Monument Eminence 605 Review: Assembly, Features & First Cook

Monument Grills sent over their new Eminence 605 for us to assemble, check out, and put through a first cook. This one is going in the gear review category because the main focus is the grill itself — the build, the features, the assembly, and what stood out right away.

But y’all know me. I didn’t want to just put it together, stare at the stainless steel, and call it done. If we’re going to look at a grill, we might as well see if the thing can cook.

So after assembly and a full feature walkthrough, we fired it up for a simple first cook: pork loin seasoned with BBQ by Biggs Honey BBQ Rub. Nothing fancy, no marinade, no complicated steps — just a good weeknight-style cook to see how the grill handled real food.

First Look at the Monument Eminence 605

The Monument Eminence 605 is built to be a premium backyard gas grill. Monument markets this grill around the idea of “Ultimate Grilling, Mastered Excellence,” and once you start looking at the feature list, you can see what they’re aiming for.

This grill has a full stainless steel solid finish, six main infrared burners, a rear infrared burner, a high-heat side sear burner, an LED screen, Bluetooth app control, included meat probes, a propane tank scale, multi-color LED knobs, and an included rotisserie kit.

It is also backed by a 10-year limited warranty, and Monument lists several durability tests tied to this grill, including weather resistance, ignition testing, and electrical surge endurance.

That all sounds good on paper, but the real question is: how does it feel once it’s sitting in the backyard?

Unboxing and Packaging

The Eminence 605 shipped in two large boxes. Since this grill has a lot of stainless on it, packaging matters. Stainless looks great, but it’ll show scratches and blemishes if it gets beat up in shipping.

I’ve put together several Monument grills over the years, and they usually do a good job with packaging. This one was no different. The stainless pieces were protected, the parts had their place, and the hardware was organized in a way that made sense.

One tip I’d give anybody putting together a grill like this: lay everything out first.

Don’t leave parts buried in the box, inside the cook chamber, or tucked under cardboard. Get it all where you can see it. It makes assembly go faster, and you’re not hunting for that one piece halfway through the build.

Assembly Time and Tools Needed

After getting everything unpacked and laid out, the grill took about an hour and 45 minutes to assemble.

I’d tell most folks to plan on somewhere between an hour and 45 minutes to two and a half hours, depending on how much space you have, whether you have help, and how comfortable you are putting together grills.

The only tool I needed was a Phillips head screwdriver.

Could you use a drill? Probably. But there are a few tight spots, and I’d rather take my time with a screwdriver than strip out hardware on a brand-new grill.

The assembly itself wasn’t hard. There are just a lot of parts because this grill has a lot going on — side burner, smart display, lighting, probes, rotisserie, storage, propane scale, and the rest of the cabinet setup.

Heavy-Duty Stainless Build

Once the grill was together, the first thing that stood out was the build.

This is a heavy-duty grill. It has stainless where it needs stainless, and most of the grill has that solid stainless look and feel. The side cabinets are cast aluminum, and overall, it feels like Monument was trying to build something that sits above a basic backyard gas grill.

The lid feels substantial, the cabinet has good storage, the doors feel solid, and the cooking area has a clean stainless setup.

Monument also makes a point to highlight durability on this grill. They list testing for heavy rain, electrical surge endurance, and ignition reliability, along with the 10-year limited warranty.

Now, I’m not out here recreating lightning strikes in the backyard, but first impression wise, this grill does feel stout.

Infrared Burner Power

The burner setup is one of the biggest selling points on the Eminence 605.

You get six main infrared burners, a rear infrared burner, and a high-heat infrared side sear burner. Monument lists the grill at 89,000 total BTUs, which is a whole lot of heat for a backyard gas grill.

The company also says this grill can hit 800°F in about 10 minutes under controlled conditions. That’s one of those claims I want to test more directly in a future cook, especially with steaks.

For this first cook, I kept things simple with pork loin, but that side sear burner is what has my attention for future videos.

