A cooktop appliance includes a first burner and a second burner which are spaced apart with a grate positioned above the burners. The grate includes a first sensor finger with a first temperature sensor over the first burner and a second sensor finger with a second temperature sensor over the second burner. The cooktop appliance also includes a first control valve and a second control valve which selectively direct fuel to the respective burners. A controller of the cooktop appliance is operably coupled to the temperature sensors and the control valves. The controller may be operable for and/or methods of operating the cooktop appliance may include receiving a set temperature, receiving a first temperature measurement from the first temperature sensor and a second temperature measurement from the second temperature sensor, and adjusting each control valve based on the set temperature and the corresponding temperature measurement.

A gas valve for a cooking appliance is provided and includes a valve housing defining a valve chamber therein. A plug is disposed within the valve chamber. A valve stem interacts with the plug such that rotation of the valve stem correspondingly rotates the plug to selectively permit a flow of gas through the gas valve. The valve stem is axially translatable between a locked position wherein rotation thereof is inhibited and an unlocked position wherein rotation thereof is permitted. A first spring exerts a compressive force against the valve stem, toward the plug, to bias the valve stem into the locked position. A second spring exerts a compressive force against the plug in order to seat the plug within the valve chamber regardless whether the valve stem is in the locked or the unlocked position.

A portable-device support apparatus includes a surface element. First support elements are coupled to the surface element. Each first support element has an end proximal to the surface element and an end distal from the surface element. Second support elements are coupled to a respective first support element by a respective fastening device. Each fastening device can translate back and forth along a respective one of the first support elements between the proximal and distal ends. The apparatus has a deployed position in which each second support element extends at an angle from a first support element. The apparatus has a storage position.

Devices, systems, and methods are provided for baking a food product in a portable baking oven. The baking oven includes a main body, lower and upper stones, a heat shield suspending the upper stone above the lower stone, and a heat element emanating heat upward to a rotating flat panel having the lower stone thereon. Convection heat from the heat element moves upward from below the rotating flat panel and past a periphery of the flat panel, channeled by the heat shield to the upper stone, to move along the upper stone, and then down along the heat shield, on the opposite side. With this arrangement, the heat element heats the upper and lower stones with convection heat moving between the lower and upper stones in a side-to-side manner.

There is provided a modular barbecue system and kits for adapting a gas barbecue to other types of cooking and other uses. The modular barbecue system comprises a heating compartment having a bottom wall and a peripheral defining a cavity, a heat source provided in the cavity of the heating compartment, a plurality of add-on components receivable in the cavity of the heating compartment, a plurality of steps provided in the cavity of the heating compartment for supporting the add-on components at different distances relative to the heat source. Add-on components such as a large basin, a flat basin, a perforated plate system, a strainer, a lid and a pump are combined to form a plurality of kits enabling steam cooking, maple sap boiling, double boiling, coal fire cooking, boiling, smoke cooking and water heating to expand the typical grilling method of a gas barbecue to various cooking techniques.

The present invention contemplates an apparatus for, and methods of, securing a bracket or similar device to a support object, such as a tree trunk or pole or post, for the purpose of using said bracket to hold objects, particularly small portable objects such as canister stoves used as camping equipment by campers, backpackers, or outdoorsmen. Embodiments of the bracket comprise interlocked pieces which form a platform which receives a payload. Embodiments of the apparatus have rotating, pivoting pieces which can hold a payload in place. Notches or slots on the apparatus are usable to tie a rope or cord through, which can become wedged into the notches or slots, and this rope or cord can be wrapped around a support object. Frictional surfaces or protrusions on the apparatus assist in gripping the support object. Embodiments of the apparatus can be either folded or disassembled into flat, stackable pieces.

A cooking and cooling apparatus, including a main body to receive at least one item thereupon, a cooking unit disposed on at least a portion of a top surface of the main body to cook at least one food item thereon, and a cooling unit disposed within at least a portion of the main body to keep contents stored within at a cool temperature.

Gas cooktops disclosed herein may include a proportional solenoid valve controlling gas flow to a gas burner, where the proportional solenoid valve has a continuously variable range of positions. A user interface (UI) element associated with the proportional solenoid valve may be utilized to control a linear voltage regulator having a continuously variable output voltage. The output voltage of the linear voltage regulator is coupled to a solenoid of the proportional solenoid valve, such that the gas flow to the gas burner has a linear relationship with the output voltage of the linear voltage regulator.

A collapsible camp stove having a cover, a chassis having a fuel burner and a pot support; and the pot support and the chassis and the cover are all pivotally interconnected to one another in a parallelogram structure wherein pivotal opening of the cover relative to the chassis causes the pot support to raise upwardly away from a top surface of the chassis while the pot support continuously remains parallel to the top surface of the chassis.

An outdoor cooking apparatus provides a base that has a burner element and one or more feet configured to engage an underlying support surface. The base includes a pot receptive grate or pot support. A pot is placeable on the base during cooking so that the burner heats the contents of the pot. The pot has a pot side wall or walls, a pot bottom, a pot rim, a pot outer surface, and a pot interior for holding a volume of cooking fluid. A pot liner or basket fits the pot interior, the liner sized and shaped to hold one or more food items to be cooked. The combination of base and pot support a water spray ring or header with a hollow bore, a wall, and multiple discharge openings in the wall that enable water to spray the pot exterior with multiple flow streams or sprays. An inlet fitting enables connection of a flowing source of water to the header or ring bore. The header or ring is so positioned that the pot liner can be removed from the pot interior without first moving the header or ring.