Camp BBQ decisions... please provide feedback

[lostworldexpedition]

Cactusjk started a thread requesting feedback on the South African Safari Chef Grill(pictured below)... I am taking it a step further. We are moving into our Landcruiser pretty soon and we carry propane for our on demand water heater and our partner steel stove, I would also like to carry a BBQ with us (can you tell food plays a major role in my life)... so we are looking at the choices out there. So far we have narrowed it down to 4 choices: the strictly LPG Safari Chef Grill,

the Volcano II (which can be used with wood, briquettes and LPG)

Just coals: the notebook grill,

The Cobb BBQ which seems cool, but once we cross the border to cental and south American countries I am not sure if briquettes are widely available.

Anyone have ideas about these or other recommendations.

Thanks.

 

[CJCA]

I've been using this Coleman propane grill for a couple of months and have no complaints. Grills a nice steak and clean up is easy. They're available right down the road from you at Costco in Eureka @ $79.99 complete with carry bag and stove top grill grate for pots & pans usage along with the grilling plate as shown in picture.

The design looks robust enough to last at least several seasons. If it doesn't or you don't like it for any reason, just hang on to your receipt. Costco will always take it back no matter how much time has passed since purchase, no questions asked.

 

[tdesanto]

the Volcano II (which can be used with wood, briquettes and LPG)

Thanks.

Luis, this is the one I use. I love it. It is amazing how long you can cook on this thing with just a few coals. I also like the adjustable vents to dial in the temperature. The only thing that I don't like about it is that it doesn't have a lid for smoking or cooking thicker cuts like tenderloin, or keeping the heat inside when cooking in the wind.

Another fine choice would be the Snow Peak BBQ Box. The cooking surface is actually a little smaller than the volcano, but it has a lid.

 

[washington taco]

I just purchased and used the Cobb folding grill last weekend and I love it! Depending on the length of your trip a 10 pound bag will last a long time. I put brickets in a quart zip lock and had enough to cook two dinners. You cold stuff a whole lot of bickets all over your vehicle in quart bags. The best part of this BBQ is it size when folded and the cost 26.00 @ Sears out the door. If you were to run out of brickets you could always scoop some coals out of your camp fire. The grilling rack is only about five inches above your bricket surface, so a large amount of bricket is unneccesary. Plus steak over a charcole fire is vert tasty!!!

 

[lostworldexpedition]

Hey CJCA thanks for the post and it is your first one!! Do you live in my neck of the woods?

Luis, this is the one I use. I love it. It is amazing how long you can cook on this thing with just a few coals. I also like the adjustable vents to dial in the temperature. ....
Another fine choice would be the Snow Peak BBQ Box. The cooking surface is actually a little smaller than the volcano, but it has a lid.

tdesanto I am leaning towards the Volcano II, I saw it in action at Overland Expo (the Campa trailers campsite, I think). It seems very well built, the lid thing may be an issue... I also drooled over the Snow Peak grill that Ho (from Expedition Exchange) was using to hand out very good Kabobs at OvExpo as well, but it seems a little on the small side.

 

[Jacket]

I like the Cadac grill as well - and you can't beat the price. That being said, if Tony endorses the Volcano then that should be good enough. :bowdown: :chef:

 

[tdesanto]

tdesanto I am leaning towards the Volcano II, I saw it in action at Overland Expo (the Campa trailers campsite, I think). It seems very well built, the lid thing may be an issue... I also drooled over the Snow Peak grill that Ho (from Expedition Exchange) was using to hand out very good Kabobs at OvExpo as well, but it seems a little on the small side.

Luis,

You can see it in use here, cooking award-winning Kalbi.

It is very well built, and it collapses to a very small 5 or 6" high. It is so efficient, that the coals completely burn to ash. In the morning, all you have to do is flip it upside down and dump the ashes in a trashbag for packing out.

May I suggest adding a chimney to your kit? Either the Weber or the Snow Peak that EE sells.

