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Product Description
Amazon.com
320-square-inch total cooking surface (view larger).
TRU-Infrared cooking system (view larger).
Enjoy big grill features with the compact Char-Broil Patio Bistro gas grill -- perfect for apartments, condos, balconies, and smaller patios. It features Char-Broil's award-winning infrared cooking system channels heat evenly to the cooking grate, eliminating hot and cold spots (with 12,000 BTUs of heat). It's fueled by liquid propane gas (sold separately).
The Patio Bistro has a 240 square inch porcelain-coated primary cooking surface and an 80 square inch raised secondary cooking surface. Its 320 square inches of total grilling surface, large enough to accommodate 8 to 12 hamburgers. It features a temperature gauge on top of the hood for at-a-glance monitoring of the grill's temperature, a cool-touch handle, easy-to-clean porcelain-coated grill body, and a storage grate to keep your tools close at hand. When the grilling's done, simply wheel it away for easy storage.
How TRU-Infrared Works
All Char-Broil TRU-Infrared grills generate a minimum of 65 percent infrared heat, which is evenly spread across the entire cooking surface to cook food -- without drying -- at temperatures that range from simmer to sear.
Unlike traditional gas grills that use convective heat (hot air) to cook food, Char-Broil's TRU-Infrared grills limit the hot air flow and use natural, radiant heat to cook food directly without drying. While convective heat destroys food's moisture barrier, infrared heat penetrates it without drying and locks in natural juices and flavors. Char-Broil's TRU-Infrared cooking system virtually eliminates flare-ups while producing very even heat (no hot or cold spots).
What's in the Box
Char-Broil Patio Bistro gas grill in black; operating guide and assembly instructions
Propane power (view larger).
Product Description
The Char-Broil Patio Bistros represent the next evolution in patio cooking. The Patio Caddies, which were staples for Char-Broil over the past decade, have been updated in design as well as cooking performance. The new Patio Bistros, are available in both electric and glass (this one is gas). The compact size, quality design, and solid construction, combined with Char-Broil's continued expansion of their award winning Infrared technology, yields a sleek grill and easy to use performance based grill. The GAS Patio Bistro features easy-to-light integrated electronic ignition, a stainless steel premium cooking grate, and a fuel efficient 12,000 BTU burner system. As far as space the 320 square inches of grilling surface can accommodate between 8 and 12 hamburgers.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
69 of 72 people found the following review helpful
This was a replacement for a 9 year old Char broil that quit. Assembly went really well. The parts were well laid out and all the hardware parts were in a packet with individual parts held together in groups of each type. I like the hand screw to hold in the propane tank to the grill. My old one did not stay on so I used bungees to hold it to the old style Char Broil we had replaced with this one.
I did the initial 15 minutes on level 5 to burn off oils from manufacture. I then grilled some Costco burgers @ 4-5 minutes on each side and they turned out really juicy. Then afterwards I cleaned the grate and sprayed if with nonstick grill spray. The main thing about these infrared grills is to make sure that you keep all of the little slots clear for heat to get to the food; otherwise the cooking can get uneven. Now I will order a cover since the generic one I brought got shredded in a high wind storm. I will have to remember to remove the cover during high winds. We are very happy with this grill and I am hoping that it would hold up well over time.
UPDATE 3-24-11
We are still really enjoying this grill. Its small size is great. I have cooked Boneless skinless chicken and boneless country pork ribs. The chicken turned out really juicy although you will need to turn the chicken that is thicker for one more 5 minute go around to completely cook. Otherwise it would still be a little raw on the inside top. The ribs were 1/2 hour per side and they turn out perfect on level 2 per the instructions. I have learned to setup a timer that runs for 10 minutes after I turn off the gas so that it would be cool enough to clean. The temp has been around 200 after 10 minutes of 40 Degree temp outside, but it cools fairly fast after opening the lid, so cleaning it is not too hard. I then spray with Pam after it is cleaned off. The actual Char Broil grill cover for the Bistro is really nice. It has a strap to help hold on the cover and it is very well made and has held up in 25 mph winds without the problems I had with the cheap generic cover that got shredded per my initial review.
I did the initial 15 minutes on level 5 to burn off oils from manufacture. I then grilled some Costco burgers @ 4-5 minutes on each side and they turned out really juicy. Then afterwards I cleaned the grate and sprayed if with nonstick grill spray. The main thing about these infrared grills is to make sure that you keep all of the little slots clear for heat to get to the food; otherwise the cooking can get uneven. Now I will order a cover since the generic one I brought got shredded in a high wind storm. I will have to remember to remove the cover during high winds. We are very happy with this grill and I am hoping that it would hold up well over time.
