Customer Bulletin

September 30, 2021 - We have received a small number of reports of incidents where flames have come out of the front panel of the grills during operation.

Grease fires are an inherent risk when grilling.  This risk is enhanced without proper, routine cleaning of the grease tray.  We believe these reported incidents were caused by a buildup of grease and debris in the grill’s grease tray.  Excessive grease and debris that collects in the grease tray may catch fire, which in some cases can come out of the front of the grill, including by the knobs on the front of the grill. 

We want to remind you to follow all safety, cleaning, and maintenance instructions provided in the User Manual that accompanied your grill at purchase.  Here are some important resources:

• A short video on cleaning your grease tray can be found here: https://bit.ly/2WvsgSw. 
• Simple cleaning and maintenance instructions can be found here: https://bit.ly/3olx6Nz and are attached to this bulletin.
• The safety, cleaning and maintenance instructions from the User Manual can be found here: https://bit.ly/3CYeJT1.

ALWAYS clean and maintain your grill per the instructions outlined in the TYTUS User Manual. To make this easy and convenient, TYTUS grills were designed with a front access grease tray that is simple to remove, clean, and return. Failure to comply with the Safety Instructions set forth in the TYTUS User Manual could result in a grease fire that could cause serious bodily injury or property damage. 

TYTUS is promptly and thoroughly evaluating these reported incidents and is actively pursuing further enhancements to our grills to ensure that even with a reasonable buildup of grease or debris in the grease tray, TYTUS grills remain safe, effective, and best in class.  We will provide you with further information in the coming weeks regarding these enhancements.  In the meantime, PLEASE BE SURE TO FOLLOW ALL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS SET FORTH IN THE USER MANUAL AND THIS BULLETIN FOR YOUR TYTUS GRILL.

At TYTUS, product quality, safety, and innovation are among our highest priorities.    We thank you for your business, and we appreciate the opportunity to provide you with quality products and excellent customer service.  Please let us know if you have any questions.  You may reach me directly at Thomas.m@tytusgrills.com.

Thomas E. McKinney II

President, TYTUS Grills

 CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR TYTUS GRILL

The following are essential safety measures to follow regarding cleaning and maintenance of your grill, which are outlined in your TYTUS User Manual: 

• The grease draining tray and heat shield should be inspected before each use to reduce the chance of fire. Remove grease and wash the grease tray with mild soap and warm water before each use.
• WARNING: Grease can get very hot.  Always handle the grease tray with a flame retardant BBQ mitt.  Before removing the tray, always be sure that the grill has adequately cooled.  Be aware that the tray contains grease and be extremely careful when removing the tray to prevent spillage.  Failure to follow these instructions could cause serious injury or property damage. 
• To reduce the chance of fire or flare-ups, the flame tamers should be cleaned whenever food or grease drippings accumulate. Brush the flame tamers with a fiber-type brush and turn them over to let the burner heat burn off any food residue.  The flame tamers will work equally well on either side.  Do NOT immerse the flame tamers in water.
• If you are cooking meats or food containing a high volume of fat, excess grease may be produced, which may increase the likelihood of fire and flare-ups.

Before each use of your grill, you should:

• inspect the grease tray, flame tamers, and the inside of the grill bowl to be sure there is no excessive grease or debris buildup; and
• clean the grease tray, flame tamers, and the inside of the grill bowl to eliminate grease or debris buildup to alleviate the risk of grease fires.

The following are instructions for cleaning various parts of your TYTUS Grill:

Cooking Grates

Wipe your cooking grates with a clean cloth and apply a thin layer of cooking oil. For stubborn food residue, preheat the grill on high for 15 minutes, with the lid closed, and then brush the grates clean with a stainless-steel grill brush.

Flame Tamers

To clean your flame tamers, first burn off excess grease by setting your grill knobs to the high setting. Let your grill run for a few minutes then allow your grill to cool completely. Scrape the flame tamers with a plastic scraper or stainless-steel grill brush.

Burners

With the burner knobs set to “off,” and the propane tank properly removed, use a clean stainless-steel bristle grill brush to clean the outside of the burners by brushing across the top of the burner portholes. For a deeper clean, remove the burners and use a stiff wire and compressed air to remove debris inside the burners.

Burner Box

Look inside the burner box for any grease accumulation or leftover food residue. Excessive accumulation can cause flare-ups.   Use a plastic scraper to scrape debris off the sides and bottom of the burner box into the opening in the bottom of the burner box that leads into the slide- out grease tray.

Grease Tray

Remove the slide-out grease tray by pulling the tray out from underneath the burner box.

Scrape off excess grease with a plastic scraper. Wash with a mild soap and warm water solution.