2023 Honorable Mention

Glo

A reimagining of the traditional charcoal grill with the intent of creating a product that better suits the needs of a diverse group of customers who have previously been marginalized by the market.

The natural properties of three materials create a durable, multifunctional, and approachable product that helps facilitate an age-old tradition of connection through cooking. 

8 Weeks | Winter 2023

Industrial Design | Prototyping  | CAD

Professor: Arunas Oslapas
Additional feedback: Lisa Collander

How might we reimagine the Charcoal Grill?  

Cooking by flame unites us across the globe and through time. 

An experiment was conducted to improve understanding of user needs and product weaknesses.

It took close to an hour for the grill to reach 500 degrees, a good cooking temp. After, cooking there were over 45 minutes of usable cooking heat. 

The current product is inefficient, wastes heat, and requires a significant amount of charcoal.

Current Problems

fds

Mindset Overview

Home Cooks

Glo aims to cater to an overlooked group with a fresh approach to a timeless cooking method.

Age: 28-31 | Loves baking, cooking, reading and being outside together.

Interview Highlights

Names and photos changed to protect identities.

Age: 33 | Bachelor | Enjoys going to concerts and dinner parties with friends.  

“I would love to be able to grill outside if it didn’t take up too much space in my apartment.”

Age: 8-43 | Family of 7 | Likes spending time together, and trying new things as a family. 

“We’re always trying to get the whole family to engage in cooking, anyway to help with that would be great.”

“We haven’t been able to justify a grill cause they are a lot of work to maintain.”

Initial Sketches

Design Pathways

Rough / Full Scale

Sketch Models

Selected Features

Soft and approachable form, reduced size and easy to move.

Rounded corners maximize usable surface area.

The lid becomes a warmed serving tray.

Curvature gives a subtle queue to lift and is unobtrusive.

Final Design Criteria

Inclusive and inviting

Unobtrusive and efficient

Minimal and multifunctional

Durable and self contained

Materials

Glo is a brand and product designed for home cooks.

With the intent of building inclusiveness and connection through the primal joy of cooking with charcoal.

Simple and modern to reflect the product with subtle iconography. 

Final Design

Solutions

Improved Efficiency

The natural properties of diatomite reduces heating and cooling times resulting in less wasted heat than current designs. 

Glo’s reduced size requires less charcoal while achieving a high cooking temperature. This saves users money and reduces overall resource consumption.

Innovation & Added Functionality

The lid becomes a warmed serving tray, a distinguishing innovation, additionally a removable grate, and an easy-to-clean glazed ceramic interior support ease of use.

Compact

Unobtrusive, durable, and self-contained. Unique traits within the current market.

Approachable and multifunctional.

Cleanability

Dishwasher safe removable grate.

Dishwasher safe ash catcher.

Easy-to-clean ceramic glazed firebox.

Product Comparison

  • The grill's footprint can be significant, making it difficult to store in small living spaces such as apartments.

    Its size and design are not conducive to indoor storage, requiring an outdoor area for safe and convenient storage, limiting accessibility.

  • Although relatively lightweight, the grill's shape and size can make it awkward to transport, particularly in smaller vehicles.

    The wheels are small and not ideal for rough terrain, limiting portability in outdoor settings like camping.

  • The aluminum dampers, while rust-resistant, can become loose or difficult to adjust over time.

    Porcelain-enameled coating, although durable, can chip or crack if the grill is not handled carefully.

  • While the One-Touch cleaning system helps with ash removal, not all modets have this and the bowl can still accumulate grease and grime that is tough to clean given the finish if the steel.

  • A 2/3 reduction in footprint as well as plug-and-play legs which can be easily removed and bundled support storage within the home and smaller spaces.

  • A central ergonomic handle increases portability while the latched-on lid ensures contents stay secured in transport.

    Glo’s 16”x16”x20” dimensions can be easily placed in the trunk or backseat of a car.

  • The natural properties of 304 stainless steel, diatomite, and pressure-cast glazed ceramic make a steadfast combination that ensures longevity.

  • A removable grate and ashpan that are dishwasher safe, as well as a glazed ceramic firebox, ensure quick and easy clean-up.

Project Takeaways

  • This project was a practice in reduction while adding new features. I found myself repeatedly asking myself “Is it trying to be too many things and do too much?” Ultimately I believe this led to a more thorough solution.

  • Whether it was the size truly necessary, the wasteful amount of fuel used, or the lack of inclusiveness, questioning traits of the current market was a key learning from this project.

  • Given this project was designed with the intent to submit it to the GIA awards I put a substantial amount of pressure on myself, while I perform well under pressure it did not always have a positive effect. Looking back, I realize how much I learned and grew as a designer throughout so this project will always be a favorite of mine for teaching me this important lesson.

What I did

Product Design, Solidworks Modeling, Keyshot Visualization, Considered Branding

Next Steps

Packaging Design, Coconut Husk Charcoal Subscription Service, Expand Branding