Professional Tool Reviews for Pros
The first time I saw the GrillBlazer GrillGun, I knew I wanted one. It saves me so much time when lighting my charcoal grill, smoker, and backyard fires. It's also handy for burning nuisance weeds around fence lines and other landscaping. This thing is a must-have for avid weekend warriors looking to cut down on the "gettin' ready" time and get straight to having fun.
Any time I get to spend out in the yard with my family is always time well spent. Saturdays by the grill or an evening around the fire pit are definitely in my top 5. The faster I can light the charcoal or get a fire blazing, the more time I have with them. Plus, I like to sous vide… a lot. We brought in the GrillBlazer GrillGun to see if it matches the hype.
If you’re a backyard grilling enthusiast, be sure to check out our review of the Traeger Ironwood 885.
The GrillBlazer GrillGun is such a versatile tool to have in your grilling arsenal. Its intense flame quickly removes leftover grease and debris from previous cooks, allowing you to skip the traditional 30-minute “burn off” period.
I’m a huge fan of cooking over charcoal, but I really hate waiting around for the coals to be ready. With the GrillGun, you can have active coals ready in a matter of minutes without any lighter fluid or starting bricks. You can get the flavor you love with similar convenience and speed of propane.
I’m quite the traditionalist when it comes to the construction of a backyard fire. I really enjoy starting from a small flame and building it up to a roaring fire. That said, sometimes I just don’t feel like channeling my inner woodsman and I’ll just reach for the lighter fluid. The GrillGun’s jet-like flame lets me skip the lighter fluid (and keep my eyebrows) by quickly and efficiently igniting the tinder. This produces a good clean fire without any unnecessary additives or pollutants.
There are plenty of applications for a torch in the kitchen. Everything from finishing creme brulee, roasting peppers, melting cheese, or searing proteins.
I’m borderline obsessed with sous vide cooking—just ask anyone in the office and they’ll agree. (Editor’s note: we agree!) It’s a method in which you place food in a plastic pouch or a glass jar and cook it in a hot water bath. Testing this GrillGun gave us a perfect excuse to cut loose on a Friday and sous vide a few ribeyes.
When they finished cooking it was time to give them a beautiful crust using all 400,000 BTUs. Using a fanning motion, we directed the strong flame over the entire surface to produce a restaurant-quality steak.
In the past, I pan-seared with my trusty cast iron pan, but this torch allows me to cut out a few dishes and save time. If you haven’t ever tried this method, I highly recommend it… it’ll change your life.
The GrillBlazer GrillGun generates a shockingly impressive level of BTUs. With a pull of the trigger, you’ll fire up to 400,000 BTUs of unadulterated heat towards your target. This flame can reach up to about 18-inches.
To put this into perspective, the typical propane grill generates between 70,000-90,000 BTUs. Even the typical propane-powered weed burner torches only reach around 300,000 BTUs, so this thing packs a serious punch for its size.
GrillBlazer achieves this high level of heat by utilizing a very lean oxygen-fuel ratio. This produces a completely blue flame, indicating a more complete fuel burn. A clean burn is vital for avoiding the dreaded “torch-taste” you can get from some lower BTU torches.
GrillBlazer tells us this leaner mix will consume about 40% less fuel than a comparable weed torch, which is why you can use 1 pound cylinders.
Much as the name suggests, the GrillGun features a “handgun” style grip. To light the torch you turn the red valve on top until you hear a slight hissing sound and then pull the main trigger to generate a small spark from the electrode. It’s exactly like pushing the ignition button on a propane grill… just way cooler, er, hotter!
Turning the red knob controls the flow rate of gas delivered to the fire bell. The grip has a full grip trigger that works as a bypass valve to remove any flow restrictions for the propane cylinder. Depressing the grip trigger takes the flame from Zero to Hero in a split second.
GrillBlazer incorporated a pinky safety to prevent accidentally pressing the bypass trigger.
GrillBlazer claims you should expect to get 4 to 8 full “two-minute” burns per 1 pound bottle depending on the outdoor temperature. This is pretty consistent with my experience and testing over the last few weeks.
Here in Florida, we don’t see much of what some folks refer to as “cooler weather”, so our canisters’ useful life was pretty good. The first minute and a half of the burn was definitely the strongest but we did start to see a decline in power after that. That’s not really much of a surprise though, here’s what GrillBlazer has to say:
Here’s the deal though: it’s time to get a little technical. The propane in the 1-lb bottle expands so fast coming out at such a high velocity, that it cools down the canister (bottle) and causes it to lose pressure, thereby reducing the velocity of fuel flow. Around 2 minutes into the burn, you will see a noticeable fall off in pressure and the bottle will be freezing cold. As soon as you quit letting gas out, and take the bottle back inside the house, the bottle will slowly warm back up to the ambient temperature and you’re off and running again for another 2 minute burn. So if you need prolonged burns with the GrillGun, swap out propane bottles allowing the used cans to warm up and be usable again.
If you do need to run the GrillGun for an extended period of time, GrillBlazer suggests making the switch to a full-sized propane cylinder. For this application, they sell an 8-foot hose that threads directly to a standard propane cylinder. A larger tank typically handles external temperature fluctuations better allowing for longer burns.
A nice feature of the GrillGun is its ability to use multiple gas options. If propane isn’t available, you can use MAPP gas cylinders as an alternative. GrillBlazer mentions that while natural gas will burn like propane, the line pressure in your home is insufficient to create a high-velocity fuel stream. For this reason, they do not suggest making any modifications to the fuel adapter to fit your home’s natural gas lines.
The GrillBlazer GrillGun measures 21 inches in length and stands just 8.5 inches tall. The grip is very ergonomic and truly mimics the feel of a handgun. Despite its size, the GrillGun only weighs 1.87 pounds. Its length can make searing meat on a grill a little tricky, but after a couple of uses, you get the hang of it.
If sous vide or searing is your primary goal and you’re not as interested in charcoal/fire starting, GrillBlazer makes a gun specifically for it called the Su-VGun. It’s shorter so you don’t have to reach as far when you’re finishing food at countertop level.
The GrillBlazer GrillGun Basic runs for $179.99 and includes a collapsible metal “bottle stand” which holds the gun upright with a propane bottle attached. GrillBlazer also has a variety of combo kits and accessories to take the experience further.
The first time I saw the GrillBlazer GrillGun, I knew I wanted one. It saves me so much time when lighting my charcoal grill, smoker, and backyard fires. It’s also handy for burning nuisance weeds around fence lines and other landscaping. This thing is a must-have for avid weekend warriors looking to cut down on the “gettin’ ready” time and get straight to having fun.
Discover more on GrillBlazer’s website!
Having worked in the automotive and metalworking trades, Josh has even found himself core drilling commercial properties for purposes of surveying. His knowledge and love of tools are exceeded only by a greater love for his wife and family.
A fan of all things that can stretch him mentally, Josh quickly dives into new products, tools, and product testing with ample amounts of both enthusiasm and precision. We look forward to many years of growth alongside Josh as he settles into his role at Pro Tool Reviews.
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Professional Tool Reviews for Pros
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