UPDATE 3-24-11
We are still really enjoying this grill. Its small size is great. I have cooked Boneless skinless chicken and boneless country pork ribs. The chicken turned out really juicy although you will need to turn the chicken that is thicker for one more 5 minute go around to completely cook. Otherwise it would still be a little raw on the inside top. The ribs were 1/2 hour per side and they turn out perfect on level 2 per the instructions. I have learned to setup a timer that runs for 10 minutes after I turn off the gas so that it would be cool enough to clean. The temp has been around 200 after 10 minutes of 40 Degree temp outside, but it cools fairly fast after opening the lid, so cleaning it is not too hard. I then spray with Pam after it is cleaned off. The actual Char Broil grill cover for the Bistro is really nice. It has a strap to help hold on the cover and it is very well made and has held up in 25 mph winds without the problems I had with the cheap generic cover that got shredded per my initial review.
40 of 40 people found the following review helpful
By R. Getek
First, I will provide a brief description of my previous grill, which is as a basis for comparison in case you are debating this grill versus other larger and more traditional grilling systems. Then, I will provide a summary of my findings related to the other comments you see throughout the review thread. Sorry for the long thread, but I'm hoping folks will find the confirmations and/or rebuttals of the findings of others to be helpful.
I bought this grill to replace a commercial series stainless char-broil gas grill that I had for five years and used extensively. While the older grill was good as compared to grills in its class/price range, it was subject to the typical ills of long-burner systems with flavorizer bars to reduce flareups. It was only moderately effective, so costco steaks (1" thick with a 1/4" fat edge) tended to cause massive flare-ups and if not managed carefully, burned the steaks beyond recognition. I am not exaggerating when I say that I had 1.5 ft high flames coming out the back of the grill one time when I wasn't paying close enough attention. The fat melts and flares up horribly. While I really liked the cast iron grates, they were rusting pretty badly at the five year mark. The grill did do a good job of imparting that gas grill flavor, and was perfect for ribs and other long-cooking items at low temperature.
Now for the Patio Bistro. First, a summary of the other comments you may have seen, and the ones I saw commonly stated all turned out to be true.
1. Assembly is not difficult, but is time consuming. Took about and hour. Lots of parts. Some people complained about parts not fitting together well, but mine were perfectly aligned and no problems. One trick, and I do this with everything I assemble after lots of ikea assembly experience, is to wait to tighten all the nuts until everything is together. One annoying design feature is that the wire lead for the ignitor partially blocks the drip tray. Also, as another customer mentioned, the caps are already installed on the wheels. I broke one of the caps trying to get it off- they are super tight. Very annoying. Char-broil would probably replace it if I asked, but I don't care enough to spend the time to do so.
2. You can't see the flame, so the first time I used it, I thought it was lit and didn't realize for sure it wasn't until I smelled gas. To turn it off, you have to turn the knob past the ignitor. It ignited with gusto, displacing the grate. Kinda scary. But now I know to hold the ignitor in the on position until I see the flames flare out around the round burner protector, and there is also a hole on the back of the grill you can look in for confirmation. I don't see it as a problem once you get used to it.
3. The grill is 'not infrared'? I don't know what the technical definition of infrared is, so I don't know if this is true. I previously thought infrared grills used those white ceramic flat burners with little holes in them. This grill does not, and instead uses a round gas tube that is covered by a round metal shield to prevent flare-ups. Some sites describe infrared as a technology that uses high heat and high efficiency, without referring to physical burner characteristics. The grilling surface is stainless and has a flat bottom with many small holes. So far, following the manufacturer instructions and burning off the junk after each use has kept the holes clear and functional.
4. The heat is intense. (Some people alternatively claim that they have not enough heat, but surely those grills are defective). This thing gets up to 700 degrees in less than 15 minutes.
5. Food is cooked fast and evenly. Definitely true to me, almost to a fault. Heats up way faster and more evenly than my previous grill, and cooks burgers the best I've ever had. Back to our Costco steaks- the good news is no flare-ups (a huge benefit). The bad news is that the recommended instructions left the outside seared beautifully and the inside bloody. Had to cut the steaks in half for the second round to get decent results. This technology is awesome for your standard grocery store steaks and burgers, but is a little tougher to use for thick cuts of meat. I've only had it a week, so it may be possible, but I haven't had thick steak success yet. Burgers and thin steaks- awesome. One catch is that the 'gas' flavor is not as intense as my previous grill, but the flavor is still excellent.
