The Ultimate Spark Grills Review: Their Best Products, Features, and More
Grilling enthusiasts everywhere are raving about Spark Grills for revolutionizing the backyard barbecue. This premium grill brand has completely reimagined the grilling experience with their innovative features like precise temperature control, removable Briq charcoal, and connectivity capabilities.
But with their high price point, are Spark Grills really worth it? This comprehensive review will analyze if their grills live up to the hype.
Introducing Spark Grills: The Grill Kings of Colorado
Spark Grills was founded in 2016 by Ben West when he discovered a gaping hole in the grilling market – there simply wasn’t an option for fuss-free and mess-free grilling. West, along with co-founder Grant Floerke, set out to create the most convenient grills powered by smart technology and removable charcoal.
The Boulder, Colorado-based company found quick success when their debut product – the Spark One Grill with Briq charcoal – exceeded grilling enthusiasts’ expectations. It wasn’t long before Spark Grills amassed nearly 10,000 Instagram followers and was featured in Esquire, Forbes, and NBC for completely redefining the backyard barbecue.
Spark Grills Product Lineup: Grills, Charcoal, and Accessories Galore
The Spark Grills product lineup features two main grill units: the Spark One and the Spark 360. They also offer a Briq charcoal system and accessories like pizza oven kits, cutting boards, and grill covers. Here is a quick overview:
Spark One Grill: Their flagship porcelain-enamel grill equipped with removable Briq charcoal, precision temperature controls between 250-900°F, and WiFi/Bluetooth connectivity via smartphone app. Comes in 4 colors.
Spark One Premium: The Spark One grill bundled with accessories like a pizza kit, cutting board, grill cover, probes, power cord, apron, and 8 Briqs.
Spark 360 Grill: A portable mid-size grill with the same Briq charcoal and precision temperature system as the Spark One. 360° air flow allows for faster heating.
Briqs: Spark Grills’ proprietary compressed charcoal designed specifically for their grills. Several varieties including Everyday, Low & Slow, High Heat, Fruit Wood, and more.
Accessories: Pizza oven kits, cutting boards, grill covers, probes, power cords, limited edition apparel, and other grilling accessories.
Now let’s see how these products hold up under close scrutiny. Here is an in-depth analysis of the pros and cons:
The Good: Why Spark Grills Stands Out
Innovative, Smart Technology
Without a doubt, Spark Grills nails innovation with features no other grill can match. The precision temperature controls allow you to choose an exact temp between 250-900°F…gone are the days of unpredictable grilling temps. The accompanying app lets you monitor the real-time temp and receive alerts when your BBQ is ready – no more guessing if the grill is hot enough.
Removable Briq Charcoal System
Instead of dealing with loose charcoal, Spark Grills developed Briqs – compressed charcoal blocks designed specifically for efficient, fuss-free use with their grills. It eliminates the mess of charcoal while allowing the flavor enhancement. Different varieties like Fruit Wood Briqs infuse your food with smoky flavors.
Retains Heat Remarkably Well
Reviewers consistently remark how Spark Grills excel at retaining consistent heat thanks to the double-walled, porcelain-enameled steel build. Once the grill comes up to temp, it stays there so you can trust it’ll be hot and ready for those bone-in rib eyes.
Easy Clean-Up
The Briq charcoal system simplifies cleaning since you don’t have loose ash covering the interior. Just remove theslide-out Briq tray and dispose of the used-up Briq block. A quick wipe down and you’re done. The sloped design also helps debris easily fall into the grease management system instead of getting stuck on flat surfaces.
Quality Construction & Materials
Construction lasts thanks to durable materials like porcelain-enameled steel and 304 stainless steel. Small touches like the gasket door seal and seamless welds demonstrate Spark Grills built their products to perform.
The Bad: Where Spark Grills Falls Short
Very Expensive
Without question, the biggest drawback of Spark Grills is the intimidating price point hovering around $1,000+. That turns off many casual grillers unwilling to drop that much dough.
While they offer 0% financing through Affirm, spending over $900 for a grill remains impractical for most households’ budgets. And you’ll need to shell out extra for accessories and Briq charcoal that other grills include for free.
