If you own a boat and are looking to add a grill for cooking on the water, you are in the right place. After a detailed review of the available grills in stores, we have narrowed down the best sellers for you here. Our picks of the best boat grills have compact and portable designs.
They cook delicious meals and use clean propane power, making them safe to use on the water. If you have found other good models but struggle to select the best, this article is also for you. We have a thorough buyer’s guide that can help you make the best decision today.
Are you in a hurry?
If you’re looking for the best grill for your boat, here are our top three choices.
Best Overall
Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef's Style Propane Tabletop Grill
The two-burner Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef's Style will make your cooking trips special. Made from stainless steel, it does not rust when exposed to fresh or seawater. The material is also food-grade and has a robust structure that looks good and easy to clean. The two-burner system produces around 20,000 BTUs of power, which is enough for cooking most foods. Their sealed designs are efficient, while its grates are thick steel with a food-grade grilling surface. In addition, the product has a three-year warranty that covers manufacturing defects.
High-End Pick
Cuisinart CGG-180T CGG180T Portable Propane Grill
The Cuisinart CGG-180T CGG180T grill is a small briefcase-style gas grill that is perfect for traveling. It has a large cooking area (145 square inches) that cooks eight stakes and eight burgers. You can also cook four pounds of fish and 6-10 kitchen breasts without jostling for space. The burner churns out 5500 BTUs, while its aluminum legs are stable and easy to secure on pontoons—the lid locks for safe transport.
Amazon Smart Oven, a Certified for Humans Device – plus Echo Dot
Budget Pick
Char-Broil Portable 240 Liquid Propane Gas Grill
Char-Broil 240 is a travel-ready propane gas grill; best liked for its stability and ease of use. It is portable and has a patented lid-mounted system that cooks delicious meals for these reasons. First, you get around 240 square feet of cooking space, which is enough for most people. Second, cooking large meals, including chicken, beef, or vegetables, will be easy for you. Third, the body and grates have a porcelain coat that boosts its efficacy and longevity, while its sturdy legs work well on the ground and tables. Finally, you buy a 1-pound propane tank separately.
Benefits of Pontoon Boat Grills
If you spend a lot of time on a boat, you will have better results using a portable boat grill for many reasons. Here are a few main ones that might convince you to buy a new one today.
Portable: By nature, boat grills have compact designs that you can travel with quickly. They take up little table or ground space and are generally lighter, making them suitable for cooking on your boat. During your long trips, you should not carry packed lunch as you did before. A gas grill will make the journey more fun as you can cook fresh meals on the water.
Spacious: Even though compact, the best pontoon boat grills offer enough space for cooking family-size meals. Most models can fit and cook 6-10 pieces of chicken breast. You can also cook burgers, thick slabs of meat and fish without jostling for space. Overall, you get 145-240 square feet of cooking space.
Durable: The best boat grills have a marine-grade design that withstands abuse for a long time. Made from stainless steel, for instance, they can resist dings and water without issues. Other models have protective powder coats or a porcelain coat that adds to their strength even further. A new one will serve you well for many boat trips.
Powerful: With most brands of pontoon boat grills, you get a combined power output of over 20,000 British thermal units (BTUs). Even though compact, they support multiple cooking techniques such as broiling, searing, and roasting. If you buy a model with sealed burners, you will not worry about the wastage of heat and gas. They are very efficient gas grills.
Buying Guide for the Best Pontoon Boat Grills
Your boating trip will benefit from a boat grill, as indicated above. However, you can kill such benefits goodbye if you cannot find a reliable product that works well. Therefore, for the best results, keep these features in mind while ordering a new grill.
Size: You will not be able to carry a full-size grill to a fishing site and use it safely. So before buying a grill for an upcoming trip, check its size. Will it be able to fit on your boat? Also, make sure the boat can support the added weight. Smaller gas grills are light and therefore easy to carry over long distances.
