Jenn-Air Model #720-0164 Gas Grill Review (Discontinued)

If you’ve stumbled across a shiny-but-aging Jenn-Air Model #720-0164 gas grill on someone’s patioor on Facebook Marketplace with the caption “barely used!”you might be wondering whether this discontinued model is a treasure, a headache, or a little of both. Spoiler: it’s kind of all three.

The 720-0164 is a stainless steel, four-burner LP gas grill sold at Lowe’s around 2006 under the Jenn-Air name but manufactured by Nexgrill. It came with a side burner and a rear infrared rotisserie burner, plus a respectable amount of cooking power for a mid-range “premium” big-box grill.

The problem? Time hasn’t been equally kind to all of its components. Burners, heat plates, and igniters tend to wear out faster than the cabinet shell, leaving many owners with a good-looking grill that doesn’t cook nearly as well as it once did. On the bright side, replacement parts are widely available, so this grill can be revived if you’re willing to tinker a bit.

Quick Take: Is the Jenn-Air 720-0164 Still Worth Owning?

Here’s the short version for anyone eyeing a used 720-0164 or deciding whether to rebuild an old one.

What this grill does well

• Stainless steel body and cart give it a polished, “built-in” look.
• Four main burners plus side burner and rear rotisserie burner provide flexible cooking options.
• Plenty of total BTUs for searing and high-heat grilling when everything is working correctly.
• Discontinued, but replacement burners, grates, heat plates, and igniters are still easy to find online.

Where it struggles

• Burners tend to clog and corrode over time, leading to uneven heat and frustrating hot and cold spots.
• Customer support from the brand for these older grills is limited at best.
• The included rear burner doesn’t ship with a rotisserie kityou have to buy that separately.
• As a discontinued model, there’s no warranty support for newly purchased used units.

In other words, the Jenn-Air 720-0164 can still be a solid backyard performer if you’re okay replacing a few parts and treating it like a project, not a plug-and-play modern grill.

Overview and Key Specs

Let’s break down what the 720-0164 originally brought to the table (and to the deck).

• Type: Freestanding stainless steel LP gas grill
• Burners: Four main cast brass tube burners, plus side burner and rear infrared rotisserie burner
• Total BTUs: About 52,000 BTUs across the main burners, 12,000 BTUs on the side burner, and 14,000 BTUs on the rear burner78,000 BTUs total at full blast.
• Cooking area: Roughly 550 square inches of primary cooking space plus a warming rack.
• Fuel: Liquid propane; some parts sites also list compatible LP variants like 720-0164-LP.
• Retailer: Sold primarily at Lowe’s in the U.S. around 2006 as a house-branded premium stainless grill.
• Status: Fully discontinuedno new units, only used ones and parts.

On paper, those specs still look competitive with many mid-range grills sold today. The trick is whether an almost two-decade-old example can still deliver those numbers in real life.

Design and Build Quality

Stainless style with a “big built-in” vibe

Even by today’s standards, the 720-0164 looks impressive. The stainless steel hood, doors, and shelves give it a high-end appearance that can easily anchor an outdoor kitchen or patio setup. Owners often note that the cabinet and exterior hold up fairly well over time, especially compared to cheaper painted steel grills that rust quickly.

You’ll find:

• Double-door lower cabinet with room for the propane tank and some accessories
• Side shelves that double as prep space and house the flush-mounted side burner
• A hood-mounted thermometer and full-width handle

For anyone picking one up used, the exterior panels are often the least of your worries. It’s what’s happening under the hood that matters.

Where the construction shows its age

The Jenn-Air branding suggests premium, but the 720-0164 was actually built by Nexgrill, a manufacturer known for making many big-box store grills across several brands. That’s not automatically bad, but it explains why the internal components don’t always age as gracefully as the shiny outside.

Common weak points include:

• Burners: Stainless or cast tube burners can rust, crack, or clog with debris and grease over time, especially if the grill sits out uncovered.
• Heat plates / flame tamers: These metal plates above the burners tend to deteriorate and warp, which affects heat distribution and flare-ups.
• Ignition system: Electronic igniters and electrodes are frequently replaced on older units as they stop sparking reliably.

None of this is unique to the 720-0164almost every older stainless gas grill faces similar issuesbut it does mean you shouldn’t judge this grill by its cabinet alone.

Performance on the Patio

Preheat and searing

With four main burners putting out around 52,000 BTUs under roughly 550 square inches of primary cooking space, the 720-0164 was designed to get hot enough for proper searing. On a healthy unit with clean burners and intact heat plates, you should be able to preheat into the 500–600°F range for steak night.

