Up Down Grill Forno Portatile

Press Kit

Unique Properties

This product has a special three-layer structure: an outer layer of air, insulation material, and wood. It effectively retains heat and prevents burns. There are no similar products available. The insulation design allows the oven to make the most of a single heat source, enabling users to cook in the lower section while enjoying BBQ or pot cooking in the upper section. The removable upper fire bed makes charcoal cleanup easy.

Dimensions & Packaging

size: 40cm x 40cm x 32 cm
weight: 16kg
material: Stainless steel (SUS304), aluminum, wood (white ash), pottery

Tags

oven, grill, outdoor, camping, heatinsulation

Production Technology

To ensure that even family members can use the kiln safely, insulation and wood frame make it lightweight and safe to touch during use. The ventilation openings between the wood frame and the oven provide a chimney effect that allows the oven to reach a pizza baking temperature in about 20 minutes without fanning it with a fan. The wood frame is assembled in a way that allows expansion due to heat to escape, and is black in color, which is compatible with metal and does not show dirt. To reduce the burden of cleanup, the lid, which can also be used as a table, can be used as a fire extinguishing lid by closing the ventilation openings when it is covered. The main body and wood frame can be separated so that the metal part can be washed entirely for hygienic and long-lasting use.

Design Challenge

Since the wood frame was adopted to make the oven lightweight and safe at the same time, it was necessary to prevent the wood from burning even under conditions where the oven section reaches 400 degrees Celsius or higher. In addition to the use of special heat-insulating materials, a structure was studied to prevent the hot metal parts from coming into direct contact with the wood.

Research

Interviews with Italian chefs defined the development requirements (oven over 350 degrees Celsius, under 20 kg, under 200,000 yen) because there were no safe ovens that could be carried around. In addition, a wood frame was adopted because user interviews indicated that they were concerned about the presence of children and pets at barbecues and other events. After creating a prototype and conducting user tests, some users expressed a desire to use the oven in home gardens and resorts, so a luxurious design with a black base that would fit in with such settings was created and commercialized.

Inspiration

Noridomi Ironworks is a company that makes handmade, custom-made sluice gates and industrial machinery. Taking advantage of their craftsmanship to create highly original metal products, they collaborated with local furniture designers to develop a grill that allows for easy barbecuing and oven cooking in home gardens and balconies.

Project Duration

This product was launched in Japan on June 1, 2022

Operation Flow

The Up-down Grill is a portable oven grill with a unique insulated structure that uses heat from both above and below, enabling a variety of cooking in a single unit. 350-400 degrees Celsius, similar to a brick pizza oven, and the far-infrared effect of the Hasami-ware pizza stone enables authentic pizza to be cooked in 2 minutes. A griddle and heat-resistant plate can also be inserted, allowing you to enjoy various dishes other than pizza. The wood frame keeps the surface temperature from rising, making it safe for children and pets.

Patents

This product is patent pending (Patent Application 2023-011315, filed 1/27/2023) by Noritomi Ironworks Co.

Image Credits

Image #1: Photographer Tsuneharu Doi, Up Down Grill, 2023.
Image #2: Photographer Tsuneharu Doi, Up Down Grill, 2023.
Image #3: Director Kenzo Noridomi, Up Down Grill, 2023.
Image #4: Director Kenzo Noridomi, Up Down Grill, 2023.
Image #5: Director Kenzo Noridomi, Up Down Grill, 2023.