Different Types Of Infrared Grills
Not all infrared grills are the same.
They all cook using infrared radiation, but you can get different cooking systems that fall under the general infrared banner.
BBQGuys.com has one of the best selections of Infrared Grills online, as well as a lot of good information if you want to learn more.
Weve summarized the main types below:
Ceramic Infrared
According to TEC, pioneers of the infrared burner concept, the first plates used for infrared burners were ceramic.
The ceramic plate sits above a stainless steel burner. The plate then produces many tiny flames across its entire surface, meaning a very intense, even heat is produced.
The temperatures these burners reach range from 600-1000°F. This type of burner can be prone to flare ups, due to the naked flame on the ceramic plate, which is just a few inches below the food.
Stainless Steel Tube Burner & Metal Heat Emitter
This type of infrared system is commonly found on cheaper, entry level grills.These burners do not get as hot as some other infrared systems, reaching temperatures of 300-650°F.
Despite producing less intense heat than other types of infrared systems, they are also less prone to flare ups and the heat is still nice and even.
Some may find that these less intense burners are actually easier to handle, especially when you are new to grilling with infrared. But you will not get the same results as you would get from a super intense, high end infrared burner.
Lynx Trident Infrared Burner
TEC Systems:
Are There Any Potential Problems With Infrared Grills
Older style infrared grills with a ceramic burner can crack. If this has happened, your infrared burner wont get as hot as usual and will likely be making a popping or even an engine like sound.
Similarly, if the burners are still hot, dont splash them with cold water as it could cause them to crack.
While many manufacturers state that infrared grills are less likely to cause flare ups, depending on the type you get, flare ups can still happen. In fact, some infrared grills are quite prone to flare ups. Make sure you ask plenty of questions and do your research on the particular model you plan on purchasing.
It is also important to keep a close eye on anything you cook with an infrared grill as things will burn fast.
Best Overall Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E790s 36
Our favorite high-end grill is the Echelon Diamond E790s, by leading manufacturers Fire Magic.
This fairly compact model packs in an impressive amount of counter space, with a large total grilling area of 1,080 square inches.
The main burners boast an incredible 96,000 BTU, making it a powerful beast thats sure to leave an impression.
Made from high-grade 304 stainless steel, this robust grill also features a ceramic infrared back burner and a single side burner, making it perfect when cooking for a crowd. It also features a rotisserie system and an integrated smoker, so you can create a real feast, all on one machine.
Complete with numerous features to make grilling extra easy, such as hot surface ignition, a four-zone illuminated digital thermometer and angled internal halogen lights, the Echelon Diamond is a true pleasure to use.
Made in the USA, everything about this high-end grill, from its design to its construction, is of the highest quality, providing superior functionality with high performance and exceptional durability.
What we like:
Recommended Reading: What Type Of Bbq Grill Is Best
Does Smart Grill W/wifi Live Up To The Expectations
Lynx outfitted its select grill with microphones and computers to recognize voice commands before Amazon Eco and Siri. They even came up with an app during the app craze. This sets Lynx light years ahead of its competition and the company deserves kudos for introducing smart grill technology.
Similar to other kitchen appliances, wifi features are not widely embraced by the user community . At this time, we eagerly await for improvements and enhanced usability on all kitchen and outdoor appliances across the industry.
How Do You Clean A Gas Grill
The best way to clean a gas grill is to turn all the flames on their highest level, close the lid, and let the grates reach the highest possible temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. This high temperature will help to remove any stuck-on food bits. After youve heated the grates, dip your wire brush in hot, soapy water and use it against the grates to remove excess dirt and food. Then let the grates cool completely and soak them in a tub of warm, soapy water. This will remove any stubborn food bits. While the grates are off, use a vacuum to remove any food that has fallen through the grates. Wipe the exterior using stainless steel cleaner to clean up any excess oil or smoky bits. Put the grates back in place, and your grill will seem brand new.
Also Check: Where To Buy Weber Gas Grills
What Makes Kamado Grills Special
Kamado grills are known for allowing the userto keep a sustained temperature for a long period of time. Thats due to thembeing built out of clay or ceramic , depending on the manufacturer. While traditionally theywere built out of clay, the Big Green Egg is built out of thick ceramic.
This is one of the reasons why they are somuch more expensive than traditional charcoal barbeque grills. Whereas acharcoal grill is a fairly simple thing, it isnt as easy to build large grills made out of ceramic.
Yet, the benefit is obvious: ceramic is abetter insulator, which means that kamado grills typically perform better thancharcoal ones built from metal. A kamado grill can hold a steady temperaturewithout finicking with coals or fancy igniters.
Typically, these grills are also larger andheavier while Big Green Egg makes smaller grills, chances are if youve seenone before, youve probably seen one in their Large or XL sizes. These grillsarent just large in size, theyre also heavy: so much so that you typicallyneed a special stand to accommodate them. You wouldnt just want to lift onearound by yourself, or just stick one on a typical outdoor table.
