This is a great little portable grill - if you don't expect too much! (Too many people write reviews here expecting inexpensive items to be gold plated and nuclear powered). It's not meant to replace a regular full-size grill and shouldn't be compared to one. Use it for car camping or a tailgate party for cooking for two or three people (maybe four but that's pushing it) and just realize it has limitations, though they are easy to work around.
I got it on sale for only $25 so consider it an excellent value. It was simple to put together, no directions required and takes about a minute. My legs stay in well once inserted and come back out with a good tug. There is an included nylon carry-bag which works fine for keeping the parts together (the grille, two legs, gas bottle, pan support and plastic grille cover). It also functions well as a regular single-burner stove when you take the grill off. It feels stable and solid if set on a good surface.
The burner adjusts well from off to low to high and is quick and easy to start by pushing the burner control knob in. The drippings collect well in the pan below the burner. There is a small griddle on one side of the grill that will hold one egg or pancake (or two small ones). The biggest drawback is the heat distribution. Since it uses a small burner in the middle and has no heat distribution baffle; it is much hotter in the center than towards the edge. You get around this by actively moving your burgers around to keep them cooking evenly (this can be an advantage if you want something to cook slower by pushing to the outside). Coleman says you must put water in the catch basin, which seems to distribute the heat a little better but I think that is also to reduce the possibility of a grease fire. I tried it a couple of times without the water and it worked OK.
Overall, it is a good value when used for what it is intended for. I think Coleman could have designed the grill with better heat distribution without significantly adding to the cost, so I give it four stars. Coleman 9940-A55 Roadtrip Party Grill
I camped down at MIS and bought this grill on sale the day before. Not only was it easy to set up once I was down there - it was perfect for me since I was cooking only for one. It was awesome to take the grill top off and be able to perk coffee in the morning and then grill burgers on it later. Definitely fill the basin when grilling, it makes cleanup a snap. The bag makes it super portable and the propane attachment is a breeze to replace. All in all a great deal and super useful.
This is the perfect grill if you are looky for an affordable grill that is dependable and will last for years. I have had my Coleman party grill for 5 years now and it is the perfect grilling companion whether I am tailgating a ball game or camping in the great outdoors. The legs fit inside the grill for storage, and it is extremely easy to clean. I recommend this item to everyone!
This is a great little item when cooking for two people. I have had mine for a year and usually flop a steak on the grill and open a can of beans or corn on the griddle.This last trip I think I found the best way is to use it as a Korean "Hibachi type" Bar-B-Que. Fire it up on the camp table. Pour out your favorite "dipping" sauces. Precut your raw meats (beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, etc.)into bitesize or bigger morsels. The same goes for the veggies. Oil them up a bit if you like or wrap them in foil, add a little water and steam them. Cook several pieces at a time and keep cooking them as you eat them. I found that this technique overcomes the uneven cooking characteristics reported in other reviews and it's fun too! Each piece comes hot off the grill. The way you like it! By the time I eat a whole steak cooked my old method as a single piece, it's cold. Try it.
The thing that attracted me to this one was the dishwasher safe rating. Yes it will go in the dishwasher, but it cooks unevenly, burns the outside of food while the inside is still uncooked. Worst of all I end up fighting with it just to get it turned on. It usually take me 2 minutes of fiddling with it to get it turned on. The knob is terrible. DON'T BUY IT!!
Calling this a grill seems a bit of a misnomer. Essentially, it's a single burner camping stove that comes with a grill grate cover that really acts more like a skillet with holes in it. The flame is very close to the grill grate and propane burns hot. Though the burner flame is adjustable, it is difficult to regulate the heat effectively. It also cooks unevenly, with items in the middle (over the burner jets) cooking very quickly and items on the sides cooking very slowly. Thick cuts of meat or fish are problematic because A) they are too big to move around on the grill top for even cooking and B)the grill has no cover and burns so hot that you will cook the outside of your thicker cuts while the inside will stay cool.
If you are looking for a grill that performs like a miniature backyard gas/propane barbecue, this is not your product. If you want a small, easy to use, single burner for camping/tailgating and plan to use if for boiling, and/or grilling hotdogs and burgers, it serves pretty well.
This is a nice grill to use for parties or for your family! The price is just right and it is just the right size. Not too heavy, not too light! The only thing not good about this is you have to buy the propane canister yourself. That isnt expensive though. Its a nice grill overall!
Probably good for boiling water but you can't cook a steak on this. Gets extremely hot over the center area which is solid with no open grating over the flame area and food sticks and burns. I tried to use only the outer grated section of the grill but anything touching the center just attaches to the solid top and burns. You would do just as well cooking with a blow torch!
The grill top is fairly unstable on its supports to begin with and takes a balancing act to properly center it. The meat sticks and pulls the whole grill top with it when you try to turn it and this alone can be a safety hazard as well.
The only good feature is that its easy to clean the burnt meat off the grill top before returning it. - Camping - Portable Grills - Coleman - Roadtrip'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