6. Some people complain that the cover (available for purchase separately) is poor quality, and it's about $30. I purchased a different Char-broil cover Char-Broil 2186140 Patio Caddie Grill Cover for $10 and it seems to be decent quality and good fit.
7. The grill is heavy, especially with the tank. There is a handle under the control knob, but moving it with that handle is not easy, especially if the surface is not perfectly flat (like, say, my patio).
8. FYI, this does not come with a gas tank. Factor this into the cost. The good news is that as a result, it can be shipped at a reasonable cost.
Overall, this is an excellent grill. I would buy it again. Small, efficient, and although it is relatively thin and not as sturdy as my previous commercial series grill, it is built for a small family and would probably last 3-4 years. I kinda miss having shelves, but I have a small patio and I'd rather have the patio space.
If the feature that brought you to this grill was size, but you want higher quality, check out the Weber Q series such as the 320 Weber 586002 Q 320 Portable Outdoor Propane Gas Grill(at double the price). I would personally prefer to spend less and replace a little sooner than go super-fancy and then hang on to one a long time. If that is not also your mentality, then this may not be your grill (but the Weber may be).
I bought this grill to replace a commercial series stainless char-broil gas grill that I had for five years and used extensively. While the older grill was good as compared to grills in its class/price range, it was subject to the typical ills of long-burner systems with flavorizer bars to reduce flareups. It was only moderately effective, so costco steaks (1" thick with a 1/4" fat edge) tended to cause massive flare-ups and if not managed carefully, burned the steaks beyond recognition. I am not exaggerating when I say that I had 1.5 ft high flames coming out the back of the grill one time when I wasn't paying close enough attention. The fat melts and flares up horribly. While I really liked the cast iron grates, they were rusting pretty badly at the five year mark. The grill did do a good job of imparting that gas grill flavor, and was perfect for ribs and other long-cooking items at low temperature.
Now for the Patio Bistro. First, a summary of the other comments you may have seen, and the ones I saw commonly stated all turned out to be true.
1. Assembly is not difficult, but is time consuming. Took about and hour. Lots of parts. Some people complained about parts not fitting together well, but mine were perfectly aligned and no problems. One trick, and I do this with everything I assemble after lots of ikea assembly experience, is to wait to tighten all the nuts until everything is together. One annoying design feature is that the wire lead for the ignitor partially blocks the drip tray. Also, as another customer mentioned, the caps are already installed on the wheels. I broke one of the caps trying to get it off- they are super tight. Very annoying. Char-broil would probably replace it if I asked, but I don't care enough to spend the time to do so.
2. You can't see the flame, so the first time I used it, I thought it was lit and didn't realize for sure it wasn't until I smelled gas. To turn it off, you have to turn the knob past the ignitor. It ignited with gusto, displacing the grate. Kinda scary. But now I know to hold the ignitor in the on position until I see the flames flare out around the round burner protector, and there is also a hole on the back of the grill you can look in for confirmation. I don't see it as a problem once you get used to it.
3. The grill is 'not infrared'? I don't know what the technical definition of infrared is, so I don't know if this is true. I previously thought infrared grills used those white ceramic flat burners with little holes in them. This grill does not, and instead uses a round gas tube that is covered by a round metal shield to prevent flare-ups. Some sites describe infrared as a technology that uses high heat and high efficiency, without referring to physical burner characteristics. The grilling surface is stainless and has a flat bottom with many small holes. So far, following the manufacturer instructions and burning off the junk after each use has kept the holes clear and functional.
4. The heat is intense. (Some people alternatively claim that they have not enough heat, but surely those grills are defective). This thing gets up to 700 degrees in less than 15 minutes.
5. Food is cooked fast and evenly. Definitely true to me, almost to a fault. Heats up way faster and more evenly than my previous grill, and cooks burgers the best I've ever had. Back to our Costco steaks- the good news is no flare-ups (a huge benefit). The bad news is that the recommended instructions left the outside seared beautifully and the inside bloody. Had to cut the steaks in half for the second round to get decent results. This technology is awesome for your standard grocery store steaks and burgers, but is a little tougher to use for thick cuts of meat. I've only had it a week, so it may be possible, but I haven't had thick steak success yet. Burgers and thin steaks- awesome. One catch is that the 'gas' flavor is not as intense as my previous grill, but the flavor is still excellent.
