TEC Gas Grills - TEC Infrared Grill Reviews

Now if you want an infrared gas grill, and did your research, you probably heard a lot about Thermal Engineering Corporation - TEC gas grills and how it's being praised for many great features, such as fast heating, even temperature distribution, won Hearth and Home Magazine's VESTA Award for outdoor grilling category, and so on.

However, no matter how many good reviews you might have read, TEC grills are not the only quality manufacturers for infrared grilling. Other great brands to mention are the Ducane Affinity Infrared series (which is now owned by Weber Stephens Corp.), DCS wall mount gas grills and Viking stainless bbq grills.

Now let's take a look and see, what are the special features that set the TEC infrared grill apart from the rest? Or what is truly unique about this brand of indirect grilling technique?

TEC Gas Grill Overview

tec gas grills
TEC Cherokee
Portable Infrared Gas Grill LP

TEC produces two lines of infrared grills; one is for residential use and another for commercial applications. They range from 382. 573, to 764 sq. inches. You can order TEC model either in pedestal mount, built-in cabinet or freestanding styles.

The basic lines up are:

Cherokee™ FR - the light weight and portable infrared grills. It makes moist charbroil, can be use with light disposable 16.4 oz LP gas cylinders and is quite compact in size. This will be great addition to your family's camping trip.
G-Sport FR - probably one of the most affordable line of TEC grills retailing at just under $1500. Its burners are powerful as full size gas barbecue grills, yet gentle enough for some smoking actions, like chicken, turkey or other smoked meat
Sterling® FR - come in special double-walled hoods and replaceable interior trim. You can buy them built-in or in cabinet style to suite your patio design. The number of gas burners can range from 2 to 4 separate burners. This line is great for places like pedestal.
Sterling® G FR - is perhaps notable for its heavy duty 14 gauge stainless steel.

In respect to advantage and disadvantages, here are some grilling features that have been advertised by the company and consistently reported true by consumer reviews online:

Pros

Fast heating - the TEC infrared grills can easily reach 700 degrees F (around 371 degrees C), within minutes of lighting the burner.
Great heat retention and distribution across the whole cooking surface.
Grills restaurant quality BBQ steaks with the right technique and if you know how to get around it.
Energy efficient and clean to cook. TEC uses the radiant emitter glass panel between the cooking grate and burners to block the fat drippings and hot airflow from reaching the burner. This way flare-ups do rare occur.
Easy to clean and maintain, again thanks to the flare-resistant radiant emitter panel design. Wiping with kitchen spatulas is often what it takes to get rid of leftover grease.
Best prices you can find for fully featured infrared grills. Most other brands that provide infrared grill cooking will in the price point of $1500+, like some DCS or Viking. Even Ducane gas grills which may be purchased at a bit lower price will cost around $2000.
Well built and lasting quality construction, using some of the best 304 grade stainless steel materials and manufactured in the USA. This by far outperforms ceramic based grill burners.

Even though generally good feedback has been received about TEC bbq grills, here are some occasional complaints we found:

Cons

The gas burners don't last as long as expected. Some owners reported having to repair them after 2-3 years, and the replace TEC grill parts were quite expensive.
Most TEC gas grills cannot be used to cook on low and slow methods or any recipes that require low heat cooking with lids down, unless you keep a very close eye during the whole cooking process.
Because TEC infrared gas grill can reach very high temperature in very short space of time, it can be dangerous if you grill in family with many kids around, as severe burning injuries can easy happen.

tec grills
TEC G-Sport FR
Propane Gas Grill On Pedestal

Consumer Grilling Tips for TEC Barbecue

When you order one of the Charbroil TEC gas grills, the first thing you should try is New York Strip steak. People have had some amazing results cooking this barbecue delight.

Other great meals or are pork chops, pork ribs or any meat that is usually tough to cook.

However, if you plan to cook more tender meat, like chicken breasts, seafood or fish like salmon fillets, you might need to run some practice sessions to get it right and not overcook them.

Who Builds Viking Outdoor Grills? Is Viking Range Worth the Price?

TEC Infrared Grills Official Website

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