There are many different types of Charbroilers and specialty broilers. Charbroilers can come in both floor and countertop models and the specialty broilers include salamanders, wood-burning units, cheesemelters, and finishers. You can choose between two types of Charbroilers: radiant and lava rock. Radiant Charbroilers use steel or cast-iron grates over the burners to give you more consistent heating across the entire cooking surface. Lava rock Charbroilers uses the lava rocks to distribute heat across grilling surface, but have a downside. Since the lava rocks do not come in a uniform shape or size, there will ultimately be hot and cold spots across the grilling surface.

The Charbroilers are powered by charcoal, wood, gas, or electric to obtain high heat for a fast cooking time. This fast cooking time helps to minimize the chance of contamination during the cooking process. However, special attention is required when cooking over crushed lava rock or ceramic briquettes due to the fact that these materials can accumulate large amounts of carbon and grease. It is recommended that the elements and even the grates that hold the briquettes and lava rock as frequently as twice a year. To combat this, some models offer self-cleaning elements. Cooking over coal or wood embers does not have this problem.

 A new combination griddle/broiler is geared for menu expansion when space is limited. The unit’s griddle fry top area features a two-position, pullout rack finishing broiler section. The primary benefit of a charbroiler is in the food presentation. Many diners prefer food cooked on the charbroiler because they give the food the appearance, aroma, and flavor of having been cooked on an outdoor grill.