Best Portable Grill for RV

Best Portable Grill for RV – 5 Top Picks for RVers in 2024

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Last Updated on March 31, 2024 by Jessica Lauren Vine

Finding the best portable grill for RV cooking will make your life so much easier. It’s not just about how good the grill makes your food taste when you’re in an RV. When you’re choosing a grill for your RV, you also want to have a great one that is easy to move around and easy to store.

We RVed for 2.5 years and found a grill that worked well for us and still fit in our small rigs. It worked perfectly for our family of 6 and didn’t take up all of our storage space.

Continue reading this article to learn more about buying the best portable grill for RV cooking enthusiasts, but I’ll include my top pick first before we get into it.

Keep in mind that you have to watch the temperature because it can get really hot. You also need to get an adapter and hose if you want to use it with a 20-pound propane tank instead of the little green ones. The swap top is great, so we could cook pancakes and other things on the griddle.

RV Idiots' Top Pick
Coleman Roadtrip X-Cursion Propane Grill
$330.00

This is a great grill that we've used countless times for our family of 6.

It's a good buy because it's not too expensive but still does a great job.

Pros:
  • Easy to store
  • Lightweight
  • Helps you cook delicious food
  • Decent price
Cons:
  • Difficult to clean
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10/03/2024 03:51 pm GMT

More Great Options for Grills for RVers

What to Look for in the Best Portable Grill for RV Campers

When you look for the best portable grill for RV campers, it can be overwhelming because there’s so much to consider.

Do you want an electric, gas, or charcoal grill?

How much should you spend?

There are so many questions, and all you want to do is cook some delicious food for your family. I am going to keep it as simple as possible because my goal is to help you figure out which grill is right for you.

First off, we wrote off electric and charcoal and took them out of the running for the best portable grill for RV, so you’re not going to see any of those. Gas makes so much more sense because it’s easy all around when you’re mobile, and as far as budget, we’re keeping it around $300 or less.

BTUs

Generally, the more BTUs there are, the hotter your grill gets. Your goal should be to get a grill that offers around 80-100 BTUs per square inch you have to cook on. My top pick has a little less than that, but not by much, and the benefits outweigh the rule and you may find that in some of the others as well.

Keep in mind that the material the grill is made out of also plays a big role. Even if you have a lot of BTUs, if the grill is make out of thin materials, they aren’t going to help you very much.

Another thing to consider is that the higher the BTUs, the higher the fuel consumption.

Temperature Control Knobs

If you want a grill that has multiple burners, it is helpful to look for models that allow you to have different temperatures on each of the burners.

Surface Cooking Area

A 200 square inch cooking grate will let you put around 12 burgers on the grill—unless you’re cooking massive burgers. That will give you a good idea of what you might need for your family—or yourself.

I’m not here to judge how much you like to eat.

Burner Types

If you can find a grill you like with stainless steel or brass burners, that will make your life a lot easier. Aluminum burns out and cast iron will eventually rust. It’s not necessary but it’s something to consider.

Grates

Chrome and nickel-plated grates can be problematic even though they are lightweight since they don’t hold heat well.

Cast iron grates hold and conduct heat well. If you do use them, make sure to keep them oiled so they don’t rust right away.

Stainless steel grates are usually what people choose since they work well and are easy to clean. They don’t hold heat or conduct very well, but they do perform well enough to get the job done.

Thermometer Type

When you look at the grill of your choice, it will either be analog or digital when it comes to thermometer type.

Analog thermometers aren’t as accurate as digital thermometers, but once you get to know your grill, you’ll figure it out. It really doesn’t matter to your cooking, it’s a matter of personal preference.

Mounting Features

If you don’t want to try to find a place to put your grill in your RV or in the back of your truck, you may need to mount it. On the other hand, if you don’t mind a smaller grill that doesn’t have a mounting option, that’s fine too. Just know that there are grills that have an option to mount them.

Warranty

I’d recommend getting a grill that gives you a good warranty in case anything goes sideways. Read over the warranty and make sure it makes sense to you. It’s no good if they use fancy legal jargon that is easy to wiggle out of if something goes wrong.

A lot of manufacturers will cover parts of the grill that go bad before a certain period of time, and higher priced grills will come with warranties that might be a couple of years on all parts.

Ease of Use

When you’re looking for the best portable grill for RV, one thing that is likely important to you is the transportation features.

Some things to ask are:

  • Does the lid latch?
  • Will it sit flat?
  • Does it have a travel case?
  • Do you have to take it apart to move it?
  • Does it have wheels?
  • Will it fit in your storage space once it’s collapsed?

When you look at all of these things, you’ll have the information you need to make a decision on which grill is right for your RV lifestyle.

The Type of Grill for Your RV

Before you decide what grill you want, you need to think about the best portable grill for RV type. These are a few types of grills RVers use and some like one type of grill over another.

Propane RV Grills

Propane RV grills are the type I would recommend. They are just the easiest to me unless you’re going with an indoor grill, and then I’d say go with electric.

Propane grills shouldn’t be confused with grills that use natural gas and need a special hookup. A propane gas grill does need a propane attachment to connect with either your RV’s propane source or directly with a propane tank.

It’s pretty easy to maintain a propane grill’s temperature, too, so that’s another reason I’d recommend going with a propane RV grill.