A simple look into the fanatical communitiesrevolving around kamado style grills will yield a staggering number of obsesseddevotees who claim nothing comes close to their performance. Barbecuers fromall skill levels seem capable of wielding a control over their final productsthat leaves the mouth watering.
How Does An Infrared Grill Work
There are several ways that the different manufacturers of infrared grills have utilized infrared to cook, but the basics are the same. There is a gas burner, that is usually made from stainless steel to prevent rust. This lights in the standard way, but it heats the IR element that is placed above it.
There are many types of IR elements. A usual one on the cheaper models would be made from stainless steel. The higher-end models tend to use ceramic or even glass to radiate the heat. These IR elements are placed just above the gas burner and are usually built into the burner themselves. The cooking grid is then placed just above those, ensuring very even heating.
Read Also: How To Grill Zucchini Spears
Saber Ss 500 Premium Stainless Steel 3 Burner Gas Grill
The Saber SS 500 is a 3 burner grill with an addition side burner. Its made from commercial grade stainless steel and has an excellent finish. The build quality in general is fantastic and everything feels sturdy and really has some weight to it. All 3 burners are infrared with the side burner being standard gas. Compared to the Broilmaster we felt this was a little limiting but there is still plenty of versatility so it isnt a huge problem. It has a primary cooking area of 500 sqaure inches which is enough for most family gatherings and more.
Other features include:
- Primary burner BTUs of 24,000. This provides enough heat to sear any steak perfectly.
- An additional, secondary cooking are of 175 square inches to take the total cooking area to 675 square inches.
- Uses 30% less gas than standard gas grills.
- Very even heat distribution and no flare-ups because of a V-shaped grate design.
- Two internal halogen lights under the lid so youre able to cook any time of the day.
Dimensions: 56.5 L x 25.0 W x 48.4 H inches
Weight: 188 lbs
Why Should You Trust Us
It seems that every appliance review has nothing but glowing comments about almost every product, yet you read customer reviews and they are almost universally bad.
We are here to fill in the disconnect. We’ll give you the best features, and the drawbacks as well, including reliability based on over 37,000 calls performed by our service team just last year. Our goal is to give you ALL the information so you know what’s right for you.
Please consider subscribing or adding to the conversation in the comments below. We appreciate you stopping by.
A Note About Pricing
Pricing on this blog is for reference only and may include time sensitive rebates. We make every attempt to provide accurate pricing at time of publishing. Please call the stores for most accurate price.
Also Check: How To Make Barbecue Chicken On The Grill
What Is The Best Natural Gas Grill To Buy
Best Natural Gas Grills for 2021
- Lynx Professional 30-Inch Natural Gas Grill.
- DCS Series 7 36-Inch Natural Gas Grill.
- Blaze Premium LTE 32-Inch 4-Burner Natural Gas Grill.
- Coyote S-Series 36-Inch Natural Gas Grill.
- Napoleon Prestige 500 Natural Gas Grill.
- Weber Genesis II S-435 Natural Gas Grill.
- Weber Genesis II SE-335 Special Edition Gas Grill.
How To Save Money On A Built
Why are built-in grills so expensive? Purchasing an outdoor built-in grill does not mean that it will be cheap however, is a means in order to achieve the best cooking results and experience at a low cost you should make sure to purchase one that is suitable for your needs. Choosing Your Grill There are several factors that affect the price of installed barbeques, including:
Size Small, medium or large
Type Gas, Charcoal or Electric
Features If you want additional features such as rotisseries and side burners
Don’t Miss: What Is The Best Charcoal To Grill With
Lynx Professional Freestanding Grill L42psfr
Tons of people ask what really sets these two grills apart. At the end of the day, you want to know why they are paying a premium for the Lynx grill compared to the Sedona.
Yes, you do get most of the features from the Sedona on the Lynx. These include the interior lighting, the ceramic briquettes, hood assist, backlit controls and the temperature gauge. Now that we know what they share, let’s talk about the differences.
One of the coolest features you can get in the Lynx is the ability to get their Smart Series grills. This allows you automated cooking from your smartphone. They have a learning algorithm that LEARNS how you prefer your food cooked, and will dial in the grill to get the food there. Talk about the robot uprising!
The biggest upgrades from the Sedona to the Lynx are the cast brass burners and the optional Pro sear 2 Trident burners. The cast brass burners allow for a higher BTU output at 25k per burner. This means even faster preheat and burners that hold up better over time.
The Pro Sear 2 trident burner is much like the Pro Sear burner on the Sedona, but this one comes with a lifetime warranty along with the ability to get an all Pro Sear grill. Thats right, the entire grill can be Pro Sear burners.
Ever wanted to get into meat smoking? The Lynx gives you a removable smoker box that uses wood chips or smoker pellets. This can sit directly on the grate over any burner. How easy to use is that!
