We got our hands on the Coleman Road Trip Grill and gave it the usual work through. In fact it is all we have used for our BBQ since we got it. Can the Road Trip help us as we seek the perfect steak? 

Quick Stats:

Out of the Box:

    I love to grill. The grilling process just makes for a better meal. Meat, veggies, and even fruit kissed by a flame will get me salivating pretty much anytime, anywhere. Coleman belives that the Road Trip Grill will let a person have top notch grilled food with ease anytime.

   Our Road Trip Grill came with most of the accessories available, including an extra grill, the stove top grate (for cooking with pots and pans) and the wheeled carry case. Unpackaging and initial set up of our grill proved to be easy to figure out, although we found the size of the grill to be just big enough to be cumbersome to maneuver. In fact, if the Road Trip Grill were any larger we might have to question it as a legitimate portable grill.  The trade off on portability is surface area for grilling though, and we like the large grill surfaces on our unit.

   The included stand is designed smartly to fold up in a similar way to a folding table. It also has 2 detachable side 'tables' plugged into its sides (watch out for grease splatter on them!). The stand also has hooks for grilling utensils and a small slide out stand for standard 16.4oz. propane cylinders on the rear which is a very smart feature. The grill is adequetely stable on it's stand making for some great grilling action at home or on the road.

In Action:

   The Road Trip Grill accepts portable propane canisters or full size tanks (tank hose is required). The propane plugs into the rear the same as with any portable stove. When you open the grill you will see there are 2 burners each with a nonstick surface 'Mix and Match' grill option above it. Out of the box this means on Grill and one smooth griddle. Extra Mix and Match options can be purchased as well. Changing out options is a breeze, they simply rest agaist grooves along the edge of the grill.

   Lighting the Grill: Out of the box the electronic lighter worked perfectly on the left burner but not at all on the right. I discovered a missing screw on the right ignitor and put in a screw of my own and the ignitor then worked. The ignitors worked on the first or second push each time initially, but have been less consistant after some heavy use. To be fair I have yet to find an electronic ignitor that worked consistantly over time on a BBQ or grill.

   Grilling: The primary purpose of owning the Road Trip Grill is the grilling. Testing this grill was exhausting, which is to say grilling delicious hamburgers, chicken breasts, hot dogs, brats, steaks then consuming them is very hard work. The grill held up well. Heat consistancy across the grill was not a major problem with no hot or cold 'spots' too give us trouble. The design of the grilling surface gets the credit here. As you can see in the image below, the center of the grill is solid, allowing the heat to rise more evenly from the burner flames. The drawback of this design is that grease does not drip from your food when it is centered.

   The Griddle: I used the griddle primarily for cooking eggs, small veggies unsuitable for the grill, and warming tortillas. I found heat spots to be more pronounced with this option, although far from being a deal breaker. So long as you attend to your cooking and stir as things cook this shouldn't be a problem. The nonstick surface is a nice feature and more useful than on the grill due to the types of foods the will be cooked on a griddle. I want to note a personal annoyance with the slits along the outside of the griddle. If you are cooking food that start as a liquid it may run off the edges. An uneven cooking surface may doom you here. I discovered that 6 large scrambled eggs must be slowly added to the griddle or risk losing some egg into the bottom of the grill.

   Stove Grate: The final Mix and Match option to go over a burner is the stove grate. It holds pots and pans over the burner. The type of pot or pan will drastically effect how any stove top burner performs and the Road Trip Grill suffers from the same problems as any portable stove. If it is cold or windy out things tend to cook more slowly, and high altitude cooking will make things even more challenging. The Stove Grate does work however. Just remember to add some extra cooking time for pasta to boil and your dinner will be wonderful.

   Cleanup: Coleman has designed a grill that is actually easy to clean. Most the parts that get messy can be removed and cleaned with hot soapy water, including the large removable tray beneath the burners. When you don't need to give the grill a complete cleaning a wipe down on the grill top will easily suffice.

   Transporting: The wheeled carry case has proven itself to be a valued accessory. Transporting the grill is just so much easier and less messy (this is a grill and grills get messy) with it. The thick case also happens to repel water during rainstorms the might pop up, giving the grill a dry place for storage at a campsite. The grill and it's case fit snugly into the trunks of our vehicles. A snug fit means it takes a fair amount of space but nothing insurmountable. 

Conclusion: 

   It is not as portable as most camping cooking tools. It doesn't grill as well as a full on backyard grill. Yet, the Coleman Road Trip Grill manages to find a solid middle ground and kick some grilling butt. My greatest fantasy with this grill is to host a tailgate party and feed a large group of people off of my portable blue grill. Tailgate season is still a few months away though, and right now the Road Trip Grill is feeding me at home and at the campsite. If you want tasty meals and your idea of an adventura involves a vehicle then the Coleman Road Trip Grill might be a solid solution for you.

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