The Fat FRED Deluxe is the largest gas grill in Burnhard’s FRED range of the Series 4. Its main grate measures 89.0 x 41.5 cm, and Burnhard designs it for more than 20 people. The Amazon ASIN of this page carries model number 947150; Burnhard sells the Black Edition with a cast iron grate under exactly this item number, and that is the version covered here. On Amazon it costs approx. €919 (Amazon page on 21.10.2026: €919.20), in the Burnhard shop approx. €1,099 (as of 21.10.2026).
We have removed two statements from the earlier version of this page. That the infrared ceramic burner sits at the front is stated in no source; Burnhard only writes “internal”. And the 15 to 18 steaks that supposedly fit on the grate at the same time were an estimate with no basis.
Two equipment levels, four versions
There is no base version of the Fat FRED. It comes as a Deluxe and as a Deluxe+, each in four combinations of body and grate. For the Deluxe, according to the shop data on the manufacturer’s site, these are: Black Edition with cast iron (947150) and stainless steel with cast iron (947148) for €1,099 each, Black Edition with stainless steel grate (947151) and stainless steel with stainless steel grate (947149) for €1,199 each. The stainless steel grate therefore costs €100 extra. The Deluxe+ starts at €1,399 according to the product page.
On the Black Edition, the base cabinet and lid are made of cold-rolled steel with a matt powder coating, while the stainless steel version has a stainless steel body. In all variants the firebox is stainless steel, and the side parts of the lid and firebox are die-cast aluminium. The lid is double-walled and has an oven band, meaning a seal running all the way round.
Compared with the Series 3, Burnhard names these changes, among others: die-cast aluminium side parts on the lid and firebox, a stainless steel firebox on all models, sturdier side tables, an oven band on the lid and a flush-integrated rear burner. According to the manufacturer, Series 3 accessories such as the plancha, rotisserie or built-in shelf still fit. Burnhard is based in Düsseldorf. Our category page shows how the grill is priced among the other gas grills.
What the photo shows and what is in the box
The product image shows a matt black box-shaped build. On top sits the rounded lid with a thermometer and a continuous handle bar, below it the control panel with six large knobs and one smaller one. That matches the parts list in the manual, which counts six large and one small knob. On the left, the side table has a wooden surface; on the right, it has its own control knob for the side burner. The base cabinet has two doors, and four casters run underneath.
For the scope of delivery, the product page lists six stainless steel flame tamers in a W shape (called “W-Shape Flavor Bars” by Burnhard), a stainless steel grease tray and drip pan, a stainless steel warming rack measuring 85.6 x 13.5 cm, the gas hose with a 50 mbar pressure regulator, a magnetic bottle opener and two hook rails. The casters are rubberised and have locking brakes. The left side table holds an acacia wood chopping board and a GN food container, which fits the wooden surface in the photo. The manual mentions four grill grates and includes three cleaning needles of 0.7, 0.8 and 0.9 mm.
With the lid closed, the grill measures 160.4 x 58.4 x 119 cm (width, depth, height). With the lid open it is 64.5 cm deep and 148.5 cm high, and with the side tables folded down the width shrinks to 117.4 cm. Each table carries up to 20 kg and hangs on a quick-release adapter, so it can be swapped for another module. The side burner has 3 kW and takes pots up to 30 cm in diameter.
On weight, the sources disagree: 54.4 kg on the product page, 143.3 pounds in the Amazon catalogue, which converts to approx. 65.0 kg. Whether either value includes the packaging remains open. According to Burnhard, the Deluxe+ weighs 66.2 kg.
In detail: five or six tube burners, 27.2 or 24.2 kW
Here Burnhard’s own documents contradict each other, and at the very point that gives the grill its name.
The technical data on the product page list five stainless steel tube burners of 3.5 kW each, one internal infrared ceramic burner of 3.5 kW, the infrared ceramic rear burner of 3.2 kW and the side burner of 3 kW. That gives the 27.2 kW that Burnhard advertises. The scope of delivery list on the same page, by contrast, prints six tube burners. The manual calculates with six main burners of 3.5 kW each plus the rear burner and arrives at 24.2 kW, which it also gives as the nominal heat input (Hs).
