The on-site inspection methods and inspection standards for barbecue grills

September 9, 2025

Barbecue grills, as popular products for outdoor cooking and family gatherings, their safety, functionality and durability directly affect the user experience and brand reputation. For purchasers, brand owners and quality inspection professionals, establishing a comprehensive supply chain quality management system is of great significance through strict factory audits and pre-shipment inspections (PSI). This article will systematically elaborate on the inspection and testing standards, quality control (QC) processes and inspection methods for barbecue grills.
I. Source Control: Key Points for Factory Audit of Barbecue Stove Manufacturers
Before commencing mass production, conducting a comprehensive supplier audit of the manufacturer is the foundation for ensuring product compliance and consistency.
Quality management system certification: Has the factory established and implemented the ISO9001 quality management system? Do they have complete procedures and records for incoming material inspection (IQC), production line inspection (IPQC), and final product inspection (FQC)?
Production equipment and process capabilities: Evaluate the equipment conditions and maintenance records of production lines such as stamping, welding, surface treatment (spraying, enameling), and assembly. Confirm whether the factory has professional testing equipment, such as air tightness testers, heat load (BTU) testing devices, and temperature rise testers, etc.
Laboratory testing capabilities: The factory laboratory should be capable of conducting basic material performance tests (such as metal composition analysis, wood moisture content testing), safety tests (such as air tightness, stability) and performance tests (such as thermal efficiency).
Supply Chain Management: Verify the qualifications and test reports (such as material certificates, fire resistance performance, food contact safety certifications) of key raw and auxiliary materials including steel, cast iron, hardware, valves, hoses, and wooden accessories.
Product Certification and Compliance: Verify whether the product complies with the mandatory regulations and certification requirements of the target market, such as CE certification (EN standard), UL certification (US standard), GS certification, etc.
II. Finished Product Inspection: Sampling Inspection Standard Process for Barbecue Stoves
The inspection of barbecue stoves should follow the AQL sampling standard (usually LEVEL II) and conduct random sampling, covering five major aspects: packaging, appearance, function, safety, and performance.
1. Packaging and Labeling Inspection
Packaging materials: Check whether the outer box and color box are made of sturdy materials and have no damage, moisture, or deformation. Also, verify the effectiveness of the internal protection (foam, paper partitions).
Product identification: Check whether the model, specifications, safety warnings and certification marks on the body label, color box and instruction manual are clear and correct.
Completeness of attachments: Compare with the specification sheet (BOM) and the manual, and check whether all accessories (grill, tools, air hose, etc.) are complete.
2. Visual & Structural Inspection (Appearance and Structure Inspection)
Metal component defects: Check for surface cracks, tensile instability, missing sections, misalignment, pockmarks, bumpy surfaces, etc., which are plastic forming defects.
Welding quality: Check whether the weld points are uniform and full, and there are no incomplete welds, incomplete fusion, cracks, undercutting, pores, or slag inclusions.
Surface treatment: Check whether the sprayed, enamel-coated or electroplated layer is uniform, without bubbles, wrinkles, peeling, run-off, rusting, powdering or other defects.
Wooden fittings: Check for dead knots, bark, cracks, insect holes, mold, and the moisture content should be between 7% and 14%.
Assembly quality: Check whether all components are installed properly without any looseness; the moving parts (such as lids and drawers) operate smoothly when opening and closing.
3. Functional Testing - Core Inspection Item
Assembly Test: Follow the instructions to assemble step by step. The process should be smooth without any misalignments or difficulties.
Ignition test (gas furnace): After gas supply is connected, the ignition should be successful within 5 seconds. The flame should spread quickly and there should be no explosion.
Combustion performance (coal stove): With 75% coal added, burn for 30 minutes. The stove body should not show any deformation, peeling paint or other damages.
4. Safety Testing - Mandatory Inspection Items
Stability Test: Place the oven on a 10° slope, load the baking rack with the specified weight (e.g. 0.5kg/dm²), and the oven should not tip over.
Air tightness test (air furnace):
European standard (EN): Apply 150 mbar of pressure, leakage rate < 0.07 L/h.
US standard (UL): Apply a maximum working pressure of 1.5 times or 3 psi, and the leakage volume should be less than 200 cm³/h.
Load test: The baking rack is loaded with a 0.5kg weight per square decimeter for 1 minute, without any permanent deformation or damage.
Temperature rise test (gas furnace): After running at full power for 1 hour, measure the temperature rise at all parts. Handle: Metal ≤ 35K, Non-metal ≤ 60K; Contact surface of hose ≤ 70K. If the temperature exceeds 50K, there must be a warning sign.
Temperature shock test (with glass window in the gas furnace): After burning for 15 minutes, pour 50ml of cold water onto the glass window. The glass should not break.
Wind resistance test (gas furnace): Under an airflow disturbance of 3m/s, the flame should remain stable, not go out, and should not ignite nearby combustible materials (such as cotton fabric) at a distance of 152mm.
5. Performance Testing
Heat Load (BTU) Test (Gas Furnace): The measured heat load value shall not deviate from the rated value by more than ±8% (with a tolerance of ±10% for small nozzles).
Rain test (US standard): Simulate rainfall (water pressure 5 psi) for 15 minutes. After this period, all functions of the product should be normal and there should be no water accumulation inside.
III. Common Defect Classification
Critical (Severe Defects): Failure of air tightness test, overturning during stability test, cracking of glass window due to temperature shock, fatal welding cracks, absence of safety certification mark.
Major Defects: BTU value exceeds the standard, ignition failure, main components deform, surface treatment has severe peeling, moisture content of wooden accessories exceeds the limit, and functions fail.
Minor defect: Slight scratches on the appearance, minor deviations in key dimensions, a few loose threads, and slight damage to the packaging.
IV. Inspection Rules and Criteria
Sampling Plan: Based on the order quantity, the sampling quantity is determined according to the AQL standard.
Defect determination: The determination is made based on the defect grade and quantity. If the number of Critical or Major defects exceeds the AQL acceptance limit, the entire batch can be judged as non-conforming.
Report Output: Provide a detailed inspection report, including the sample quantity, defect description (with attached pictures), test data records, and the final determination result.
Implementing effective quality control for barbecue stove products is a complex task involving multiple materials and processes. Starting from the assessment of suppliers and factory audits to ensure their ability to produce safe products stably, and then to the final random inspection before shipment (FRI), conducting an objective and comprehensive evaluation of the finished products is the core strategy for brands to avoid product liability risks, protect brand value, and win consumer trust. This comprehensive inspection and testing method covering the entire process from raw materials to performance testing is an important guarantee for ensuring the fun and safety of outdoor cooking. Mastering these key points will make your product inspection work more professional and efficient.