Fire Magic Echelon Diamond Gas Grill Review
- Why Fire Magic
- The Fire Magic Echelon Diamond Series
- Features of the Fire Magic Echelon Diamond
- Review of the Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E1060S Gas Grill
- All Models of the Fire Magic Echelon Diamond Gas Grill
- Built-in Fire Magic Echelon Diamond Gas Grills
- Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E660i Built-In Gas Grill
- Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E790i Built-in Gas Grill
The Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E1060 Gas Grill is a true work of art. It is one of the largest gas grills on the market. And it is packed with features. Of course, at prices that can reach over $15,000USD this Fire Magic Grill is a luxury item. But unlike other high-end gas grills that are more brand name than substance, this grill performs. You get incredible power with the best quality manufacturing. All Fire Magic grills are handmade in Southern California by the people who started the company decades ago.
Why Fire Magic
Fire Magic, a division of R.H. Peterson Co., has been in business for over 75 years. They have been making high-end, luxury gas grills for decades and are a leader in the industry. Fire Magic has been and remains one of the true innovators in the grilling industry. Many of the features they invented are now standard on hundreds of gas grills across the market. Because of this, buying a Fire Magic Echelon Diamond Gas Grill, the height of their offerings, is always a good decision. All this innovation means that Fire Magic offers a wide range of extras like digital temperature monitoring and a lid that can be opened via remote control.
In the luxury outdoor kitchen market, Fire Magic is one of the biggest companies. They have a massive dealer network. The Echelon Diamond grills are available through this distributor network or online stores. Regardless of how you purchase your Fire Magic grill, you can take benefit of their excellent warranty. This warranty is very good, though it only covers electronics for one year. Burners, grates, and the main body housing are lifetime. All other parts fall somewhere between. This warranty, is, however, very good and meets the industry standards for this level of gas grill.
The Fire Magic Echelon Diamond Series
The Echelon Diamond gas grills from Fire Magic are the pinnacle of their products. Here you find all their best features and the most solid construction. The biggest Grill, the Echelon Diamond E1060S weighs in at well over 800 pounds. Even the smaller, built-in models weigh nearly 300 pounds. That is just the grill head for outdoor kitchens without the cabinet. The reason for all this weight is in the quality of the components. From the cast stainless steel burners to the heavy cooking grates, every part of these grills is the top of the line.
But remember, you get what you pay for. The Fire Magic Echelon Diamond Gas Grills are among the most expensive gas grills in the world. Of course, the most expensive and best gas grill is the Kalamazoo K750HS Gas Grill, but that grill sells for at least $10,000 more. The Echelon Diamond Series includes freestanding as well as built-in gas grills. They range in size from 30-inch (width) to 48 inches. They all come with built-in rotisserie burners. You can get a window in the lid and a number of side burner configurations. There are also options for a lid-mounted temperature gauge or a fully electronic temperature monitoring unit built in. And there are options for internal infrared sear burners.
Features of the Fire Magic Echelon Diamond
A gas grill is only as good as its cooking system. All the extras and shiny metal are nice, but it’s the main burners, cooking grates, and heat management that make it great. Yes, there is a full rotisserie system in these grills. On the largest models, there are two rotisserie burners, so you can put a chicken on the spit while grilling steaks.
Cast Stainless Burners
The Echelon Diamond uses cast stainless steel burners. These are side ported H-type burners. Each generates four lines of fire for even heating. You may notice the tabs sticking up from the burners. These are to hold the stainless steel diffuser plates that channel away grease, even out the heat, and protect the burners.
These are forever burners. Being cast stainless, they will never corrode and have a lifetime warranty. In the gas grill industry, these are among the best burners made.
Diamond Sear Stainless Steel Grates
Fire Magic uses a uniquely designed cooking grate. They are heavy, stainless steel rod girds. But where most companies use a round rod, Fire Magic uses a square bar. This gives the cooking surface an open grate design with maximum surface contact. This is already a very hot grill, but these heavy grill grates hold and transfer heat with maximum efficiency.
Heat Diffusing and Zone Cooking
Inside the cooking chamber of the Fire Magic Echelon Diamond is a fully sealed box. Between the burners are stainless steel separators. These channel the heat straight upwards. With this system, you can be searing a steak inches away from slow roasting vegetables. Heat is contained in the space where the burner sits.
Over the burners sit heat diffusers. These are strategically perforated for air and heat flow as evenly as possible. This is important and hard to do because of the high heat output of this grill. Each of these burners can put out 30,000 BTUs depending on the model.
Review of the Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E1060S Gas Grill
Specifications E1060S
- Four 28,000 BTU cast stainless steel burners
- 1056 square inches of primary grilling space for a total cooking area of 1440 square inches
- 112,000 BTU maximum output from the main burners
- Two 11,000 BTU rear mounted infrared rotisserie burners
- 60,000 BTU enormous side burner
- Stainless Steel square shape cooking grates
- Available with an internal infrared sear burner
- Flat surface stainless steel rod cooking grates
- Complete welded 304 stainless steel construction
- Full rotisserie system
- Two internal halogen lights
- Electronic hot surface continuous ignition
- Available in Propane or Natural Gas – Convertible
- Total product weight of 820 pounds
- Made in the United States by R H Peterson Company
PROS
- Packed with Features
- Massive
- Wide Range of Cooking Capabilities
- Highly Customizable
CONS
- Price
Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E1060S Gas Grill Review
Summary
R. H. Peterson’s Fire Magic line of Gas Grills is some of the best on the market and this is the biggest and the best they make. This unit has a maximum of 112,000 BTUs from four cast stainless steel burners under 1,060 square inches of primary cooking space. The cooking grates are unique stainless steel bar design.
