Cooking on an RV grill at your campsite is a fun and tasty activity. Once you’ve cooked on a grill while RVing, you won’t turn back. Plus, making a mess outside is much more relaxing than cleaning up the kitchen inside your RV. Want to know more about RV grilling and which grill to buy? Keep reading as we reveal it all.
What Is an RV Grill?
An RV grill is simply a portable, smaller version of an outdoor grill you might have at your house. Types of grills used by RVers include propane, electric, charcoal, and even woodfired. Each has its benefits. Let’s dig in further.
What Are the Benefits of Owning an RV Grill?
An RV grill lets you cook outdoors while camping. And let’s face it, grilled food tastes so good! It can also be a healthier way to cook some foods. A portable, lightweight grill is easy to transport and take on camping trips. Cooking on an outdoor grill can also reduce odors inside your RV.
RV Grill Types
There are three different types of RV grills. Let’s take a look at all three.
Propane
Propane RV grills offer flexibility. They come in various shapes and sizes. You can transport a propane tank for the grill and use it whenever needed without having to find a plug-in or worry about charcoal spilling. If your RV has a propane quick-connect, you don’t even have to carry a separate propane tank for the grill.
Electric
Electric grills are typically the most portable and lightweight. There’s no need to keep propane or charcoal in stock or have to find somewhere to buy it last minute. However, they do require an electrical outlet to operate. If you’re in a campground with electricity, they can be a great option. But if you’re boondocking, we recommend going with propane or charcoal.
Charcoal
A portable charcoal grill is another option for RVing. Many think food tastes better when grilled on charcoal, and we agree. However, there are some drawbacks. First of all, you have to carry the charcoal with you while traveling. Second, if you’re camping in a no-burn zone, you won’t be able to use the charcoal grill. In this case, propane or electric will be better options.
Wood Fired
Our personal favorite type of RV grill is a portable wood-fired unit. This type of grill needs electricity to operate but they usually run on 12V and can plug into the RV’s batteries. The wood gives food an incredible flavor and can be used for grilling, baking and even cooking pizza!
Pro Tip: Mamma Mia! Cook up the perfect pie with this guide on How to Cook an Amazing Pizza Over the Campfire.
How Do I Connect a Propane Grill to My RV?
Some RVs have a propane quick connection. You’ll need an extension hose to connect the grill to the RV’s propane connection. You should see a label on the connection location, but we recommend reading the manual before utilizing this feature for the first time.
Pro Tip: Using propane might feel scary, but with preparation and proper use it is easy to Avoid A Propane Disaster.
8 Best RV Grills for Outside Campsite Cooking
Ready to shop for an RV grill? Here are seven of the best ones on the market for outside campsite cooking.
#1. Coleman RoadTrip 285
Type: Propane
About: Coleman’s RoadTrip 285 is a portable, standup gas grill. It has three adjustable burners with temperature control and a thermometer. The grill can turn out up to 20,000 BTUs. It doesn’t require a match to light, as it has a push-button ignition. Setting it up is easy, and it comes with sturdy, quick-fold legs and wheels. Coleman provides a three-year limited warranty for this product.
Price: Around $270
- GRILLING POWER: Up to 20,000 total BTUs
- 3 ADJUSTABLE BURNERS: With improved burner technology for more...
- LARGE GRILLING AREA: 285 sq. inches
Did You Know: Coleman doesn’t just make grills! Find out Are Coleman Campers Good RVs?
#2. Weber 51060001 Q1200
Type: Propane
About: The Weber 51060001 Q1200 propane grill is a favorite. It’s a lightweight tabletop grill that has one stainless steel burner. The 189-square-inch cooking area produces 8,500 BTUs. Its cooking grates are cast iron, and the lid and body are aluminum. There’s a quick-start electronic ignition and control burner valve settings.
Price: About $220
- One stainless steel burner produces 8500 BTU-per-hour to heat 189...
- Porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates and cast aluminum lid...
- Fully assembled out of box. Battery type: AAA
#3. Cuisinart CGG-180T Petit Gourmet
Type: Propane
About: Cuisinart’s CGG-180T Petit Gourmet gas RV grill has a 145-square-inch grilling area and foldable legs. It can cook eight burgers at a time with a powerful 5,500 BTU stainless steel burner. And it has an even-heating porcelain-enameled grate. The grill also comes with a carrying handle.
Price: Around $150
- Portable gas grill with 145-square-inch grilling area and...
- Cooks 8 burgers, 8 steaks, 6 to 10 chicken breasts, or 4 pounds...
- Powerful 5,500 BTU stainless-steel burner and even-heating...
