Lid-as-griddle soft of a fail. 
OK, like a lot of people, I was excited by the "multitasker" nature of this thing. I went out this weekend, intentionally leaving a lot of other gear behind in an effort to try out the Campmaid stuff in a lot of different configurations.
One of the configurations that Campmaid pitched was to grab the DO lid, then flip everything over and use the charcoal holder underneath it to turn the lid into a dished griddle. I've used the lid as a griddle in a campfire in the past, and one of the issues there was always getting it correctly propped up and level so that it wouldn't tip over or have your pancake batter or eggs running off the side, so this seemed like a great solution.
However, I've found my first pass to be very less than satisfying. I used the coal holder, nearly full (~26 briquettes), underneath the lid for my 14" DO. Even with the holder right up under the lid (limited by the lid's handle), I couldn't get the lid hot enough to even caramelize sliced onions, let alone brown some sausages. Yes, there was a slight breeze, but it was also noon on a 90°+ day in the desert, so this was a big surprise for me. Even with constant fanning and blowing on the coals to get them really glowing, it just didn't get very hot.
I suspect the problem is the large surface area and mass of the 14" lid - it would take a lot of calories to get that big hunk of iron up to temperature, and it's got a bit too much surface area so it is also radiating some of that heat back out.
This may work better with a standard 10" or 12" lid. In either case - pack that charcoal holder full, you're going to need every calorie you can muster.
Other findings:
* The grill is also billed as usable as a trivet - the legs of the 14" oven will just
barely grab the edges of this - and getting everything lined up perfectly is tricky with a raging-hot oven full of chili. Better stick to the main stand for the larger ovens (slightly less convenient if you're in a dutch-oven competition with crowded service tables - luckily the wood table tops were deemed "sacrificial".)
* The grill is smallish, and doesn't have much in the way of provisions to keep food from going off the edge, so turn your items with tongs, not a spatula, if possible.
* The main tripod stand itself is very sturdy and well built. No compunctions about resting a fully loaded 14" oven on top.
* As I mentioned upthread, the spring-loaded handle-bit is easily removable - I'm going to experiment with a couple of single-burner stoves to see if any are a good height-match to let them slide under the tripod - could be a way to more safely use a DO or lid with a gas heat source.
* The kickstand lid lifter isn't the best lid lifter out there, but it is the most compact since it disassembles. Easily better than the hook-and-Tee bent iron lid lifters, and the fact that you can use it as a "stand" with a smaller lid is a definite plus.
Hope that helps!
