Grill dial- what is medium heat?

The grill in my oven (which came with the house I am renting) has a dial that says 1-2-3-4-4-3-2-1. I can't figure out how to cook things that are supposed to be grilled at medium heat.

If I turn the dial to 3 (the first 3) the food cooks extremely slowly.

If I turn it to 4, I set off the smoke alarm long before the food is cooked all the way through.

In the flat I lived in before this, the grill had a dial that went from 1 to 9 and I would usually set it on 7 and things would cook properly.

What make is your oven? You could try Googling for a manual online.

Ours is a RangeMaster and the grill dial is similar to yours - ours is 1-2-3-3-2-1. On ours, the first 1-3 numbers heat the entire grill. The second 3-1 numbers heat only half of it (one side). That's useful if you're doing a small piece of a fish or one sandwich or something.

. On ours, the first 1-3 numbers heat the entire grill. The second 3-1 numbers heat only half of it (one side). That's useful if you're doing a small piece of a fish or one sandwich or something.

I had no idea that a grill could do that

I'll have to look for a manual.

I checked. You're right. It's to heat up one side of the grill.