Current Backyard is giving backyard cooks another fuel option, Its Current Model G Dual-Zone Electric Grill, a CES 2024 Innovation Awards Honoree in the Smart Home category, and its Current Model G Electric Griddle operate on electricity.
Both units plug into a normal 110V electrical outlet. Current Backyard says its smart appliance surpass the power of gas, with the grill heating up to 700 degrees, 150 degrees hotter than what the leading gas grills can deliver; the griddle heats up to 600 degrees. Both appliances connect to Wi-Fi and are controlled with the Current app.
The base model of the Current Grill will retail for $899, and the Griddle starts at $799. Both are slated to ship in February. Buyers will be able to customize their units with a series of add-ons, including full cabinets and spice racks. There will be three color options.
Current Backyard
The Current Grill promises to preheat in just 10 minutes and deliver even temperatures across 330 square inches of primary cooking space, with a meat probe to monitor internal food temperatures. There are two cooking zones, so users can set different temperatures for more flexible grilling.
The company is touting the Current Grill and Griddle as eco-conscious alternatives to gas grills. There are zero emissions, saving hundreds of pounds of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) per year versus gas, and more than a thousand pounds of CO2e versus charcoal. Current maintains that the electricity required to power its Current Grill is on average six times cheaper per cook than the propane needed to fuel a standard gas grill.
Current Backyard
Since there’s no active flame, there’s substantially less risk of fire. Their electric power sources make them a great alternative for users who live in apartments, condos, and cities who don’t allow open flame grills. Anyone with a balcony patio in a high-rise building can finally enjoy a properly grilled steak without having to move to a house in the suburbs.
Assembly of the Current Grill and Griddle is said to take less than 30 minutes from start to cooking. An app guides users through setup, and Current Backyard’s “snap-in” panels and hanging side shelves don’t require additional hardware or tools to assemble.
Cooks will be able to control their grill or griddle with three modes while they cook, and new users can follow step-by-step instructions and guidance. There’s also manual control for more experienced grillers. There are also recipes in the app, and grillers can receive notifications when the unit is heated, when the SmartClean grill-cleaning process is complete, and when the grill is cool enough to be covered after use.
Author: James Barber, Contributor
James began his career as music director at college radio station WHRB. Over the past three decades, he’s managed the legendary Georgia rock band Drivin’ N’ Cryin’, signed Grammy-winning recording artist Lisa Loeb as an A&R executive at Geffen Records, and worked as a producer for artists like Ryan Adams. He currently advises the startup music companies Soapbox Studios and 24/7 Artists and writes about the history of the entertainment business on Subastack at Stars After Stars After Stars. As a freelancer, he has contributed to Slate, the Robb Report, and Rick Beato’s Everything Music channel on YouTube.