For some, charcoal grilling is a way of life; the only way to grill. Everdure by Heston Blumenthal graces those charcoal enthusiasts with well-designed cookers with high-end features. The Fusion is a medium-sized charcoal grill that features the Fast Flame Ignition System and a built-in rotisserie system.
The Fusion from Everdure by Heston Blumenthal is a beautiful grill made for charcoal lovers who are looking for a versatile cooker. Not only can you grill hot and fast directly on the grill’s chrome grates and cook low and slow on the built-in, hidden rotisserie, you can also pick up the Fusion off of the pedestal and take it with you on the go!
The first thing you’ll notice about the Fusion is its elegant, almost mid-century modern design. It features a rectangular shape with rounded corners and a flared metal base reminiscent of the famous Eero Saarinen tulip chair design. From the outside, you’ll never know what innovative features are hiding inside the grill, which makes the Fusion a treat to cook on, especially when entertaining guests in the backyard.
The Fast Flame Ignition System is a huge selling point of the Fusion, which features an electric heating element that gets the charcoal burning and ready to cook in about 10-15 minutes. The heating element is something you’ll be familiar with if you’ve ever used an electric stove. When you press the ignition button, the heating element turns on for about 7 minutes, just enough to get the charcoal lit, then it turns off, allowing the charcoal to get ready to cook. It’s a super convenient feature, allowing you to skip the chimney starter altogether for less mess and fuss.
The built-in rotisserie system with Everdure’s patented Rotiscope Technology stays hidden within the body of the grill when it’s not in use. To use it, press down the silver rods on either side of the grill to unlock them and pull them up to the desired height. The Fusion rotisserie allows for three different rotisserie heights, allowing you to customize the intensity of the heat depending on the dish you’re cooking.
The rotisserie bar and Cliplock Forks are stored neatly within a trap door in the side of the grill, a really lovely touch considering something as long and thin as the rotisserie bar would be annoying to store anywhere else. The rotisserie can handle an impressive 15kg of food, great for large roasts or two chickens. I was impressed with the Cliplock Forks; they felt extremely secure when locked into place. With the rotisserie bar, food, and Cliplock Forks in place, you press the rotisserie button to start the rotation. You can then click the button again to stop it or click again to have it turn the opposite direction.
The firebox and removable charcoal tray are made with porcelain enamel, making them easy to clean once you’re done cooking. The chrome grates are hinged, allowing you to lift one side at a time to add more charcoal or shuffle the coals around. The electric heating element is powered using a 59-inch retractable power cord hidden inside the left side of the grill. The fact that the grill itself is separate from the pedestal stand is an excellent and surprising touch. While not light as a feather, the Fusion has built-in legs that can be used without the pedestal if you want to take the Fusion camping or tailgating. Another way the Fusion is incredibly versatile.
The firebox on the Fusion is slightly shallow. While using Fogo lump charcoal, it was tough to get even coverage of coals across the grill because of the large size of the coals. That said, I’m sure it wouldn’t be an issue with smaller coals. The only other complaint was that while the Fast Flame Ignition System helped start the coals without the need for a chimney, it would sometimes take a second run using the heating element to get the coals truly ready to cook. It’s not the end of the world, and still a lot easier than a chimney, but unless you’re using super small coals, you may need a second pass with the Fast Flame Ignition System.
Check out this gallery of all the delicious food we cooked on the Fusion:
All in all, we’re delighted with the Fusion from Everdure by Heston Blumenthal. It’s an exceptionally attractive grill with some great features. It’s tough to find a charcoal grill, a cooking method as basic as it comes, that has such high-end features and design aesthetic. It’s an excellent upgrade for charcoal fiends looking for a versatile grill where they can grill hot and fast or roast low and slow on the rotisserie. The only thing it can’t do is truly smoke a piece of meat low and slow since there is no cover to hold the smoke inside before releasing it.
The Fusion from Everdure by Heston Blumenthal retails for $1099; you can learn more about the Fusion or find a local vendor here. It is also available for less from other retailers, including Amazon [affiliate link].
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Incredibly well designed; Beautiful aesthetic; Great features that are hidden inside the grill; Heats charcoal without a chimney; Easy to clean; Steady rotisserie
What Needs Improvement: Grill was easily dented during shipping, but not the end of the world; The firebox is slightly shallow; Fast Flame Ignition will sometimes take two runs
