Delta Heat Grill Review: Affordable American-made Luxury BBQ

Upgrading the outdoor kitchen enhances the look of your backyard and increases the value of your home. It all starts with a decent grill.

The problem is that a decent grill can be expensive. And it’s just part of a much bigger installation. You still have to purchase other accessories such as furniture, gazebo, patio heater, and so on.

Fortunately, there are many brands out there that offer affordable yet quality grills for outdoor kitchens. Some of them are even made in America. Delta Heat is one.

So in this Delta Heat BBQ grill review, we’re going to learn more about this company, starting with its lineup.

Understanding The Delta Heat Grill Lineup

Delta Heat only has one product line called Premier, which is available in three sizes — 26”, 32”, and 38”. They’re grill heads or built-in grills. If you prefer some mobility instead, the company does offer freestanding versions.

The smallest 26” is the basic model with 2 burners. It doesn’t come with the optional rotisserie back burner or infrared sear burner whereas the other two sizes do. Keep in mind that the 32” and 38” are both 3-burner, with larger cooking space.

Other than those main differences, the rest of the features are the same for all three models. They’re made in the US and come with a limited lifetime warranty. 

We’ve put together a detailed table comparing the three grills below.

Now that you understand the lineup, let’s move on to the review.

Delta Heat Gas Grills Review

Build Quality

All three models are made from 304 stainless steel. This is something you want to look for when buying gas grills. 

304 stainless steel is tough, durable, and rust-proof. It doesn’t require a lot to maintain either. On top of that, all three grills have a seamless welded construction. This means there will be no gaps where moisture and grease can build up. The stainless steel exterior is also polished, making the entire grill look sleek and attractive.

Design

There are many great designs that Delta Heat feature in their grills.

The first one is the lid. It’s double-walled, meaning that it will trap heat better inside the cooking chamber, especially during the colder winter months. It also means that the lid and the attached handle stays cool to touch because the heat can’t escape. The double lining also prevents heat discoloration, which happens quite often with stainless steel gas grill.

Keep in mind that with the extra layer, the lid weighs a hefty 45lbs. However, Delta Heat installs a set of springs in the back of the lid, making it easy for you to open with just a touch of the finger.

You’ll find Halogen lights inside the grill. They’re bright and able to illuminate the entire grilling area when you’re cooking in the evening. There are also blue LED lights located inside the turning knobs. They’ll definitely turn your grill into a center of attention.

User Experience

Cooking Space

In terms of grilling area, all three Delta Heat grills feature stainless steel cooking grates. While they don’t conduct heat as efficiently as their cast iron counterparts, stainless steel grates are more durable and easier to maintain. They also look great and go well with the rest of the design.

The smallest 26” has 420 square inches of main cooking area. To put things into perspective, that amount of real estate can fit around 18 burgers (with roughly 4” in diameter). You can easily feed a family of four or even more with that much food. The 32” has 525 square inches and the 38” has 625 square inches.

Keep in mind that each grill model does come with an additional warming rack. This will give you that extra space to warm up your food or cook other things such as burger buns or veggies.

Performance

All three models feature U-shaped burners. The 26” has only two with a total BTU of 33000 while the other two sizes have three with a total BTU of 49500. For the 32” and 38”, you can even have more BTU if you choose to install a rotisserie back burner (13000 BTU).

With that much BTU and thanks to the double-walled lid, the Delta Heat grills can get up to high temperatures fairly quickly. It usually takes 5 to 7 minutes before you can start grilling.

Now, another reason why the grills can get hot that fast is because of the ceramic briquettes flame tamers or heat tents.

Note: What flame tamers do is to protect the burners as well as prevent any potential flare-ups. They also create flavor by vaporizing drippings from above. Finally, they help spread the heat evenly across the cooking grates.

There is a dent underneath each briquette. The purpose is to let the heat penetrate the briquettes faster, giving out that radiant heat quickly. These ceramic briquettes are also arranged evenly, with space in between. This allows the direct heat from the burners to come up quicker as well. That way, it doesn’t have to go through the briquettes first.

The direct heat works together with the radiant heat, spreading the combined energy across the cooking grates and all the space inside the cooking chamber fast and efficiently.

