I finally got the chance to spend some time with the new Char-Broil TEC Series 3-Burner gas Grill. This unit is exclusive to Lowe's Home Improvement Stores. This gas grill has two standard burners (in this case thin tubular brass) and one of TEC's second generation infrared burners. This burner is a glass topped unit that generates 900 degrees F of pure radiant heat. The design eliminates any chance of flare-ups and creates intense searing power. The idea of this grill is that you can sear your steaks while grilling vegetables.
The questions everyone is going to ask is, "Is it a good grill?". This unit is almost entirely of 304 stainless steel (see my article on "The Truth about Stainless Steel"). This improves the quality of the unit, but from poking around back and underneath this grill I find much of the metal to be very thin. One of the things I find most disturbing is that the warranty on this grill is rather weak. The infrared TEC burner gets five years, but most the rest of the grill gets only 2 years.
Of course the real test for any product is what the users think of it. I know that these grills have been selling for as much as two months in some markets so someone out there has this grill and has been using it for a while. This is your time to speak up. Let us here you experiences with this grill. My review will be coming in the next few days.
Photo © 2007 Char-Broil LLC.
Comments
I just brought home the three burner(1 Tec burner, two normal burners) version of the Tec/Charbroil grill form Lowes. The manager of Lowes traded this grill out for my Charbroil Stainless Steel Commercial Series grill that burnt up(cracked all three solid brass burners, rusted all the internal stainless steel grates, melted the igniter). I was reluctant to take this grill as my only experience with the Charbroil company was a bad one but the manager gave me his word that if I did not like it or if I had any problems with it I could bring it back. This was a quite a nice free upgrade as my old grill cost $450 (Natural Gas) and this Tec grill was $700 plus $50 for the Natural Gas conversion kit. To be honest, I didn’t even realize what the Tec part of the grill was until I got it home and fired it up.
I have to say that this is by far the best grill I have ever used. Anyone with any grill can cook a steak or burger the way you like it. The difference is with this grill, I take my steaks and put a light coating of olive oil on them. Then I put them on the Tec infrared for 1 minute on each side. Then I move them over to the normal grilling area. There is no flare ups even with the olive oil on the steaks. The Tec part of the grill sears the outside of the steak to lock the juices in. After eating a steak, you will have a 1/4 inch of juice sitting on your plate. I like my steaks medium rare but my wife prefers medium to medium well. That is usually the point where the steaks start to become dry from overcooking but with this grill even the overcooked steaks are juicy and tender.
The other great thing is you can throw wood chips, I use mesquite, directly on the infrared burner and the chips will instantly start smoking. Then you put the steaks directly over the chips to lock in the flavor.
I have not used the rotisserie burner yet as my rotisserie motor is still on order but I am sure that will work great as well.
I hope this helps for those looking at this grill.
Jeff
I must say that I was pleasantly surprised at how well the TEC grill works. I have had the privilege of grilling on some of the top end grills (Viking / Lynx) and although the TEC grill doesn’t quite stack up, it does a damn good job for the $$$. I broke my grill in with you Peppered New York Stake recipe. Using the inferred Burner I seared each side of the stakes for 2 minutes and then moved them over to the open grill at a lower temp for an additional 5 minutes. The results were outstanding, Not to mention the recipe was great. So far the grill has exceeded my expectations and the price.
THE PRODUCT GUIDE SUPPLIED THIS GRILL IS COMPLETELY WORTHLESS.DOESNT EVEN MENTION COOKING WITH THE TEC GRILL..THE GRILL IS GREAT.NOT AS HIGH AN OUTPUT ON THE IR BURNER AS SOLAIR, BUT NO DRIP/CLOGGING PROBLEMS.GRATES ARE NICE AND HEAVY,PLACING WOOD CHIPS ON THE GLASS IS A BIG PLUS TOO( THE GLASS MUST STAY FOREVER CLEAN BECAUSE THATS NOT MENTIONED IN CARE AND HANDLEING EITHER)..WELL WOTH THE MONEY..A GOOD BUY..
Just picked up a four burner from Lowe’s, despite the warranty warnings. I am very impressed with the quality of the end product, and after all that is what is most important. I have a Weber Genesis and Texas indirect wood stove. This is so much fun experimenting with!
I plan to take the two side shelves off and make the rest of the stove on the cart into a hybrid built in. I may incorporate the side burner into the design. I couldn’t touch doing a true built in with lp doors, side burner and four burner for near $2500, got this unit for $999 and I even used a 10% off coupon to more than take care of the sales tax.
