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Old 03-08-2014, 01:17 AM   #1
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Gas grill on the cheap(er)

I'm a notorious cheapskate in some ways. I'll make or build something instead of buying just to save a buck.

I've wanted a gas grill to take camping for years (Charcoal does win, but gas makes it too easy. Sorry.) but small grills are either junky or so expensive that I'll just do without.

At the dealer I bought my Sierra from they had a tabletop gas grill for camping for nearly $300. It was decent looking, packed down small enough, but $300? Someone has bumped their head.

Yesterday I was in Home Depot for other reasons and saw a Brinkman tabletop grill, good looking construction, packs down to the same footprint of the camping grill and is about 1/3 taller when stowed.

The catch? $99. Plus, they had two display models out so they sold me one of the displays for $79. Brought it home, fired it up and it heats up very well, doesn't transmit too much heat to the tabletop either. Fairly light, I can carry it easily.

So if you're looking for a tabletop grill, this is worth looking into.

Brinkmann 2-Burner Tabletop Propane Gas Grill-810-1200-S at The Home Depot
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Old 03-08-2014, 05:00 AM   #2
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Tables like this still get (Burn Marks) from tabletop grills! Tables in lots of C/G are now (Plastic Coated Steel) they wear well but (Melt) when (Grills or Hot Skillets) are placed on them! Youroo!!
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Old 03-08-2014, 05:25 AM   #3
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I have this from Sam's paid $99 for it. Does a good job. it is semi retired for now new 5ver came with the bumper grill. Will take it out of retirement if the new grill disappoints.


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Old 03-08-2014, 09:34 AM   #4
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I have this from Sam's paid $99 for it. Does a good job. it is semi retired for now new 5ver came with the bumper grill. Will take it out of retirement if the new grill disappoints.


Bought this last fall but haven't used it yet (other then to fire it up) since the new 5er will be picked up in 10 days.
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Old 03-08-2014, 10:04 AM   #5
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To quote you "I'm a notorious cheapskate in some ways. I'll make or build something instead of buying just to save a buck." I don't look at it as cheap,I look at it as I can build it better than they can and the way I want it instead of settling for their cheaply built inferior product. As to the Gas grill I can't build it better but can improve it or modify it. Bought the grill from Sam's works good but needs something of a better flash protection from grease.
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Old 03-08-2014, 10:58 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by youroo View Post
Tables like this still get (Burn Marks) from tabletop grills! Tables in lots of C/G are now (Plastic Coated Steel) they wear well but (Melt) when (Grills or Hot Skillets) are placed on them! Youroo!!
I don't think (that word I'm not not well versed in.) this one will burn anything. I let it run for 20 minutes at full tilt to see how hot the surface would get and I could lay my hand underneath it, the surface of my tailgate was only slightly warm. I'll monitor it but I don't think this one will cause that issue.

I'll find out in a couple of weeks!
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Old 03-09-2014, 08:17 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by SKnight View Post
I'm a notorious cheapskate in some ways. I'll make or build something instead of buying just to save a buck.

I've wanted a gas grill to take camping for years (Charcoal does win, but gas makes it too easy. Sorry.) but small grills are either junky or so expensive that I'll just do without.

At the dealer I bought my Sierra from they had a tabletop gas grill for camping for nearly $300. It was decent looking, packed down small enough, but $300? Someone has bumped their head.

Yesterday I was in Home Depot for other reasons and saw a Brinkman tabletop grill, good looking construction, packs down to the same footprint of the camping grill and is about 1/3 taller when stowed.

The catch? $99. Plus, they had two display models out so they sold me one of the displays for $79. Brought it home, fired it up and it heats up very well, doesn't transmit too much heat to the tabletop either. Fairly light, I can carry it easily.

So if you're looking for a tabletop grill, this is worth looking into.
I feel your pain and know exactly how you feel. You aren't being cheap imo. I'm in the market for an outside grill too. I'm leaning towards a Weber, I know, expensive but they do last. With the home gas grill I kept buying the cheaper ones and got tired of replacing them every few years cause of rot so I took the dive and bought a Weber. I've had it for 10 years now and only had to replace the "flavorizer bars", the metal bars that cover the gas jets and catch all the grease. Been real happy with it so I figure I might as well stick with them. Maybe I can get a display model.
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Old 03-09-2014, 09:21 AM   #8
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No messy charcoal, no burnt or dried out meats from gas. It's a wood pellet grill for me. I have been grilling and smoking with one for the last eight years or so. Fill the hopper, set the temp, place the meat of your choice and grab a beer. No flare ups EVER! Added flavor from the wood pellets which can be had in hickory, mesquite, maple and many other flavors. That's a tri-tip smoking in the middle picture and yes that is bacon cooking on the grill in the bottom picture. Bacon cooked this way is great! Don't try bacon on a charcoal or gas grill without a fire hydrant nearby....
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Old 03-09-2014, 09:47 AM   #9
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A pellet grill? That is cool!
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Old 03-09-2014, 09:59 AM   #10
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Tables like this still get (Burn Marks) from tabletop grills! Tables in lots of C/G are now (Plastic Coated Steel) they wear well but (Melt) when (Grills or Hot Skillets) are placed on them! Youroo!!
At Thousand Trails and also Fawn Ridge in FL, there are a lot of plastic top picnic tables with warped places in them from table top grills. Some folks just have no respect or don't realize the bottom of the grill should be at least 10" -12" above the plastic top. I've seen some use the 3 or 4 2x's under each leg to elevate the grills. Luckily the RVQ's that come on the Flagstaffs have a rack that elevates the grill about 10" when used on a table.
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Old 03-09-2014, 10:15 AM   #11
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I wanted a stand alone grill because we bought a small table that would hold four place settings but not the grill.

