"Rick Blaine" wrote:
> "Tinman" > wrote:
>>
>>I looked at both and don't recall the two being similar in construction.
>>IIRC, the PF model's SS was mostly cosmetic and in the front.
>>
>
> I'll go back and look again, but the booklet I have from Lowes and my
> memory was
> that they were both 100% SS.
>

I remember the SS on the hood and some frontal areas being different than
the rest (plus the back is mostly black). I liked the two-hood design, but
the construction did not seem all that great (it flexed heavily when moved
or twisted). Go ahead and test the whole thing with a magnet.


>
>>The patent that expired was for the ceramic design. They have since gone
>>to
>>a SS burner design with the glass plate. That design is still
>>patent-protected.
>>
>>
>
> The TEC grill I looked at had a ceramic plate with the glass cover.

Nope. It had a SS TEC burner with the TEC glass plate over it. All the CB
TEC models at Lowe's use the exact same TEC burner design. If you saw
ceramic it wasn't a CB TEC grill (not even the rotisserie burner is ceramic
on the TEC series).


> Keep in mind
> that both grills are less than $1000, so they won't be the latest
> technology.
>

The CB TEC series actually does use the latest patented burner design from
TEC. It's not built with the same quality of course, nor is it built by TEC,
but it's one of the most inexpensive ways to get that type of burner without
paying $3,000+ (Solaire portable duly noted).

It is the ceramic infrared burner design, used on most all other IR burners
that is based on the older (patent expired) TEC design.


>>
>>The TEC burner also heats the entire area uniformly.
>
> I didn't see any significant difference in the PF. It uses a flat ceramic
> burner
> similar to the TEC model, but mounted about 6" below the grate and no
> glass.

I don't understand how you couldn't notice it. The ceramic burner on the PF
model doesn't cover anywhere near the entire grate area (less than 50%). The
TEC burner has a much larger flame area, and it heats the entire glass plate
uniformly. Even the single TEC burner model has a good 50% more high-heat
grilling area. And if that ain't enough the 4 burner model has even more TEC
grilling area.

I bought the grill for the TEC burner, plain and simple. If this was not
available, or performed badly, I would most likely have gone with one of the
Jenn-Air models, or a Weber. But for me it has performed well. I can sear
steaks like a restaurant (a nice char on the outside and if desired rare on
the inside--and still juicy).

In the end you need to decide if the searing feature is worth it or not
(without it you can get a more inexpensive model). For me I figured I'd use
it more if it had the TEC design. That means I don't only sear steaks and
whatnot. It works great for drizzling marinades right over food. Instantly
vaporizes, and no flare-ups. Cleans easy too--like a self-cleaning over.



--
Mike