The Broilmaster R3B is a good quality infrared grill. It produced a solid performance in our heat consistency and durability tests, which contributed to an excellent grilling experience.
The R3B comes with two 20,000-Btu burners that each take up half of the grill. The right burner is a large ceramic sear burner, the ideal surface for searing steaks quickly. Once your steak has the perfect grill marks, you can move it to the left side of the grill to finish cooking. The left burner is a U-shaped blue flame burner that doesn't produce as much heat as the right, but it's versatile enough for delicate foods. The blue flame burner pairs with briquettes, similar to those of charcoal grills but made of a ceramic material.
To consider all the models we've reviewed, read our guide to the best infrared grills.
Broilmaster R3B: What you need to know
The Broilmaster R3B scored 95 percent on our heat consistency tests. This means you can use the grill for a variety of grilling tasks, such as slow roasting and searing, without ruining your food. Part of the reason for this score is the Broilmaster R3B's extra space between its burners and its cooking grates, which allows the heat more room to diffuse before coming in contact with your food. This helps prevent overcooking. When you move a cut of meat from searing to cooking, the heat doesn't bleed over too much from one side to the other.
To evaluate the Broilmaster R3B for hot and cold spots across the cooking area, we tested the burners separately by placing slices of bread on the grates. The infrared burner created even sear marks on the bread in one minute. The traditional burner took four minutes to preheat because of the ceramic briquettes and produced a similar result. This compares well with other infrared grills.
We then looked at how well the grill maintains lower temperatures over 20 minutes. It took 10 minutes to preheat to around 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature only rose slightly during the rest of the test. Although this grill doesn't preheat as quickly as others in our review, its performance makes up for that.
Broilmaster R3B: Performance
Throughout our testing process, this grill provided a well-rounded grilling experience. The distance between the cooking grates and the burners makes it difficult to burn food, making this a very forgiving grill if you are new to the infrared barbecue. The grill produced excellent results with the four types of meat we cooked for our review – steak, chicken, salmon, and hamburgers. The warming rack on the Broilmaster R3B is 253 square inches, making it the largest warming rack in our review. The primary cooking area is slightly smaller than those of the other freestanding grills in our review at 442 square inches.
The grill has a built-in temperature gauge to help you see if you have the right amount of heat for your cooking. However, we learned some things that might not detract from the experience but are useful to know. First, we could only get the grill to light properly with both burners on high. This is different from most grills, which allow you to light the burners one at a time. Second, it is easier to connect the propane tank when the drip tray is not in place.
You can connect this infrared gas grill to your home's natural gas supply instead of using a propane tank. This function requires a conversion kit, though, and you must purchase it separately. The self-cleaning feature allows you to turn the burners on high after cooking to burn off any residue. This feature is only found on half of the grills in our review.
Broilmaster R3B: Features
The cast-aluminum construction of the unit's cookbox is rock solid. It doesn't feel flimsy in any way, making it the most durable infrared barbecue grill in our review. The stainless steel cooking grates are easy to clean and have the same heavy-duty construction as the rest of the grill.
Unlike with other freestanding models in our review, the Broilmaster R3B grill head doesn't initially come with a stand. Because of this, you can choose from a variety of stands, including a built-in option, making it the only grill in our review that you can permanently mount in an outdoor kitchen. You can also add side burners and shelves. This modular customization is unique to Broilmaster in our review and can be a great advantage, but these features cost extra and may not be as convenient as buying a complete grill.
Broilmaster offers the best warranty in our review, which is another reason this is the best infrared barbecue available. The company guarantees the stainless steel burner for 10 years and the infrared burner for five years. The burner warranty is longer than those found on the majority of grills in the industry. Additionally, Broilmaster covers the cooking grates, cookbox, and lid with a lifetime warranty. Only one other company in our review offers a similar level of warranty protection on those three components. The other parts of this unit are protected by a one-year warranty, which is average among infrared grills.
Should you buy the Broilmaster R3B?
The Broilmaster R3B infrared grill provides consistent heating and a dynamic grilling experience. This, along with the well-engineered design and comprehensive warranty, makes the Broilmaster R3B the best infrared grill. The modular nature of its accessories isn't as convenient as a ready-to-go grill, but it offers great flexibility.
