Open or closed barbecue

When you ask yourself “open or closed barbecue?”, you’re entering a comparison that goes far beyond technique: it’s a matter of experience, atmosphere, and relationship with fire. The difference lies not only in how you cook, but in how you live the moment of grilling.

Open or closed barbecue: live fire, true conviviality

The open barbecue—like the handcrafted models by LaFerrotecnica—brings back the essence of outdoor cooking. A glow of embers are visible, the flames flicker, and the scent of wood smoke spreads freely. Around the brazier, a warm, authentic atmosphere is born, like a modern-day campfire: people talk, drink, laugh, and share the moment. Every guest takes part, even just with their eyes. The fire becomes the center of the gathering.

In closed barbecues, the lid allows for even, controlled cooking—almost like an oven. But it also closes off the fire, and with it, the entire experience. You can’t see what’s happening, the direct aroma of the embers is lost, and the person grilling is often isolated from the group. It works well, but feels distant.

Materials, design and identity: LaFerrotecnica is something different

Our barbecues are made from corten steel or iron—materials that withstand the elements and add strong visual character to any outdoor space. Each piece is designed to enhance both the fire and its surroundings, becoming a scenic element as much as a cooking tool. They are not just appliances, but statements of design and identity.

Grilling on an open barbecue means seeing the meat cook, choosing the right moment, raising or lowering the grate based on the flame. The resulting flavor is richer, more personal, because it comes from an ongoing, instinctive gesture—not from a set-and-forget system. This is cooking that lives and breathes.

Not just food: a social ritual

For those who choose LaFerrotecnica, grilling is a human experience. It’s the pleasure of fire glowing in the open, the conversation that happens around the flames, the slow pace that makes the wait part of the joy. It’s a moment that brings people together—not a process hidden under a lid.

To the question “open or closed barbecue?”, LaFerrotecnica answers with a philosophy: fire is meant to be lived, not hidden. Our braziers are designed for those who value the quality of ingredients, but also the quality of the moment. Grilling is not just cooking—it’s creating memories, together.