 

[Cypher]

Don't forget about the Weber grills! I have one of the Charcoal Go-Anywhere grills and have to say it is the best grill I have owned yet! I like so much it is what I use at home or on the road. If you learn how to use the vents you can really regulate heat and the flavor of cooking over charcoal. I have had it now for about 5 years and it has been used more times than I can even begin to count and it is showing almost no wear. Most importantly, they have a really tough paint on these things and mine is showing no rust what so ever. Best of all one of the charcoal ones can be had for about $50.00.

http://www.weber.com/grills/?glid=7&mid=28

 

[adventureduo]

The biggest thing i find the problem with mobile gas grills is flame adjustability. Make sure before you buy to try the grill first if you can. Most portable gas grills with be like a on/off switch. They'll either burn your food or won't do anything at all. Second on my list is how it will hold up. I've bought the more expensive stainless grill and all the hardware had to be replaced with nylocks. Every bolt came loose on washboard roads. It needs to be durable and rugged. Third is how it packs up and cleans up. It needs to be simple packing up, but it also cant harvest grease and all junk from the food you cooked. I want it easy to clean too.

So far, i haven't found a grill that i've been perfectly happy with. But im super picky.

We have this unit for gas cooking. It's made by igloo and re-badged under several different names.

We also have the notebook grill for when we want to cook charcoal (shown above) and im not totally pleased with that either. It warps and it's been out twice and its already rusting. We live in SoCal and it's never been in rain or wet conditions. I just don't see this grill lasting very long. But you get what you pay for i guess.

Funny, the best grill i've used has been a charcoal Weber lil Smokey. But it takes up too much room in most applications.

Good luck with whatever unit you choose, with grills i think its true when people say you get what you pay for. I'll be watching this thread for feedback on all units. That volcano looks pretty heavy duty. Looks like more of a stove than a grill though.

On my wishlist some day is a infared grill like this...

http://www.bbq.us.com/tec-infrared-portable-cherokee-fr-gas-grill-chfrlp_252_prd1.htm

 

[CJCA]

Hey CJCA thanks for the post and it is your first one!! Do you live in my neck of the woods?

Thanks for the welcome Luis! Yup, just down the road from you, here in Eureka.

I have made a few posts in the past under CJinCA, but due to an Internet SNAFU everything went to Hades and I had to reregister under a new user name - CJCA. So I’m not a complete virgin here.

Good luck with the grill search. The Volcano II looks intriguing.

 

[X_Trippin]

I use this one:

It costs 25 bucks and cooks fine. I have cooked everything from hotdogs to 5 lbs Tri-tips on it. Also cooks bbq chicken perfectly just put it on med and turn every few minutes, comes out nice and juicy.

 

[jeeperaz]

I'm not sure of your space requirements but the Weber Baby Q 100 is an awesome grill.

It's pricey but they are built to last and perform at home as well as they do in camp. The grate is enameled porcelain and the shell is cast aluminum.

I bought one after researching and seeing hundreds of positive reviews on rv.net and amazon... it has not disappointed me.

 

[lostworldexpedition]

So far, i haven't found a grill that i've been perfectly happy with. But im super picky...
We also have the notebook grill for when we want to cook charcoal (shown above) and im not totally pleased with that either....
Funny, the best grill i've used has been a charcoal Weber lil Smokey. But it takes up too much room in most applications.

Good luck with whatever unit you choose, with grills i think its true when people say you get what you pay for. I'll be watching this thread for feedback on all units.

I am super picky as well and super indecisive...
Based on some of the feedback here in ExPo and from others the Notebook Grill is out... to flimsy.
I'm with you on the Weber Smokey, I actually use one at home daily during the summer. But it is a space hog.

I'm not sure of your space requirements but the Weber Baby Q 100 is an awesome grill.

I do like the Q, but it is space hungry and it does not have a lot of firepower.

Same with the Weber Go Anywhere that Cypher pointed out, bulky.

I am about to pull the trigger on the Volcano II. Tony, have you used is with both the gas insert and coals?

 

[86cj]

I don't currently carry a grill in the Jeep with me, just the partner stove. If we want steaks or burgers we have to buy them and the charcoal locally, so I buy a aluminum roasting pan for the coals and use a wire rack to cook the meat on. A wire rack or gridlle is easy to carry and clean..........

I have had a small square Weber propane grill for many many years, it will out last all cheap similar copies, been there done that............

 

[cnynrat]

You may also want to consider the Pit-2-Go. We've had one for 8 years or so. It folds up very compactly, can be used for grilling with charcoal, or as a firepit for areas where you might want a campfire but can't (or don't want to) have ground fires. The quality of construction is great.


Update: Unfortunately, it looks like Pit-2-Go has gone out of business. I know they targeted the RV market, so I'm guessing the implosion in that market in 2009 has caught them out. Too bad, it was a great product.