Still confused? Check out this video below.

Ease Of Cleaning

Flame tamers are usually the second-most dirtiest part besides the cooking grates. They get all the greasy drippings. Besides, ceramic briquettes flame tamers are known for being hard to clean.

However, Delta Heat makes it easy for you. Simply flip the ceramic briquettes sheets upside down, crank up the burners, and let the heat melt away whatever has accumulated there. Then there is a sliding out grease tray underneath the burners. You simply remove and clean it. Or line it with a layer of aluminum foil and just get rid of the foil thereafter. 

Ignition System

All Delta Heat grills use a 9V electronic continuous spark igniter. The battery chamber is located on the left side of the grill and below the control panel. Although it’s not the best ignition system on the market, it’s way better than the traditional piezo single spark one. 

In fact, it’s more reliable and very easy to use. All you need to do is to push the knob in until you hear a spark. After that, just turn the knob to whichever desired temperature that you want. And voila!

Portability

As we’ve mentioned above, the three models are available in freestanding versions. These carts all have four durable swivel casters, with two being lockable. They also have two side shelves with integrated tool hooks.

The 32” and 38” carts feature two doors for access to the propane tank from the front. For the 26”, you have to access the tank from behind. Keep in mind that all the carts are made from sleek stainless steel. You also have the option of removing the grill head from the cart at a later date if you choose to build it in an outdoor kitchen.

Available Upgrades

There are two available upgrades for the Delta Heat grills. They’re the rotisserie back burner and the infrared sear burner. Note that these two options aren’t available in the 26”.

With the rotisserie set up, it comes with two positions to insert the rod — one is closer to the burner whereas the other one is further from it. This allows the smaller food items to be close to the heat source so they cook faster. Bigger food items should be far from it so the outside won’t burn to a crisp before the inside is properly cooked.

The infrared sear burner allows you to sear your food, creating that beautiful Maillard browning and locking in all the juices. One great thing about this burner is that you can adjust its temperature. It can go up to 1000F, but can also do down to 350F with no problem. This really offers some versatility in your cooking.

However, the complaint with the sear burner is that it takes up some space on the grilling area. As a result, it might not be easy for you to create a proper indirect heat cooking zone using the regular burners since the space is now limited. You can use the sear burner as the indirect heat zone by turning it off. But that area will become cold, which sort of defeats the purpose of two zone cooking.

Warranty & Support

Delta Heat offers a lifetime warranty on the stainless steel body and burners, a 15-year warranty for the cooking grates, and a 5-year warranty for the flame tamers and gas valves. The rest of the grill is covered for 2 years. And within 1 year from the date of purchase, Delta Heat will repair or replace any defective parts.

Although Delta Heat has an active Facebook as well as Instagram page, the only way to reach their support is through a contact form. There is a phone number on its parent company’s website, Twin Eagles, but it’s for the corporate office in California.

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About The Company

As mentioned above, Delta Heat is a part of Twin Eagles — a leading manufacturer in high-end and luxurious grills. Unlike Twin Eagles, Delta Heat focuses more on entry level barbecues at lower price points. Although their selection isn’t as substantial as Twin Eagles’, their grills do inherit some premium qualities from the parent company.

Delta Heat only makes three built-in grills, which is also available in freestanding versions. They also make some standalone burners, outdoor kitchen drawers, and doors.

Delta Heat grills are designed by award-winning grill legend Dante Cantal. His aim for them is to become the best affordable luxury grills out there.

Where Are Delta Heat Grills Made?

Before 2013, Delta Heat grills were made in China. However, the quality wasn’t up to par. Therefore, Dante decided to move everything back to the US.

After 2013 and forward, Delta Heat grills are now manufactured in the company’s own facility in Cerritos, California, alongside the premium Twin Eagles grills.

How To Choose The Right Delta Heat Grill For You

Size

Even for the smallest 26” grill, you still have enough space to cook for a family of four. If you’re throwing a lot of weekend parties, you might want to consider the 32” or 38” instead.

Cooking Power

Obviously, the 32” and 38” have more cooking power than the 26” since they both feature a 3-burner configuration. That means more BTUs.

