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Z Grills joins Kirsty and Jesse’s backyard on The Block
Mick founded Z Grills Australia in 2019 after spotting a gap in the market: Aussies were paying premium prices for BBQs that did not deliver the quality. He set out to offer better value, backed by local support.
Read Mick’s story →In this article
Australia, 17 October 2021 — The Z Grills 700E-XL wood pellet smoker has featured in Kirsty and Jesse’s backyard project on Nine’s The Block, bringing wood-fired cooking into the couple’s outdoor entertaining space.
Nine’s official Week 10 supplier list identifies Z Grills as the smoker supplier and names the 700E-XL model. It also directs viewers to the product through The Block Shop.
A backyard made for gathering
Kirsty and Jesse’s finished backyard combined a patio with dining and cooking areas, a large swimming pool and a chicken coop. The judges rewarded the family-friendly space with the Backyard Week win.
The couple finished on 29.5 points, including their bonus point Gnome. Nine’s recap notes they would have won even without the bonus point.
The outdoor kitchen was part of a broader plan for spending time at home: preparing a meal, sitting down together and making use of the garden. For Z Grills Australia, having the 700E-XL included in that setting is a welcome moment for wood-fired backyard cooking.
Wood-fired cooking in an outdoor entertaining space
A pellet smoker gives home cooks a way to prepare food with wood smoke while a powered feed system supplies pellets to the fire. It can sit alongside other outdoor cooking equipment, giving a household more options for its menu.
The 700E-XL’s appearance shows how a smoker can form part of an entertaining area designed around both cooking and dining. Viewers interested in the specific model can find it named in Nine’s supplier record.
Z Grills Australia supplies wood pellet smokers and supports Australian owners with product information and help getting started.
How does a pellet smoker work?
A pellet smoker burns food-grade hardwood pellets to produce heat and wood smoke. Fill the hopper, choose a cooking temperature and an electric auger feeds pellets into a small fire pot. An ignition rod starts the fire, while a fan supplies air and circulates heat through the cooking chamber.
The controller checks the temperature and adjusts the pellet feed to help maintain your setting. That makes a pellet smoker useful for slow-cooked brisket and ribs, as well as roasting and baking at higher temperatures. The wood pellets provide the fuel; electricity powers the controls, auger, fan and ignition.
Explore the 700E-XL pellet smoker featured in the backyard, or read our guide to pellet smokers for a closer look at this style of cooking.
Further information
See the original project coverage and photography at Homes to Love.
From the Z Grills Australia archive. This news item was prepared retrospectively in October 2026 to record the event above.
