Fire Magic 30″ Charcoal Legacy Grill Review

By: Max Good

Manufacturer:

• Fire Magic

  

  Fire Magic grills have been manufactured in California since 1937. These luxury grills exude elegance and quality. Excellent in  design and construction, beautiful to behold and priced accordingly. These are among the finest grills made.

  In 1982 RH Peterson, pioneers in fabrication of realistic, artificial gas logs, acquired Fire Magic to complement their outdoor lifestyle line. They produce not only free standing gas, coal and electric grills on carts and pedestals, but anything else you need for an outdoor kitchen including smokers, a wide range of attachments and accessories, several different side burners, refrigerators, keg coolers and tappers, rotisserie baskets, ventilation hoods, griddles, pots and pans, tongs and spatulas, and even the kitchen sink.

  Paul Loar, owner of Fireplace and Chimney Authority, is a Chicago area Fire Magic Dealer who was kind enough to invite us to one of his showrooms. Loar clearly took pride in demonstrating his wares, stating the burners have a range of 200°F for slow roasting and smoking all the way up to 1600°F on the large Echelon 1060 model to sear steaks in minutes, just like steakhouses. All monitored by the onboard digital thermometers. He warns new owners to reduce cooking times, “It’s like getting behind the wheel of a Ferrari when you’re used to driving a Taurus”.

  Fire Magic designs are elegant and engineered for customization. The grills or “heads” can be purchased for drop in installations or mounted on carts and pedestals. The model numbers tell a lot about the model. For example, E1060i indicates: E=Echelon, 1060=actual or approximate primary cooking surface, i=island or drop-in head for install. A660s: A=Aurora, 660=660 square inch primary cooking surface, s=stand-alone or mounted on a cart. For outdoor kitchen installations, anything in the vast Fire Magic catalog may be incorporated. Options for stand-alone models are more limited but you may, for instance, replace an E-Burner with an IR Sear Zone.

  If you’re in the market for the best, you should consider Fire Magic. If you’re building an outdoor kitchen or souped-up patio you should consider Fire Magic. Outdoor kitchens are significant home improvement projects. We don’t recommend drop-ins because once the cement is dry, it’s hard to change your mind and if you move, you can’t take it with you. But if you choose to go that path you undoubtedly would like your grill to last as long as the bricks. One Fire Magic dealer recounted a call to fix an installed drop-in grill. When asked about its age the homeowner replied, “I bought this place 30 years ago and it was already here”. To the astonishment of both men, parts were still available and the unit was put back in service. I believe this company will stand behind all their products. Indeed, when speaking with Fire Magic employees their genuine enthusiasm is palpable. Of course you’re not just buying reliability and great customer service; you’re buying the shining centerpiece of your outdoor realm and a lifetime of enjoyment the versatility and superior performance these elite cooking machines deliver.

  They also make American Outdoor Grills, which are premium cookers at a lower price than Fire Magic. All high quality and made in America.

  Available on-line and at independent hearth and patio stores.

Published On: 2/13/2013 Last Modified: 3/17/2021

• Max Good - Max Good, AmazingRibs.com's Vice President of Product Reviews & Keeper of the Flame, is the man in charge of finding the best products for the AmazingRibs.com Equipment Reviews section. Max bottles his own barbecue sauce recipes and now sells them around the country.

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