Our reading: both totals fit together if the manual counts the ceramic burner as the sixth main burner and leaves out the side burner, because 24.2 plus 3 makes 27.2. The total on the product page only works with five tube burners. The photo with six large knobs also fits, but proves nothing, because it does not show what lies beneath the sixth knob. Burnhard has not confirmed this reading anywhere.
What the output means above the grate can be roughly put into context. The main grilling area that Burnhard itself states comes to 3,693.5 cm² by our multiplication. The five tube burners deliver 17.5 kW beneath it, around 4.7 kW per 1,000 cm²; with the ceramic burner it is 21 kW or around 5.7 kW per 1,000 cm². For comparison: according to its product page, the smaller Big FRED Deluxe has four tube burners of 3.75 kW each on 70.0 x 41.5 cm, which is around 5.2 kW per 1,000 cm². However, a kW figure describes how much gas burns per hour, not how hot the grate gets. The lid, flame tamers and wind all play a part.
Each tube burner is lit individually via the Kickstarter piezo ignition and, according to Burnhard, is infinitely adjustable; the manual describes the range between “HI” and “LO”. The gas nozzles are Ø 0.81 mm (main burners) and Ø 0.79 mm (rear burner). The tube burners can be replaced and upgraded. Because five burners run separately, you can leave one side hot and the other off and so grill directly and indirectly.
For the infrared ceramic burner, Burnhard promises up to 900 °C of direct heat from below, and the grates above it should not need a long preheating time. According to the manufacturer, delicate food should still go over the normal burners. A burner like this burns the gas in a porous ceramic plate, which glows and gives off its heat mainly as radiation upwards; this is the usual principle for short, fierce searing. The 900 °C is a manufacturer figure, and nobody on our side has measured it.
The rear burner sits fixed in the back wall and is intended for the rotisserie, on which the food turns in front of the glowing ceramic. With the lid closed, according to the product page, it should also create heat distribution similar to a fan oven, for example for a pizza stone or Dutch oven. The manual attaches three conditions to it. It does not run at the same time as the main burners, otherwise overheating and damage threaten; the product page also warns of warping and heavy discolouration. It stays off in strong wind. And it is not used while greasy food is lying on the warming rack.
The lid thermometer shows the temperature of the cooking chamber; at the grate it is usually hotter, according to the manual. Burnhard recommends 250 to 370 °C as the grilling range. About 15 minutes with the lid closed should be enough to heat up; as an energy-saving tip, the manual gives 20 minutes of preheating.
What Burnhard leaves open
These points are missing from the product page and manuals, and we do not estimate them:
- where the internal ceramic burner lies under the grate, left, right or in the middle
- what temperature the cooking chamber reaches after heating up and where its maximum lies
- the gas consumption of the internal ceramic burner in g/h, if the manual does not list it among the six main burners
- material thicknesses of the lid, firebox and grates in mm
- the weight of the cast iron grates
- the country of manufacture
- which rotisserie fits, how long it is and what it costs
- spare part prices, except for the item number for the hose and pressure regulator
- whether the grill is allowed on a balcony; the sources say “outdoors only” and give clearances
One more inconsistency: the manual’s dimension table prints “924 x 600 x 1190 cm” for the Fat FRED. That is a unit error, and even read in millimetres the width does not match the 160.4 cm on the product page. We use the dimensions from the product page. The manual also lists the Fat FRED under the item numbers 946726 and 946727, not under 947150.
How long does an 11 kg cylinder last on the Fat FRED Deluxe?
With all five tube burners at full output, around 8.6 hours by calculation. The manual gives a connection value of 255 g of gas per hour per main burner, so five burners draw 1,275 g/h. If, like the manual, you count six main burners, it is 1,530 g/h and around 7.2 hours.
At 1,275 g/h, an 8 kg cylinder lasts around 6.3 hours and a 5 kg cylinder around 3.9 hours. According to the side table manual, the side burner draws an additional 218 g/h. The rear burner alone needs 233 g/h, so an 11 kg cylinder lasts it around 47 hours. Throttled burners extend each of these times.
