A char grill is one of the hardest-working pieces of cooking equipment on a commercial cookline — and one of the most misunderstood. If your menu features steaks, burgers, chicken, seafood or grilled vegetables with genuine grill marks and a smoky, flame-kissed flavour, a commercial char grill is the appliance that delivers it consistently at service pace. In this guide we explain exactly what a char grill is, how it works, how it differs from a griddle or a BBQ, and how to choose the right width, fuel type and configuration for your venue. If you already know what you need, you can browse the full range of commercial chargrills at Commercial Kitchen Store.
What Is a Char Grill?
A char grill (also written as chargrill, and sometimes called a char broiler) is a commercial cooking appliance that cooks food on open grates over an intense radiant heat source. Burners — or electric elements — sit below a bed of radiants, ceramic stones or lava rock, which absorb the heat and re-radiate it evenly up through the grates to the food.
Three things define char grill cooking:
- Open grates. Food sits on ribbed cast-iron or steel grates rather than a solid plate, so fat and juices drip away from the food instead of pooling under it.
- Radiant heat. The heat that cooks the food comes largely from below as intense radiant energy, searing the surface quickly and producing the characteristic grill marks.
- Flavour from the drip cycle. As juices hit the hot radiants or stones, they vaporise, and that vapour rises back through the food — this is what gives chargrilled food its distinctive smoky character without any charcoal or wood.
Commercial char grills are built for sustained high-temperature service: heavy-duty frames, high gas inputs and grates designed to hold heat when cold product lands on them order after order. That thermal recovery is the single biggest difference between a commercial unit and any domestic grill.
How a Char Grill Works: Radiants, Lava Rock and Ceramic Stones
Underneath the grates, every char grill uses some form of heat-distribution medium between the burner and the food. The three common systems are:
- Metal radiants. Angled steel or cast-iron plates (sometimes called radiant hoods or baffles) that sit over each burner. They spread heat evenly, shield the burner from dripping fat and direct grease towards the collection tray. Radiants are durable, easy to lift out and clean, and standard on most commercial gas chargrills.
- Ceramic stones. A bed of ceramic briquettes that absorbs burner heat and re-radiates it very evenly across the whole surface. Ceramic stones hold a lot of thermal mass, which helps recovery between orders, and they protect the burners from flare-ups.
- Lava rock. Natural volcanic rock used the same way as ceramic stones. Lava rock is prized for the flavour it develops as juices vaporise on it, though it is porous, soaks up fat over time and needs replacing periodically as it degrades.
Whichever medium sits in the middle, the principle is the same: the burner heats the medium, the medium radiates even heat to the grates, and drippings vaporising on the hot surface create the chargrilled flavour. Grates are usually reversible — a ridged face for meat and grill marks, and a flatter face for fish, seafood and vegetables that would fall apart or stick on deep ribs.
Char Grill vs Griddle vs BBQ: What's the Difference?
These three get confused constantly, and buying the wrong one is an expensive mistake. A griddle cooks on a solid flat plate; a char grill cooks on open grates over radiant heat; a BBQ is a broad term that in an Australian commercial context usually means an outdoor-style flat or grooved plate unit not designed for a cookline. Here is how they compare:
| Feature | Char grill | Griddle | BBQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking surface | Open ribbed grates | Solid flat steel plate | Solid or grooved plate, often outdoor-rated |
| Heat style | Intense radiant heat from below | Conducted heat through the plate | Direct burner heat under plate |
| Fat behaviour | Drips away through grates to a tray | Stays on the plate (good for basting) | Runs to a channel or tray |
| Flavour | Smoky, chargrilled, grill marks | Even browning, no char marks | Varies with plate type |
| Best for | Steaks, burgers, chicken, kebabs, grilled vegetables | Eggs, pancakes, bacon, smash burgers, toasted items | Outdoor or casual service |
| Typical placement | Commercial cookline under mechanical exhaust | Commercial cookline under mechanical exhaust | Outdoor areas, food trucks, casual venues |
Many kitchens run both a char grill and a griddle side by side, because they do different jobs: the griddle handles breakfast service and anything that needs a flat plate, while the char grill owns the lunch and dinner protein section. If you are weighing up the flat-plate side of that equation, our guide on what a griddle is and how to choose one covers it in the same detail as this article.
Gas vs Electric Char Grills
Most commercial char grills in Australia are gas — natural gas on fixed sites with a gas supply, LPG where there isn't one — but electric chargrills have a genuine place, particularly in sites where gas is unavailable or where a landlord or council restricts gas appliances.
Gas char grills deliver very high heat input (commonly measured in MJ/hr per burner), fast recovery and the classic radiant-and-drippings flavour cycle. They need connection by a licensed gasfitter and, like all commercial cooking equipment producing grease-laden vapour, operation under a compliant mechanical exhaust system. Check that any unit you buy is certified for use in Australia and matched to your gas type — natural gas and LPG models are not interchangeable without the correct conversion.
Electric char grills use elements beneath the grates or stones instead of burners. They suit venues without a gas supply, tend to be simpler to install (subject to having adequate electrical capacity — many run on three-phase power), and still produce genuine grate-cooked results. The trade-offs are typically slower recovery than a high-input gas unit and a running-cost profile that depends on your electricity rates.
If you are planning the wider cookline around the grill, it is worth comparing burner configurations across the commercial gas cooktops range at the same time, so your gas load, exhaust canopy and bench layout are designed once rather than patched later.
Choosing the Right Char Grill Size for Your Venue
Commercial char grills are sized by cooking-surface width, and most ranges step up in roughly 300 mm increments — typically with one burner (or burner group) per 300 mm section, each with its own control. More width means more food on the grates at once and more independent heat zones, which matters when you are holding one zone high for searing and another lower for finishing thicker cuts.
