Great Portable Grilling for a Small Family

Before we moved out west we had a large classy grill and a two barrel smoker. We left those behind with our children. We did take our Bradley Smoker with us, but sometimes it just seems right to toss a steak or a burger on a hot flame and grill it to deliciousness.

We had seen the Coleman Roadtrip Grill LXE before we left the east, but did not buy it there. We did, however, buy one from Joe's Sporting Goods when they had a fall sale on them after we got to Washington. We are entering our second summer season with it now.

What We Got

The grill comes nearly assembled in a box. We put the wheels and axle on and connected the folding stand to the grill body. It does not come with the 14 oz propane cylinders, but we knew this and got a couple. We also bought a couple of accessories  a carrying case and a griddle to replace one of the grids.. It looked nice sitting on its folding stand in its black and red colors. The plastic side tables slid out and made it look almost big. It still looks nice after well over a year of exposure to the elements. We don't baby it.

How It Works

We generally are happy with the grill. A bottle of propane lasts us through at least four grilling sessions, sometimes more. The push button lighting continues to work well, the temperature controls give us a range of heat that goes high enough to leave grill marks and low enough to slow cook a thick steak without burning the outside. Flareup is minimal. the cast metal, coated grids distribute the heat pretty well, and there are minimal hot and cold spots across the surface.

Cleanup

Cleanup is a mixed bag. The grills are easily removed and dishwasher safe. The exterior cleans up well with a little warm. soapy water. The grease tray goes in the dishwasher as well.

However, the main interior is permanently attached as are the burners. These require a lot of work to get clean and leave a mess on the ground as the greasy water drips through the grease drain opening. We have resorted to using a bucket under the grease hole and a hose and nylon brush to get this part clean after a grilling session. It works, but having those parts removeable would work better.

Portability

The legs fold under the body and make a rolling platform. The lid latches to the body and the propane container stores inside it. It makes a compact package for storing or placing in the trunk for a tailgate party.  We use the carrying case when we go to rough it in the Eastern Oregon gold country. Although our idea of roughing it is a motel, we have relatives we visit that live in places like ghost towns. The Roadtrip works well there to get us some hot grub while we visit.

Overall we like our Roadtrip. It seems to be well designed, except for those pesky cleanup issues, well constructed, and is stingy with propane. It has held up well to our neglect and we expect a few more years of faithful service.