Here in the Northeast, there are now mere weeks until grilling season begins. Safety is very important when you’re lighting an actual fire a short distance from your house, and our fire-roasted colleagues down the hall at Consumer Reports test the gas grills that they review for their cooking power and their safety. One grill this season failed one of the safety tests, and for now they’ve given the Brinkmann Patio 810-6230-S a “Don’t Buy” rating.

The test in question is called the “drop-lid” test, which involves, well, dropping the grill’s lid from 6 inches above the flames. Slamming the grill that way can extinguish the flames with the burst of air, which can also happen when you open the lid too quickly. The flames go out, but the gas remains on, letting flammable gas build up under the grill lid.

This model of the Brinkmann Patio performed fine on the drop test at the “high” setting, but sometimes failed at the “low” heat setting. CR purchased two grills to test, and both had the problem.

Brinkmann found that the flame could “occasionally be extinguished” during their own runs of the drop-lid test, but it passed industry standard tests. Brinkmann says that they have made a change to the grill and resolved this problem going forward. Most of the grills that will be sold in 2015 have already been manufactured, but if you do happen to have bought this model, you can contact Brinkmann for a replacement of the affected part, the crossover channel, that they have improved. Call Brinkman at 800-527-0717.

Brinkmann grill fails Consumer Reports’ safety test [Consumer Reports]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.