Are Stainless Steel Grills Worth It
The cooking surfaces on stainless steel grills tend to be larger than those of cast iron grills but this is for good reason: they need to be able to retain enough heat to effectively sear/cook the food. For those looking for long-lasting, low maintenance, high-performing grills, consider going with stainless steel.
Read Also: Which Kamado Grill Is Best
Why Is It More Expensive Than Other Types Of Grills
Why are built-in grills so expensive? When comparing the features and benefits of a few different brands, it will quickly become apparent why built-in grills cost so much more than other types. They offer many features and benefits that arent available with other models. Here are just a few key reasons why theyre worth the price:
Built In Grill Offers Flexibility When you own a built-in grill, youll save space since you wont need to purchase or install an additional grill. You can use this space for sitting down to enjoy your meal, cooking another dish on your stovetop, hosting another cookout or whatever else you may want to do with it.
Built In Grill Is Suitable For Any Outdoor Space Because you dont need to worry about finding a space for it or how to install it, you can use the built-in grill anywhere. You could even take it with you on your RV if youre looking for a tailgate solution that doesnt rely on electricity.
Built In Grill Looks Better A good quality built in grill is made from high end materials and offers sleek and stylish looks. This makes it possible to add an attractive cooking surface to any outdoor space without having to do much construction at all. Built in grills are constructed from materials like stainless steel, making them rust resistant and durable enough for long term use outdoors while still a look that complements the exterior of your home.
What Is The Best Built In Bbq In Australia
Best BBQs in Australia
- CROSSRAY 4-Burner Trolley Infrared BBQ.
- Traeger TFB78GLEC Pro 780 Wood Pellet Grill.
- BeefEater Discovery 1000E 5-Burner Enamel BBQ.
- Matador 6 Burner Hooded Boss Built In BBQ.
- Napoleon R365PK-AU Rogue 365 2 Burner LPG BBQ.
- Sunbeam HG6600B Electric BBQ.
29 . 2019 .
Recommended Reading: How Much Is Propane For Grill
What Is Infrared And How Does It Work
Before we drill down into the pros and cons of grilling with infrared, its worth understanding a little bit of the science behind it.
Infrared burners use radiation to cook food.
- Infrared radiation heats food when electromagnetic waves of energy are emitted from a heated surface. Infrared burners work off this principle.
- These waves travel at the speed of light and can travel in any direction. This means that they are extremely efficient at heating food.
- Some may worry that these electromagnetic waves could harm their health. However, if you consider that one example of infrared radiation is the heat that comes off the glowing coals of a fire, it is clear that this is a perfectly natural heat transfer system.
TEC, or the Thermal Engineering Corporation, introduced commercial infrared cooking technology in the 1980s. However, it was not until the early 2000s that infrared griling really started to take off. This is because the patent on the technology expired. All of a sudden, infrared grills started to pop up all over the place.
Can I Use Charcoal In A Propane Grill
For the majority of gas grills, you should not be adding charcoal. They are designed to handle the heat created by burners and not the heat created by burning charcoal. The best argument, however, is that the heat from burning charcoal can cause a significant amount of damage to the components of a gas grill.
Don’t Miss: What Do You Soak Grill Grates In To Clean Them
Lynx Grills Sedona Series
In 2013, Lynx introduced its Sedona series in order to compete with some of its sleekly designed but lower-cost peers like Coyote and Napoleon. What they had found was that while some of these cheaper options had the look of high-end grills, they were lacking the true performance and quality that consumers were looking for. Naturally, Lynx changed all that. Their Sedona series is designed to provide a lower price point than its Pro series while staying true to the core principles of quality and engineering.
But how exactly do Sedona series grills differ from the Lynx Pro series? What follows is a feature-by-feature breakdown comparing the two series:
Our Pick: Weber Spirit Ii E
*At the time of publishing, the price was $500.
The Weber Spirit II E-310 is the best gas grill for most people, offering an unrivaled combination of top-notch grilling performance, a versatile three-burner design, durability, and an affordable price. It excelled at every test, producing the best sear of any grill on our burgers and equaling or outdoing the others on our barbecue chicken and whole roasted chickens. Its overall compact size suits almost any patio or deck, but its grilling surface is big enough to cook a complete meal for a family, or a dozen burgers for a party. With a thick cast-aluminum firebox, itll last for years. The company has refined the Spirits design for decades, too this version incorporates the easily accessible externally mounted tank and under-grill shelf from the Genesis II line. On top of this, its a particularly easy grill to assemble, maintain, and use and it comes in four colors . Finally, at its current price of around $500, its a terrific value.
With 424 square inches of cooking space, the Spirit II E-310 can easily accommodate 12 large hamburgers, two whole or cut-up chickens, or a large cut like brisket for smoking. Or it can cook a complete meal for five or six peoplethe three-burner design means you can, for instance, sear steak or fish on one side of the grill and cook vegetables on lower heat on the other. And you can cook them really well.
You May Like: What Is The Best Way To Grill Chicken
