Discover Why Primo Ceramic Grills Make the Finest Barbecue

Nothing is more quintessentially American than grilling food over an open fire. According to one report, the American barbeque grill market is a billion-dollar industry worth USD 2.75 billion. Moreover, 42% of American households grill food at least once a week.

Primo BBQ Grills is among the leading brands in the barbeque industry, spreading delicious flavors across the US. Moreover, the brand’s ceramic grills redefined the ceramic grill category.

So, what makes primo ceramic grills stand out, and where can you find a Primo Grill for sale? Keep reading to learn everything about Primo ceramic grills.

Who Owns Primo Grills: A History of Primo Grills

Primo Grills is among the youngest grills on the market, with the manufacturer having begun production in 1996. A quarter decade later, the brand established its name among veteran ceramic grill manufacturers. Such manufacturers include Bonfire Grills, Memphis grills, Osburn Wood stoves, Summerset Grills, Bonfire BBQ, AOG Grills, Cajun cooker, American Muscle Grill, Icon Grills, and RCS Grill.

The Primo Grills brand is the brainchild of Greek national George Samaras, who fell in love with kamado cookers when he expatriated to the US with his American wife, Kelley, in 1988. George shared his new-found love with family and friends in his native Greece by sending them kamado grills. As the demand grew, he approached the kamado grill manufacturer and proposed a franchise deal that would see him open a kamado grill shop in Greece.

Unfortunately, the US-based kamado grill manufacturer declined the franchise deal. Nonetheless, George was undeterred and decided to create his kamado grills from scratch.

George Samaras spent a little under a decade identifying material to create the most effective grill for profound flavor elevation. He wanted everyone to savor the delicious juicy flavor and remarkable moisture content he experienced when he first tasted food made on a kamado grill.

And finally, after years of innovation, improvement, and consistency, George perfected the art of kamado grill construction, using the best material, and successfully fabricated his first kamado-style grill in 1996. Born out of heart and passion, he named his kamado grill “Primo,” meaning the best.

George’s initial production line could only accommodate two Primo grills at a go, and he had to outsource some services. Nonetheless, his desire to share unmatched flavors with the world propelled him to keep redesigning Primo ceramic cookers with heart.

In 2002, the now bona fide successful Primo Grills brand filed a patent for the first oval ceramic grill in the US. The signature oval shape serves numerous functional benefits, which you can learn more about later in this article.

So, who owns Primo Grills? Although George dedicated over 20 years of his life to the Primo Grill brand, he sold it in 2019 to Empire Comfort systems. Empire Comfort Systems is a household name in wood and gas heating appliance manufacturing and distribution. Its product portfolio includes smokers, grills, and a dark wood fireplace line akin to the majestic Vermont fireplace.

Empire Comfort systems is a family-run business established in 1932that embraces George Samara’s passion, innovation, and consistency. Thanks to Empire Comfort’s efforts, Primo Grill accessories are available, allowing previous buyers to enjoy Primo grill updates.

Moreover, Primo ceramic grills and accessories are available for sale in 24 countries globally. So an internet search for “Primo grill accessories near me” should display Primo ceramic grill distributors within your locality. Also, Empire Comfort Systems created the Primo Grills Forum page, a space for Primo Grills fans to share grilling tips and views on technical Primo grill design elements. However, the platform rules prohibit salesy posts.

The Primo Ceramic Grill Advantage

As stated earlier, the Primo ceramic grill has earned its place among the US’s best ceramic grills. The brand is a fan-favorite for delivering a unique depth of flavor in all food types, regardless of whether you are making breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

So, what features make the primo ceramic grill a worthwhile investment for your outdoor kitchen? Keep reading to learn more about the Primo ceramic grill’s proprietary design and how each feature makes this outdoor grill the perfect outdoor cooking companion for any occasion.

1. The Patented Oval Shape

While standard kamado-style ceramic grills feature a spherical shape, the Primo ceramic grill features a patented oval shape. Although the oval shape adds aesthetic appeal, its primary purpose is to enhance the grill’s functionality as follows.

