Char-Broil Patio Bistro E2Coal BBQ Review: The Compact Hybrid BBQ Designed For Modern Outdoor Living
Char-Broil Patio Bistro E2Coal BBQ Review- By Rachel Ducker
When it comes to choosing a barbecue for a small outdoor space like a garden, courtyard or balcony, it can be tricky to decide on the best option. While there’s little denying that charcoal barbecues deliver the authentic smoky BBQ taste most of us crave, they’re usually a bit of a faff, leaving a trail of messy ash behind them and often requiring a fair amount of time to get the flames going. That said, if you’re planning to use your new BBQ frequently, an electric grill could be the far easier option, proving quicker to preheat and simpler to slip out onto a balcony, patio or courtyard.
Step forward the Char-Broil Patio Bistro E2Coal BBQ, the UK’s first hybrid barbecue that fuses the convenience and rapid cooking of electric with the smoky flavours of charcoal. Whether you want to cook a quick indoor-style style burger, or be transported to a summer BBQ with Charlie Grills, this innovative outdoor BBQ can do it all.
Small. Powerful. Clever. These are the characteristics that make up the perfect BBQ for outdoor living.
A Hybrid BBQ Built For Smaller Spaces
If you’re looking for a BBQ to fit an urban home, the Char-Broil Patio Bistro E2Coal BBQ will hopefully fit the bill. Most Char-Broil BBQs seem to be aimed at those with room to play outside – large gardens, full outdoor kitchens etc. The Patio range hopefully offer solutions for smaller spaces; areas where you have to work around patios, courtyards, balconies, tiny gardens – tiny outdoor spaces really.
Although it is smaller than some of the range, the Patio Bistro E2Coal doesn’t feel like you are losing out. It’s small enough for a patio, yet it feels sturdy, practical and offers all the features you would expect from a more full-sized outdoor grill set.
The hybrid design of this barbecue means it can be used as an electric barbecue for ease and convenience and then switched to a charcoal barbecue for those with deeper flavour.
For families, couples, or anyone else who wishes to entertain without allocating half the garden to an enormous barbeque. Plus, it’s easy to store!
Electric Grilling With Serious Heat
The Patio Bistro E2Coal is also equipped with excellent electric performance – it reaches operating temperature within 20 minutes for high heat (315°C), and can reach maximum temperature of 370°C.
This makes it a great choice for those occasions when you want to serve barbecue style food, whether it’s for a midweek meal, a surprise hot summer’s evening or just when you fancy grilling something quickly and don’t have time to wait for charcoal to light.
The electric cooking mode on your electric slow cooker delivers high-performance grilling, producing more than enough heat to achieve that perfect seared look on anything from meats and vegetables to halloumi, burgers, seafood and more. The beauty of this approach is that you get to enjoy the flavour of outdoor grilling without any of the hassle.
For the busy household there is the big advantage of no need to prepare in advance. No need to sit around waiting for the coals to go white. Just heat up and start cooking.
Switching From Electric To Charcoal
While most would call the main feature of the Patio Bistro E2Coal its electric grill, it does more than adequate justice in that department. It’s often overlooked that this model can also be switched to charcoal grilling with just a couple of steps, no tools required.
Switching between BBQ modes is a breeze as you simply add some charcoal to the provided grate, reposition the cooking surfaces at mark “C” and then use the built-in electric heater to light the charcoal. No more need for firelighters or fiddly methods of starting a BBQ.
This really is a super flexible barbecue, because you can pop it on the electric hood for a speedy lunch or evening meal, and then switch to charcoal when you have more time and want that slower cook with a fantastic barbecue flavour.
E2Coal is another in a line of versatile e liquid that can be vapourised in any method.
TRU-Infrared™ Technology For Juicier Results
As with all of the recent Char-Broil grills, the Patio Bistro E2Coal incorporates the tried and true TRU-Infrared™ Technology into its grill design.
EvenSmart technology uses a specially designed stainless-steel grate to distribute heat consistently across the surface, eliminating hot spots and reducing the chance of flare-ups caused by food residue falling on the heating elements.
Flare-ups are a regular problem for all barbecue enthusiasts. Flare-ups can burn the outside of your food and dry out the inside leaving your delicious dish tainted. But with our TRU-Infrared™ system the risk of flare-ups is minimised allowing your food to cook more evenly and retain vital moisture.
Char-Broil describe their Sm smart smart technology as allowing users to cook with up to 50% more juice left in their food. And based on the consistent heat, reduced flare-ups and even cooking, it seems that’s not far from the truth.
It also helps to reduce energy costs.
Small But Surprisingly Versatile
Although the Patio Bistro E2Coal is a compact unit, it still offers a lot of versatility.
The griddle plate turns your barbecue into an electric griddle. Its potential for use far exceeds that of just cooking burgers and sausages. Serve a variety of grilled vegetables, a stir-fry with noodles, prawns, or any other seafood, and serve breakfast with eggs, bacon, and hash browns.
With Outdoor Cooking you can bring new life to your barbecue, turning it into a year round cooking solution. No longer just a summer season event, the barbecue can be brought out of storage for weekend breakfasts, an alfresco brunch or a casual family dinner.
A removable warming rack is also provided; useful for keeping food warm, for toasting, or as an alternative method of cooking for less resilient foods.
There is an analogue temperature gauge built into the lid – this means you can see how hot it is inside the oven without having to open the lid. As with all pots and ovens, best results come from using with the lid on – this helps to retain heat, to cook food more quickly and to keep it moist and tender.
Clever Storage And Easy Movement
First let me say that I was surprised at the amount of storage that the Patio Bistro E2Coal contains for such a small barbecue.
Middle shelf stores griddle, lower shelf stores charcoal tools and accessories. Two integrated tool hooks for extra storage.
The BBQ has a compact form but is surprisingly useful.
The three metre power cord allows you to position the barbecue close to indoor or outdoor power points. Two heavy duty wheels and side handles make it easy to move the barbecue into position.
For smaller spaces this is particularly important so that you can easily move furniture and layouts for different occasions.
Final Verdict: Is The Char-Broil Patio Bistro E2Coal Worth It?
The Char-Broil Patio Bistro E2Coal BBQ is a clever, practical and very useable new entry to the barbecue market. With the ability to cook using both electric and charcoal it will bring pleasure to those who want to vary the method without having to vary the outdoor space in which they can cook.
Perfect for smaller gardens and patios, this compact BBQ is ideal for offering full barbecue facilities without taking up too much space. For a quick, easy barbecue, use the electric element, or alternatively pop in some charcoal for a slower, smokier result.
Aside from the TRU-Infrared™ Technology and temperature gauge we got to see the 7 kg compact version comes with a warming rack and storage shelves which in addition to the optional griddle adds up nicely to make this compact barbie more than just a stripped-back version of full-size models.
For Urban dwellers, small families and groups, who have little garden space, the Char-Broil Patio Bistro E2Coal is a great alternative. It offers a flexible cooking solution for outdoor use.
These BBQs are small in size but big in flavour, versatility and convenience.
Check out more on the link here or to purchase one for yourself.
