Update after 3 years: I still love this grill. After 3 years of 3-5 days/week use the burners were getting pretty cruddy so I spent some time cleaning, which prompted me to update this review.
1: The burners are not directly exposed to drippings since the grates have a solid section in the middle, which helps a lot to keep them from getting clogged, but after 3 years plenty of the holes were full of goo or otherwise not flowing right, causing a lot of the flame points to not work right. I went at it with a wire brush, and that didn't quite do the trick, so I found a drill bit the right size and used that to open up all the holes on the burners. Tedius, but now all the flame points work correctly. If the burner were replaceable I probably would have just bought a new one, but they don't seem to be available. It is possible to remove, but doing so correctly would require taking a bunch of things apart to get to the two screws that hold it on. I used a less-correct means to get it off, which turns out to not be that necessary but I wanted to clean the gas valve orifices. I should have just removed the valve body from the front of the grill instead, much easier.
2: The little metal plate over the igniter broke off when I was trying to clean the burner, not surprising and this has happened on just about every small gas appliance I've ever owned, the thin metal just can't take the heat of being exposed to direct flame all the time. I'll fabricate a new one when I have time, for now a lighter works fine.
3: The grates still clean up just fine, no sign of deterioration on the under sides, usually where I see them start getting eaten away by flame and goo. The griddle I use the most is much less slippery now than it was when it was new, but I always put a little olive oil on it when I use it and don't have problems with anything sticking to it. I'm not sure I'd try to fry an egg on it but it might work, works great for veggies, fish, etc. The paint is starting to get scrubbed off the drip tray, but I can't think of a good reason to care about that.
4: The exterior surfaces still clean up almost perfectly, the rear part where the exhaust vents are is pretty covered with burnt-on grease, I could probably get it clean if I tried hard enough but I'm not that ambitious. The white paint markings around the valve knobs has long since worn off, don't care...
Overall, still one of the best $230 investments I've ever made.
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After about 16 months using this grill almost daily I have to say, I love this little grill.
I had a $4,000 Viking built-in BBQ at the last house I lived in, and this $230 grill is superior in almost every way (other than the smaller cooking area obviously), while the viking was a big pain in the a$$. The only thing I miss is a rotisserie, which I didn't really use all that often anyway. The lid dome is too short to do beer-can chicken but I can live without that.
The cooking area is plenty adequate to cook meals for 2-4 people, including meats and veggies. The heat distribution is very even, it heats up fast and stays hot thanks to the heavy grill plates and solid centers which retain heat very well while the lid is open. A 1lb gas cylinder will do about 4 meals, and it's easy to hook up a 5gal cylinder if you're so inclined with an adapter hose.
The swap-top options are great, my standard setup is the grill grate on one side, griddle on the other. Meats cook on the grill, veggies on the griddle, and everything gets good even heat. I've even fried egg rolls and wings in an iron pot on the steal stove insert, it takes a bit longer to heat the oil than a real fryer would, but once the oil is hot it cooks just fine.
I don't bother putting water in the water tray, it cleans up just fine. The tray collects drippings and other cruft, I take it out and clean it one a month or so. The grates and the rest of the grill clean up easily with a little degreaser like 409.
Love it!
| Brand | Coleman |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 30.25"D x 19.19"W x 16.13"H |
| Special Feature | Portable |
| Color | Black |
| Fuel Type | Gas |
| Recommended Uses For Product | Outdoor |
| Finish Type | Powder Coated |
| Included Components | Standup Grill |
| Assembly Required | Yes |
| Material | Blend |
| Item Weight | 46.7 Pounds |
| Heating Power | 5.86 Kilowatts |
| Model Name | 2000033052 |
| Frame Material | Stainless Steel |
| Installation Type | Free Standing |
| Main Burner Count | 3 |
| Cooking Surface Area | 285 Square Inches |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00076501243529 |
| Manufacturer | Coleman (HUD Warehouse) |
| UPC | 076501243529 |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 32 x 18.5 x 15.25 inches |
| Package Weight | 21.75 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 32.1 x 18.5 x 15.45 inches |
| Brand Name | Coleman |
| Suggested Users | Unisex-Adult |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Part Number | 2000033052 |
| Style | Roadtrip 285 Portable Stand-up |
| Size | One Size |
