It won't be long - at least we hope - until barbecue weather arrives. Consumer Reports is just out with this year's ratings from gas barbecue grills.

The editors rated 37 grills and say most performed solidly. But one -- the Broil King Signet 90 BBQ grill, which is manufactured by a Canadian company, was rated unacceptable. Here's why.

During routine flareup testing the grill made popping sounds and black smoke came from under the lid.

"The firebox on the grill melted," said Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, deputy home editor for Consumer Reports.

Lehrman says they bought two more Signet 90 grills and fired them up. One firebox melted, and the other started to crack and deform.

Consumer Reports says this creates a fire hazard and a burn hazard. For that reason, the editors consider the Broil King Signet 90 a dangerous product you should not buy or use.

"There are several other very good choices that will not melt," Lehrman said.

For that reason, the editors consider the Broil King Signet 90 a dangerous product you should not buy or use.

I called Broil King today. A company spokesman told me the grill meets all Canadian safety standards. The Canadian government does not have a test similar to the Consumer Reports' flare test.

But based on the magazine's results and its own follow-up testing, the company has recalled the grill. It's designed a safety baffle for the fire box to keep it from getting hot enough to melt.

If you own the Signet 90 and have already registered the warranty, you'll be sent the retrofit kit automatically. If not, you can request one online by logging on to www.broilkingbbq.com or by calling (866) 434-7455.

The good news is there are some grills that got a thumbs-up from the Consumer Reports. Each was rated a CR best buy.

Let's start with the mid-sized grills. There's the Fiesta Blue Ember (FG50069-U401), which has a side-burner, a built-in smoker box, a rotisserie burner and a lot of shelf space. The Blue Ember sells for $450 and is a Home Depot exclusive.

Another CR best buy is the Char-Broil Commercial Series (463268008). It's made of stainless steel and comes with a lifetime burner warranty. That is a big selling point. It's available at Lowe's for about $300.

And there's the Brinkmann (810-8410S). This grill has lots of shelf-space, and comes with four burners and a 5-year warranty. The Brinkmann is just $200 and you'll find it at Home Depot.

If you need a large grill - one that can cook 30 or more burgers at a time - here are two CR best buys you might want to consider.

The Char-Broil Quantum (463248208) is stainless steel. It has infrared heat and a lifetime burner warranty. Its price is about $500 and is available at Lowe's.

The Kenmore (16315) is also stainless. Its five main burners come with a 10-year warranty. It has a rotisserie, side burners and lots of shelf space. Sears sells the model for $500.

More Information:

Consumer Reports Judges the Signet 90 Not Acceptable

Types of Grills

Gas Grills: Safety Counts

Common Grilling Mistakes

Caring for Your Grill

Grill Recipes/a>