At first I was a little skeptical of a product called The Sizzler, an outdoor gas burner. But that was before I learned about its powerful heat (up to 130,000-Btu), its great cooking surface (a large, shallow, carbon-steel disk that seasons up like cast iron), and its easy assembly. And once I made my first batch offajitas,I was hooked. I began to think of all the times I’d wished I had a really powerful burner for real stir-frying and the ventilation to go with it (whynotcook outdoors?).

I used The Sizzler on its sturdy steel stand (32-inch height), though it can also be assembled at a 12-inch height. It breaks down well for travelling and includes a hose and a flame-control valve to hook up to your propane tank. The Sizzler is $159.99, plus shipping. For information and recipes, visit the Web site,www.thesizzler.com.