6. Some people complain that the cover (available for purchase separately) is poor quality, and it's about $30. I purchased a different Char-broil cover Char-Broil 2186140 Patio Caddie Grill Cover for $10 and it seems to be decent quality and good fit.
7. The grill is heavy, especially with the tank. There is a handle under the control knob, but moving it with that handle is not easy, especially if the surface is not perfectly flat (like, say, my patio).
8. FYI, this does not come with a gas tank. Factor this into the cost. The good news is that as a result, it can be shipped at a reasonable cost.
Overall, this is an excellent grill. I would buy it again. Small, efficient, and although it is relatively thin and not as sturdy as my previous commercial series grill, it is built for a small family and would probably last 3-4 years. I kinda miss having shelves, but I have a small patio and I'd rather have the patio space.
If the feature that brought you to this grill was size, but you want higher quality, check out the Weber Q series such as the 320 Weber 586002 Q 320 Portable Outdoor Propane Gas Grill(at double the price). I would personally prefer to spend less and replace a little sooner than go super-fancy and then hang on to one a long time. If that is not also your mentality, then this may not be your grill (but the Weber may be).
47 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
I had been on the search for a small grill that wouldn't take up space with cheap plastic shelves and accessories I will never use. This grill is the perfect fit.
It took some effort to assemble, but not as difficult as flat pack furniture. Surprisingly metal! I thought everything was plastic these days, but the only plastic here is found on the handles and the wheels.
Just under the control knob there is a handle that makes it easy to move even when it's hot. The grill heats up real fast making it good for quick grilled meals. My first meal included 4 ears of grilled corn and two large steaks with a bit of room to spare.
My only criticism is that the grease trap underneath seems to conflict with the wires for the electric ignition.
It took some effort to assemble, but not as difficult as flat pack furniture. Surprisingly metal! I thought everything was plastic these days, but the only plastic here is found on the handles and the wheels.
Just under the control knob there is a handle that makes it easy to move even when it's hot. The grill heats up real fast making it good for quick grilled meals. My first meal included 4 ears of grilled corn and two large steaks with a bit of room to spare.
My only criticism is that the grease trap underneath seems to conflict with the wires for the electric ignition.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
THIS INFRARED PATIO GRILL IS PERFECT!
We have had many grills but this patio grill is perfect for us. The infra-red cooking is so juicy. I love the ease in clean-up and the size. Read more
Published 16 hours ago by S. kulish
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Grill
Not so easy to put together but worth it! Cooks food in less time and uses less gas. It looks small but can cook 5-6 hamburgers at one time so that's enough for me.
Published 7 days ago by Melissa Stevens
3.0 out of 5 stars
not happy
I would never buy this type of grill again. had to order a new grate as the one that came with it I did not care for. As it cost me more then I was happy with .
Published 8 days ago by George Pezzano
2.0 out of 5 stars
so far i have not been able to get it lit.
confusing to put together, with poor directions. now i have to disassemble to see why it wont light. i'll get back to you
Published 9 days ago by don sommerfield
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good purchase
My wife and I needed a "grill for two" so we wouldn't have to fire up the big charcoal grill each time she and I wanted to grill. Easy assembly and works great.
Published 10 days ago by Dennis Kistner
4.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect size for two.
Never liked gas grill, they never cook evently. This one is the exception. I cooked 5 pieces of bread looking for the cold spot, didn't find any. Read more
Published 10 days ago by bob Arnold
4.0 out of 5 stars
Infra-red Griller
does what its meant to do- grill at a high temp. It was straightforward to put together and I have no problem with performance. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Robert Greene
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simple and sturdy.
We bought this as a replacement for an old grill we inherited. This one was easy to assemble, sturdy, and looks nice. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Donald J. Lacey
5.0 out of 5 stars
Char Broil Grill
Great for two people and takes up less room in the garage. Grills evenly and easy to use. I recommend it.
Published 18 days ago by Jack K
1.0 out of 5 stars
The grill It is not OK !!!! The GRILL SUCKS !!!! I have cleaned it...
Liked the OLD Patio Bar BQ Better . Starting the grill can be a problem have to be careful ! Also the Knob control panel can GOT HOT REAL HOT . SO be careful . Read more
Published 1 month ago by Gary N