Burners: How many burners does your product of choice have? What are their materials and design? If possible, look for a grill with two or more burners as they are hotter. Most of the time, such burners have independent controls for adjusting the heat. This enables you to cook up to two meals at the same time. The material should be durable. Stainless steel and cast iron are ideal as they are sturdy and resistant to heat and corrosion. The materials can also support heavy loads without collapsing.
Space: What is the capacity of the grill you are planning to order? If you often travel with a group of friends, an overly small pontoon boat grill might not satisfy your needs. You will need a large and versatile brand to meet your cooking needs. If you travel along or with a partner, a smaller one will work.
Top 5 Best Pontoon Boat Grills in 2021
Pontoon boat grills come in diverse brands for different people. Here are the top 5 brands in the market today that work well.
1. Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef's Style Propane Tabletop Grill
Features:
- Three-year warranty
- Durable stainless steel
- 2000 BTU system
- Dual burner design
- Non-stick grates (steel)
- Electronic ignition
- Lidded propane gas
Even though designed to work on tabletops, you can adapt a Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef's Style grill to work on a pontoon boat. The legs are sturdy and thus provide a secure anchor point for the grill. It is also compact, light, and able to cook delicious meals due to its feature-rich design. Its two-burner stainless steel design, for instance, offers ample cooking space. In addition, each burner produces 10000 BTUs (20,000 overall) and has a sealed design that stops leakage of heat while in use.
Most people can set up and use a Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef's Style in just 10 minutes. Most parts, including its lid, burners, and grates, come pre-assembled. It also has an electric ignition, which eliminates the need for matches to start a fire. All you have to do is attach a gas tank, and it will be ready to use.
The Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef's Style grill cooks evenly on non-stick grates (stainless steel). In addition, the system is clean (eco-friendly) and does not contain harsh elements such as phthalates/BPA.
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Our Verdict:
Apart from poor customer service, other attributes of the Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef's Style are laudable. The stainless-steel grill is durable and easy to set up. Burners are robust, while its large cooking area is ideal for cooking all meals. This propane grill weighs just 22-pounds, making it suitable for use on pontoon boats. In addition, you get a three-year warranty for all parts.
2. Cuisinart CGG-180T CGG180T Portable Propane Grill
Features:
- Lightweight (13.5 pounds)
- 145 square inch grilling area
- Foldaway legs
- Stainless steel burners
- Lidded design
- 13x16.5x16-inch grill
Weighing just 13.5 pounds, Cuisinart CGG-180T CGG180T is one of the lightest pontoon boat grills in the market. It measures 13x16.5x16-inches and has a durable tabletop design (red) with a 145 square inch grilling area. Therefore, you can cook 6-10 chicken breasts on this propane grill. You can also cook steak (up to eight), fish (up to 4 pounds), and burgers (up to eight) without running out of grilling space. The foldaway legs are equally beneficial while you are traveling.
With Cuisinart CGG-180T CGG180T, get two burners with a combined output of 11000 BTU. The burners are stainless steel and, therefore, durable. They are also efficient and have robust grates that support a lot of weight and spread heat evenly. In addition, this briefcase-style grill has a lid that you can lock while in transit. Like other parts, the cover has a robust structure made from stainless steel. It also seals in heat to ensure faster cooking.
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Our Verdict:
With the Cuisinart CGG-180T CGG180T, expect a durable and portable gas grill with 145 square inches of cooking space. It has two robust burners, each designed to churn out 5500 BTU. The steel structure is durable, while its portable design is suitable for travelling and cooking on pontoon boats on water.
3. Cuisinart CGG-059 Propane Grillster
Features:
- Lightweight (10 pounds)
- 146 square inches of space
- Electronic ignition
- Porcelain enamelled grates
- 8000 BTU burner
- 1-pound propane tank
- Secure lid (lockable)
Most of us appreciate the quality that Cuisinart grills deliver in homes and on the road. With the Grillster model, you can also cook delicious meals on pontoon boats on the water without sacrificing safety. The propane grill offers 146 square inches of cooking space with enameled grates that provide a non-stick cooking area. You can remove these grates and clean them in a dishwasher after cleaning grime and food residues. You also get an 8000BTU burner with electronic ignition. Once you have secured a 1-pound propane tank to the system, you turn on gas and press a start button to ignite the gas and start a fire.
