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The Skinny:
- Truly the best infrared gas grill
- 100% infrared cooking means juicier foods
- Incredible 200-900° temp range
- Virtually no flare-ups
- No hot/cold spots
- Super quick pre-heat
Things We Love:
The TEC Patio FR gas grill is my favorite infrared gas grill I've ever cooked on. There are so many things to love about this grill. Its versatility makes it great for seasoned cooks like me and its temp range, virtually no flare-ups, even heat distribution and easy clean-up make it great for the beginner. TEC also makes the Sterling Patio FR which gives you the same cooking performance as the Patio FR, but with a sleeker, more curved lid. TEC has hit a home run with the Patio FR!
First, I love how fast this grill heats up. I reached high temp in less than 10 minutes. This surely comes in handy for grilling meals during the week after a long day at work. Also, TEC's 100% infrared system is more efficient than other gas grills too. It uses less gas, produces juicier food, and actually cooks food quicker. This quicker cooking is a plus for weeknight grilling as well.
TEC's Patio FR system is powered by super heavy duty, 304 stainless steel burners that are backed by a lifetime warranty. Right above the burner sits a tough radiant glass panel, set within a stainless steel bracket. The cooking grids sit directly atop the radiant panels. This system is phenomenal! I love the patented design of the cooking grids and how it allows for rapid recovery time, which produce the same great sear marks each time you turn your food. The glass panels are so tough, I actually removed the cooking grid on one side and put a pot directly on the glass and used it like a stove-top burner. Being able to do that while grilling over the other burner is a nice plus for the 2 burner models. Another benefit of the 2 burner models is the heat zone separator which truly allows your cooking zones of each burner to be controlled independently of the other.
Staying on the topic of this cooking system, it produces amazingly even heat distribution which means no hot and cold spots to get used to. Also, the radiant glass panels completely shield the burner flame from the food drippings which means virtually no flare up. Now don't confuse this with no flavor! The food you cook on a Patio FR is filled with amazing flavor due to the continuous smoke infusion into your food from the radiant glass panels vaporizing your food drippings.
A great practical benefit I noticed with the Patio FR is how easy it is to clean. Unlike every other gas grill out there, there is no grease drip pan to mess with. When finished grilling, turn the burners on high like a self-cleaning oven and all of the drippings on the cooking grids and radiant glass panels turn to ash and rest on the radiant panel. Simply wipe the ash off the glass panels and that's it!
Finally, what makes the Patio FR so special is the true cooking versatility it provides for any cook, no matter their experience level. I baked cinnamon rolls on the warming rack on a whim and they turned out excellent. I seared some high-end steakhouse quality steaks with the grill turned on high. High heat is roughly 900 degrees at the grid surface! I also cooked some mouthwatering chicken leg quarters with the grill turned on low! Low heat on the Patio FR is roughly 250 degrees. Finally, I used TEC's smoker/roaster accessory, which I believe is a must-have accessory, and slow smoked some incredible baby back ribs! Imagine that - smoking ribs on an infrared grill - incredible! You can actually get down to 200 degrees on low when using this smoker roaster accessory.
Things To Consider:
While I don't consider the TEC Patio FR to be an ugly grill, it is a bit more commercial looking and does lack some stylish features found on other high-end grills like polished edges and control panel LED lighting. The Sterling Patio FR is a bit more stylish, with its sleeker, more curved lid. Also, TEC grills produce an extreme amount of clean, white smoke. While this is not harmful, it's important to install it in a well-ventilated area or consider adding a vent hood to help ventilate.
You'll Like This Grill If:
You want the best and most versatile infrared grill on the market!
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