K Mart 3/9/07
First look at lowes was great, and there is a phone number on a sticker you can call to get a full walk-through on the grill, right there on your cell phone as you stand in front of the unit. Nice marketing tool, and helpful information on how to use the IR burner with vegetables, shrimp, wood chips, etc.
1-706-571-7065 for TEC info.
Lowe’s had a stand up flyer that said the three burner was available in a custom set-in unit, but no where on the website for Lowe’s or charbroil.com/tec could I find such a unit. I’ll return with information if I can find it for ya’ll. I’m building an ODK, so the set-in would be nice, but so would the full unit with a custom-made roll-in spot. (Hybrid Outdoor Kitchen).
Call the phone number and it’ll tell you that to clean the glass IR burner, just turn it up to “HIGH” for a few minutes and it is self-cleaning (we’ll see). I’ve never used woodchips before, so this grill would let me try some new “grill skillz” for not a bad price.
Also has battery powered starters, NG conversion kit ($55 in stock), Rotisserie available in stock (spit + motor).
The searing techniques will be nice to try, as the info call says it can sear at 900 degrees with no flare-ups.
I like the 304 SS construction, but for the price, it is of course going to be thinner 304SS than a $5000 grill.
The warranty insert said the brass tubes have a 5 year warranty, and 2 year on the TEC burner/glass. (the article had it backwards).
Also can’t imagine that one extra burner is an extra $300 (extra 50%!!) to go from a 3-burner to a 4-burner. Maybe $200 would be reasonable for that one extra TEC IR burner…
Cheers,
Doc
Here’s the URL to the Char-broil TEC 3-burner set-in unit for a custom outdoor kitchen:
http://www.charbroil.com/tec/specifications/built_in.html
The Lowe’s part number is: 242338 if you want to special order it (not available at lowes.com) Retail price: $599
Cheers!
Doc
Just brought home the 3 burner model from Lowe’s and assembled it today. The models on the floor had crooked looking doors so we thought we’d be better off putting it together ourselves to make sure it was as solid as possible. Lowe’s doesn’t charge for assembly, I just don’t necessarily trust the competance of the assemblers sometimes. I have to say, no one at Lowe’s we spoke to knew much about the TEC aspect of the grill at all and gave us some incorrect information. One guy tried to say it was like a microwave. Anyway, the best info I found was on Charbroil’s website itself. There are multiple videos that show what TEC is about and what you can do with it. I agree with a previous reviewer that the manual is useless. I’m dissapointed with it totally. We had originally bought a Jenn Air grill, but took it back the next day after learning it was actually made by Nexgrill who licensed the Jenn Air name. We found many complaints about it and decided to go with the TEC. My point…even that grill had a far better manual with more instruction for use and recipes. I would have thought they’d have better explained that with the TEC. We tested it tonite and the infrared burner does get nice and hot after about 10 minutes, that’s what the website advises for preheating it. I’m doing cedar plank salmon on it tomorrow, that’s going to be my test, but so far I’m liking the heat it gives off. The doors still look a little off, but it seems to depend on the ground being level, the frame twists a bit. It’s just annoying because you really notice it with the way the handles are centered together. But other than that, we are happy with it.
I am considering purchasing the 5-burner Char-Broil / Tec unit at Lowes, so I have been doing considerable research on the unit. Looking at the display model at my local Lowes, I see the manual looks to be worthless. Anyone interested should look at the Tec product manual (http://www.tecinfrared.com/pdf/manuals/RadiantWaveManual.pdf) – it gives very detailed information on use, cleaning, etc of the Tec burners.
Looked up replacement costs online:
TEC II grill: $375 – $400
TEC II glass: $85 – $100
Considering it is only a 5 year warranty… it could get expensive if the TEC burner starts to crack or come apart. Heaven help anyone who drops the glass, breakage is NOT covered under warranty.
FWIW.
Love the TEC concept, and at the price point, it’s a pretty good deal if you can take the replacement costs after warranty.
Cheers,
Doc
I see very different replacement costs for these parts. When I go to http://www.charbroil.com, and navigate to replacement parts for this grill, I see that the TEC glass is $59.99 and the complete TEC burner is $89.99. Not cheap, of course, but nowhere near the prices quoted above.
I’d love to see a full review on this grill. I’m in the market now, and I’m trying to decide between this 4-burner version and a Weber Summit Gold D6 (for $1299). While I’d love to try the infrared burners, I’m concerned about longevity and build quality, and we won’t know for a while if these Charbroil TEC’s will stand the test of time. While the Weber is a bit more (and no infrared), I know from experience that it will last.
cHECK OUT HOME DEPOT, THEY HAVE A CHARMGLOW ADD ON SEARBURNER, INFRARED 14000 BTU , STAINLESS CASE, FOR $175.00. its on there internet listing page 4 under gas grill.. you can add this to your weber or anything else…..
