The Big FRED Base is the four-burner model from Burnhard’s FRED Series 4 in basic specification: four stainless steel tube burners under a cast grate, a base cabinet for the gas bottle, two side tables for putting things down. The rear burner, infrared ceramic burner and side hob only come with the more expensive tiers. At Amazon it costs approx. €599 (Amazon page on 20 October 2026: €599.20), in the Burnhard shop approx. €699. This is the version with a cast iron grate and item number 947136.
We reviewed the Burnhard product page and the operating manual, which applies jointly to the FRED Series 4 grills with three, four and six burners, in the December 2025 version. We have not grilled on the grill itself. Amazon lists the offer on this page under the same model number 947136, so there you also get the cast iron version.
Base, Deluxe, Deluxe+: what separates the three tiers
The Burnhard shop sells the Big FRED in three specifications: Base from €699, Deluxe from €899 and Deluxe+ from €1,099. Burner chamber and main cooking surface are the same in all three.
The Deluxe adds a rear burner, an internal infrared ceramic burner, a side hob and a chopping board with GN container. On the Base, the side tables are purely shelves. You have no choice of colour; the Base only comes as a Black Edition.
What cannot be changed after purchase is the rear burner. According to Burnhard, it sits fixed in the burner chamber and therefore cannot be retrofitted. The rest is possible: Burnhard advertises upgrade packs towards Deluxe and Deluxe+ on the product page, and it also lists individual parts there, a side table with hob FRED Series for €180.07 and an internal infrared ceramic burner FRED Series for €79.90. The tube burners themselves can also be replaced and retrofitted.
It is worth doing the sums here. If you buy both individual parts in the Burnhard shop on top of the Base there for €699, you come to €958.97, which is more than the Deluxe in the Burnhard shop (€899), without the chopping board and still without a rear burner. We found no package price for the upgrade there. Our assessment: if you already know at purchase that you want the hob and ceramic burner, go straight for the Big FRED Deluxe. The Base is the grill for people who start with four burners and perhaps never buy anything more.
Burnhard ships from its own shop free of charge, with a delivery time of 2 to 4 working days and a 30-day right of return. How the Big FRED ranks against the other gas grills in our catalogue is shown in the overview of gas grills.
Body, lid and what is in the box
The product photo shows a classic grill cart. On top a black, domed hood with the thermometer in the middle and a stainless steel handle, beneath it the control panel with four knobs, at the bottom a base cabinet with two doors on four castors. The side tables stick out horizontally to the left and right.
Lid and base cabinet are made of cold-rolled steel with a matte powder coating. The lid is double-walled and has an oven band. The side panels of lid and burner chamber are made of die-cast aluminium, the burner chamber itself of stainless steel, and according to Burnhard that applies to all Series 4 models including the Black Edition; the grease tray and warming rack count as part of the burner chamber. Burnhard also names exactly these points as improvements over Series 3, along with sturdier side tables.
The lid thermometer shows the temperature of the cooking chamber. The manual recommends a range of 250 to 370 °C for grilling and points out that the grate is usually hotter than the display.
The side tables can be folded down, each carries up to 20 kg and they can be swapped via a quick-release adapter. Folded out, the grill measures 141.4 cm wide, with the tables folded down 98.4 cm. It is 58.4 cm deep with the lid closed and 64.5 cm with the lid open, 119 cm high, 148.5 cm with the lid open. It stands on four rubberised castors, each with a locking brake.
On weight, the sources differ. Burnhard states 44.2 kg, the Amazon data set converted approx. 46.5 kg. However, the same 44.2 kg and the same dimensions also appear on the product page of the Big FRED Deluxe, which has one more burner, the rear one. We cannot clarify from the outside whether template values were carried over there.
According to the product page, the scope of delivery includes the four tube burners with four flame tamers, the grates, the warming rack, a gas hose with 50 mbar pressure regulator, grease drain plate and grease tray made of stainless steel, a magnetic bottle opener and two hook rails. The parts list in the manual counts three cooking grates and four large control knobs, and a Phillips screwdriver and three cleaning needles of 0.7, 0.8 and 0.9 mm are also included. You buy the gas bottle and cover separately; the FRED Series cover costs €69.90 at Burnhard.
What Burnhard leaves open
We found these details neither on the product page nor in the manual, and we do not estimate them either:
- the maximum temperature in the burner chamber
- the time to reach a given temperature; the manual only says the grill should heat up for approx. 15 minutes with the lid closed
- the cooking surface in cm² (we calculated the figure further down ourselves)
- wall thicknesses of lid, burner chamber and grates
- the weight of the cast grates
- country of manufacture and market launch of Series 4
- the scale of the lid thermometer
- the length of the supplied gas hose; according to the manual, a hose line may be at most 1.5 m long
- prices for spare parts such as tube burners, grates and flavor bars
One oddity on the side: the data table on the Base page gives a maximum pot size of 30 cm for the side hob, although the Base is delivered without a hob. We read that as the value for the optional side table with hob.
