Rock Your Campfire Cuisine with Amazon Basics Heavy-Duty Folding Grill - The Ultimate Camper's Grill/Pan/Toaster.
"Sturdy, inexpensive, folds relatively small and doesn't seem prone to rust. Their are lighter alternatives, but value is strong."
Hello there, fellow campers. Geoff K here. I'm a man of simple pleasures; give me a canvas above, and a fire crackling below, and I'm downright giddy. My trusted sidekick, a spirited pooch named Jess, and I have spent the last forty years exploring Europe’s finest camping spots in all weathers. During this time, we've learnt that a good camp-fire grill isn't something to compromise on as it's a critical part of the outdoor experience. We recently got our hands on the Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Folding Campfire Grill to test it out.
This folding friend promises to stand up to the rigours of camp cooking, all while being lightweight and easily portable. After all, when you're adventuring in the wilderness, every pound matters in the backpack, and every square inch counts. Jess doesn't carry much besides her enthusiasm, so it's mostly on me to pack efficiently. Let's see if this new piece of kit meets our expectations and delivers the quality performance we need, making our camp culinary experience a pleasant one. Grab your marshmallows, let’s get grilling.
Features
The Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Folding Campfire Grill is designed for cooking over open fires. It is constructed from durable, high-quality welded steel and features a steel mesh grill top. The grill is compatible with outdoor cookware, such as heavy cast iron, but not suitable for direct-contact grilling. The legs of the grill are designed to angle outwards for increased stability and can be folded under for easy transportation and storage. It is medium-sized.
Weight 2.23 kgs Material Cast Iron Dimensions 29.97 x 46.99 x 23.37 cm Good For Grilling
Highlights
The Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Folding Campfire Grill is a brilliant addition to any camping expedition. Its robust strength and size make it ideal for cooking out in the wild. This isn't some flimsy piece of camping equipment; it's made of high-quality welded steel, strong enough to support the weight of heavy cast iron cookware such as Dutch ovens without a problem. In fact, the size is perfect for cooking multiple things at once, which is especially useful when cooking for a group. It's also compact and easy to transport, with legs that fold up neatly underneath, a handy feature for those who value utility and portability in their camping gear.
What stood out to me was its flexibility in terms of the cooking process; pans or baking sheets aren't necessarily needed as you can cook directly on top of the steel-mesh grill. Whether you're cooking for a gathering of outdoor enthusiasts or simply enjoying a solo adventure in the serenity of the wild, this grill can accommodate all of your culinary needs. It was especially useful during the lockdown period, proving that it doesn't need to be confined to camping alone.
Upon receiving a replacement for a defective unit, I found the grill to have smooth spot welds and it sat flush on the ground. This stability is crucial when traversing uncharted paths and setting up camp in potentially uneven terrain. It's clear the product is built with the outdoor enthusiast in mind and it delivers. Overall, this heavy-duty campfire grill deservingly recommends itself to any camper who values tough, long-lasting, and practical gear to fuel their adventures in the great outdoors.
Is this the best Grill/Pan/Toaster for you?
Check out our full roundup: Best Versatile Grill & Toaster for Camp Fires, Gas Hobs and Induction
Concerns
While the Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Folding Campfire Grill is marketed as a high-quality product, it seems to be made from a lower-grade steel. Also, it's worth noting that it's quite heavy, which can be a bit of a hassle when you're trying to transport it to and from your campsite.
Another issue I encountered was with the folding legs. They can collapse quite easily, which is not ideal when you're cooking over an open fire. A locking mechanism would be a great addition to ensure stability. Also, the instructions advise using it on a level surface, but it doesn't sit flush on the floor. It seems like the legs are not the same size, which is a manufacturing oversight. Despite these issues, it serves as a decent low table for cooking off and placing hot pots on, but it's not quite the heavy-duty campfire grill advertised.
Should You Buy?
To summarize, the Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Folding Campfire Grill truly shines in some areas, but somewhat underdelivers on others. As a robust and versatile camping grill, it is ideal for various outdoor cooking activities. Its strength, adequately designed size, and rugged built quality are unquestionably impressive, capable of evenly supporting and heating cast-iron campfire cookware. The grill's compact and easily transportable design enhances its utilitarian charm, making it the perfect accompaniment on any wilderness expedition.
Negatives, however, primarily come from its manufacturing quality and stability. The grade of steel and dispersion of spot welds raise concerns about its long-term durability. The folding legs, albeit a clever space-saving feature, are prone to accidental collapse, which can be troublesome when in full-blown cooking mode. Its advertised proposition certainly leaves room for quality and design improvement.