I bought one of the 3 burner models from Lowe’s the other night. Signed up for a Lowe’s CC to get 10% off. I had known about Tec for years, but could never justify the price. When I saw grills with infra-red searing burners, I knew I had to have one.
At first I was drawn to the “Perfect Flame” model that had the infra-red burner in a separate chamber (with separate lid). That grill looked nice, but under closer inspection was a bit flimsy. I also began to wonder about cooking over the ceramic infrared burner–it didn’t look like meat drippings and whatnot would be healthy for it. Plus it was small–less than 50% of the cooking grid was actually over the infrared burner. I soon noticed that all of the infrared burners were like this (I looked at Jenn-Air models too).
Except the Char-Broil Tec models. The salesman knew little about the grill, other than mentioning Tec was used in restaurants. He seemed puzzled by the glass plate, as was I. But after deliberating, and with the 3 burner Tec only $100 more than the Perfect Flame model, I went for it.
Mine was pre-assembled (Lowe’s staff), though I expect to check it out to ensure it was done properly. When I got it home there was no manual. Had to go back to Lowe’s to get it. If you get one assembled make sure you get the manual. Not that the manual is all that useful, but it does have the parts listed, etc. I was quite shocked to find the manual contains nearly NOTHING about the Tec burner.
Before even firing the grill up for the first time I wanted to be sure it did, in fact, contain a real Tec burner. A quick Google search and a visit to Tec’s Website showed that it was–or at least a really good copy of one. Not only that, I found it was the *NEW* style Tec burner, supposedly improved over the old design. I sure hope it is, as the ceramic style I observed on the other brands is apparently the same design Tec used for years–years that I wanted a Tec grill.
My first test was going to be with the Tec burner. The first thing I noticed was that, at least during daylight hours, you cannot even see the flame. Apparently, and I wonder if my burner is simply not adjusted properly (Lowe’s staff assembly), it’s easy for this burner to blow out. After I thought it was warming up for a few minutes I decided to light one of the non-Tec main burners. POOF! The Tec side ignited too (again).
I guess I got it going, and it stayed on, because I could feel heat radiating from the glass (no other indication that it was on). I could have sworn one of the videos, or perhaps the voice demos (via telephone), said the Tec warms up quickly (like 5 minutes or so). While at 5 minutes my Tec burner was definitely hot, it wasn’t as hot as after 10-15 minutes of warm-up. I should note I had NOT read the PDF manual from Tec yet (I had the lid open, as the salesman said you always leave it open when using the Tec burner–wrong info!).
My first test was with beef kabobs (cooked with lid open, BTW). For sure, they meat got hot–with sear marks I had previously tasted at restaurants. Not the sugary caramelized char taste (I didn’t marinade the kabobs), more like a char-broiled taste. They weren’t quite done (too rare for my wife), but to me that wasn’t a bad thing: it showed I could get very nice char/sear without cooking the heck out of the meat.
My next test was a well-marbled ribeye. I used the same amount of spices and marinade that I would normally have used on my old gas grill. I also let the grill warm up a bit longer (with lid closed, and other two burners on high as well). This time the meat hit the grill sizzling. A nice plume of searing steam enveloped the steak. Yet not a single flare up. This steak was extremely charred, yet rare (more rare than I intended) inside. It was a bit too spicy, since without the flare-ups (or whatever the reason) all of the spices placed on it before cooking were still in place. I know I can do better, and perhaps I should have moved the ribeye to the regular burner to finish cooking, but this test proved without a doubt that if I wanted an extreme sear, or a lot of char, I could do it with this grill. I also realized I wanted more Tec area (wondered if I should have gotten the unit with the two Tec burners). On the other hand, I think I would have been disappointed with *less* infrared area (as seemed to be the case with the non-Tec grills).
Last test was with a filet mignon, about 1.25″ thick. Only used a dash of teriyaki sauce, salt and pepper, and then coated with olive oil before cooking. This time I just left it on the grill for around 3 minutes per side. The filet had nice and thick sear marks, and was very juicy. Tasted just like a restaurant.
Even though I had some good results, I still thought there was a problem with the burner. I observed the Tec burner without the glass to see what was going on. I could see right away that the flame, when started with the grill cold, kind of jumped around a bit. Portions would blow out, while others lit, or re-lit. Though it stabilized some after warming up, just (me) blowing gently towards the flame caused blow-outs of the flame. Worse, turning the control knob to low, or even halfway towards low, caused major sections of the flame to blowout.
