This tabletop gas grill packs enough heat a cook needs to prepare anything from the thickest steak to delicate asparagus spears. Like all good gas grills, the Cuisinart comes with twist start ignition for guaranteed lighting with each use and a temperature gauge for accurate cooking control.

Portable Design Coupled With Culinary Expertise

The stainless steel burner heats the cooking area within minutes, and the porcelain enameled cast iron cooking grate consistently produces flavorful food. The folding side shelves ensure that storage is never an issue, and you can take your cooking on the road too thanks to the convenient carrying handles.

True to Cuisinart’s approach to appliance design, it has a removable all-purpose veggie panel can be switched with purpose-built panels to cook other items like pizza and bread. The panels fasten securely to the cooking surface, yet are easy to remove and clean.

Perfect For Picnics and Tailgating Parties

The enameled cast iron grate ensures that excess grease burns off quickly on the flame guard without eliciting flare-ups, while the drip pan contains all runoff. Barbecue aficionados won’t have any problems with cleanup thanks to the easily attached drip pan. It slides in right under the grill and its easy removal facilitates cleaning. As easy as it is to clean inside the grill, the stainless steel exterior only needs a wipe every now and then to look as good as new.

Intuitive Cooking Is a Breeze

The user reports stated that the burner comes on in an instant and the cooking surface achieves 500 degrees Fahrenheit in a matter of minutes. The cleverly located thermometer banishes any uncertainty a cook might have about the temperature, providing accurate readings and ensuring the cooking surface is heats evenly.

Another review noted the novelty of the reversible grill plate, pointing out that the bars come to a point on one side while being flatter and wider on the other. The former is perfect for substantial items like steak, while delicate food like fish or burger patties grill to perfection on the latter.

Assembly May Be Difficult For Some

There has been a review or two critical of the assembly required. These pointed out that the intrusions do not inform the users that there are two washer configurations, i.e. self-adhesive, and screw-on. There have also been suggestions to remove the flame guard during assembly for better screw alignment. There are no complaints about the actual cooking performance of the grill.

Char-Broil 06401206 allows for open flame grilling with 16,000 BTU on two stainless steel burners with independent, precision control on a cooking surface measuring 308 square inches. The designers also thought it viable to add a nonstick, Teflon-coated griddle for cooking versatility. The porcelain-coated cooking grates are dishwasher-safe for convenience.

Its tabletop use is possible due to the removable body. Cooks can grill at night or in low-light conditions with the detachable LED light that runs on four AA batteries. Keeping tools organized while grilling becomes less of a chore – the folding side shelves contain tool hooks, and there is a bin for storage as well as a paper towel holder and trash bag holder for convenience.

Generous Heat That Doesn’t Blow Out

More than one review pointed out it was good to have a relatively small, portable grill that provided generous heat. The open flame concept means that cooks and hungry campers or tail-gaiters don’t have to stand around for very long, as they would while waiting for lava rocks in a grill to heat up. One of the best things is that the wind never blows the burner out.

Other cooks loved the options presented to them by the griddle. More than one camper was happy to report that they were able to cook pancakes and eggs outdoors, which added a new dimension to the camping experience. The foldable shelves on either side provided more than enough storage space for extra food and implements, and the storage bin added to the overall organization. In addition to being lightweight and portable, it is quick to assemble, set up and break down.

Cooks As Quickly As a Large Grill Does

Though portable, it is by no means stingy where the cooking area is concerned. Cooks were delighted to find it was more than capable of serving a hungry party of 10, while another cook used two of the grills and grilled enough hamburgers to feed 120 people, and in the same time needed for two “full-sized” grills to boot! The porcelain-coated cooking grate ensures that flare-ups don’t occur while cooking, and cleanup afterwards, whether by hand or in a dishwasher, is easy. It is also fuel-efficient, needing less than a bottle of gas to cook 70 hamburgers. Users also have the option of adapting it to use a 20 lbs. tank instead of a 1 lb. cylinder.

Potentially Annoying Set Up

A few users mention that setting it up for standard use is not as easy as perceived. It has to be lifted off the frame before the legs are extended, then replaced in order for grilling to proceed. The same process has to be repeated when breaking it down after use. It can also be difficult to monitor fuel usage, as it does not have a propane gauge to inform cooks of the remaining gas level.

Let’s just say you know all the brands by heart and can quote manufacturers verbatim. Yet, you still do not know which grill to choose! You are supposed to consider the following points in order to buy the best grills.

1 – Material

Once you have found a likely-looking grill, you should evaluate the material from which the body and frame. Cast aluminum and stainless steel are common materials. The stainless steel is more expensive, although its quality may vary. A magnet sticks to lower grade stainless steel, which rusts more easily than that of a higher-grade. Stainless steel also tends to last a shorter time than cast aluminum. Beware of painted steel in grill frames, which can rust over time.

2 – Timing

You will probably pay less if you shop before the beginning of summer or during fall. Off-season is when gas grills are in least demand, and prices will dip as retailers attempt to lure potential buyers. Buying a grill off-season may also mean you will enjoy discounted or free shipping.

3 – Heat

The larger grills usually come with higher BTU ratings. A BTU rating (British Thermal Units) measures the heat generated by the burner(s) per hour. However, this does not directly translate into the heat generated by the grill itself. Rather, it indicates the amount of fuel a grill uses in an hour; a 40,000 BTU grill means you will be running through propane tanks pretty quickly! Grill size, heat distribution and retention come into play for the actual heat a grill produces to cook food quickly and evenly. This is why the smaller grills can outperform larger ones when you compare cooking temperatures and durations.

4 – Grates

The most preferable cooking grates are made from porcelain-enameled cast iron or thick, stainless steel slats. These incredibly durable materials provide fantastic heat conduction and retain heat well. One thing to remember is that stainless steel needs less maintenance than enameled cast iron. You should always oil the latter after using it to prevent the porcelain from flaking off and the iron beneath from rusting.

One thing to remember when you are shopping for a new grill is that you get what you pay for. A grill constructed from durable materials and a design optimized for grilling is likely to cost more than a flimsy grill that costs a third of the price, but does not last beyond the summer and burns your food to a crisp to boot. It is also best to get a grill that meets your basic requirements instead of splashing out on accessories you may never use.