In my overall assessment, despite its shortcomings, the Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Folding Campfire Grill excels in several ways. Given its affordability, it can certainly be considered for someone needing a dependable camping grill. It's not without its flaws, but it merits consideration. Remember that this isn't a lightweight grill made for delicate culinary endeavours - it's a solid, inexpensive workhorse built to withstand the rugged charm of outdoor adventures. But yes, ensure you're comfortable with the weight and the product’s long-term durability before buying. While it’s far from perfect, it holds strong value and brings a noteworthy toughness to the table, literally and metaphorically. So, if you're the type who values substance over style in your camping gear, this grill might be your ticket.
(Price When Reviewed: £26.00)
Rating
Co-founder of Destiny River, with over forty years of experience camping throughout Europe, I'm happier sleeping under canvas than sleeping under a roof! I hope to inspire others to appreciate and protect the remarkable landscapes that our planet has to offer.
More posts by Geoff K.Alternatives Products for you to consider:
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| 1 |
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Ridgemonkey Connect Sandwich Toaster Standard, with Integrated Tools | If space or weight is a premium (when isn't it?) this is our top recommendation for a versatile, quality, well thought out toaster/pan. | See Our Review | |
| 2 |
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FENNEK 4FIRE - Grill plate for the FENNEK Hexagon Fire Pit | Sturdy, portable and would work with most other (low) fire pits or an open fire. Recommended at this price as it should last a lifetime. | See Our Review | |
| 3 |
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Ridgemonkey Connect Sandwich Toaster XL, Granite with Integrated Tools | Arguably the gold-standard for versatile, well thought out pans/toastie makers for camping and vanning - but is the XL version worth it? | See Our Review | |
| 4 |
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SQ Professional Die-Cast Aluminium Griddle Pan / Toaster | High quality, traditional product that will last - sturdy and works well with induction hob - but watch for hot handles. | See Our Review |
Perfect Campfire Grill for Camping.
This Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Folding Campfire Grill is a fantastic enhancement for outdoor fires and especially for camping. Although you can't technically cook directly on it, it accommodates a BBQ rack perfectly which we utilized for cooking. It has a good size that's ideal for cooking for a small family.
Practical and High-Quality
Review Summary: This Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Folding Campfire Grill is impressive for its price point. It's sturdy and well-built. Despite using it all day, it maintained its shape without any sagging.
When it comes to its construction, it's crafted from mild steel and coated to emulate the feel of wrought iron (though it's not actually wrought iron). While the manufacturing may appear a bit crude and the welding might raise some eyebrows, its sturdiness stands out. It has never given me any trouble, shown any signs of failure, or indicated an inability to handle light-duty cooking tasks.
Delivers as Promised.
Purchased this for a buddy to utilize on his homemade fire pit (a mere hole within the ground). Initially, I assumed pans or at least baking sheets was necessary to cook on it, but that was a mistaken idea. Directly cooking on top of it is feasible, or you can opt to use pans if you want. The moment we are permitted to visit, we tried it out and wasn't disappointed. #BBQlockdown.
Sturdy and heavey
Despite the long grass at the campsite which prevented me from utilizing it as a ground fire grill, I did manage to employ it as a lower altitude cooking station for hot pots. The heavy-duty build of this grill is apparent, although I have yet to test it over an open flame, hence my 4-star rating. However, I noticed that the folding legs can fold back easily, a locking mechanism would be a worthy addition to this product. Additionally, it's pretty weighty, just to note.
Badly crafted, need tweaks for perfect
This Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Folding Campfire Grill appears to be constructed from a lesser quality steel and the durability may be in question due to the sparsely distributed spot welds. At its current price point, it's marginally acceptable, however, after investing in additional welds and attaching corner braces, the functionality improves significantly. For 17.50 on the XL version, the value proposition is more or less justified.
Perfect for Camping Cuisine
The dimension of this grill is impressive, enabling me to prepare multiple dishes concurrently. The robustness of the steel is adequate to bear the weight of items like a Dutch oven, yet it isn't overly heavy for traveling purposes. Considering its price, it's a product I would undoubtedly endorse.
Excellent for Outdoor Camping
Stellar grill for wilderness camping. It's is very sturdy and suitable size for food preparation.
Requiered New Grill
If it wasn't for the inconvenient weight of this Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Folding Campfire Grill, I would have returned it. It advises to set it up on a flat surface in the instructions, yet it is impossible due to it not being able to sit evenly on the ground. It seems the legs are uneven and it appears poorly constructed. However, upon receiving a replacement, I was thoroughly pleased. The stand for my pot sat perfectly level and the spot welds were greatly improved compared to the initial product sent to me.
Served well ober small fire
This Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Folding Campfire Grill proved to be quite useful during our camping trips, especially when preparing our meals. It comfortably accommodates up to four pans, provided they are not overly large.
Sturdy but big be real big.
I purchased this 'Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Folding Campfire Grill' for our scouting trips. It's an excellent piece of equipment, although the size is larger and heavier than I anticipated. However, the product description was accurate, and had I measured our fire pits, I would probably have opted for the standard size. But since we use it for stationary camping, the size issue doesn't really affect us and overall, I still give it high ratings.