I called the support number. The person who answered, in clear (American) English, seemed quite helpful; more-than-usual helpful. I thought he might want to walk through adjusting something or another, but instead agreed to send a new valve/hose/regulator assembly. In the meantime I’ll see if I can improve it by checking over the assembly.
As long as the Tec burner holds up OK, and doesn’t degrade on a windy day, I think I will get a lot of use out of it. As noted the manual isn’t very useful. But there are tips and videos at Charm-Broil’s and Tec’s Websites.
For reference I also have a Traeger wood pellet grill. That works great, but sometimes you can get a little smoked out. Hopefully this Char-Broil Tec grill will satisfy the need for high-heat grilling!
Tinman,
I bought the same 3 burner grill about a month ago and have been very happy with it. I must say that I to am having the same issue with the TEC burner flame jumping around when the glass is off. please let me know if the new valve helps out. Also, I inspected the TEC burner and mine doesn’t look like it is Stainless Steal, it has a tarnished look to it. Is yours the same or is it Shiny SS.
Thanks
Matt,
Mine is tarnished too. Don’t know if it’s some kind of heat-treatment or not, but it appears normal.
Haven’t received the new valve assembly yet, though have had more time to use the grill. I think the Tec burner might be working OK after-all. Or at least it seems pretty darn hot.
Biggest issue so far is that I’m still under cooking stuff. My hunch is that after years of using standard gas grills I get fooled into thinking the meat is “done” based on the charred appearance. Also noticed that the grate to the right of the Tec burner gets quite hot (at least when its burner and the Tec burner are both on high). This isn’t a bad thing in my opinion (almost like having 1.5 Tec burners), just something else to adapt to.
Want to add the rotisserie next. Can’t see having that burner back there doing nothing (have used it to warm-up the inside of the grill–probably just wasted fuel).
Today , the CharBroil Tec/4 burner is being delivered rom Lowes. Its been great reading about all the experiences each of you has had. I am really looking forward to using this grill, I have read basically all good things about it. For the initiation, I have Ny strips and collosal shrimps. I plan to use some cherry and oak chips fro some smoke flavor. I’ll post after my first experience…
Tinman,
I had the same problem cooking my food rare at first. I like my steak medium and I was cooking it rare to medium rare. I started removing my steaks and letting them cook on normal gas grates at medium for several minutes and now they are perfect. I have also notice that the grate closest to the Tec Burner get a little bit hotter.
Based on everything I’ve read it’s clear the TEC burner can get plenty hot for searing steaks, etc. But how much of a temperature range does it have, and how versatile is it? I’m trying to decide if I want to take the TEC plunge, and I’m also trying to decide if I would pony up for the two TEC burner model. I probably don’t need the ability to sear two TEK burners’ worth of steaks at once, so I’d like some feedback from owners on the versatility of the TEC burner and whether it’s worth consdering two of them. Thanks in advance for any replies.
Andrew,
Though still getting used to it, I’m definitely glad I got the TEC burner model. It took time to get used to it, mostly manifested by undercooked meat, but I think I’m past that stage. As previously mentioned, and as pointed out in the instructional/informational videos, using the TEC burner to quickly sear and then using the regular burners for final cooking seems like the way to go.
To me it seems the TEC burner is best used WOT (turned up 100%). At that setting it seems you will end up with seriously charred meat–if not downright burned–if you use it to cook the meat through to completion. Haven’t really bothered much with lower (TEC) burner settings. This might be something I try in the future, but I figured that I would rather cook over the open flame burner when I don’t want the searing heat of TEC. If the grill only had TEC burners I would obviously feel differently.
As to the extra TEC burner in the higher-priced model, I would definitely prefer it. Do I think it’s worth an extra $300? For me, I don’t think so. But I do have another BBQ at my disposal, and if I did have a large crowd to feed I doubt I’d be feeding them all steaks. Maybe I’m cheap! ^_^
–
Mike
I finally received my 4 burner TEC grill. It arrived from Lowes at 700 pm on Sunday night due to a truck breakdown. As soon as I wheeled it up the driveway, I hooked up the propane and ignited her. I tested all the burners, rotis, and side burner. All worked and I heated the grill. I let it heat up for about 15 minutes and then I threw some red oak chips (that soaked in Sam Adams Honey Porter) on the Tec burners. 15 seconds later, 6 NY strips went on for some searing. Sizzle and smoke baby, those new Q was broken in. Seared each steak for about two minutes on each side and then I placed them on low heat for 6-7 minutes on the other side of the grill. The steaks were BETTER than restaurant quality. I then cooked a pound of collosal shrimp(shells on) for a minute each on the TEC. Very nice texture with grill marks on the shells.
Today I made burgers on the Tec burners, they also cooked up perfectly. I am very satisfied so far but I have only begun to experiment.