Ideally, this is the perfect grill for your company, resort, hotel, empire, or any other outdoor kitchen. It is huge and with a starting price of around $15,000USD it is the kind of grill you don’t buy for the occasional cookout. The superior engineering of this unit means you can rely on it for excellent cooking and to put up with a lot of punishment. There isn’t a part about this grill that wasn’t worked over and analyzed to death.
One of the particularly nice features of this Fire Magic grill is the divided firebox. Each of the four burners is placed into a divided box to focus the heat of that burner onto the cooking surface. This lets you fire up one of the four zones to cook over and still have fantastic heat without preheating the entire grill. It also makes for better multi-zone grilling.
Some of the optional accessories for this unit include a remote-controlled automatic lid opener. Yes, you can open the lid on this grill by remote control (if you get this option). There is also a wide range of side burner arrangements you can go with as well.
The Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E1060 comes freestanding or as a drop-in gas grill for your outdoor kitchen. There is a complete line of products in this series. In fact, Fire Magic has one of the largest lines of outdoor kitchen appliances and accessories.
All Models of the Fire Magic Echelon Diamond Gas Grill
There are many, many variations of this gas grill, but three primary sizes. Aside from the E1060S above, you may also want to consider one of the smaller units below.
Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E790S
Best Value
This three-burner model has 790 square inches of primary grilling area and can produce up to 90,000 BTUs from its main burners. You get the full rotisserie system with a single 13,000 BTU rear-mounted infrared rotisserie burner. This model has a standard side burner.
To be honest, this is the much more reasonably sized gas grill. It is large enough for large families and parties, but not the monster that the E1060 above is. This model sells for around $10,000.
Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E660S
The smallest of the Echelon Diamond gas grills is still a big grill. Like the E790, this is a three-burner grill. It can produce as much as 75,000 BTUs under 660 square inches of cooking space. You also get the full rotisserie system and a side burner.
The E660 is large enough for most people, so it is also a good option. However, this model costs a little over $9,000USD so it isn’t a big price saving over the next larger model.
Built-in Fire Magic Echelon Diamond Gas Grills
The Fire Magic Echelon Diamond is one of the best choices for an outdoor kitchen. In fact, it might be the best. There are many models of Echelon Diamond Built-in Grills to choose from. But that’s just the start. Fire Magic has everything you could imagine for a custom outdoor kitchen. From refrigerators to side burners (of every variety) to cabinets, they make everything in the same factory where they build their grills (Southern California).
For an outdoor kitchen, this is an excellent choice. The Echelon Diamond series also includes built-in griddles as well as single, double, and power side burners. They even have a built-in blender station and most everything you would need to install a bar. They have gas fittings and timers. There are sinks, hoods, and griddles, so no mater how elaborate you want to make your outdoor kitchen, Fire Magic has you covered.
Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E660i Built-In Gas Grill
The E660i is the smallest of Fire Magic’s Built-in Echelon Diamond grills. It is not, however, a small grill. This three-burner gas grill is larger than the four-burner Weber Genesis. You will have plenty of cooking space.
The three burners can put out 75,000 BTUs, making this a very powerful gas grill. With the features mentioned above, you get a powerful, yet very controllable grill.
Also standard with this built-in grill is the full rotisserie system. Optional features include the digital temperature monitoring system, a hood mounted window, and an internal infrared searing burner. Pricewise, this grill insert runs around $7,000USD, making it one of the more expensive drop-in gas grills for the size.
Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E790i Built-in Gas Grill
Best Value
Depending on the configuration you choose, the E790i might be only a thousand more than the E660i above. This model is larger and more powerful than that one but for a comparatively small price increase. Yes, a thousand dollars isn’t anything to sneeze at, but if you are making the investment, this model of the Echelon Diamond is a better choice.
Other than the extra 130 square inches of cooking space and the increase of 15,000 BTUs from the main burner, this model has all the features of the E660i and the same options.
Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E1060i Built-in Gas Grill
This is the monster grill. With 1060 square inches of cooking surface (or 8 square feet) you get all the grilling space you would need to feed a football team. This is a big, four-burner gas grill that can pump our 112,000 BTUs from those main burners.
If you have the money and want the status of a giant grill, buy this one. But depending on the configuration, you can spend more than $2000 more for this model than the one above.
If you want a grill that will impress everyone, you need to look at the Fire Magic Echelon Diamond. It is a true work of art. And it is one powerful and capable gas grill. Whether you are looking for a free-standing grill or a built-in unit for your outdoor kitchen, you can’t go wrong with this brand and specifically this model of grill.