First, the oval shape creates a larger surface area, allowing you to cook more food at a go. Some Primo oval-shaped ceramic grill cookers have a massive 400 square inch cooking surface, exclusive of the additional surface area created using cooking racks.

Second, the oval shape facilitates two-zone cooking, allowing you to divide the cooking surface area into high-heat and low-heat cooking areas. You can cook foods that require direct heating on a grill directly above the charcoal on one side and use a heat deflector or heat-deflecting plate to create a low to medium heat cooking surface. The diverse cooking temperatures allow you to exercise greater control over the doneness of your food.

 2. Versatile Cooking

Primo ceramic grills are versatile appliances, allowing you to indulge in different types of cooking on the same surface. The grill’s two-zone cooking feature enables you to use the grill for roasting food, smoking, searing, and as an oven.

Therefore, using the grill, you can prepare any meal, from stir-fried veggies to pizza and briskets; briskets require hours of slow cooking. The grill’s two-zone cooking and temperature control features allow you to employ cooking techniques like simmering, stewing, parboiling, braising, basting, caramelization, poaching, and flambe, bringing out your inner chef. Moreover, you can cook foods prone to flare-ups, like chicken and burger patties, with minimal incidence.

However, do not fret if you do not know how to use Primo indirect cooking and other grill settings. Primo grill instruction manuals feature vivid, easy-to-understand images of the ideal configurations for different cooking settings, including grilling, searing, roasting, baking, and smoking.

3. Airflow and Temperature Control

Airflow is crucial in kamado-style cooking because it regulates temperature and the overall ceramic grill’s performance. The Primo grill has state-of-the-art airflow settings to facilitate cooking efficiency with minimal effort on your part.

Primo ceramic grills feature two air vents, one at the top of the grill and the second at the bottom, fitted with dampers or valves that regulate airflow. The top vent controls how much heat escapes from the closed grill and features a daisy wheel design for easy airflow adjustment.

You can adjust the daisy wheel on the top vent to six different positions. Each daisy wheel position or damper setting accommodates the ideal heat or temperature setting for a different cooking style, from high heat (500° F-550° F) to low heat (225° F).

On the other hand, the Primo grill’s bottom vent controls airflow (oxygen flow) into the charcoal bed. Oxygen keeps the charcoal burning, so keep the bottom vent open to maintain elevated grill temperatures.

Again, do not worry if you are uncertain of the ideal temperature for Primo indirect cooking or any other cooking style. The Primo grill instruction manual will guide you on which of the six top damper settings to use for each cooking technique. Moreover, the grills feature a lid thermometer allowing you to measure precise temperatures for cooking techniques like baking that require precision.

4. Enhanced Flavor Depth

Cooking is a chemical process that alters food’s physiochemical properties, leading to different textures, flavors, and aromas. However, typical cooking over a stove and using direct heat over a grill induce different chemical reactions, leading to different flavor profiles and results.

According to one study on grilling and baking on food's physiochemical and textural properties, the different heat transfer methods employed in grilling affect the food’s flavor and aroma. Direct heat cooking techniques like cooking and baking utilize conduction (direct heat transfer) and radiation (indirect heat transfer) simultaneously and equally.

The high direct heat causes the water content on the grilled food’s surface to evaporate, leaving behind protein and carbohydrate molecules that undergo a chemical reaction to produce complex molecules. The newly-formed complex molecules have physiochemical properties that enhance the food’s meaty, savory, nutty, and caramelized flavors. However, food ingredients like marinades and dry rubs also affect the heat-induced chemical reactions.

Besides heat, smoke also affects food flavor. The smoke generated when food facts react with fiery coals contains water and fat elements that food absorbs to create delicious smokey flavors. The chemical reactions also affect food aroma; hence barbecued food is more tantalizing than stove-cooked meals.