High-Heat Side Burner and the Maillard Reaction

The high-heat side burner is built for searing.

If you’re chasing that steakhouse-style crust on a steak, high heat is what helps create the Maillard reaction — that browning, crust, and deep flavor you get when meat hits a ripping-hot surface.

That’s the kind of feature I like seeing on a gas grill because it gives you a dedicated spot for hard searing without having to run the entire main cooking chamber wide open.

I didn’t test steaks in this video, but that is definitely on the list.

Rear Infrared Burner and Included Rotisserie Kit

Another big selling point is the rear infrared burner and included rotisserie kit.

A lot of grills make the rotisserie an add-on. With the Eminence 605, it’s included. That’s a nice bonus, especially when you pair it with the rear infrared burner.

That setup opens the door for whole chickens, roasts, prime rib, and holiday cooks like turkey.

This is one of those features that takes the grill from “burgers and hot dogs” to something that can handle bigger family cooks.

I can definitely see this grill getting used around the holidays for a bird or a roast.

Smart LED Display and Bluetooth App

The Eminence 605 also has a smart side to it.

Instead of only having a traditional lid thermometer, this grill has an LED display built into the side shelf area. The display shows grill temperature, probe readings, propane status, lighting controls, and other settings.

It also comes with two meat probes, and I used one of those probes during the pork loin cook.

The Bluetooth app lets you monitor temperatures, set alerts, use timers, and choose target temperatures for different foods.

That’s useful if you’re cooking while doing other things around the house or backyard. You don’t have to stand over the grill every second. You can keep an eye on things from your phone and spend more time with family and friends.

That’s one of the company’s main points with the smart controls, and I get it. A grill that helps you monitor the cook without babysitting it the entire time is a nice convenience.

One thing to remember: the display and LED features need power, so you’ll want an outlet nearby if you plan to use all the smart features.

Propane Tank Scale

One feature I really liked is the built-in propane tank scale.

Most of us have had that moment where we’re in the middle of a cook and realize the propane tank is about done. This grill has a scale at the bottom that lets the display show your propane level.

That may not be the flashiest feature on the grill, but it is a practical one. If you use gas grills often, knowing how much propane you have left matters.

LED Knobs and Nighttime Ambiance

The LED knobs are one of the more eye-catching features on the Eminence 605.

They light up behind the controls, and they can change colors. You also have different lighting modes, including more of a party-style lighting effect.

Now, I’ll be honest — LED knobs won’t make your food taste better. But they do give the grill a premium feel, especially at night.

If you cook outside after dark or like having folks over in the backyard, this is one of those features people are going to notice.

The company specifically wanted the nighttime LED ambiance covered, and I agree that’s where this feature makes the most sense. In daylight, it’s a neat extra. At night, it gives the grill more of an outdoor kitchen vibe.

Storage, Trash Bin, and Grease Cleanout

There are also several practical convenience features built into this grill.

The cabinet has storage underneath, and there is a built-in trash bin area. That’s handy when you’re cooking burgers, opening packages, dealing with wax paper, or just trying to keep the prep area cleaner.

The grease cleanout is also easy to access from the back. You drop the rear panel, pull the tray out, empty it, and you’re done.

That kind of stuff may not be exciting on a spec sheet, but it matters when you actually use the grill.

First Cook: BBQ Honey Rub Pork Loin

After walking through most of the bells and whistles, it was time to see if this thing could cook.

For the first cook, I kept it simple with a pork loin. Around our house, we buy these pork loins from H-E-B or Kroger when they go on sale. They’re a great quick meal, especially when life gets busy with baseball practice, games, and everything else going on.

This is one of the reasons I like having a gas grill around. Sometimes you don’t need a long smoke session. Sometimes you need to get home, fire something up, and put a good meal on the table fast.

For this cook, I used BBQ by Biggs Honey BBQ Rub.