In detail: four tube burners, 15 kW and what the figure says about the surface
Under the grate sit four stainless steel tube burners of 3.75 kW each, 15 kW in total. The manual gives the same value as the nominal heat input (Hs) for the Big FRED without rear burner; the nozzles of the main burners are 0.83 mm. Above each burner sits a W-shaped stainless steel flame tamer, according to Burnhard for even heat distribution.
The main cooking surface measures 70.0 x 41.5 cm. Calculated, that is 2,905 cm², which works out at around 5.2 kW per 1,000 cm². For comparison, also calculated: the Broil King Regal 590 from our table further down delivers 16 kW on 80 x 48.8 cm, so around 4.1 kW per 1,000 cm². More power per area, however, only means that more gas burns under the grate. How hot it gets at the food also depends on the hood, the flame tamers and the wind on the patio.
Above that hangs a stainless steel warming rack of 66.2 x 13.5 cm. It can be folded down so that, according to Burnhard, you can use the full cooking surface.
According to Burnhard, the surface is meant to serve up to 15 people. If you divide 2,905 cm² by 15, just under 194 cm² remain per head, a square of about 14 x 14 cm. A steak fits on that, not a full plate with sausage, vegetables and corn on the cob. We therefore read the manufacturer’s figure as capacity over an evening with several rounds.
Each tube burner has its own control knob and lights individually via the kick-starter piezo ignition, and you control the heat continuously. With four burners side by side you build two zones: one or two burners on full, for direct grilling, and next to them one or two off, where larger cuts of meat cook indirectly under a closed lid. Compared with a three-burner grill, this leaves more room on both sides. The Base has no separate sear zone or infrared burner from the factory. How the two cooking methods work together is explained in our guide to direct and indirect heat.
According to the manual, lighting is always done with the lid open and never with an open flame, but with the piezo ignition of the respective burner.
Cast iron or stainless steel: which grate is worth the extra?
In our assessment, the cast iron grate that the offer on this page has is enough for most people. We would take the stainless steel grate (item no. 947137) if you want to put the grates in the dishwasher. In the Burnhard shop this variant costs €779, €80 more than the Base with cast iron grate there.
According to the manual, the cast grates are enamelled, and this layer protects against surface rust. They are still seasoned: oil them with a refined oil with a high smoke point, explicitly not olive oil, then run all main burners on HI for 45 minutes with the lid closed. Over winter, according to the manual, the cast grates belong indoors.
The stainless steel grate may go in the dishwasher. Steel wool is off limits for it, because according to the manual it causes surface rust. Whether the stainless steel grates are cast or made of bars is not clear from the sources; the Amazon text speaks of solid cast grates made of cast iron or stainless steel. As a general rule, cast iron stores a lot of heat thanks to its mass and passes it to the food at the contact points.
Gas, bottle and location
The Big FRED Base runs only on butane (G30) and propane (G31); according to the manual it must not be operated with natural gas. It is appliance class I3B/P(50) and works at 50 mbar. The supplied pressure regulator is fixed-setting and approved to DIN EN 16129 and DIN EN 16436-1 (standards that apply in Germany and the EU).
A bottle of 5, 8 or 11 kg may stand in the base cabinet during grilling. The manual gives the dimensions: 5 kg with 420 mm height and 230 mm diameter, 8 kg with 505 and 300 mm, 11 kg with 600 and 300 mm. Composite plastic bottles are prohibited in the base cabinet because of the fire risk. With such a bottle, you route the hose to the outside through the rear panel.
The product page says you could store your bottle “directly in the grill”. The manual is stricter. When the grill is off, the bottle is disconnected and stored outside the base cabinet: in a well-ventilated, shaded place below 50 °C, protected from the weather, upright and secured against tipping over. Spare bottles, including empty ones, belong neither under nor next to the grill. We would stick to the manual.
For setting up, the manual requires a wind-protected outdoor spot on a level, stable and fireproof surface, away from moisture, splashing water and electrical cables. A minimum distance of 1.5 m applies to all combustible materials and 7.5 m to flammable liquids, and the gas bottle should be protected from strong sunshine. Elsewhere, distances to glass fronts, walls and plants are added because the grill radiates heat: 100 cm to the rear, 100 cm to the side, 200 cm above.
