Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
We use thermocouples linked to computer software to measure internal grill temperatures.
We test the main types of grills differently, but for most, we include a high heat test such as grilling steaks or grilling burgers, a medium and indirect heat test such as grilling a whole chicken for over an hour and a low and slow test with racks of ribs. With over 30 grills tested, we’ve come to this conclusion. To determine the best outdoor grill, we collect data including total cooking time, temperatures inside the grill, and temperatures inside separate cuts of meat. All of this information helps us find places that may have hot spots or inconsistencies in the thermometer.
- High Heat Test: Cook 5.3-ounce burger patties until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
- Indirect Heat Test: Cook a 5.5-pound chicken over flame to 160 degrees.
- Low and Slow: Cook a rack of pork ribs at 225 degrees for 3 hours and taste test.
Temperature consistency
We use Enviray P2 Pro To test how quickly the grills heat up and if the heat is even. It only works when the grills get hot because the top temperature is quite high, but it gives us a good idea of how well each grill distributes the required heat. InfiRay P@ allows us to take temperature readings at multiple points across the heating area to get a better average result. We also use it to see if there is any significant heat loss from other areas on the grill which could show poor quality designs.
We also use a stopwatch to determine how quickly the temperature drops over a one-minute period when the lid is opened. It’s an especially useful test for smokers, where you may need to check meat but don’t want to compromise cooking time. We always suggest using a Meat thermometer To check the internal temperature of any food you are smoking, rather than opening the lid as they all lose about 100 degrees per minute.
Taste test
Delicious delicious food
There is also a fair amount of (read: So Lots of taste testing, lively debate, and voting among editors and families, plus the data we collect on grilling temperatures and cooking times. You might think that eating delicious food while discussing the merits of a grill would be more fun than work, and you would be right.
We don’t just taste test the three products selected in our temperature tests, because that wouldn’t give us a good spread. We choose products that people love to grill, including vegetables like corn, asparagus and mushrooms and meats like chicken legs, wings and steaks. When we can, we cook on multiple grills at once and keep a note of what produce comes from them. Then ask our (lucky) testers what they like most. This is the lower goal of testing, but it is useful in a realistic way. If the food doesn’t taste good, this grill probably isn’t doing a good job.
You can grill crustacean fish or prepare a diner-style breakfast on the Flex Flame griddle.
If you’re interested in any particular method of testing, we have a dedicated method for that How do we test? page, plus our recommendations for cooking with it Kamado grills, Portable grills and Charcoal grills Ready to inform you. Happy grilling.
