Artisan vs Delta Heat - Which is Better Grill Comparison

It can be difficult to make a choice between grill manufacturers. There are so many options, so many upgrades, so many aesthetic and functional choices.

Do you want a built-in grill for your patio, or do you want something freestanding that you can move if necessary? Are you most comfortable using natural gas, propane, or charcoal?

The vast array of choices becomes even more difficult as you get into luxury brands like Artisan grills by Alfresco and Delta Heat. When your decision isn’t entirely based around finding the cheapest grill possible, it broadens your horizons. Having the money to spend doesn’t mean you want to waste it. You still want to make an informed decision and get a high quality (Made in the USA), reliable product that best suits your needs.

Fortunately, we can offer some insight into this potentially overwhelming conundrum. Here are the differences between Artisan and Delta Heat grills, what you can expect from each, and ultimately: which is better.

Artisan Grills by Alfresco

For many reasons, we’ve always been a fan of the Artisan grills made by Alfresco. At the top of the list is the high quality of their products — all Artisan grills are made using commercial-grade 304, 18-8 stainless steel and are assembled using helic-arc hand-welded seams and no mechanical fasteners.

However, we also love their reasonable prices, U.S.-based manufacturing, and the flexibility of two different product lines — the American Eagle series and the Professional series.

In many ways, Artisan grills were groundbreaking in the luxury grilling industry. Prior to their introduction, the only options for outdoor built-in grills were either very high end on the luxury scale, or they were low quality imports that were specifically made overseas to save money on labor. There really wasn’t a product in between those two ends of the spectrum until the Artisan lines came out.

Both lines are extremely high quality and share similar features:

• Powerful 20,000 BTU stainless U-burners
• Switchable burners (U-burner or Infrared Searing Burner)
• Ceramic briquettes to evenly distribute heat across the entire grilling surface (with self-cleaning briquette trays!)
• Heavy-duty stainless-steel grates
• Warming rack with two possible positions
• Specially designed air curtain that keeps front controls cool to the touch
• Stainless steel spring hood assist

Furthermore, both lines can be built into an outdoor patio space, or connected to a cart so it is free standing. The differences between the two lines aren’t horribly stark, but do make a difference in terms of price and upgrades.

Both lines also come with limited lifetime warranties:

• 15-year warranty for the Stainless U Burners
• 10-year warranty for all stainless-steel pieces
• 3-year warranty for the ceramic briquette trays (not including briquettes)
• 1-year warranty for ignition systems (not including batteries), side burners, rotisserie motors, and thermometers

Professional

The Professional Artisan grill by Alfresco is the top of this line. Available in three sizes (32 inches, 36 inches or 42 inches), this grill is sure to impress at your next barbeque. Interior lights illuminate the grilling surface so you can see better as the sun goes down while control panel lights make sure you’re controlling the right knobs. A rotisserie back burner will let you roast gorgeous cuts of meat (or entire chickens), making you feel like an Iron Chef.

An electrical hookup is necessary for the professional series, as the ignitor needs a 110-volt signal. A 1-year warranty is also included for the rotisserie motor.

Prices for the professional series begin at about $2,659 and can go up to about $3,555.

American Eagle

The American Eagle series of the Artisan grills by Alfresco is the lower of the two models, but is by no means a stripped down version. As listed above, the two lines share many of the same upscale, professional features, but there are some differences that are intentionally designed to lower the price.

First of all, the American Eagle model is also available in three sizes : 26 inches, 32 inches, or 36 inches. Other than the possibility of a smaller grill, there are four other differences:

1. The ignition is powered by a 9-volt battery instead of a 110-volt electric signal.
2. There are no interior lights in the grill.
3. There is no rotisserie back burner.
4. There are no control panel lights.

All in all, the functionality is the same and the features excluded in the American Eagle model don’t change the way the grill works. You’re still getting all the best features of the Professional model, but you can choose to get a smaller size if that works better for your space.

Prices for the American Eagle line start at about $1,809 and go up to about $2,539.

Delta Heat

Delta Heat grills are some of our favorites. Delta Heat is a subset of the luxury grill manufacturer Twin Eagles. This is advantageous for Delta Heat consumers, as they benefit from the expertise and innovative philosophy of the Twin Eagles brand, but without the hefty price tag.

As such, there are a few differentiating factors that set Delta Heat grills apart from their competitors. We’re particularly fond of the double-line hoods, built-in temperature gauges, and excellent ceramic radiant heat grilling systems. Additionally, you can choose to add an infrared burner for caramelizing and searing (trust us: you’ll want to caramelize and sear).

Like Artisan grills, Delta Heat grills can be built as stand-alone grills on carts or built into an existing space. Available in three sizes (26 inches, 32 inches, and 38 inches), you’re sure to find a model that fits seamlessly into the space you’re working with. 