Electric RV Grills

If you aren’t boondocking away from electricity, then an electric grill is a simple choice. It doesn’t give you the same taste you get if you use a propane grill or a charcoal grill, but it still gets the job done.

These are pretty simple, and if you’re in areas that have a burn ban, this is pretty much the only grill you’re going to be able to use.

Charcoal RV Grills

The traditional smokey flavor you get from charcoal RV grills is unrivaled—I get it. But it can be a real pain to have to deal with charcoal. And, of course, it is super dirty if you’re not careful.

The great taste pro is rivaled by the cons of it being difficult to get going and the charcoal grill making it difficult to maintain the temperatures that you need to cook your food.

Some locations don’t let you use charcoal to grill, so make sure you check to see if you’re allowed to use open flame where you plan on camping out.

Here are some more great picks to get you started on your search.

Cuisinart Petit Gourmet Grill
  • Tabletop
  • Petit
  • Propane Gas
  • CGG-180T
Pros:
  • Super lightweight
  • Great on the budget
  • Easy to store
  • Even-heating grate
Cons:
  • Not the biggest space to cook
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If we didn’t have such a big family, I’d own this Cuisinart CGG-180T grill. It’s got a great brand name to back it up and many happy customers behind it.

The fact that you can easily put it on your picnic table and grill away is a big plus since it’s sometimes difficult to find level ground for grills.

It only weighs 17 pounds and folds up, which makes it extremely portable. It’s made out of steel and has a 145-square-inch grilling area. You can easily fit 8 burgers on there at once or a couple of burgers and whatever else you want to throw on.

It has a 5,500 BTU stainless-steel burner and the porcelain-enameled grate allows you to enjoy even heating.

It runs off a 16 oz LP tank but there are adapters available to allow you to connect to a 20-pound propane tank.

If you’re in a really small rig then this could be the best portable grill for RV lovers like yourself.

MARTIN Gas Grill
  • Propane gas
  • 14,000 BTU
  • Support legs
  • Grease pans
  • Portable
Pros:
  • Decent sized cooking surface
  • Easily portable
  • Even cooking
  • Not too hard on the wallet
Cons:
  • Some people have issues with the warming rack
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This Martin portable propane BBQ gas grill has a u-shape burner and provides even cooking because of its porcelain cooking grid. It’s a 14,000 BTU grill, and its closing stainless steel lid makes it even easier to cook delicious food.

The legs on this portable grill are easy to put in and out, so you can carry it wherever you want it and easily pop the legs out. It’s only 20 pounds, so it’s easy to get it from point A to point B.

With the adjustable temperature, you’re able to cook whatever you want just right, and the quick clean grease pan can help you keep your grilling area clean.

You get 354 square inches of cooking surface, but there’s also a retractable warming rack, so you have plenty of space for your food. However, there are some people that say the warming rack doesn’t fit right, and they toss it to get it out of the way.

Weber Grill
  • 54060001
  • Liquid propane gas
  • Portable
Pros:
  • Good workspace with the folding tables
  • Gets hot faster than many bigger grills
  • High-quality design
Cons:
  • A little on the pricey side
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Weber is a name many people trust when it comes to grilling, and this Weber 54060001 Q2200 is another great make from this company.

With this portable grill, you get 280 square inches of cooking surface. Its stainless steel burner puts out 12,000 BTU per hour, and it has porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates.

Another good thing about this grill is its electronic start and built-in thermometer.

You also get two folding work tables so you can keep all of your things close and throw them on the grill when you’re ready.

There is a portable cart available as well if you don’t want it just sitting on the table or the ground. Keep in mind that it is 41 pounds, so it’s not as light as some of the other models we’ve looked into.

 
Coleman Grill
  • RoadTrip 285
  • Liquid propane gas
  • Portable
Pros:
  • Easy to move around
  • Not super expensive
Cons:
  • Can pinch your fingers during setup and breakdown
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Coleman comes into the mix again because they’ve got so many good options for people. This Coleman RoadTrip 285 has plenty of grilling power since it goes up to 20,000 total BTUs.

It also has three adjustable burners, so you’re able to cook multiple things at different temperatures, so you don’t have to wait around. It has a grilling surface of 285 square inches, which means you have lots of space to cook your camping dinner.

The quick-fold legs are sturdy and allow you to set up and break down quickly.

If you’re tired of guessing at the temperature of your grill, you don’t have to worry about that anymore. This grill’s thermometer has an integrated design, making it easy for you to cook just right.

No matches are needed since it has a push-button ignition. It cooks evenly so you can put out some delicious food.

Some people did mention their handles broke after a while, and others said to make sure and buy the extra grill plates.

Best Portable Grill for RV Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some great frequently asked questions about the best portable grill for RV dwellers.

How much money do I have to spend to buy the best portable grill on the market?

You can find really great grills for around $300 or less.

Can you bring a portable grill to the beach?

Answer: In some places, you can get a $500 fine for bringing a grill to the beach. Make sure to check the local laws of the beach in question.

Can you use a portable grill indoors?

You should not use a portable grill indoors. You need to have plenty of ventilation when you’re grilling with these cooking tools.

The Bottom Line – Choosing the Best Portable Grill for RV Life

Now you’ve got plenty of information about the best portable grills for RV cooking and can start having delicious food when you go out into nature.

I picked this Coleman for our family, but the other options above may work better for you. The best thing you can do is make sure you keep the warranty information if anything goes wrong with any grill, so you’re never out of money.

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