So, while all barbecued foods undergo similar chemical reactions, how does Primo grill impart better flavor than standard grills? First, the grill’s large surface area allows you to expand the food surface in contact with the grill, increasing the chemical reactions that occur during direct heat cooking.

Second, the grills feature a hardwood smoker box where you can insert fragrant wood chips from hardwoods like cherry, hickory, maple, juniper, pecan, and oak that add a depth of flavor to food.

Besides flavor-enhancing Primo grill accessories, the grills’ instruction manuals include tips on how to best cook different food items on the grill. The guide also includes ambient and internal temperature guides for different ingredients and ideal cooking times.

5. Ergonomic Design 

An ergonomic design allows you to focus less on your Primo ceramic grill set-up and more effort into preparing the most delicious barbecue-themed meal. Primo ceramic grills feature a hinged design that significantly reduces the effort needed to lift the grill cover and props up the lid to accommodate high-heat cooking. Also, the grills feature ceramic retainer grills that hold the ceramic insulation in place, ensuring efficient cooking.

6. Made In The USA 

Primo Grills’ founder, George Samara, drew inspiration from the American grilling culture and created a grill to preserve the integrity of this culture. Primo Grills are US-made and accommodate specifications intended to enhance US grilling techniques and culinary preferences.

Best Primo Ceramic Grills

Below is an overview of the best Primo ceramic grills on the market

1. Primo Ceramic Oval XL 400

The Primo Ceramic Oval XL 400 grill is arguably the largest kamado grill on the market, featuring 400 square inches of direct cooking surface area (680 square inches if you add cooking racks). Its surface area translates to eight whole chicken, 20 burgers, ten lamb racks, 12 steaks or two whole turkeys at a go. Moreover, it has an impressive temperature range, 151℉ to 850℉.

Second, the grill features ceramic grates for heat retention during cooking and easy cleaning afterward. It features the patented Primo Superceramics interior topped with a porcelain glaze for efficient heat distribution and retention. The grill can cook for up to 25 guests at a go.

2. Primo Oval LG 300

The Primo Oval LG 300 has 300 square inches of cooking surface area, exclusive of the 195 square inches created by an optional rack system. Like all Primo grills, it accommodates two-level cooking and a ceramic shell that enhances flavor.

3. Primo Oval JR 200

The Primo Oval JR 200 may be smaller, but it equals larger Primo grill models in performance, including temperature range and heat retention. It has a total 360 square inch cooking area, including optional racks, and can cook three whole chickens, eight burgers, four rib racks, and six ears of corn, each at a go. Moreover, its smaller dimensions enhance its portability for on-the-go cooking.

Primo Grill Accessories

Primo Grills’ versatility includes purchasing options. You can buy a tabletop grill head or an all-in-one version featuring essential Primo accessories like a cradle stand, side tables, an ash tool, and a grate lifter.

Other primo-branded accessories available for Primo grill upgrades include

• Drip pans
• Rib and chicken racks
• Pizza oven
• Rotisserie
• Electrical charcoal lighter
• Ceramic heat deflector
• Pizza and baking stone
• Cast iron firebox divider

You can view more Primo grill upgrades recommendations on the Primo Grill forum.

Where Can I Buy Primo Ceramic Grills?

Although Empire Majestic Systems has multiple distributors selling Primo Grills, Northwoods Grills is the US's leading Primo Ceramic grills distributor. The mega distributor offers a buyer-friendly warranty of Primo Grills.

Moreover, Northwoods Grills has other top-range grills in its product catalog. These include Bonfire Grills, Memphis Grills, Osburn Wood Stoves, Bonfire BBQ, AOG Grills, Cajun Cooker, Summerset Grills, American Muscle Grill, Icon Grills, and RCS Grill.

Northwoods Grill also sells fireplace systems and accessories, including smokeless fire pit inserts, Zentro smokeless fire pit, and a Majestic Vermont fireplace to compliment a dark wood fireplace. So, the next time you wonder where to buy Breeo fire pit and other Breeo accessories like the Zentro smokeless Fire pit, think Northwood Grills.