However, you also have to consider heat flux, which is a measure calculated by dividing the total BTU over the main cooking space. In this regard, the 32” is actually better than the 38”. That’s because the total BTU stays the same for both grills while the cooking space increases for the 38”.

With that in mind, you’ll end up cooking food faster on the 32”. But you’ll have more cooking space on the 38”. Depending on what you’re cooking and how often you cook, choose accordingly.

Additional Upgrades

The 26” doesn’t come with the two available upgrades. So, if you’re planning to roast chickens and/or sear meats on a regular basis, the 32” and 38” are a better choice.

Budget

Built-in grills aren’t cheap, even for the more affordable ones. That’s because they’re made with better material than the regular standalone grills. Not to mention all the extra bells and whistles. Therefore, be ready to have at least a $2000 budget just for the grill itself.

The Competition

Some of the grill companies here actually made it to our best built in gas grills review roundup. Check it out if you’re interested. That said, let’s start with the Lynx Sedona series.

Delta Heat Vs Lynx Sedona

Similar to Twin Eagles, Lynx is another high end grills manufacturer. In 2013, they came out with the Lynx Sedona series, which focuses on the lower-end market in order to compete with Delta Heat, Napoleon, and Coyote (what’s with the animal names?).

Unlike Delta Heat, the Sedona is available in 30”, 36”, and 42”, both built-in and freestanding. Sedona grills are somewhat similar to Delta Heat in several key features such as stainless steel burners, cooking grates, ceramic briquettes heat tents and so on.

However, they use a lower grade 201 stainless steel to make the grill body. And their rotisserie insert is only available in one position.

For more information on the Lynx Sedona series, please follow this link here.

Delta Heat Vs Blaze Grills

Blaze has many series, but the Limited or LTE is a direct competitor of Delta Heat. Blaze LTE is only available in two sizes, which is 32” and 40”. The 32” features a 4-burner setup while the 40” has 5 burners. They definitely have more cooking power than Delta Heat grills.

Another noteworthy difference is the cooking grate. Both Blaze LTE grills have 9mm triangle-shaped cooking grates. The bottom thicker portion can retain heat better than the traditional round cooking grates (think more surface area). In addition to that, the top portion is more pointy, creating a finer sear for your food.

For more information on the Blaze LTE series, the link is here.

Delta Heat Vs Artisan Grill

Artisan has two product lines, the American Eagle and the Professional. They’re both similar to the Delta Heat grills in terms of 304 stainless steel construction, continuous spark ignition system, and ceramic flame tamers. Keep in mind the Artisan grills are also made in America.

Now, the Artisan American Eagle grills don’t have any rotisserie back burner as well as sear burner available for upgrading. If you want the rotisserie back burner, you should consider the Artisan Professional grills instead. They’re more expensive and the back burner actually comes included. Still no sear burner available though.

The American Eagle is available in 26”, 32”, and 36” whereas the Professional is available in 32”, 36”, and 42″. For more information, click the link here.

Delta Heat Vs Weber

Weber is one of the most established grill brands out there. The company focuses more on standalone grills rather than built-in ones. That said, Weber does have the S-460 and S-660 that are dedicated to that type of grill.

The S-460 has 4 burners with about 468 square inches of cooking space. The S-660 has 6 burners with about 624 square inches of cooking space. The two grills are made from quality stainless steel. They also feature an integrated rotisserie back burner and a built-in thermometer.

For more information about the Weber S460, please click here.

For more information about the Weber S660, please click here.

So, Are Delta Heat Grill Any Good?

Yes, we think that Delta Heat is decent grills. They’re proudly made in the USA and have inherited some of the great qualities from Twin Eagles. They’re also affordable, making it easy for you to transform your outdoor kitchen on a budget. If you’re still wondering if this grill brand is right for you, check out this video from a real customer down below.

For more information on the Delta Heat grills lineup, please follow the button here.

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We hope that you find this Delta Heat grill review helpful. There isn’t a lot of information about this brand on the Internet. That’s why we’ve decided to do comprehensive research on it and put everything together in this article. Hopefully, this will help you with the final purchase decision.

If you have anything else to add, please let us know so we can update the article accordingly.

Thank you in advance.