i'll start this review by saying I have sold grills for years and am a huge fan of the big guns such as Weber. Sadly do to living in a condo i can only have electric grills. In the past Char-Broil has made some sub-par items. Not this time. This is THE best electric grill option for under five hundred bucks. the people bashing it have obviously never grilled or assembled somthing as much as legos.

1- ITS EASY TO PUT TOGETHER- All these people on here complain as to how hard it is to put together. WHY? It took me a bit over an hour and a half working slowly and I didnt even curse once. Thats a miracles in and of it self. Simple tools, easy instructions, and not a ton of steps. There is a bit of lining up holes at one point but thats it. If you even have the slightest ability to put things together you'll be fine. Putting together Ikea furniture is WAY harder than this.

2- IT HEATS UP BLAZING HOT- Another complaint was that it didnt heat above 150 degrees. Mine... Read more

The Bottom Line: 3 Stars and Rising.

The Patio Bistro does its intended purpose. I like this grill the more I use it. It gets, hot, is easy to clean, and has a nice large cooking area. With time my rating may improve as the painfull memory of assebly fades into the past. This would be a nice choice for use where charcoal and propane grills are not allowed.

As of this writing I have owned the Patio Bistro Grill for a little over 1 month. I own and have used various charcoal and gas grills, smokers, and barbeques over the past 30 years. I consider myself as very experienced in outdoor grilling.

This remainder of this review will be in two parts.

First the Good! The Patio Bistro Grill Does Cook Food quite Nicely: 4 Stars

Once assembled the Patio Bistro is quite a nice little grill. It has a nice large grilling surface, and heats quite adequately for grilling and roasting. Once the lid is closed, the temperatures easily rise... Read more

As a condo dweller, I've been a fan of the earlier model Patio Caddie for years. Reliability, fast/high heat generation, and never running out of fuel have been huge advantages. I've known about infrared grills for years, but knew they cost up over a grand. 'Saw this new Infrared Bistro model and had to have it! I gave my beloved Caddie to my son (who loves it!) and got this new model.

Putting the grill together was logical and straight forward. It did not go together instantly, but what's the big deal? I took it step-by-step and it came together just fine. When completed, the Bistro looks good; much more substantial and better styled than the ol' Caddie. Plus, the grill size is substantially larger.

'Plugged it in, turned up the power, and WOW! This sucker was up over 550 degress in about ten minutes. As I'd done before, put a small handfull of hickory chips into a foil pouch, poked a few holes in it, and tossed it on the grill and closed the lid. In a few more... Read more

It had to be assembled which I did not like. After it was assembled, it was very flimsy and cheap. I should have sent it back. The silver grate that goes on the inside was buckled and did not fit correclty. It fits very loosely. Also the grate where the electric plugs into fits loosley. The whole thing is very cheap and I feel that I wasted $75. Should have bought a George Foreman.

We bought this grill to carry along in our RV. Since we seldom park where there is no electricity, it has been a great little grill; quick to get into operation, easy to clean and put away.

Over the years, we have owned several Meco electric grills, and have always enjoyed them. The heating elements don't last forever. They burn out usually after about 2-3 years of use, but considering the cost of propane, they are still much more economical than gas, and also less trouble. Just turn on the switch, and you're grilling. They cook very well, and produce great tasting foods. We highly recommend them.