As a rule of thumb:
| Grill width | Typical burner sections | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| 300–450 mm | 1 | Cafes and small menus with occasional grilled items |
| 600 mm | 2 | Small restaurants, pubs and bistros with a steady grill section |
| 900 mm | 3 | Busy restaurants and gastropubs where grilled proteins anchor the menu |
| 1200 mm+ | 4+ | High-volume steakhouses, hotels and large venues |
Size against your peak service, not your average Tuesday. A grill that is too small becomes the bottleneck of the whole kitchen at 7 pm on Saturday; going one size up usually costs far less than the revenue lost to slow ticket times. Also confirm the physical footprint — depth and height vary between models — and that your exhaust canopy provides the required overhang for the appliance beneath it.
Benchtop vs Freestanding Char Grills
The same cooking technology comes in two formats, and the right one depends on your bench space, volume and layout.
Benchtop (countertop) char grills sit on a stainless bench or equipment stand. They suit kitchens adding a grill section to an existing line, venues with limited floor space, and menus where the grill supports rather than anchors the offer. Browse the benchtop grills collection to compare compact formats side by side — and if you are fitting one into a tight kitchen, our article on countertop cooking equipment, power and venting options for tight kitchens covers the installation questions that catch people out.
Freestanding char grills stand on their own leg stand or cabinet base as part of the cookline. They are the pick for venues where the grill is a primary station: they typically offer larger cooking areas, heavier frames and easier service access, and a cabinet-base version adds storage underneath.
Cleaning and Maintenance Basics
A char grill works hard and gets dirty fast — fat, carbon and food residue build up on grates, radiants and trays every service. A simple routine keeps performance and food quality consistent:
- Every service: brush the grates while hot with a suitable grill brush, and empty and wipe the grease collection tray. A full tray is a fire risk and the most common cause of flare-ups.
- Daily: lift out the grates and radiants (most quality units are designed for tool-free removal), degrease them, and clean the interior surfaces and splash guards. Wipe down the stainless exterior.
- Weekly: check burner ports for blockages, confirm the pilot and ignition are firing cleanly, and inspect grates for warping or heavy carbon build-up.
- Periodically: if your unit uses lava rock, turn the rocks regularly and replace them when they become saturated with fat or start breaking down. Ceramic stones last longer but should still be inspected and replaced when cracked.
- Annually: have gas units serviced by a licensed technician — burner adjustment, gas pressure and flame-failure devices should be checked professionally, not just when something fails.
When comparing models, look specifically for lift-out grates, removable radiants and a generous, easy-access grease tray. Five minutes saved on cleaning every night is real money over the life of the appliance.
What to Look For When Buying a Commercial Char Grill
Pulling it all together, here is the checklist we recommend working through before you buy:
- Fuel type: natural gas, LPG or electric — matched to what your site actually has, with certified compliance for use in Australia.
- Width and burner sections: sized to peak service, with independent controls per section for multi-zone cooking.
- Heat input: higher MJ/hr per section means faster recovery when cold product hits the grates.
- Grate design: reversible ridged/flat grates add menu flexibility; cast iron holds heat, stainless resists corrosion.
- Radiant system: metal radiants for durability and easy cleaning, ceramic stones or lava rock for thermal mass and flavour.
- Safety features: flame failure protection is non-negotiable on gas units; look for reliable piezo or continuous-pilot ignition.
- Build quality: stainless steel construction, a heavy-duty frame and reinforced controls that survive commercial use.
- Cleanability: lift-out grates, removable radiants and an accessible grease tray.
- Installation fit: footprint, bench or floor format, gas connection by a licensed gasfitter, and a compliant exhaust canopy over the appliance.
- Warranty and support: commercial warranty terms and access to spare parts in Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a char grill and a BBQ?
A char grill is a commercial appliance that cooks on open grates over radiants, ceramic stones or lava rock, built for sustained indoor cookline service under mechanical exhaust. A BBQ in the Australian sense is usually a flat or grooved plate unit, often outdoor-rated, without the radiant drip-and-vapourise cycle that gives chargrilled food its smoky character.
Does a char grill need lava rock?
No. Lava rock is one of three common heat-distribution media — the others are metal radiants and ceramic stones. All three spread burner heat evenly and generate flavour as juices vaporise on them. Lava rock develops strong flavour but degrades and needs periodic replacement; metal radiants and ceramic stones are more durable and easier to clean.
Can I run a commercial char grill without an exhaust hood?
Generally no. Char grills produce significant heat, smoke and grease-laden vapour, and commercial cooking appliances of this type are normally required to operate under a compliant mechanical exhaust system. Confirm the requirements for your specific appliance and site with your mechanical services contractor or local authority before installation.
Should I choose natural gas or LPG for a char grill?
Choose whichever supply your site has: natural gas for premises with a reticulated gas connection, LPG for sites running on bottled gas. The two are not interchangeable — a unit must be supplied or converted for your gas type by a licensed gasfitter, so confirm your supply before ordering.
How often should a commercial char grill be cleaned?
Brush the grates and empty the grease tray every service, degrease grates and radiants daily, check burners and ignition weekly, and have gas units professionally serviced at least annually. If the unit uses lava rock, turn the rocks regularly and replace them once they are saturated with fat.
Ready to add chargrilled flavour to your menu? Compare gas and electric models, benchtop and freestanding formats across the full chargrills collection — or if you would like help matching a char grill to your venue, gas supply and exhaust setup, contact the Commercial Kitchen Store team and we will talk you through the options.