The connection value table adds six main burners and the rear burner to 1,763 g/h, although according to the same instructions the two should not run together. The supplied pressure regulator is rated for 1.5 kg/h at most. Five tube burners plus the side burner come to 1,493 g/h, just below that, while six main burners at 1,530 g/h are already above it. We do not know how Burnhard reconciles these figures. Before the first big party, we would ask Burnhard’s service.
5, 8 and 11 kg cylinders fit in the base cabinet. The manual gives their dimensions as 420 mm high and 230 mm in diameter (5 kg), 505 and 300 mm (8 kg) and 600 and 300 mm (11 kg). The cylinder stands in the middle on the struts so that it does not tip, and before each use you check whether it has shifted. Composite plastic cylinders are not permitted in the base cabinet; if you use one, you route the hose out through the back wall.
On storage, the product page and manual seem to contradict each other. The product page advertises housing the cylinder “directly in the grill”, while the manual requires it to be stored outside the base cabinet. The manual means the time when the grill is not running: then the cylinder is disconnected. Spare cylinders have no place under or next to the grill.
The hose and pressure regulator come pre-assembled. According to the manual, these are a CE-approved hose line of at most 1.5 m and a fixed, CE-approved pressure regulator to DIN EN 16129 and DIN EN 16436-1 (German editions of European standards, applying in Germany and the EU) with 50 mbar operating pressure. The hose must not touch the firebox, must not run under the drip pan and must not be kinked or twisted anywhere. You replace both after 10 years at the latest, even without visible damage, with the gas hose with pressure regulator, item no. 947107. A routine inspection of the gas system is due at least once a year, and repairs to it belong in the hands of authorised specialist staff. More on buying a cylinder is in the guide to the gas bottle for the grill.
Three alternatives from our catalogue
| Model | The difference | Price | Our rating | Choose this one if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BURNHARD Fat FRED Deluxe (this one) | 89.0 x 41.5 cm main grate, ceramic burner in the firebox, rear burner, side burner | approx. €919 | 7.8 | you regularly grill for more than 15 people and want to use the spit |
| BURNHARD Fat FRED Deluxe+ | six tube burners in the chamber, ceramic burner in the side table, cover and smoker box included | approx. €1,399 | 8.6 | you want to cover the whole grate area with normal burners and sear separately |
| BURNHARD Big FRED Deluxe | same Deluxe equipment, but 70.0 x 41.5 cm main grate for up to 15 people | approx. €759 | 8.2 | your groups are rarely larger than 15 people |
| Broil King Regal 590 | Main grate 80 x 48.8 cm, rotisserie set with electric motor included, no infrared ceramic burner under the grate | approx. €1,649 | 9.4 | you want the spit from the factory and can do without the ceramic zone |
The prices are the guide values from our price boxes and change constantly. The rating is our editorial assessment from the data comparison; we did not measure anything on any of the four grills.
Deluxe, Deluxe+, Big FRED or Regal 590: what suits when
First, the number of people. Burnhard designs the Fat FRED Deluxe for more than 20 people and the Big FRED Deluxe for up to 15. The manufacturer does not state anywhere what portion per head it calculates with, so we read both figures as a rough order of magnitude. The Big FRED costs approx. €759 on Amazon, the Fat FRED Deluxe approx. €919. For family gatherings with twelve people, we would lean towards the Big FRED.
Then the space. With the tables up, the grill is 160.4 cm wide, and the manual requires 100 cm clearance to the side, 100 cm to the back and 200 cm above. By calculation you therefore need around 3.60 m of free width, and under this requirement a canopy must end at least 2 m above the grill. If you are considering it for a balcony, you should first read our guide to grilling on a balcony and your house rules.
Where should the ceramic sit? On the Deluxe, the infrared ceramic burner lies in the firebox and takes up part of the grate area. According to its product page, the Deluxe+ has six tube burners under the grate, puts the ceramic burner in the side table and comes with a cover, smoker box and kitchen roll holder, for 30.7 kW. It costs approx. €1,399 (the Deluxe: approx. €919 on Amazon). In our comparison it scores 8.6, ahead of the Deluxe at 7.8.