Features include:

• 15,500 BTU U-burners
• Double lined hood with spring assist for a high-end luxury feel
• Ceramic briquette radiant grilling system
• Decorative blue LED control panel lights
• Interior halogen lights to illuminate the grilling surface
• Heavy metal control knobs
• Mirror polished accents
• Welded 304 stainless steel construction
• Built-in temperature gauge
• 9V electronic ignition
• Stainless steel warming rack

As you’d expect coming from a Twin Eagles company (even at an affordable luxury price point), Delta Heat grills are beautiful. All of their grills are made with 18 gauge stainless steel burners (covered by a lifetime warranty), heat resistant ceramics, and polished accents that will make your patio look like your favorite celebrity home renovation team paid you a visit. Even the knobs are gorgeous.

Furthermore, Delta Heat grills boast 15,500 BTU per burner and even heat distribution (thanks to their ceramic radiant briquette system). There’s also something about the feel of these grills — the hood is heavy enough to feel expensive, but without being cumbersome or obnoxious.

In short, Delta Heat grills offer all the high-end features of competitors like Lynx and DCS, but at a more affordable price point, which is why they’re consistently ranked among the most popular grills in this price bracket. Speaking of price, the 26-inch Delta Heat starts at about $1,939 and the 38-inch starts at about $2,789.

Like Artisan by Alfresco grills, Delta Heat grills come with a great warranty program:

• Limited lifetime warranty on stainless steel main burners and stainless-steel firebox (assuming that the grill is used in a residential setting)
• 15-year limited warranty on stainless steel cooking grates
• 5-year limited warranty on briquette trays and gas valves (again, assuming they’re used in a residential setting)

Artisan or Delta Heat: Which is Better?

Much like any other home remodeling, decorating, or finishing decision, choosing which grill is best for your situation is entirely dependent on you, your comfort level, how you intend to use it, and the space in which you plan to use it.

When comparing the Artisan series with Delta Heat, it really boils down to personal preference. Both come in 26-inch models that are still high-end quality and look like they belong on the pages of a glossy magazine (especially when they’re built into outdoor patios). If you’re looking for something larger, you may want to choose the Delta Heat 38-inch model.

For example, if you only use your grill a couple of times per year or aren’t particularly keen on becoming a master griller, you may want to go with a smaller model of the American Eagle Artisan grill. If you won’t be using it weekly, you may not want to spend a lot of money on a professional-grade luxury grill. You might be perfectly happy with fewer bells and whistles.

However, if you love grilling and do so once per week the entire summer, maybe you’re more comfortable splurging a bit more on a higher end model. Maybe LED-lit knobs and interior lighting are an exciting part of the grilling experience for you.

Both of these scenarios are perfectly fine — one is not “better” than the other. It’s simply a matter of what’s important to you and how often you’ll be using the grill. The bottom line about these two product lines is that you can’t go wrong with either.

Accessories

Another factor to consider are possible accessories you might be interested in purchasing to go with your new grill. Artisan makes a large variety of accessories that can supplement your outdoor dining space, including (but not limited to) grill covers for both built-in and freestanding configurations, stainless steel storage drawers and cabinets, side burners, rotisserie kits, and infrared sear burners.

Delta Heat also makes a wide variety of accessories to go with any of their grills. They are a particularly large number of storage cabinets and drawers to accompany luxurious outdoor cooking spaces, in addition to side burners and grill covers, as well as outdoor refrigerators, sinks, and coolers. Of course, they’re all stainless steel so they can withstand harsh weather and changing temperatures.

Possible upgrades

Both Artisan by Alfresco and Delta Heat offer possible upgrades, such as rotisserie backburners and sear burners. This upgrade is possible for most sizes, but another consideration in the size of the grill you choose is the number of burners it comes with — and that isn’t interchangeable.

Smaller grills may only come with two or three burners, whereas larger grills may come with three or four. That being said, you can always purchase additional side burners from either brand, but at some point, you’ll have to determine if you’d like to get a bigger grill or simply have another burner in a different location.

Additionally, for the Artisan line, some features are not upgradable, such as the interior lights and control panel lights.

Affordable Luxury

The Artisan by Alfresco American Eagle line starts off at a lower price point than the Delta Heat line, so if you’re most concerned about price, that might be the place to start. However, the upgrades to larger sizes and accessories bring the price point up to where the Delta Heat line begins. It really depends on your budget and what exactly you’re looking for in a grill.

Furthermore, both brands are made in the United States — something that is quite evident in their high quality. Regardless of which brand you choose, you’ll be getting an elegant, luxurious grill worthy of your dream home at a more affordable price point.

Still Have Questions?

We understand that this may be a difficult decision to make, so we’re here to help answer whatever questions you may still have, and help point you in the right direction to find additional information. We pride ourselves on excellent customer service. It’s our main goal to assist you to your satisfaction.

To that end, we strive to be a one-stop-shop for all your grilling needs. That’s why we carry replacement parts for all grills we sell, including the everyday (or every week) essentials like briquettes and trays, knobs, ignitor modules, ceramic pieces, U-burners, light bulbs, thermometers, cooking grids, grease trays, etc.

Whether you’re looking to purchase a new grill, upgrade your current setup, or replace worn out parts to a grill you’ve already purchased, we’d love to help. Contact us today to learn more about our product offerings, shipping times, and product availability.