs back to the motor area where there is another screen that will display the internal temperature. The screen is also rotating but features an auto-rotating display so the numbers will always be face-up. All the grills also feature a specific rotisserie burner to ensure you’re getting the proper heat distribution for juicy meat.
The iQue App
Now it’s hard to get into all the details of the app without having an iQue grill to connect it to. However, I did get to see it in action at the Expo. Just like a Wi-Fi-connected pellet grill, you have all sorts of control over the different settings of an iQue grill through the app. That goes from setting the grill temperature to monitoring meat temperatures to even controlling the colors of the knobs.
One of the biggest features of the app is the Tips section which has an entire tab dedicated to the iQue system and how to use it. Now this isn’t a step-by-step written instruction guide, it’s full-fledged demonstration videos embedded in the app. You don’t need to go to Broil King’s website or YouTube, you simply can open the same app you’ll be using to help you ensure you’re setting up your grill properly.
Broil King also has quite a few recipes available to give you grilling or smoking inspiration.
So How Do You Generate Smoke?
We published an article here on Angry BBQ on whether you can smoke on a gas grill and how to do it. The key to generating smoke on a gas grill is using a smoke box or smoke tube. Then you have to simply figure out the best way to create indirect heat. Well, Broil King thought of both issues with the new iQue.
We already talked about how these grills control temperature, but how do they generate smoke? Simple. When you register your new iQue grill, Broil King will send you a new pellet smoker box to the address used on your registration at no cost according to EVP of Product and Operations Colin Kirvan.
Then all you do is fill the box with your favorite wood pellets and place it over the burners creating heat during the smoking process. This will cause the pellets to smoke and produce wood smoke flavor.
Available iQue Grills



As noted above, the iQue grills come in two lines: the Regal series and the Imperial series. The Regal iQue grills are all standalone grills with the three smaller grills sitting on four locking casters and the two biggest models sitting on six. You can get models that are either porcelain-enameled or stainless steel with the smallest grill available only in porcelain-enameled. All of the Regal grills feature the infrared side burner as noted above capable of 10,000 BTUs.
The Imperial series are all built-in grills, either coming as part of a full-fledged cabinet setup or simply the cookbox, side burner, and control panel for integration into your preexisting outdoor kitchen. All Imperial iQue grills are stainless steel and have a 13,000 BTU side burner.
Overall Thoughts
The new iQue grills fit an interesting spot in the outdoor cooking world. One of the main trends in the industry is versatility. There are still plenty of people who want to have all the grills and smokers in their backyards. However, it’s becoming increasingly evident that the majority of people want the fewest pieces of outdoor cooking equipment while still allowing them to cook as many different types of food as possible.
So when you look at the iQue grill series from Broil King through that lens, this makes a ton of sense. These are high-quality gas grills that make smoking on them as easy as setting two burners and pressing a single button.
You also don’t sacrifice the ability to grill as you normally would, either. You can go with completely smart controls or completely manual. This opens up smoking for people who have only used gas grills and might otherwise never touch a smoker.
I also quite appreciate the videos on the iQue system that are included in the app. It’s not hard to find them and you don’t need multiple websites or apps open.
Then there are the accessories that come included (or easily added at no extra cost.) You get the rotisserie spit with a battery-powered motor, a side burner (either infrared or traditional gas burner depending on the grill model,) and the pellet smoker box after registering your grill. It’s always a major plus to have everything you need to get the best out of your grill without having to purchase more accessories. Broil King has done a fantastic job making these iQue grills ready to go for everything.
Now these iQue grills are not priced as entry-level grills, and neither are their feature sets. The cheapest iQue grill, the Regal Q 490 Pro IR, costs $2,199 according to Broil King’s website. The most expensive Imperial grill, the QS 690i with the full cabinet system, goes for $9,599. These grills are firmly high-end grills with the Imperial line qualifying as luxury grills. So will the concept of gas grills that go from anywhere between $2200-9600 appeal to the usual backyard griller? No, but these grills will appeal to the affluent backyard griller who wants the latest and greatest technology and a centerpiece grill.
Stay tuned for more news from Broil King and the HPBExpo 24! Read our take of the new Napoleon Pro Charcoal Grills that were showcased at HPBExpo 24.
I have had a 590 Baron for 6 + years love it BUT.! Have tried to get parts to rebuild the firebox and have not received one response in return. Wonderful grille, but no customer service.
I’m sorry to hear that! Customer service can be so frustrating sometimes. I’m glad to hear that you’ve loved the grill itself, seems promising for these iQue grills!