Fire Mountain Sierra 2 Burner

Is the Fire Mountain Sierra 2 Burner worth buying?

Yes, the Fire Mountain Sierra 2 Burner is worth buying at £169.99 if you cook for two to four people on a balcony or a narrow patio: it fits 1,974 cm2 of cast iron grate into a 108 x 56 cm footprint, and 125 owners rate it 4.4. The body, the frame and the handles are stainless steel with a brushed finish, which is unusual at this price. Buy something wider if six people sit down at once, because two burners cannot keep up with that.

How much cooking area do two burners actually give you?

The number that decides this grill is 1,974 cm2 of grate spread across two burners, which works out at 987 cm2 for each burner. The three-burner Outsunny at £142.99 divides its 1,764 cm2 three ways, so 588 cm2 per burner, which means the Fire Mountain gives every burner 68 percent more surface to heat. Two wide heat zones, one hot and one cooler, are easier to work with than three narrow ones, and the 40 x 42 cm grate takes about a dozen burgers at once.

Cast iron is the reason the cooking stays even when you turn the burners down: it holds heat after the flame is reduced, so sausages finish without a rush to the far shelf. A warming rack sits above the grate for resting meat while the next round goes on.

What comes with the Fire Mountain Sierra 2 Burner and what does it need?

The box brings the grill, a lid thermometer, a warming rack, two side shelves, utensil hooks and a removable grease tray, and the model name is Everest. Assembly is required before the first cook, so set aside an hour with the manual and a second pair of hands. What is not in the box is the gas hose, the regulator and a cover, all of which are sold separately, so budget for a propane regulator and a bottle on top of the £169.99.

It stands free on a 108 x 56 cm footprint and reaches 111 cm with the lid closed, which is smaller than any of the trolley grills at this price. It weighs 28 kg, and cast iron rather than steel is what sets that figure. The guarantee runs for one year.

Where does the Fire Mountain Sierra 2 Burner fall short?

Two burners is a hard ceiling: there is no side burner for a pan of sauce, and breakfast for four has to be cooked in relays rather than all at once. The 28 kg frame is not something you wheel about, so it wants a spot where it can sit for the season, and a cover to protect it there, none of which come with it.

The extras add up quickly. A regulator, a hose and a cover are all separate purchases, and one year of guarantee is lean cover for a grill that lives outdoors. Only 125 buyers have rated it, a smaller record than the four-burner grills at the same money.

How does it compare with the Outsunny 3+1 and the CosmoGrill Original?

Against the Outsunny 3+1 Gas BBQ at £142.99, this grill costs £27 more, gives 210 cm2 more grate, and gives up a main burner and a side burner to get it. The Outsunny also includes its hose and regulator, which the Fire Mountain does not. Take the Fire Mountain for the cast iron grate and the stainless steel frame; take the Outsunny if a side burner and a lower price matter more.

Against the CosmoGrill Original 5 Burner at £199.99, you save £30 and give up two main burners, a side burner and a storage cabinet. The CosmoGrill is the buy for six people, with 1,036 owners rating it 4.4. The Fire Mountain is the buy for a balcony where a 126 cm wide grill will not fit, and its 108 x 56 cm footprint is the reason it wins there.

Does the Fire Mountain Sierra 2 Burner come with a hose and regulator?