That said, older burners that are partially clogged or corroded often reduce the real-world heat. If you’re seeing long preheat times or can’t get past 400°F, that’s a sign you may need new burners or to clear out spider webs and debris inside the tubes.

Heat distribution and hot spots

This is where many owners voice their biggest complaints. As the grill ages, burners plugging up on one side and thinning flame patterns can lead to hot strips directly above some ports and lukewarm zones elsewhere.

If you notice:

• Chicken cooking unevenly across the grates
• Burgers charred in one corner but pale in another
• Flames that look weak or lopsided when you peek under the grates

…it’s almost always burner or heat-plate related. Replacing those parts usually makes a dramatic difference.

Rotisserie and side burner use

One of the selling points of the 720-0164 was the rear infrared rotisserie burner rated around 14,000 BTUs, great in theory for crispy rotisserie chickens and roasts. However, the grill did not ship with a rotisserie kit in the boxowners had to buy the rod and motor separately, which surprised some buyers.

The 12,000 BTU side burner is handy for simmering sauces or boiling a small pot of corn, but like most side burners, it won’t replace your indoor stove.

Durability and Common Issues

Real-world feedback on the Jenn-Air 720-0164 is mixed, and it depends heavily on how well the grill has been maintained.

Burners clogging and uneven heat

Several owner reviews report that the grill “worked great until the burners began to plug and cooking was extremely uneven.” This is typical of older gas grills, especially those that live outside full-time. Grease, moisture, and insects can all turn burner ports into partial blockages over the years.

The good news is that these burners are replaceable with compatible aftermarket or OEM-style parts. The bad news is that you’ll likely be doing this more than once over the lifespan of the grillthink of it like changing spark plugs on a car you actually use.

Customer service frustrations

Because the grill carried the Jenn-Air name but was built by another manufacturer, some owners felt stuck between different companies when they needed support. Reviewers frequently describe getting little useful help when they called customer service, especially as the grill aged and moved into “discontinued” status.

Rust and cosmetic wear

While the stainless exterior generally holds up, internal components and hidden welds can show rust over time, especially around the firebox and inside the cabinet. Using a cover, emptying the drip tray, and avoiding long-term standing water inside the cart all help slow this down.

Living With a Discontinued Grill

Replacement parts are still widely available

One of the biggest advantages of the 720-0164 is that it shares parts with several other Nexgrill-built Jenn-Air models. As a result, you’ll find plenty of third-party and OEM-style replacement parts for this exact model and its LP variant across multiple grill parts retailers.

Commonly replaced parts include:

• Burner tubes and crossover tubes
• Heat plates / flame tamers
• Cooking grates (stainless or cast iron upgrades)
• Igniter kits, spark generators, and electrodes
• Temperature gauge, knobs, and control bezels

Many parts retailers specifically list “Jenn-Air 720-0164” in their compatibility charts, which makes it relatively easy to shop without guessing.

Maintenance tips to stretch its life

If you already own a 720-0164 and want to keep it going:

• Inspect the burners yearly. Look for rusted-through spots or badly clogged ports; replace if the flame pattern is uneven.
• Refresh the heat plates. Warped or rusted flame tamers can cause flare-ups and cold spotsnew plates help restore even heating.
• Clean out the firebox. Scrape grease and debris that might block burner ports or airflow.
• Use a well-fitting cover. Keeping rain and snow off the grill goes a long way toward reducing corrosion.
• Check gas connections. Follow the leak-check steps in the owner’s manual and replace any cracked or damaged hoses or regulators.

Who the Jenn-Air 720-0164 Makes Sense For in 2025

Because the 720-0164 is discontinued, it’s not a “walk into the store and buy one” grill anymore. Today, it mostly shows up in three situations:

1. You already own one and are deciding whether to revive it or retire it.
2. You’ve found a used one locally at a tempting price.
3. You inherited one along with a house or patio setup.

It still makes sense for:

• DIY-minded grillers who don’t mind replacing burners and heat plates every few years.
• Bargain hunters who can pick up a non-rusty unit for cheap (or free) and invest in a parts kit.
• Folks who love the look of a stainless, “professional style” cart grill and are okay with some mechanical TLC.

It is less ideal for:

• Anyone expecting modern warranty coverage and responsive customer support.
• People who want a low-maintenance, “buy it and forget it” grill for 10+ years without tinkering.
• Those who already feel overwhelmed by basic home maintenancethis is not the set-it-and-forget-it option.