No marinade. No injection. No complicated prep.

Just dry the pork loin off, season it well, let the rub sweat in for about 10 minutes, and get it on the grill.

How I Cooked the Pork Loin

Before cooking on the grill, I did a burn-off. Anytime you cook on a new grill, it’s a good idea to run it up to around 400–450°F for 15 to 20 minutes to burn off any manufacturing residue, tooling grease, or anything else left inside from the factory.

After that, I let the grill come back down around 350°F.

For the pork loin, I turned off the middle burners and cooked with the outside burners running. That gave me an indirect setup in the middle of the grill.

I used one of the included Monument meat probes and placed it into the center of the pork loin so I could track internal temperature.

The pork cooked for about 30 to 35 minutes.

Don’t Overcook Pork Loin

One of the biggest mistakes people make with pork loin is overcooking it.

A lot of us grew up being told pork had to be cooked until there was no pink left and it was white all the way through. The problem is, by that point, you’ve usually cooked all the moisture out of it.

Pork loin only needs to be cooked to around 145°F internal, followed by a short rest.

I like pulling it around 142–143°F and letting carryover heat finish the job. That keeps the pork juicy instead of dry and tough.

When we sliced this one, it was tender, juicy, and had that flame-broiled flavor you want from a gas grill.

How Did the Eminence 605 Cook?

For a first cook, I was happy with it.

The pork loin cooked evenly using indirect heat, the included probe made it easy to monitor the internal temperature, and the grill had no problem holding the kind of heat I needed for a fast weeknight cook.

The finished pork had good color, good moisture, and plenty of flavor from the Honey BBQ Rub.

Sometimes we make cooking harder than it needs to be. This was a simple pork loin, cooked on a gas grill, seasoned right, and pulled at the right temperature.

That’s a win in my book.

Why a Big Gas Grill Still Makes Sense

I know some barbecue purists will say it’s not barbecue unless it’s cooked on a stick burner, charcoal grill, or over live fire.

I get it. I love cooking that way too.

But I’ll tell you what — when you can put something like this pork loin on the table in about 30 to 35 minutes, that has value.

After baseball practice or a ball game, I can have a meal like this done before my charcoal would even be ready.

That’s one of the reasons we wanted a bigger gas grill around here. It’s great for parties with burgers and hot dogs, but it’s also useful for quick family meals when everybody’s busy.

Final Thoughts on the Monument Eminence 605

After assembly, the feature walkthrough, and the first cook, the Monument Eminence 605 made a strong first impression.

The stainless build feels heavy-duty. The burner setup gives you a lot of flexibility. The side sear burner should be great for steaks. The rear infrared burner and included rotisserie kit make it ready for bigger cooks. The smart display, Bluetooth app, propane scale, and included probes all add convenience.

The LED knobs give it that premium nighttime look, and the storage, trash bin, and grease cleanout make it more practical for regular use.

Most importantly, it cooked the pork loin well.

This still isn’t a long-term review. I want to do more cooks on it, especially a steak test and a rotisserie cook. But for a first look and first cook, there’s a lot to like.

If you’re looking for a large stainless gas grill with infrared burners, smart controls, LED lighting, and an included rotisserie setup, the Monument Eminence 605 is definitely one worth checking out.

Watch the Full Video

Watch the full assembly, feature walkthrough, and first pork loin cook below.

Final Thoughts from the Backyard: The Monument Eminence 605 is a big, feature-packed gas grill that brings a lot to the table — stainless construction, infrared power, smart controls, LED lighting, and a rotisserie setup ready for bigger cooks.

For the first cook, that simple Honey BBQ pork loin turned out juicy, quick, and full of flavor.

Drop a comment and let me know what you’d cook first on this grill — steaks, burgers, chicken, or something spinning on that rotisserie.

Thanks for reading, Biggs Crew! Until next time — keep the fire lit and the smoke rollin’.

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