As for the grill, its pretty solid yet the doors on the bottom could of been of better design. I also would of liked a rubber wheel design instead of the hard plastic. Otherwise a good grill so far but it seems like the stainless steel is going to be bitch to keep clean….
I bought a 4 burner Char Broil TEC gas grill #242337 for $999.00 on March 29, 2007. First of all, what is not mentioned is the grill is made in China. Yes, it is of flimsy construction just like many of the other “Stainless Steel” grills imported from China.
The real and genuine problem surfaced two days after I took the grill home. While the grill cooks well… after all, 60k btu’s it should and yes the TEC burners are nifty and work as designed and advertised.
Now to the real problem; I bought the specified Rotisserie for this 4 burner grill Model #247985 for $69.98 and brought it home. The next day, I installed the Rotisserie. I sat back to admire my fancy new grill when suddenly I noticed that the freshly installed Rotisserie mounting brackets now had BOTH side covers blocked closed. Once I got over the initial shock, I verified that I had purchased the correct Rotisserie accessory for my grill. I had indeed purchased the correct item.
So here I sat with a brand spanking new $1100.00, now crippled, grill.
To make a long story short.. I called Char-Broil Customer Service in Georgia. I explained the problem to the young lady and she told me they had received a number of complaints about this very same problem and that “their engineering department” was looking into a solution. I then asked what could be done to solve my problem and she told me they, incredibly, had no solution other than to remove the brackets, open the covers, then re-install the brackets, leaving the covers open until a solution was provided. Needless to say, I was upset. Here I sat with a $ 11000.00 Gas Grill that was now half useless. Either no Rotisserie or no side burner. That is if I wanted to be able to cover the unit with the custom fit cover I purchased for the grill.
I called Lowes, where I bought the grill and explained to the manager what was happening and that I wanted my money back. Lowes readily gave me a full refund and at the same time expressed shock at the problem I encountered and dismay at the awful solution Char-Broil offered.
I’ll never go NEAR another Char-Broil product. I learned my lesson. Char-Broil does not know the meaning of customer service. I hope they learn a good lesson because Lowes now knows the 3 or 4 burner Char-Broil TEC grill, Grill, when a consumer wishes to use all the features will have to sacrifice and chose between either the side burner or Rotisserie because of a truly shabby design and lackluster addressing of the problem and No solution.
These Grills have been shipping since October of 2006 and Char-Broil has been aware of this problem since shortly thereafter. Char-Broil will never see another penny from me.
Ironically I just received the rotisserie that I ordered directly from Char-Broil.
For starters, when ordering I asked repeatedly if a.) the rotisserie was the correct model for my grill, and b.) if it was stainless steel (not black). I was told “yes” to both. I was told wrong and the rotisserie is going back ASAP. Not happy about going through this little exercise in futility.
Worse, Elvis’ comments are indeed correct: most any kind rotisserie is going to be problematic. In fact Char-Broil just told me that there is currently **NO** rotisserie that will fit the Tec models, and they have no idea when and if one will be made that’ll work without preventing both side covers from opening. A casual glance at the grill’s design will show why; there is about 2 mm of clearance–barely enough to fit a screw head, let alone a bracket.
And FOR SURE, attaching and detaching a bracket is not going to cut it. Considering the grill has a rotisserie burner I am shocked Char-Broil released these two Tec models without the ability to use it.
Finally, Char-Broil kept insisting–till I emphatically outlined the clearance issue–that I check grilllovers.com for a rotisserie. I was disappointed that the so-called manufacture did not offer one (that fits right) of their own, and that if I didn’t repeatedly call them on it I would have been sent on another wild goose chase.
Looks like this thing (the grill, not just the rotisserie) is going back to Lowe’s. It’s a shame too since I otherwise like the grill. But I definitely wanted the rotisserie, and this thing just ain’t going to be useful for that.
–
Mike
“Worse, Elvis’ comments…”
Oops, make that “Ralph’s comments.”
I just read Ralphs comments on the rotisserie. They probably need to make two stainless inserts about two inches wide that attach btwn the grill and side pieces. Then a rotisserie needs to be fabricated somehow to allow for clearance. I really do not use the rotisserie too much but I really can not believe that this issue surfaced and CharBroil has no answer. I’m going to call and say my peace anyway. For $1000 bucks, you should be able to access all of cooking options..
I bought the three-burner model a week ago and have been very happy cooking on it. I was searching for the rotisserie unit on line when I ran across this thread. I am stunned to learn of this design flaw, which makes this grill the Edsel of the outdoor cooking industry. What were they thinking!