On the balcony, Burnhard neither approves nor disapproves. By our calculation, with the tables folded out and the stated side clearances, the grill needs around 3.4 m of width and a good 1.58 m of depth to the rear wall. Whether your balcony allows that, and what house rules and tenancy agreement say, is covered in our guide to grilling on a balcony.
For the gas system itself, the manual prescribes the following. You check hose and pressure regulator for cracks and damage before every use. After every bottle change you do the leak test, with leak detection spray or soapy water made of one part soap and three parts water. A routine inspection is due at least once a year, and after 10 years at the latest you replace the pressure regulator and hose, even without visible damage, with the gas hose incl. gas pressure regulator with item no. 947107. Repairs to the gas system belong in the hands of authorised specialist staff. Which bottle you buy or rent, according to Burnhard, you discuss with a specialist dealer; the basics are in our guide to the gas bottle for the grill.
These three alternatives are worth a look
| Model | The difference | Price | Our rating | Choose this one if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BURNHARD Big FRED Base (this one) | 4 tube burners with 15 kW, no rear burner, hob and ceramic burner can be retrofitted | approx. €599 | 8.1 | you grill directly and indirectly and buy extras later or never |
| BURNHARD Big FRED Deluxe | same burner chamber and surface, plus fixed rear burner, internal ceramic burner and side hob | approx. €759 | 8.2 | you definitely want to use a rotisserie spit over the rear burner |
| Enders Monroe Pro 4 SIK Turbo | four main burners, according to Enders with side burner, infrared back burner and turbo sear zone from the factory | approx. €619 | 8.6 | you want all the extras straight away and do not need a modular system |
| Broil King Regal 590 | Overall winner of the category: five main burners, 16 kW on 80 x 48.8 cm, side hotplate and rear burner with rotisserie set | approx. €1,649 | 9.4 | you regularly grill for large groups and your budget is well over €1,000 |
The prices are guide values from our price boxes and change. The rating is our editorial assessment based on the manufacturer data; nobody has measured it.
In our comparison, the Enders is the most awkward rival. It costs approx. €619, the Base at Amazon approx. €599, and the Enders already includes the side burner and back burner. The Base only wins if the retrofittability of the FRED range or the Burnhard accessories are worth something to you. The Broil King costs approx. €1,649 and plays in a different budget class.
Cleaning, care and intended use
According to the manual, you clean after every use, without flammable cleaning agents, with the gas bottle removed and on a cooled grill. Before that, you burn the grill off: main burners on HI, lid closed, 15 to 30 minutes, until no more smoke rises. The same instruction mentions a ceramic burner on LO, which the Base does not have.
You clean the grease tray regularly so that no grease fire starts. Aluminium foil or an aluminium tray have no place on the grease drain plate and grease tray. You soak the flame tamers and clean them with washing-up liquid; they may also go in the dishwasher, but no water may get into the gas nozzles.
The manual distinguishes precisely between surfaces. The inside of the lid and the side panels of the burner chamber are uncoated cast aluminium, for which standard grill cleaners are only partly suitable; there you use a suitable cleaner or washing-up liquid. No microfibre cloth belongs on stainless steel surfaces, because it can scratch the material, and you remove residues of stainless steel cleaner completely. A thorough clean is intended every 3 to 4 months. After longer breaks you check the venturi tubes with their insect and spider guard.
The manual counts as intended use: exclusively outdoors, never in a building, garage or other enclosed area. Charcoal, briquettes and lava stones do not go in the gas grill. It is not intended for commercial use, and parts sealed by the manufacturer must not be modified. According to the manual, children must not use the grill or play with it.
When the Big FRED Base fits and when another grill does
It fits if you have a permanent spot in the garden, often grill for eight or more people and work with two zones. Four equally strong burners without special burners are enough for that.
If you want a rear burner, decide now. The Big FRED Deluxe costs approx. €759 at Amazon instead of approx. €599, and you can never add the rear burner to the Base afterwards.
If the grill is to have everything straight away, side burner, back burner, sear zone, and you do not want to retrofit, in our assessment the Enders Monroe Pro 4 SIK Turbo is the better choice.
Calculate the budget in full. On top of the approx. €599 at Amazon come the cover, which costs €69.90 in the Burnhard shop, and the gas bottle. If you want the stainless steel grate, you pay €80 extra in the Burnhard shop over the cast iron version.
The Big FRED Base is the wrong choice for anyone who grills on a small balcony or a tight patio. If you cannot keep the clearances from the manual there, a two- or three-burner grill serves you better. If you are still unsure which power class suits your group, the grill finder helps narrow it down.