Pro Tip: No place to wash off the dirt from camping? No problem! Check out these Body Wipes for Camping.
#4. Weber Jumbo Joe
Type: Charcoal
About: Weber’s Jumbo Joe charcoal grill is 18 inches. The portable, lightweight grill has a carrying handle and can hold up to eight burgers. It has a porcelain-enameled lid and bowl that help retain heat and won’t rust. There are also dampers to allow temperature control while cooking.
Price: About $75
- Travel with taste, or grill up a quick meal on your patio with...
- Holds up to eight burgers made with a Weber burger press
- Compact and lightweight for grilling on the go
#5. Flame King — YSNHT500 RV Grill
Type: Propane
About: The Flame King — YSNHT500 RV Grill can mount on your motorhome or trailer. It comes with a bracket for mounting, or you can set it on a table. The grill puts out 12,000 BTUs and has an adjustable flame controller. It also has an upper grill deck, making the entire grilling surface 214 square inches.
Price: About $93
- RV/TRAILER COMPATIBLE: This BBQ and Grill station comes with a...
- COMPLETE GRILLING STATION: This incredibly convenient motorhome...
- MOUNTABLE/FREE STANDING: The hanging rack can also be used as...
#6. George Foreman GGR50B
Type: Electric
About: The George Foreman GGR50B portable electric grill comes with a removable stand. It has a tough nonstick coating that’s easy to clean. The grill has an adjustable temperature control with five heat settings.
Price: Around $100
- George Tough Nonstick Coating - There's a lot to love about this...
- Indoor or Outdoor Removable Stand - Don't let the weather keep...
- Adjustable Temperature Control - The temperature probe lets you...
#7. Blackstone 1666 Heavy-Duty
Type: Propane
About: Blackstone’s 1666 heavy-duty grill station is a 22-inch tabletop griddle. It has 339 square inches of grilling surface and puts out 24,000 BTUs while heating evenly across the H-style burners. The grill also has a grease management system with a rear grease trap to make cleaning up easier.
Price: About $180
- Make your outdoor adventures a delicious affair with Blackstone...
- Portable convenience: Whether you are cooking in your backyard...
- Cook for one, cook for all: 339 Sq. Inch cooking surface and...
#8. Green Mountain Davy Crockett Trek
Type: Wood
About: Our personal favorite grill for cooking outside the RV currently is the Green Mountain Davy Crockett. This is a great small wood-fired grill/oven that has multiple attachments you can get for it, including a pizza oven that cooks pizza in 2 minutes! Folding legs are an additional addon that can make the unit fold up even smaller. The unit has wifi control and uses 12V power, making it ideal for connecting directly to an RVs power system. While a bit more expensive, cooking on this little grill is a pleasure and adds an amazing flavor to anything from steak to blackberry cobbler!
Price: Around $390
- New for 2021 is an adjustable heat baffle. This new feature...
- Control and monitor your grill from your couch or on-the-go with...
- Kick your taste buds into a new dimension!
Is an RV Grill Worth It?
We think you’ll get hooked if you try an RV grill. Part of the RV adventure is more time outdoors, and healthy cooking on a grill compliments the lifestyle well. Besides the amazing taste of grilling your food, the clean-up when cooking outdoors is a breeze. You may find yourself cooking on the grill for all three meals of the day.
What’s your favorite RV grill? Drop a comment below!
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Wendy J
Wednesday 10th of May 2023
I LOVE my Blackstone 17inch electric grill. I can cook every meal on it without any extra components that I had to use with my regular grill for fish, veggies, eggs etc. It is compact and sits right on top of my gas grill that came with our camper and can store away easily in it's bag. Easy clean up as well and the flame does not blow in the wind. They make a 17inch gas one as well but in a campsite with electric this does not use up our propane. I grill almost every meal outside and give it two thumbs up!
James
Thursday 21st of April 2022
I've been looking for the kind of grill that I can use at home and on the go, and that's the RV grill from Liquid. It is well built, easy to assemble, and works great from first use. I turned it on and it heated up to 500 degrees within 15 minutes. I also found a great thermometer to poke at from the side, and it's great too.
Bruce Birney
Monday 8th of November 2021
You've done a lot of research for this article. I have two of the Webber grills mentioned. And my favorite grill is the COBB (Cobb Grill America). It's compact, efficient and most of all versatile. It can handle smoking, steaks and chops, pizza, pasta, .... On the road I use it more that any other grill, even the stove and micro-wave.
I would encourage you to add it to the list.
Mortons on the Move
Monday 15th of November 2021
Thank you for the recommendation!