taste the air

Portable BBQs

In a bid to find the ideal camp site bbq, we’ve showcased a list of wannabe cookers that appear suited to the outdoor environment of the campsite. The criteria doesn’t have to be limited to these, if you have a favourite that’s not listed then we’d like to know about it.

Have you ever used any of these BBQ’s for camping, if so what would you say about it?

Gasmate two burner flat plate portable bbq with removable legs. Also sold as other brands or copies in BCF, Mitre 10.  Bunnings Hardware have the best priced Gasmate version at approx. $99.00. Very popular with camper trailer cooks but is only allows frying and the steep fall of the plate means foods tend to run to the centre or disappear down the grease hole (like eggs). Another problem is the inefficient gas burners, they take a while to heat the hotplate and dont perform well in a breeze. Under these conditions, they will use a lot more gas than a quality designed model bbq.

Weber make the Q range of bbqs which are popular with campers. I feel they might be over-rated for the price (smallest is $299) since you still have to buy the stand and split bbq plates separately, most people place them on a table.  The design makes the bbq a very efficient gas burner and the one piece lid handles small roasts. The next size up is $399.00 without stand and accessories.  Surely they’re not selling on their stylish appearance alone!  These guys have a big advertising campaign running prior to summer which seems to be working.  Did you buy one?

The Gasmate Rio Grande has got the goods when it comes to versatility and features. Just look at it! The problem is the price, its around $320.00-$360.00 exluding gas bottle. This puts it in the same price range as other good quality BBQs. It has some good features like legs, shelf under, fold out sides and pot stove.  So it may have the right features, but does it PERFORM? Closer inspection is warranted. Post any comments you have about this bbq below.

Gasmate Cruiser is a simple hooded portable bbq but limited to the type of cooking that can be done. I believe they have an option for a split grill/frying plate. Cleaning could be a task with this unit, however if you lift the hotplate out and line the inside with aluminium foil, you could save your self time getting ride of the cooking grease. Again, price is more than the you’d expect for this size bbq with limited features; at $240 to $260, why wouldn’t you pay $30 more and get the Webber? Now if you picked this one up for $180 -$190 (new) then it might feel better on the pocket!

Coleman make great camp stoves and this is no exception. Although it is more of a stove than a bbq, there is a grill plate. Does this make it a “Claytons BBQ”?   Its unlikely to allow efficient cooking for more than two hungry campers though and runs on disposable butane canisters. Great for light weight space saving portability, but pricewise it’s up in the $300′s and more than I would pay when there are other more worthy bbq’s on the market for use with the camper or caravan.

This is the Jumbuck two burner bbq with hood. Bunnings sell these units for $129.00 which is kind of a bargain considering they have most of the desired features and allow frying, grilling, roasting and use of the grill as a single pot stove. The stand with the wheels is not very robust and tends to wobble, but it should give a few years of trouble free service. Tell us how would you rate this one on price and features against the others here?

This could be the ideal camping bbq from Campchef. It has a flat profile for easy storage, portable legs, hooded bbq grill, three burners for a variety of cooking processes at once and side tray. Price: $352.00 US! Well thought out and comes in a two burner version.  The only way to buy one is have it shipped to Australia. That would make it an expensive bbq, so I guess it would be logical to find the next best thing available in Australia for around the same price. The next couple of portable bbqs could be the answer.

Gasmate NZ produce a great bbq shown here which packs up very neatly. Priced around $345.00 NZ, Wow that’s about $10 Aust!  …Seriously though, it could be a contender for the best camp bbq depending on features like ease of cleaning, types of cooking, catering capacity, stability and compactness. Haven’t found a supplier in Australia yet.  Any comments on the PERFORMANCE of this unit?

Beefeater Sportzgrill similar to the Gasmate bbqs. Released as the 08/09 model, retails for $599 but shopping around might reveal a price less than $522. It’s a portable two-burner gas bbq and cooktop, which folds into briefcase size, (a bbq briefcase – yeah right) it can be used on a bench top, or free standing with the detachable legs.  I like it, but the price is likely to hold it back. What do you think, what price would make this unit sizzle? Any comments on overall PERFORMANCE?