Parrilla, Brasero, Crank: Which Is the Best Argentine Grill?

An Argentine grill, the parrilla, works differently from a kettle or a gas grill. There is no lid and no dial. You burn wood or charcoal down to embers, often in a side basket called a brasero, rake the embers under the grate, and control the heat by moving the food closer to the fire or further away. A wheel or crank raises and lowers the grate, and on many parrillas the bars are V-shaped so fat runs off instead of dripping onto the coals. For a restaurant cook used to live fire, carne asada over mesquite on one side of the border, asado over hardwood on the other, it is the most direct way to grill there is.

The word gets used loosely, so we set one rule for this guide: every pick has a grate you can raise and lower over wood or charcoal. Four are full parrilla-style carts, one is a compact raw-steel kit, one is a low patio grill with a firebox, and one is a grate frame that stands over a campfire. For each we list fuel, grate type, height adjustment, cooking area, material, weight and warranty, from the maker or the Amazon listing, and write “Not stated” where neither gives the figure.

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Quick verdict: which Argentine grill to buy

The table compares the five picks that suit the most cooks. All seven are reviewed in full after it.

Five live-fire grills compared

Fuel, grate and how each one controls heat, as each maker or Amazon listing states it.

Product images from Amazon. Specifications as stated by each maker or Amazon listing; stock changes quickly in this category, so check the listing before you buy.

What makes a grill an Argentine grill

Three features separate a parrilla from a backyard kettle, and they are worth knowing before you shop, because many listings use “Argentine” loosely.

A brasero for the fire. The fire burns in a separate basket or box, and embers drop or are shoveled under the grate as the cook needs them. Backyard Discovery builds its XL around a stainless brasero firebox, and Hickory Summit’s kit has you start the fire in a brazier and move the coals under the grill.

A grate that moves. Instead of adjusting vents, you raise or lower the food. Grillworks, the American maker whose founder modeled his first grill on the traditional parrillas of Argentina, puts it simply: a few inches of height turn an unworkable fire into slow, gentle heat almost instantly. Most parrillas use a wheel or crank to do it.

Grates that manage fat. Many parrillas have V-shaped bars. Brand-Man says its V-shaped grates are angled to channel grease into a removable drip pan, and BIG HORN says the same design cuts flare-ups.

Santa Maria-style grills, from California’s Central Coast, share the moving grate. Sunset magazine describes the local style as beef cooked over a fire of coastal red oak on a grill that raises and lowers the meat to the flame, and many listings, including most of the picks here, sell themselves as Argentine and Santa Maria at once.

Our picks for the best Argentine grill

All seven picks below have a grate that moves over wood or charcoal, but they are not all the same kind of thing. The carts are complete grills, the kit is a smaller setup, and the campfire grate needs a fire of your own. Each says who it suits and one honest reason to skip it.

How to choose an Argentine grill

Start with how you will build the fire, then think about the grate. These are the points a live-fire cook checks first.

1. Wood, charcoal or both

A true parrilla burns wood down to embers in a brasero, though most also take lump charcoal. If you want to cook over wood embers, look for a brasero, as on the Backyard Discovery and Brand-Man. If you are happy to burn fuel under the grate, the listings for the BIG HORN, the KoolMore and the Ash & Ember models describe no brasero.

2. How the height moves

A wheel or crank that holds its position is the defining feature. Ask how far the grate travels and whether it locks. Backyard Discovery lists 2 to 24 inches, Ash & Ember 7 to 33.5 inches and KoolMore 15.7 inches of travel. Hickory Summit, Brand-Man and BIG HORN say their grates adjust but do not publish the range.

3. V-grates or round bars

V-shaped bars channel fat away from the fire and into a pan. Round bars are easier to clean and fine for steak and vegetables. Brand-Man, BIG HORN and KoolMore list V-shaped grates; Hickory Summit and Ash & Ember do not.

4. Steel or stainless

Raw steel, like Hickory Summit’s, needs oil and dry storage. Backyard Discovery uses 304 stainless for its grate frame and brasero over a powder-coated steel body, and includes a cover for outdoor storage. Some listings here say little about the material, so ask before you plan to leave one out in the rain.

5. Space and safety

Measure before you order: the Backyard Discovery XL runs more than nine feet long. Open-fire grills also throw heat and sparks sideways. The U.S. Fire Administration says to place a grill well away from siding and deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches, keep a 3-foot safe zone around it for kids and pets, and use fire pits and outdoor fireplaces at least 10 feet from your home or anything that can burn. The CPSC warns never to burn charcoal inside homes, vehicles or tents, because it gives off carbon monoxide.

How we chose these seven grills

We searched Amazon in the United States for grills sold as Argentine, gaucho, parrilla or Santa Maria grills, and kept only those showing in stock when we checked whose listing or maker says the grate raises and lowers over wood or charcoal. That rule left out fixed-height grates on legs, fire pits, lidded charcoal grills that move the coals instead of the grate, parts for building your own, a kit whose listing states no height adjustment, and parrillas showing low stock. Well-known makers of high-end parrillas, such as Grillworks, sell their grills directly rather than through Amazon. Specifications come from each Amazon listing and, where we could read them, the makers’ own sites (Hickory Summit, Ash & Ember, KoolMore); the assembled size and weight of the XL come from Sam’s Club. Several listings are thin, and we write “Not stated” where they are. We have not cooked on these grills for this guide, and we did not consult outside equipment reviews for it.

Argentine grill questions, answered

What is an Argentine grill called?

A parrilla, the Spanish word for grill. The fire basket that makes the embers is a brasero.

What is the difference between an Argentine grill and a Santa Maria grill?

Both raise and lower the food over a live fire. Santa Maria-style cooking, from California’s Central Coast, traditionally uses red oak, according to Sunset. Argentine parrillas usually add a brasero and often V-shaped grates. Many grills sold today, including Backyard Discovery’s and Hickory Summit’s, are designed for both.

Can I use charcoal in an Argentine grill?

Yes. Backyard Discovery, Brand-Man and BIG HORN all list both wood and charcoal, and Hickory Summit’s set takes either.

How do I control the heat on a parrilla?

Move the food, not the fire: raise the grate to slow cooking and lower it to sear. You can also spread embers thicker under one side and thinner under the other.

How do I know when the meat is done?

Use a thermometer. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service lists 145°F with a three-minute rest for whole cuts of beef, pork and lamb, 160°F for ground meat such as chorizo, and 165°F for chicken. Our grill thermometer guide covers the tools.

Our final pick for live-fire grilling

Order the Backyard Discovery XL if you have the space and want the full parrilla. Choose the Hickory Summit set for a smaller setup, and treat its raw steel like cast iron; the Brand-Man for V-grates and a brasero; the BIG HORN for storage and wheels; the KoolMore for both grate styles on a smaller cart; and the Ash & Ember Patio Asado for a low fire you can sit beside. If a fire ring is what you already have, the Ash & Ember campfire grate puts a moving grate over it; our fire pit grill guide compares more options, and our best charcoal grill guide covers lidded grills. To light charcoal without fluid, see our chimney starter guide, and for the tongs and spatula, our grill tools guide.

Related guide: Best santa maria grill.

Grilled steak, peppers and onions are the heart of a fajita platter too; read how to eat fajitas for what comes next. Or let us light the fire: see the menu or call to order.