Gas Grill Posed Safety Risk During Testing

CR June '08 Cover YONKERS, NY – Consumer Reports recently tested 37 gas grills for the June issue of the magazine and found one posed a serious risk during testing. Consumer Reports has judged the Broil King Signet 90 986784LP “Not Acceptable”.

This Broil King Signet 90 is mainly sold in Canada. Consumer Reports tested three samples of the Broil King Signet 90, all bought online. During Consumer Reports’ routine flare-up test in which six steaks are placed on the grill, the Broil King’s firebox melted. After further testing of two additional samples, Consumer Reports found one grill’s firebox had melted and the second’s started to crack and deform.

Consumer Reports contacted the Consumer Product Safety Commission and asked it to investigate and Health Canada, the appropriate government agency in Canada.

CR also contacted Canada’s Onward Manufacturing, which makes the grill. The company said it conducted new tests and is developing a free retrofit kit to resolve this problem. Consumer Reports hopes to test the kit when it becomes available. Onward also said it would contact the CPSC as well as Onward’s dealers. The company said it would ask dealers not to sell this model until it has been retrofitted. Consumers who already own the grill and have sent in warranty information will automatically get the kit. For more information, consumers can contact Onward at 866-434-7455 or send an email to kit@omcbbq.com.

The Broil King Signet 90 carries certification marks indicating that it complies with applicable safety standards. But Consumer Reports notes that the standards don’t address what happened during its cooking tests. CR will be working to get the standards re-examined and strengthened.

Better Grill Choices

Most of the grills that Consumer Reports tested for this report turned out juicy steaks and moist, tender chicken and fish. Canadian consumers looking for a new grill this season should consider the Blue Ember by Fiesta FG50069-U401 ($650CDN) available at Home Depot and the Char-Broil Commercial Series 463268008 ($370CDN) available at Lowe’s both CR Best Buys for midsized grills. Consumers looking for a large grill should consider the Char-Broil Quantum 463248208 ($600CDN) available at Lowe’s, also a CR Best Buy.

In addition to the above models which are available in the U.S. and Canada, U.S. consumers should also consider the Brinkmann 810-8410S ($200) available at Home Depot, a CR Best Buy among midsized grills, or the Kenmore 16315 ($570) available at Sears, a large grill that is also a CR Best Buy.

The full report on grills is available in the June issue of Consumer Reports and online at www.ConsumerReports.org.

About Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports is a nonprofit membership organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education, and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers’ interests. Unconstrained by advertising or other commercial influences, CR has exposed landmark public health and safety issues and strives to be a catalyst for pro-consumer changes in the marketplace. From championing responsible auto safety standards, to winning food and water protections, to enhancing healthcare quality, to fighting back against predatory lenders in the financial markets, Consumer Reports has always been on the front lines, raising the voices of consumers.

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