Alternatives to Consider

If you’re comparing a used Jenn-Air 720-0164 with buying a new grill, naturally you’ll be stacking it up against current models from brands like Weber, Napoleon, and newer Nexgrill offerings. You won’t get the same “bargain” price on day one, but you will get fresh burners, a current warranty, and readily available support.

A good mental test is this: add the cost of all the parts you’d realistically want to replace (burners, grates, heat plates, igniter) to what you’re paying for the used grill. If that number is creeping close to the price of a brand-new, mid-range model with a solid warranty, a new grill may be the more stress-free choice.

Final Verdict: A Solid Project Grill, Not a Perfect Classic

The Jenn-Air Model #720-0164 is a great example of a grill that looks more “luxury” than its internal components sometimes deserve. On paper, the specs are strong: four main burners pushing over 50,000 BTUs, plus side and rear burners, plenty of cooking area, and an attractive stainless shell.

In practice, this model’s long-term reputation is split. Some owners enjoy years of solid performance with occasional burner replacements, while others complain about clogged burners, uneven cooking, and underwhelming customer support.

If you already have one and the cabinet is still in good shape, investing in fresh burners, new heat plates, and a tune-up can absolutely bring it back to life. If you’re shopping used, treat it as a “project grill” and budget for parts from day one. If you want a worry-free, supported, long-warranty grill, your money may be better spent on a new, reputable model rather than trying to turn a discontinued Jenn-Air into something it was never quite built to be.

Real-World Experiences with the Jenn-Air 720-0164

To really understand this grill, you have to picture how its story usually goes in the wild. It often starts in a Lowe’s aisle sometime around 2006. A shopper sees a gleaming stainless Jenn-Air 720-0164 sitting under bright store lights, compares its price tag to other grills, reads about the extra side burner and rear infrared burner, and thinks, “Wow, that’s a lot of grill for the money.”

Fast-forward to that first summer. The grill gets assembled over an afternoon, maybe with a few muttered words over the parts diagram. Once it’s together, the 720-0164 looks like a serious piece of equipment. It fires up with a satisfying whoosh of gas and flame, easily searing steaks and burgers while the side burner handles a pot of beans. Early impressions? “This thing is a beast.”

After a few seasons, the honeymoon phase starts to show cracksliterally. Maybe the cover doesn’t always make it back on after parties. Maybe the grill spends winters on the deck instead of in the garage. Grease builds up. Drippings find their way into burner ports. A spider or two decides that inside a burner tube is the perfect place to start a family.

One spring, you fire it up and notice something odd. The right side of the grill is ripping hot, but the left side looks like it’s on vacation. Chicken cooks unevenly. You have to play musical chairs with your burgers just to keep them from burning in one spot and barely browning in another. That’s the classic burner-clog story many 720-0164 owners tell“it worked great until the burners began to plug and cooking was extremely uneven.”

At this point, owners split into two camps. The first camp shrugs, gets frustrated, and starts browsing for a new grillmaybe vowing never to buy a Jenn-Air-branded grill again after a rough customer-service experience. The second camp hops online, discovers that there are dozens of replacement-part kits specifically labeled for “Jenn-Air 720-0164,” loads up a cart with burners, heat plates, and maybe new grates, and spends a Saturday rebuilding the firebox.

The rebuilders are usually pleasantly surprised. With fresh burners and heat plates installed, the grill often feels like it rolled back the clock several years. Preheat times shrink, hot spots mellow out, and the 720-0164 once again handles weeknight dinners and weekend parties without much drama. It may not be a “lifetime” grill, but with a couple of rebuilds, it can absolutely deliver a long, useful second act.

You’ll also hear stories about that rear rotisserie burner. A lot of people got excited reading about the infrared rear burner in the specs, only to discover that the rotisserie kit itself was sold separately. More than a few owners parked the idea, used the main burners for indirect roasting instead, and never circled back to buy the spit and motor. Those who did invest in the kit often rave about crispy-skinned rotisserie chickens and roastsonce they got the temperature dialed in.

In the used market, the 720-0164 has quietly become a “sleeper” find. Someone moving houses might list it cheaply just to clear the patio. A savvy grill tinkerer sees “Jenn-Air 720-0164,” knows parts are easy to get, checks for major cabinet rust, and snaps it up. After a little elbow grease and a parts order, they’ve got a heavy, stainless four-burner grill that looks a lot more expensive than what they actually paid.

That’s really the essence of the Jenn-Air 720-0164 in 2025: it’s no longer a hot new product, but it can still be the star of the backyard if you’re willing to play grill mechanic once in a while. Treat it like a vintage carone that sometimes needs a new set of burners instead of spark plugsand it can keep cranking out burgers, ribs, and the occasional rotisserie chicken for years to come.