Specifications
- Two 12,000 BTU Ceramic Infrared Burners
- 293 square inches of primary grilling space for a total cooking area of 473 square inches
- 24,000 BTU total output from the main burners
- Continuous Spark Electric ignition
- V-Type Stainless Steel Cooking Grates
- Complete 304 Stainless Steel Construciton
- Convertible between propane and natural gas
- Made in the USA by Solaire
Full Review – Solaire 27-Inch Built-in Infrared Gas Grill
PROS
- Powerful Infrared Design
- Great Little Grill
- Perfect Companion for a Full Sized Grill
- Solid Construction
CONS
- Very Small
- Only Infrared
Long ago a genius named Bill Best invented a number of infrared devices that turned the heat produced by a gas burner into pure radiant heat. Traditional grills work by heating air and the surrounding metal parts like the cooking grates. There is always radiant or infrared heat, but in an infrared grill, there is very little if any airflow, and the cooking heat is purely radiant. This is like the heat you feel from the bright sun on a cold day.
When Bill Best and his company, TEC’s patents ran out, several companies jumped in with infrared grills and burners. One of the first, and the company that went all in with infrared was Solaire. Their grills are all infrared, like this small two-burner unit. Infrared grills tend to be more expensive, partly because they are more expensive to make and partly because the technology is considered a premium.
So what does a little grill like the Solaire 26-inch have to offer? This grill can reach temperatures up to 1,000 degrees F, making it the perfect searing machine. It cooks at ridiculous temperatures, which you want when you grill a steak, a chop, or even a burger. This process produces a seared, almost crusty-like surface on the outside while warming the meat through the middle. This is the only way to perfect a raw or even medium rare steak.
This unit is very small and my recommendation for it is to put it alongside a traditional grill. Infrared is powerful, but not as versatile as a traditional grill, particularly when it comes to more delicate foods like fish or vegetables. This grill really won’t do indirect grilling either, so large items like whole chickens or roasts need to be done on something else. If, however, you want to be able to produce a fantastic steak, this is one of the best grills on the market for that.