The obvious solution is to make brackets that can be slipped on and off without tools. I hope Char-Broil is reading this discussion. If I can’t get a specific commitment for a fix out of someone, this unit is going back to Lowe’s with extreme prejudice!
Another update…
After speaking with a manager at Lowe’s, who himself was shocked at this glaring design flaw and apparent lack of concern on the part of Char-Broil, I called Char-Broil yet again.
This time, since I seemed to get a different answer each time I have called, I demanded to speak with a supervisor.
He gave me a different answer than the woman I had spoken to previously, on the very same call. The woman (Missy) had claimed a compatible rotisserie was in development and should (no guarantee) be out this summer. Hopefully.
The supervisor first said there are indeed rotisseries compatible with their Tec models. But when pressed he admitted they would only work if one was willing to put up with the side lids not opening, or the ludicrous suggestion to remove the brackets after each use (personally, I found that suggestion to be insulting). He also kept alluding to a rotisserie being an accessory, so not really a “core” feature. He didn’t have much of a reply when I pointed out that the grill has a back burner that, unless I’m nuts, is best used with a rotisserie.
He then said that brackets were in development–actually finalized–and would be out next month. He offered to send me them when they are out, presumably to be used with my own rotisserie. He could not describe how they would work, only that they would allow the side lids to freely open and close. OK…
At this point I’m not sure I can trust what Char-Broil says verbally (they aren’t even sending the new valve assembly I noted in my first post to this thread), and no one there seems to be willing to put anything in writing. Lowe’s, on the other hand, seems perfectly willing to take returns. I might ask them if they would be willing to extend the return period in order to verify that these new “magic brackets” will in fact be released. The saga continues…
(I suspect this issue will get bigger and bigger as summer approaches.)
–
Mike
Am considering one of there from Lowes too. Regarding the rotissarie conflict…perhaps the hinge pins on the side lids could be removed and some sort of handle attached so they could be lifted off instead of flipped up. Maybe even hung by a chain or hook. Also the other (non TEC) infrared grills I saw did not have the glass covers so it appeared to me that crap could easily fall in and clog the holes especially when brushing the grates (I am told dripping should “vaporize”. These TEC/Charbroil grills have only two “open burners”. Is this a concern for larger cookouts or can the TEC burners be adjusted to cook at a lower temperature?
BillyJo, Yes you can use the TEC burners at lower temps. I’ve been getting much better using a combination TEC/regular burners. Really starting to like this grill.
As for the rotisserie, I’ve decided that if need be I could do without opening the right-side storage bin till a solution is found. I figure I just won’t mount the left bracket permanently, and will make-do with some sort of locking pin when using the rotisserie.
Also, as an update (to my earlier update ^_^) Char-Broil is indeed sending out the warranty part–it’s on its way.
I’ve owned a TEC grill for 10 years or so. Generally I love it. It is of course the “first generation” and has the ceramic heating element. I believe TEC’s patent expired and that is why you see this type of infrared on other brands now. The first genration infrared works best at the highest heat. The major problem with a 100% infrared grill is its hard to cook at lower heat for things like chicken or vegetables. I’m looking at this new hybrid and think having both infrared and regular will be great. Having the old “open” ceramic heating element was not a problem for clogging; the heat is so high it just burns away drips. I’m distressed about the rotisserie problem since having the back burner (which my old TEC does not have) is one of the main reasons for getting a new grill. As mentioned in a previous post, seems like a “slip in – slip-out” bracket is the answer so you can remove the whole rotisserie assembly when not in use and open the side doors before putting in on to cook.
Amazing how the virtual tour shows the chef talking about the rotisserie, but not showing it or using it?
Thanks to everyone for the informative reviews. I wanted to ask- how much of a hassle is it to clean the tech system (glass plate, etc.)
Thanks in advance.
I bought the 4 burner model with the Natural Gas conversion kit (a rip off at $55) 2 months ago and it is going back. I have had enough. This grill was the biggest disappointment I have ever purchased, especially at its $1k price tag.
First off, when I got it home and assembled it, I was thrilled. Assembly was tedious since I had to basically disassemble the grill to change the 6 valves, but it wasn’t that bad. Still, why not release 2 versions? I hook it up and turn it on and…. nothing. Hmmm… The left TEC burner won’t light. The right TEC burner does light and does get super hot after about 10-15 minutes. The gas burners light as do the side burner and roto burner.
