Looking for a versatile barbeque?
The Cordon Bleu offers a vitreous enamel firebox that is designed to outlast other materials. The deluxe model offers a unique extra large glass viewing panel. All come with a 5-year firebox warranty and are available in LP or natural gas.
Features:
- * Number of Burners: 4
- * Burner Type: Cast Iron
- * Flame Tamer: Cast Iron Ceramic
- * Ignition: Flame Thrower Ignition with cross lighting
- * Gas Type: LP. Natural Gas option also available at an additional cost
- * Warranty: 5 year firebox warranty
- * Firebox Material: Vitreous Enamelled Steel
- * Main Burners (LP) Megajoules: 56
- * Cooking Surfaces: Vitreous Enamelled Cast Iron
- * Primary Cooking Area: 800mm x 485mm
- * Roasting Hood Material: Stainless Steel/Hi Temperature Glass
- * Warming Rack: Chrome plated steel 750mm x 135mm
- * RRP $1199.00
Current price December 2011 $999.00 without side burner $1099.00 with side burner (prices may fluctuate depending on 'sale' times and seasons)
Product Review - Road Tested by Ross Y
This is their mid range BBQ and is more upmarket than previous models and for over $1000.00 you would expect it to be good quality & value, we comment below…………
“This BBQ was assembled by myself and surprisingly these days was actually quite easy to put together, took about 1.5 hours but I was distracted a couple of times with phone calls but with two people could be a lot less. The layout of the instructions and nuts and bolts which came in a sealed packet was good.
The look of the BBQ is modern and stylish. I went for the optional side burner as I wanted to compare the side burner with others I had used. Although this did make the BBQ more expensive.
The cast iron was of good quality and the plates were enamelled which saved on curing all of them. We would still recommend canola oil though to keep the surfaces and burners lubricated. We use a Exlan coated stainless steel plate in this BBQ at the moment which makes for really easy cleaning. (See Topnotch)
We liked the large glass view in the hood (this was one of the reasons I went for this model) although it’s a nightmare to keep this clean as is the inside of the hood after cooking. You really need to clean it after each session to keep up that “new” appearance.
The ignition system was of the “flame-thrower” type which is quite common in most BBQs these days. The knobs and positive action of the igns were good although we did find when converted to Natural gas the flame could have been bigger in order for it to connect with the burner.
The side burner, fitted to mine, was of a poor quality and could have been a lot better (side burners of earlier models were of a better quality). It is a single burner that tended to roar a bit and was sometimes difficult to light in windy conditions. Effectiveness however when lit was good.
The heat value of the main BBQ is less than their Turbo Elite model but we found no problem in it getting up to temperature quickly and cooking on it is a dream.
As I always cook in a fashion that is slower than most it did exactly what I wanted it to do. Preheating with any BBQ is essential and this one took about 10 to 15 mins to get the plate up to “beading” temperature.
It is quite big than most but would compliment any backyard or new Alfresco area. I converted mine to Natural Gas and found the performance little changed from Bottled Gas.
Overall it’s a good design and manufactured to a high standard, if looked after it will give years of pleasure to the most discerning BBQ enthusiast!
It is starting in the high range for price although it is discounted at certain times, Galore have been manufacturing BBQs for a long time and although their products can be more expensive than most the service and back up is what you would expect from a Company that’s been around a long time..
Our flame rating is 7 out of 10
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