Is the hefty price tag worth it considering what you get? For grilling die-hards obsessed with the latest innovations and perfectly cooked steaks, yes. More thrifty shoppers will balk at the cost though when you can buy a decent grill for under $200.
Proprietary Fuel Source
Because Spark Grills are specifically designed for their compressed Briq charcoal blocks, you cannot use traditional lump charcoal or briquettes. So if you happen to run out of Briqs mid-cookout, you’re out of luck unless you have extras on hand.
Having to rely on only Briqs – which only Spark Grills sells – rubs some owners the wrong way. And if you forget to restock the specialized fuel source, the grill becomes unusable.
App Can Be Glitchy
Some customer reviewers report connectivity issues with the accompanying smartphone app. It may fail to detect the grill or have problems staying connected over longer cook times. While sporadic, the app glitches remain frustrating when the high-tech features are a major selling point.
Smaller Grilling Surface
Don’t expect to grill loads of food for big gatherings, especially on the smaller Spark 360 model with just 360 square inches of grilling space. The Spark One offers a bit more room at 450 square inches but still can’t handle massive cookouts.
You’ll need to cook in rounds for larger groups instead of grilling everything at once. For couples or small families however, the grilling size should suffice.
How Spark Grills Compare to the Competition
The built-in temperature controls and accompanying smartphone app set Spark Grills apart from almost any grill on the market. Only the $1,099 Weber Genesis II EX-315 comes close with an integrated thermometer and iGrill3 app capability.
Yet Spark Grills still outshines Weber regarding ease of use, faster heating, and the Briq charcoal system. While the Weber takes around 30 minutes to preheat fully, the Spark Grills can reach desired temp in 10-15 minutes.
Spark Grills also bests the popular $299 Weber Original Kettle charcoal model. The Briqs heat faster than normal briquettes while lasting longer – up to 8 hours on Low & Slow Briqs. And no babysitting the temp thanks to the built-in digital controls.
Other high-tech grills like $499 Traeger Pro Series 780 can’t match Spark Grills’ precise temp settings or compact footprint either.
Rave Reviews from Customers & Experts
Both customers and expert grillers vocally praise Spark Grills for making grilling easier than ever before. Owners love the consistent heat, mess-free experience, and recipes app that takes the guesswork out of grilling. Positive reviews across the web attest to their satisfaction and enjoyment using Spark Grills products.
Expert griller Derrick Riches awarded Spark Grills’ smart charcoal grill an overall 85/100 score. He called out the convenience, extreme temp range, and app integration as huge advantages over traditional grills. Riches deducted points for relying solely on the proprietary Briq charcoal however.
Tips for Using Your Spark Grill
Break In Those Briqs Before Cooking
For best results, break in a fresh set of Briqs before cooking anything. Light them and raise the temp to 500°F for at least 15 minutes first. This initial burn-in allows oils to penetrate completely through the Briq to maximize flavor.
Make Sure to Preheat Properly
Unlike gas grills that heat quickly, charcoal grills need sufficient preheating – especially to reach high temps like 700°F+. Leave the lid closed and wait until it fully comes up to your set temp before adding food.
Care for the Igniter Properly
Ensure long igniter life by gently cleaning with a straw after every 5 cooks. Dip the tip in vinegar and swab out debris inside the ceramic ignition tube. Avoid using abrasive brushes or tools to prevent damage.
Keep It Covered
Get yourself a custom-fit Spark Grill cover to protect your investment when not cooking. The covers withstand wind, rain and UV rays while ventilating moisture to prevent mold and mildew.
Should You Buy Spark Grills? Our Final Verdict
If you ask us, Spark Grills absolutely live up to the hype and deliver a truly exceptional grilling experience unlike any competitor. They transformed tired grilling pain points into convenient, user-friendly features that work perfectly.
Are they affordable or budget-friendly? Not at all – be prepared to pay a premium. Yet for hardcore outdoor cooking devotees, Spark Grills still provide tremendous value matched by few others.
The Briq charcoal infuses impressive flavors while the integrated super-smart technology yields consistent, perfect doneness time after time. Briefly put, Spark Grills rules the roost regarding high-performing charcoal grills.
While not cheap, they eliminate frustrating grill hassles once and for all. So by investing in the outstanding quality and innovation Spark Grills offers over traditional grills, your backyard barbecue game will reach heights like never before.