Do you need the spit from the factory? According to Burnhard, the rear burner cannot be retrofitted because it sits fixed in the firebox, but the other Deluxe parts can be via an upgrade set. You have to buy the rotisserie itself separately. For the Broil King Regal 590, according to the manufacturer a rotisserie set with an electric motor is included; it costs approx. €1,649 (the Deluxe: approx. €919 on Amazon) and has no ceramic burner under the grate.
Work out the budget in the Burnhard shop in full: €1,099 for the grill, €79.90 for the FRED Series cover and €29.00 for shipping come to €1,207.90, without a rotisserie and without a gas cylinder. With the stainless steel grate, add €100.
Setting up, burning in, cleaning: what the manual says
On setting up, the manual names five points. The grill stands sheltered from the wind. It stays away from moisture, splashing water and electrical cables. It keeps 1.5 m clearance from all combustible materials and 7.5 m from all flammable liquids. It stands on a level, stable and fireproof surface. And the gas cylinder is protected from strong sunlight. Because the grill radiates heat, it never belongs directly against glass fronts, walls or plants. Before each use you lock it using the locking brakes, it is not moved during operation, and before moving it you unscrew the cylinder and take it out.
Before each operation you check the hose and pressure regulator for cracks and damage. For the leak test, leak detection spray or soapy water (1 part soap, 3 parts water) goes on all sealing points, then the cylinder valve is opened. If bubbles form, you tighten the nuts on both connection sides by hand and test again; if bubbles keep rising, the valve stays closed and a specialist dealer has to step in. After every cylinder change you repeat the test.
Before the first grilling, the main burners burn in for 20 minutes without food to remove preservative residues. The cast iron grates are enamelled, but Burnhard still recommends seasoning them: insert the grates, main burners on “HI”, 45 minutes with the lid closed. According to the manual, you must never use olive oil or whey products for this. The grill is never lit with the lid closed. The manual prohibits aluminium foil or foil trays on the grease tray and drip pan, and the pan is emptied before grilling.
Cleaning is done after every use, with the grill cooled down, without flammable cleaning agents and with the gas cylinder removed. Beforehand you burn it off: main burners on “HI”, 15 to 30 minutes with the lid closed, until no more smoke rises. The flame tamers may go in the dishwasher; no water may get into the gas nozzles. For the aluminium parts, according to the manual, ordinary grill cleaners are only suitable to a limited extent, and a microfibre cloth has no place on the stainless steel surfaces because it can scratch. If you chose the stainless steel grate, you may put it in the dishwasher but must not use steel wool, because its particles leave surface rust.
You do not need to clean the ceramic stone of the rear burner; its cover can be removed and cleaned in the dishwasher. If the ceramic discolours, that is normal according to Burnhard. After grease splashes, you let the ceramic burners burn clean for 10 to 15 minutes at full heat. A thorough clean is due every 3 to 4 months, and after longer breaks you look into the venturi tube at the end of the main burners, which has an insect and spider screen. More detail is in the guide cleaning a gas grill.
If a grease fire breaks out anyway, according to the manual you try to switch off the burners and close the lid until the fire is out. You never put out oil and grease fires with water, but with a grease fire extinguisher or a fire blanket.
Who is it suitable for?
The Fat FRED Deluxe is wrong for anyone who grills commercially, whether catering, snack stand or club stall: the product page and manual exclude commercial use. According to the manual, children must not use it, and people with reduced physical, sensory or mental abilities only under supervision or after instruction.
According to our comparison, it suits a household with a large garden and groups beyond 15 people that has the 3.60 m of space. If you like adding parts yourself, you should know that the manual permits original accessories only and that gas-carrying modules may only be fitted or removed with the grill switched off. According to the manual, you should not repair the appliance yourself; for further problems, customer service is responsible. If you are still unsure which size suits you, our grill finder can help.