Spent about 90 bucks for a red Coleman and a few more bucks for a hose to hook that to a 20 pound tank.

Not melting a table is just a side effect of my actions.


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Old 03-25-2014, 07:01 AM   #12
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Hey Campster,

Love the pellet grill! Where did you get it? What did it cost?

Thanks,
Brookman
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Old 03-25-2014, 07:54 AM   #13
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At Thousand Trails and also Fawn Ridge in FL, there are a lot of plastic top picnic tables with warped places in them from table top grills. Some folks just have no respect or don't realize the bottom of the grill should be at least 10" -12" above the plastic top. I've seen some use the 3 or 4 2x's under each leg to elevate the grills. Luckily the RVQ's that come on the Flagstaffs have a rack that elevates the grill about 10" when used on a table.
Put me in that category. I didn't realize the bottom of the grill should be at least 10" -12" above the top of the surface the grill is on. The grill had legs, I thought they'd be sufficient. Fortunately, the only thing that I melted up was my own TV tray.
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Old 03-25-2014, 08:10 AM   #14
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Hey Campster,

Love the pellet grill! Where did you get it? What did it cost?

Thanks,
Brookman
It is a Traeger Junior...You can buy them directly from Traeger or find a dealer in your area. Sometimes they are for sale at Costco stores, that is where I bought mine. If I remember right I paid $299.00 for it at costco, they had a sales rep there that day and were running a special. Traeger also has a smaller grill called the PTG (portable tail gator) but the grilling area is too small for my needs. I installed a tailgator kit on mine which removes the legs and adds four wheels for ease of moving it around.
I have been smoking and grilling with a wood pellet grill for the last 8 or 9 years. I recently traded in my larger Traeger home grill for a Louisiana Grill pellet grill, I like it a lot. I tried charcoal and gas for camping but missed the added flavor that the pellets bring so bought the Junior just for camping. Every time I fire it up while camping I make instant friends who are curious as to where the wonderful smell of the wood pellets is coming from. Believe me, once you taste something smoked or grilled on a wood pellet grill you will set your gas grill by the curb with a "FREE" sign on it....
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Old 03-25-2014, 08:28 AM   #15
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This is interesting--- but folks need to be aware a pellet grill requires
120v AC.
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Old 03-25-2014, 08:37 AM   #16
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This is interesting--- but folks need to be aware a pellet grill requires
120v AC.
I bought a generator just for the boon docking occasions. I think you can also use an inverter to power them. The only time they use much power is when you first turn them on. There is a hot rod that heats up and starts the pellets on fire. After a few minutes it shuts off and the auger cycles on and off depending on the cooking temp..
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Old 03-25-2014, 09:06 AM   #17
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I wonder if you can buy "flavored" pellets. Applewood, mesquite, hickory. That would be cool.

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Old 03-25-2014, 09:51 AM   #18
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This is interesting--- but folks need to be aware a pellet grill requires
120v AC.
I have a green mountain grill Daniel bone pellet grill which uses 120v Their new Davey Crockett (tailgater 200+ sq in cooking space) comes with a transformer to step down from 120 & alligator clips to hook directly to a 12v battery. I'm hoping to get one and add a 12v plug to power it while camping. I agree about the extra smells and flavor with pellets.

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Old 03-25-2014, 02:18 PM   #19
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I've been bringing my weber grill and my kettle style Masterchef smoker every time we go camping. Everyone loves my smoked pulled pork sandwiches. It's a tradition now.
I love this pellet grill/ smoker I'm seeing from Campster! I'd be killing two birds with one stone... less weight and space to store in fifth storage. I gotta get one!!
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Old 03-25-2014, 10:17 PM   #20
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Here are a few crabs and some chicken cooking up on the Traeger Jr. The crab were given to us by some people that were camping next to us in Newport Oregon. They needed to borrow a few tools. They had already boiled them up, I was just warming them up for our dinner.
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This one is of some smoked babyback ribs and asparagus, never a problem eating while camping..
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