Napoleon Freestyle 365 SIB gas barbecue review

How easy is the Napoleon Freestyle 365 SIB to assemble?

Assembly is this barbecue’s biggest weakness. You’ll need a Phillips screwdriver, as well as a set of spanners. The instructions say you need a ratchet, too, but we managed without.

The instructions are poor. The diagrams are all over the place and demonstrate the assembly from odd angles, so it takes a little figuring out. All told it takes at least two hours to get everything together, so if you’re planning a big bank holiday barbecue you don’t want to be building this on the day. That said, we like the inclusion of spare parts, so there’s no panic if you lose a screw between paving slabs or in the grass.

How easy is the Napoleon Freestyle 365 SIB to use?

This barbecue uses the standard click-connect gas regulator, so it’s easy to connect to your propane. There’s also handy storage for the gas underneath the main body of the barbecue.

It’s a little fiddly to add the wire for the side burner, but once that’s set up we found that both the side burner and main barbecue are easy to ignite and quick to heat. Both offer remarkable evenness across the whole grill. The 51cm x 45cm grilling area is a good size, offering lots of space for cooking. The side table is great for prepping, and neatly folds down when it’s not in use. Once we were finished, it was easy to lift out the parts and scrub everything clean.

It has two large plastic wheels, which make it simple to reposition on a patio, but you might have to take off the side table and burner to make it a little easier. Though the wheels don’t lock, the feet on the other two legs stop it from moving and keep it secure.

We love that the side table folds down, but the side burner doesn’t, so it has a large patio footprint at 124cm x 64cm. It would definitely benefit from a cover if stored outside, as it might be a little big for storing in a shed or greenhouse.

Cooking results

Because the temperature is so responsive, it was easy to control the barbecue and gently cook vegetables, achieving a delicious char while keeping the food moist. The warming rack is well positioned to keep side dishes piping hot, and there was fantastic heat coverage across the grill, with no noticeable cool spots.

The side burner was a particular hit, turning out a fantastic steak, and Napoleon’s iconic wavy grill gave chicken beautifully defined grill lines. However, the grates are wide, so smaller items such as prawn skewers might struggle to cook evenly or achieve even charring.

How sustainable is the Napoleon Freestyle 365 SIB?

The packaging is a mixture of cardboard and plastic wrap, which could be better. The heavy steel could be recycled as scrap, which is good, and the 10-year warranty means it has a long lifetime and can be used for years, unlike cheaper barbecues that need quick replacing. However, you could quickly burn through the gas if you have all three burners and side burner running, which isn’t very eco-friendly.

Conclusion

Costing the best part of £600, this is quite expensive for a three-burner barbecue, so unless you take your barbecuing seriously it might be overkill. It is undoubtedly very high quality – all its parts are sturdy, robust steel neatly stamped with Napoleon’s logo. We love the 10-year warranty, which means this barbecue should be a once-in-a-decade purchase. However, it’s still a lot of money for an appliance that only sees use for about six months a year, even if the food on our test was fantastic.

• Available from BBQWorld (£560.49), Napoleon (£589.99)

Napoleon Freestyle 365 SIB specifications

Brand: Napoleon
Model: Freestyle 365
RRP: £560.49
Dimensions (cm): H: 116 x W: 124 x D: 64
Materials: stainless steel, aluminium
Warranty: 10 years
Gas needed: propane

Related reviews

Best charcoal barbecues
Best barbecues under £100
Best portable barbecues
Best pizza ovens
Best supermarket barbecue food
17 of the best barbecue gadgets, accessories and tools

Barbecue recipes

Best vegan barbecue recipes
Top 20 family barbecue recipes
Best ever barbecue recipes
Best family barbecue desserts
Best vegetarian barbecue recipes
Best healthy barbecue recipes
Last-minute barbecue recipes

Barbecue tips and tricks

Which barbecue should I buy?
Top tips for a successful barbecue
Easiest ever barbecue menu
Top tips for stress-free barbecuing
How to cook meat properly on the barbecue
The great British barbecue

If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.