Consumer Reports finds good grills at good prices

If you're looking for a new gas grill for your cookout, you don't have to buy the most expensive model to get good performance, according to the June issue of Consumer Reports.

"Most of the grills we tested did a nice job cooking steaks, chicken and fish," Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, Consumer Reports deputy home editor, said in a telephone interview. "It's nice that we are still finding inexpensive models that are doing a good job. The $200 Brinkmann has a side burner and lots of shelf space."

And you don't have to go to a specialty store to buy a great grill. The magazine tested 37 grills and found these "Best Buys" available at Sears, The Home Depot and Lowe's:

Midsized grills: Blue Ember (FG50069-U401) by Fiesta is $450 at The Home Depot, Brinkmann (810-8410S) is $200 at The Home Depot and Char-Broil Commercial Series (463268008) is $300 at Lowe's.

Larger grills: Kenmore (16315) $570 at Sears and Char-Broil Quantum (463248208) $500 at Lowe's.

So what makes a great grill?

"You want to have a grill that's going to cook the food evenly," Lehrman said. "You have to be able to control the flames and have more than one burner to turn on and off."

Two of the options promoted in advertising — high BTUs (British thermal units) and infrared cooking — won't give better performance, according to Lehrman.

"For years everyone was saying, 'I have more BTUs than you,' " she said. "More BTUs didn't translate into better cooking or faster heating. The new buzz is infrared cooking, another way of saying indirect cooking with heat. We didn't see one outperforming the other or outperforming conventional grilling. This is not something you have to spend extra for."

Good performance is not just the amount of heat a grill can generate, she said, it's how much heat the grill can keep in.

"Look at the grates," she said. "Coated cast iron or stainless steel tend to sear better and maintain consistent grilling. They are better than porcelain-coated steel."

And how about those side burners that help with cooking during hurricane power outages?

Although side burners are convenient because you can prepare side dishes at the same time or keep food warm outside, Lehrman said your stove will do a better job of keeping food at a low simmer. Side burners also take longer to boil water.

Lehrman also suggested looking for a grill with electronic ignition.

Consumer Reports does not perform durability tests, but she said they do a salt-spray test on different types of stainless.

"If you are looking at a 300 series vs. a 400 series, the lower number is better," she said. "It is less likely to rust. But the most inexpensive way to make sure it stays in good condition is to cover it."

For more information, see ConsumerReports.org.

Blue Ember by Fiesta

Midsized grill (Model: FG50069-U401)

Sold at: The Home Depot, $450

Rating: 84 out of 100

Review: Excels at cooking evenly. Features generous shelf space, a side burner, built-in smoker box and a rotisserie burner.

Brinkmann

Midsized grill (Model: 810-8410S)

Sold at: The Home Depot, $200

Rating: 76 out of 100

Review: Combines fine cooking, a side burner and generous shelf space at a lower price.

Char-Broil

Commercial Series

Midsized grill (Model: 463268008)

Sold at: Lowe's, $300

Rating: 75 out of 100

Review: This stainless-steel grill does excellent grilling and has a side burner, shelf space and lifetime burner warranty.

Kenmore

Large grill (Model: 16315)

Sold at: Sears, $570

Rating: 76 out of 100

Review: This stainless-steel grill has slightly better cooking performance than other Kenmore grills tested. It has five main burners, a rotisserie, side burners and plenty of shelf space. Warranty is 10 years.

Char-Broil Quantum

Large grill (Model: 463248208)

Sold at: Lowe's, $500

Rating: 72 out of 100

Review: This stainless-steel grill excels in cooking. It has a side burner, infrared heat and a lifetime warranty on the burners.

Broil King Signet grills recalled

The Broil King Signet 90 ($650), a gas grill from Onward Manufacturing Co., has been voluntarily recalled after it failed tests conducted by Consumer Reports magazine.

The grill was rated as "Not Acceptable" in the magazine's June article on gas grills because the firebox melted on two of the three grills tested. The third grill also failed, cracking and becoming deformed.

"This is the first time something like this has happened in 30 years," Lehrman said.

The magazine tests grills for evenness, low-temperature grilling and for flare-up. In the flare-up test, they put six steaks on the grill and cooked them three minutes on each side.

Consumer Reports contacted the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada because the grill is made by a Canadian manufacturer and sold mostly in Canada. The CPSC said about 4,800 units of the Signet, Sovereign and Sovereign XL series have been recalled. No injuries have been reported.