High-end gas grills that get low marks for grilling

You don't have to spend $800 for a gas grill but if you do, you probably expect it to be really good at grilling and loaded with features. Consumer Reports just finished testing three expensive grills, ranging from $800 to $1,800, and found three ways that you can save a nice chunk of change.

Swiss Grill: Not so Swiss

We tested the Swiss Grill Arosa A3. This midsized gas grill is $800 and Swiss Grill says on its website that it's designed for people who want the best and goes on to say, "Swiss Grill barbecues & accessories are the exciting marriage of classic Swiss style & quality partnered with a real passion for outdoor cooking and living life to the full." We wouldn't blame you for thinking that this grill is made in Switzerland, given the grill name and logo—the flag of Switzerland. But when we called customer service we learned the grills are made in the U.K. 

Our test results

The Swiss Grill Arosa A3 scored 44 out of 100 in our tests, making it fair overall. There are three burners and while it quickly reaches high temperatures, the heat isn't evenly dispersed and you wind up with a cooking area with hot spots, so you'd have to pay close attention to the food you're grilling and move it around to prevent overcooking.

The same heat unevenness problem occurs when grilling at low temperatures, and in our temperature range tests we found that there wasn't much difference between the lowest and highest temperatures—not ideal if you grill a variety of foods, say, fish to ribs. The best thing we can say about the Swiss Grill Arosa A3 is that indirect cooking is excellent and this is one fine-looking grill. If you want to plunk down even more money, know that in previous tests the $2,100 Swiss Grill Zurich Series Z650, a large gas grill, was very good.  

Fervors bursting with passion

We tested the midsized Fervor Icon 350S, $1,300, and the large Fervor Icon 655S, $1,800. This Australian company boasts that their high quality gas grills and accessories are "forged in tradition, yet bursting with passion and innovation."

Our test results

Both Fervors were the worst of the 80-plus midsized and large gas grills we tested. The 3-burner Fervor Icon 350S midsized grill scored 21 out of 100. It wasn't fast to preheat and once it did, the cooking area was unevenly heated. Indirect cooking and temperature range were just good. The 6-burner Fervor Icon 655S has a bigger cooking area, putting it in our large grill category. It scored 40 out of 100, and performed similarly to the midsized grill, but had fewer hot spots in our high temperature evenness tests and was very good at indirect cooking. Both grills look great and have a clear glass window on the hood that allows you to keep an eye on the food without opening the hood and letting heat escape.

Shopping for a grill?

Some high-end grills are worth the price. Check our gas grill Ratings to get the full picture and our gas grill buying guide for shopping tips. If you have questions for our grill experts, send them to kjaneway@consumer.org.

—Kimberly Janeway