The Quantum Infrared Grill 463248208 is the newest in Char-Broil's commercial series. This model has four burners, ample grilling space and an abundance of heat -- which combine for a successful outdoor barbecue. Styled entirely in stainless steel, this unit presents a bright appearance. The brushed stainless steel hood, front and side panels resist fingerprints and contrast nicely with the unit's gleaming stainless steel trim (handles and knobs).

The Quantum grill has several non-traditional features. The cooking grates consist of a panel of stainless steel rods, set upon a stainless steel screen. Although the sections disassemble (primarily for cleaning purposes), they are meant to be used together. The stainless steel screen acts as a generator of radiant (infrared) heat to intensify the temperature within the cooking area. So, although we noted that the temperature gauge on the hood registered between 375-475 degrees Fahrenheit, during the initial preheating, the radiant temperature within the cookbox was actually a good 100 degrees higher.

The flame-produced heat is concentrated just underneath the stainless steel screen, so rather than flame-grilled foods, you get a somewhat different cooking experience. The benefits of this type of grilling are a very uniform level of heat across the entire cooking surface and virtually no grease flare-ups. Foods cook quickly -- even more so than with open flame grilling -- and evenly. The main drawback we noticed with the radiant cooktop was the maintenance required. The manufacturer recommends keeping the screen clear of debris for proper airflow. To do so means brushing the screen after each use, which requires removing the top rod panel to get to the mesh screen below. Since there are four grate sections, the process can be somewhat tedious. You can minimize the effort by turning the heat up to high and burning off food particles after each use.

This four-burner model has a 40,000-Btu output with 580 square inches of primary cooking space and 230 square inches of secondary warming rack space. The stainless steel tube burners have tented covers that help to distribute the heat, but as previously mentioned, the radiant cooktop does such a good job distributing the heat that the tented burner covers are almost rendered unnecessary. They do protect the burners from any drips that might happen to find their way through the stainless steel screen, so for that reason alone they are valuable.

This unit also has a separate 13,000-Btu side burner, which is handy for heating sauces or side dishes. What's particularly nice about the Quantum grill is that it comes with a cast-iron griddle accessory, which fits over the side burner, allowing you to saute onions, fry an egg or cook hash browns and other small foods. To allow extra room for storing the griddle plate, a tall domed side burner cover is included. Although we appreciated the inclusion of a cover, we were not crazy about the design; the bulky cover is attached by two thin hinges, which may wear out with extended use.

The grill relies on an electronic igniter to fire up the burners. During out tests, although a continuous set of sparks was emitted, we found it took about a minute for the sparks to actually ignite the burner. While this was not too problematic, it was a bit disconcerting to have to hold the igniter button so long.

The enclosed cabinet on the Quantum grill measures approximately 31.5 inches wide by 25 inches tall by 22 inches deep, with two magnetic-close doors. The cabinet hides the LP tank and also provides a storage shelf for utensils, condiments and other non-combustible accessories. Four caster wheels provide good mobility and a side towel bar acts as a handle for moving the grill from place to place. We were disappointed that there were no utensil hooks.

One thing this grill does particularly well is provide plenty of work and cooking space. A generous sized side shelf (approximately 15.75x19 inches) provides ample workspace and the 18x30-inch grilling surface handles enough food for a crowd. The stainless steel components on this grill are made from 430 grade steel -- not the highest grade but still adequate while keeping the price down. If you plan to store your grill outdoors, you will want to be sure to keep the grill covered.


Pros: Four burners, 40,000-Btu combined with unique mesh-screen stainless steel grates generate an abundance of heat, oversize cooking surface, 13,000 Btu side burner with flat griddle
Cons: Side burner lid hinges made from thin metal

Warranty
1 year, parts; 3 years, electronic ignition; lifetime, burners, firebox and lid (limited)