Cuisinart CGG-059 weighs just 10 pounds, making it an ideal grill for traveling. It is also compact (19 x 11. 5 x 10 inches) but has everything that you will need to cook delicious meals in all settings. The product has secure legs that enable you to cook on a deck or patio safely. It also works on balconies and boats with a bit of tweaking. Buy yours today worry-free.
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Our Verdict:
Cuisinart CGG-059 delivers the quality that most of us know and love the Cuisinart brand for. The shell and grates are durable. You also get a non-stick cooking area (146 square inches) in a compact structure (20 pounds) ideal for travelling. While in use, you should check the temperature often as the system gets too hot. Also, use it in a flat, stable area.
4. Char-Broil Portable 240 Liquid Propane Gas Grill
Features:
- Portable briefcase-style
- 240 square feet of space
- Top-mounted thermometer
- Non-stick grilling grates
- Removable feet
- Secure lid (lockable)
Designed to mimic a simple briefcase, Char-Broil will satisfy your cooking needs on the road without costing a lot of cash. Even though compact, you get ample cooking space (240 square feet). Therefore, during trips, cooking meats, fish, and vegetables will be a piece of cake for you. In addition, the lidded cooking area is secure and has impressive features that will make trips even more fun. The grates, for instance, have a non-stick finish that prevents the grill from burning food. Also, you can cook delicious meals fast without using a lot of oil, which is a plus.
The secure aluminum legs of this grill have non-slip legs that work on most surfaces. You can remove both legs for safe storage or ease its transportation. You can also replace them with a model adapted for pontoon boats and use the grill on the water. Monitoring the temperature is very easy. First, check its level via the top-mounted thermometer of this propane grill. Then open and close the lid or regulate the amount of propane injected into the system to adjust the temperature. It is that easy.
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Our Verdict:
If you need a spacious and durable pontoon boat grill for an upcoming trip, the Char-Broil Portable 240 works well. You can customise it to fit and work well on most pontoon boats. It burns hot and has a lidded design with a temperature gauge.
5. Pit Boss Grills PB100P1 Pit Stop Single-Burner
Features:
- Push-button ignition
- Stainless steel structure
- 205 square inches of space
- 10000 BTU system
- Light and portable design
- Durable, foldable legs
- Uses one-pound cylinders
Pit Boss Grills PB100P1 is a reliable single burner grill that provides 205 square inches of cooking space. It is one of the best for traveling as it is compact and light. Moreover, it takes up a little hole in storage because it has foldable legs, which most users love. Therefore, if you spend a lot of time on a pontoon and have limited storage space, you will like the value of this grill. Furthermore, it churns out around 10,000 BTU, which is fantastic. Also, it uses a portable one-pound cylinder.
With this single burner grill, expect a robust accessory made from stainless steel. The material has good weather resistance. It is also resistant to rust and has a unique silver finish that does not lose its charm over time. The latching lid has a dome thermometer for checking the temperature quickly. Finally, you get U-shaped burners (10,000 BTU rated) with push-button ignition. Forget about matches while using a Pit Boss grill.
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Cons:
Our Verdict:
The Pit Boss is a durable stainless-steel grill that you can use anywhere including a balcony or a pontoon boat. You get 205 square inches of cooking space, which is amazing for its size. Heat output is ideal (10,000 BTU), which its portability is amazing.
Final Thoughts
Nothing is as interesting as serving fresh meals in the middle of nowhere on a pontoon boat. If you are tired of carrying packed food during outdoor trips, do not hesitate to buy one. They are solid, easy to set up and offer ample cooking space.