I allow it to burn in then make a few burgers and a steak. The TEC burner works nicely. I let it cool down and call Char-Broil. They are no help on the burner that won’t light adn actually make me angry by insinuating I screwed up the NG assembly. That was frustrating. They offer to send me a new burner, but it will take 6 weeks. Wow, great service! :-/ I call Lowes who offers an exchange, so I take out the “bad” burner and swap it with the floor model. I put it in my grill and, voila, it lights! I think I am all good, but I am not. As I come to find out, the replacement TEC burner doesn’t get anywhere near as hot as the other one. To prove it, I light them, let them heat for 15 minutes, then place 2 frozen turkey burgers on each one. After about 6 minutes, I flip all 4. The 2 on the right are perfectly browned with grill marks, but the 2 on the left are pale with barely noticeable grill marks. I run similar tests and see no improvements, ruining some good meat in the process. I wind up calling my gas company to make sure my pressure is good, and it was. I decide to keep testing it to see it if works itself out, but it doesn’t.
The standard burners are also a disappointment. While they do get very hot, they are a flare-up waiting to happen. There are not enough flavorizor bars and too much of the flame is open. The grill doesn’t distribute heat evenly and hot spots are everywhere. Frankly, its a total mess. The grease tray can also catch fire quickly, which is fun. I’d like to comment on the roto, but it still isn’t released. Nobody knows anything about whren its coming, either. Lowes tells me they will pick it up and bring me a new grill of my choosing, which is nice. Lets hope they come through.
A friend of mine bought the same grill with the NG kit. Literally, he has the same TEC issues. The only difference for him is the right burner is cooler than the left. He is going to put up with it but I am not.
To summarize, this is not a grill I’d recommend. Service from Char-Broil was terrible and the performance was below par. I came from a standard 3 burner Weber I had for 9 years. I got tired of the upkeep so decided to get something new. Now I am confused, as I have read nothing good about Perfect Flame or Jenn-Air (Lowe’s model with JA branding). I want an infrared burner, but I need a solid grill to go with it. That is what gets used the most and CB’s quality is lacking.
As a side note, not a single Lowes employee I spoke to at their Maple Shade, NJ store knew anything about this grill. One guy told me the TEC burners were like “cooking with a microwave because they cooked from the inside-out”. (I swear to God!!!) He then took major attitude when I debated him. The same guy tried to tell my friend the roto burner was to “keep food warm”. Isn’t that special?
Off I go… Wish me luck!
I was going to purchase the 4 burner model, but I’m not sure now. Anyone know anything about the MHP hybrid grill? Better than this one?
I looked at this grill the other day-and nearly bought it before discovering the roto problem (won’t allow the side lids to open, as has been pointed out here). But something else I noticed, which is what really made me decide against it, was the back lid “vent” is completely open to outside air, with the cut-out extending the width of the lid, and is about 3″ high. From the back side, I could see right inside the grill. My concern is that the design (usually the back vent is fluted in some fashion, to keep wind from directly entering the grill while allowing venting) would allow wind, especially a hard cold winter wind, to directly enter the grill, cooling it and causing blowout. Any thoughts/comments from you CB TEC owners on that?
Thanks,
Phil
I had the Charbroil TEC grill for 6 months. It worked fine, I liked the TEC feature. However, the other night we started having massive flareups when trying to light the TEC burner. We finally gave up and cooked dinner on the other 2 burners. I decided I needed to clean the grill out, so I dumped the contents of the grease pan down my sink. Big mistake. As I came to find out, the screws holding the TEC grill had completely rotted though and dropped, with their attached nuts, into the grease pan, unbeknownst to me. They were ground up in may disposal. This cost me $100 with the plumber to get them out. Lowe’s wouldn’t pay the plumber bill, but is letting me return the crappy grill. I will never again buy a Char-Broil product. Too poorly made. I grill probably 2-3 times per week and I am going back to Weber. There is clearly a huge design flaw with the TEC.
I have experienced the same problem as Sam (8/28/2007). I bought mine at Lowes 6 months ago (3/10/2007). About a week ago I started having problems lighting the TEC side of the grill. The grill would light but then would have a massive “pop” – a kind on mini explosion.
I took off the grates and glass to explore only to find that the screwes that hold the burner hace rotted. The screw heads have completely rotted off.
I call Lowes. They told me that their 90 warrenty is up, call Charbroil. This response was disappointing but expected – they are up front on their 90 day warrenty.
When I did call CharBroil I was informed that my “pop” was completely normal. (I’ve heard a normal gas pop, this wasn’t anywhere close to normal!) They didn’t address the rotting issue other that to say that “coroporate” will get in touch with me on Monday. We’ll see what they do.
My advice is to avoid this grill, you’ll be flushing good money down the drain. It looks nice and works fine at first, but if yours is made in the same factory with the same parts as mine, you’ll be having problems later.
