Acceptable Combo of Affordability, Covenience, and Usability
Written: Jul 24 '05
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Pros: Inexpensive, easy to assemble, trusted brand name
Cons: Cleaning drip pan can get annoying, no cover, no cover, NO COVER
The Bottom Line: Recommended for those on a budget and with limited storage space.
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| cashmoney1188's Full Review: Coleman RoadTrip Party Grill 9946-707 |
When I finally moved out of the parents home and got my first apartment, one of the first things I did was shop for my own personal grill.
As a typical? single bachelor, the importance of grilling is not taken lightly. I've burned myself boiling water, left the stove top on and unused for an hour while watching TV, and can take an hour to cook one of those hamburger helper packs... but I can definitely light a match and throw a piece of pre-seasoned meat on top of a fire.
This Coleman grill is an upgrade to the typical camping grill, such as the tiny hibachi styles or other low to the ground style grills. The legs are sturdy and were very easy to attach to the unit. In fact assembly straight out of the box only took about 5 minutes. Having actual attached legs to the unit makes this camping grill very usable in the patio/balcony.
To start cooking, first add some water into a drip pan. The purpose of the drip pan/water is to catch grease while cooking. After you are done cooking, you can easily pour the water out and then clean the pan. Much like the George Foreman grill, I figured out quickly that cleaning the drip pan right after I cooked is a lot better than letting it sit there for a week and then having to scrub off food particles.
Once you've added water, just turn the gas knob and light up a match. There you have it, instant heat. The grill runs on those standard Coleman 16 oz. tanks, the type easily found at Target or Walmart for about $2.50. I find that I get anywhere from 5-8 cooking sessions from a tank.
One great thing about the small grilling surface is that it heats up very quickly and cooks evenly enough. OK, I've never yet owned a grill that cooks perfectly even but you get the point (I should also mention I've never owned a grill costing over $125 so that might be it). I find the grilling surface large enough to manage cooking 4 burgers or 3 average sized steaks/chicken breasts at the same time. It certainly is more than enough for a couple, but as for Coleman calling it a "Party" grill, any party of 4 or more might get anxious waiting to eat.
The grill does not include any sort of cover. I realize that this grill is mainly for convenience and not everyday cooking, but I still don't see how any sort of cover, even a cheap one was not included. This means you aren't getting any surrounding heat and can be more inconvenient to cook chicken breast or fish. I primarily cook burgers and steaks, and with chicken I try to avoid a really thick cut. I have my own makeshift cover (one from an old giant pot), but it still bugs me that they couldn't bother to include one. In fact the compact grill's color combination of black/gray/blue works well and looks sharp, until I throw my pot cover on top.
Overall I'm happy with this product. It's a great appliance to own if you live in an apartment. I've owned it about 2 years now and it's still holding up strong, offering excellent value for the money (I paid 40 bucks on ebay). As long as you're not an ambitious Bobby Flay wannabe and would be happy cooking hot dogs/burgers/steaks it is worth a look.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 40 (ebay)
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Epinions.com ID:
cashmoney1188
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Member: Cash Money
Location: California
Reviews written: 26
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
Saving cash. Making money. That's what I like.
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