I bought the Char-Broil TEC series triple burner grill model 463268307 at the end of March and returned it for full refund in September because of small explosions and backfires coming from the TEC burner.
read this important SAFETY information if you now own one of these tec grills
http://www.bbqsource-forums.com/invboard/index.php?showforum=17
Check for broken screws in your grease tray and under the TEC glass BEFORE you open the gas valve or push that igniter button.
This is July, 2008 – I placed my warranty claim on my now fifteen month old TEC by Char-Broil BBQ back in mid June, 2008. Guess what? Part is back ordered. Three hours on the phone today, and I couldn’t get a straight answer, regarding WHEN the part would arrive, to save my life.
Got fed up, and did some research, and got hold of Char Broil parent company W.C. Bradley Corporations CEO and emailed (yes, I got a hold of his corporate email address, too – cost me two bucks, but it was worth it) him a letter regarding this nonsense.
Two hours after he emailed back acknowledging my letter and promising to look into it, I get a shipping confirmation from Char-Broil. And this crap is happening NINE MONTHS after your orignal posting. Nine months later, and they have a constant backorder on the part.
Spare me.
The char-Broil TEC grill is a piece of junk I have had my for 2 years and the TEC burners don’t work anymore the underneath of the burner is so rusted I can’t imagine fixing it. The ignition has failed twice. It is not worth the money.
Bought the 4 burner from Lowes as a Fathers Day for myself. Lucky Me. Worked for about 2 months when Infrared Burners kept “Blowing Ojut”.
Contacted Char Broil and they sent me replacement part after part. In fact they even sent me an entire new Fire Box in the hopes that this would solve the problem. Nothing doing. Burners with new controls etc, kept blowing out. Contacted Lowes and they being the great folks gave me credit for a full exchange as I really liked the TEC idea and got another one. What a mistake. Two months later my new one experienced the same problem. No stainless steel screws in the assembly part of the burner itself which supposedly is the cause of the problem.
Net result is that I have another piece of “Junk” on my hands. The sad part is that I have always enjoyed Char Broil products in the past but will never buy another Char Broil product again.
My complaint: Three burner model 463268307.I could not remove the grease pan The plastic runners under the pan had melted.I could have had a dangerous fire.This grill should be recalled before someone has a fire
My experience with the TEC grill, now that I’m going into the second summer with it, is not so favorable as those previously expressed. The TEC section of it “explodes”–or makes a sound of a small explosion–once it gets heated up. I’m afraid of the thing. I have the 4-burner model, and the first TEC grill started exploding last summer. Now the second TEC section is exploding, too, so I simply don’t use the TEC side if the grill anymore. Thus, I am NOT so favorably impressed with this grill.
I love this grill in theory but have experienced some of the same problems. The screws on the TEC burners melted / broke and the rubber strip for the drip pan melted to the pan. If they had spent some more time and research on the quality of this item it would be the best grill ever. Charbroil is sending out two new burners and they were GREAT about it. Very easy and the woman knew the problem I was talking about before I even finished my sentence. This is an expensive grill and I hope it lasts me at least 5 years. At this rate though it does not look good. I will say that when the TEC burners are working they are PHENOMENAL!!!!
Rubber liner for drip drawer melted so I cannot get the drip drawer open. The ignition failed, the burners are rusted and the mounting screw came loose. The joints are rusting.. In short this is the worst grill on the market and I have only had it a little over a year and a half. SHould have bought a Weber.. Not that this junk failed I guess I will. I don’t even want a free replacement!
After a lengthy battle with Char-Broil, they finally replaced, under warranty,the TEC burner of our 463268307 gas grill. They rejected the request initially becasue we could not find the receipt after two years and Lowes was unable to trace it for us without an exact date. I was happy. But not for long. Grill is at mountain log home which we rent. Had guests at the house last week and but for the swift action and athletic ability of a friend of ours, our house could have burned down. Gas supply to grill is from a 500 gal undergrount propane tank.
Grease tray, which nobody knew is a removable tray (not until I read this site) was frozen because melted plastic runners, or whatever. Grease fire flared up and melted rubber gas hose / regulator assembly – with flames shooting from assembly.
Guest leaped over deck railing and turned cutoff valve. I didn’t realize the extent until I arrived at the house this weekend to replace the TEC burner assembly. What a nightmare. Forced the grease tray out and found it filled with corroded assembly fastners, etc. Just about every problem listed on this web site we have experienced with this grill. I am completing the repairs and see how things go, but this grill should be recalled and everyone who purchased one should be refunded or get a new grill. I am contacting the consumer products safety commission and am sending them pictures and all the posts on this site. I will never, ever consider a Char-Broil product again. We have a Sams’s grill at our primary home. And while i have replaced burners and food grates, it has been problem free for seven years!
This grill is not S/S #304 grill, poor report !!!
Jeff