Best Boat Grills

A boat grill is one of the most essen­tial pieces of equip­ment for any boat own­er. Whether you’re out on the open water for a day or a week-long cruise, hav­ing a grill on board allows you to enjoy fresh-cooked meals with­out the has­sle of bring­ing a stove aboard. But with so many dif­fer­ent types of boat grills on the mar­ket, it can be hard to know where to start.

For­tu­nate­ly, we’ve done the research for you and cre­at­ed this com­pre­hen­sive guide to the best boat grills in 2023. Read on to learn more about the fea­tures to look for, the dif­fer­ent types of grills avail­able, and our top picks for the best boat grills.

Best Boat Grills

The best boat grills are those that are designed specif­i­cal­ly for marine use. These grills should be made of stain­less steel or oth­er rust-resis­tant mate­ri­als, and should be able to with­stand expo­sure to salt water, wind, and oth­er ele­ments. Look for fea­tures such as quick-release mount­ing sys­tems and remov­able grates that make clean­ing eas­i­er. Look for grills that are pow­ered by propane or nat­ur­al gas, as they will pro­vide more con­sis­tent heat and require less main­te­nance than char­coal grills.

1. Mag­ma Marine Ket­tle Gas Grill: The Mag­ma Marine Ket­tle Gas Grill is a high­ly regard­ed option for boat grilling. It is com­pact, portable, and designed to with­stand the harsh marine envi­ron­ment. It fea­tures a durable con­struc­tion, adjustable heat set­tings, and a reli­able igni­tion sys­tem.

2. Cuisi­nart Grill Mod­i­fied for Boats: The Cuisi­nart Grill Mod­i­fied for Boats is a pop­u­lar choice among boaters. This grill is a mod­i­fi­ca­tion of a stan­dard Cuisi­nart grill, specif­i­cal­ly designed for use on boats. It offers a com­pact size, con­ve­nient mount­ing options, and effi­cient heat dis­tri­b­u­tion for even cook­ing.

3. Kuuma Stow N’ Go 160 Gas Grill: The Kuuma Stow N’ Go 160 Gas Grill is known for its qual­i­ty con­struc­tion and excel­lent per­for­mance. It offers a large cook­ing sur­face, pow­er­ful heat out­put, and a sim­ple, user-friend­ly design. It is designed for easy stor­age and porta­bil­i­ty, mak­ing it ide­al for boat grilling.

4. Cole­man NXT Lite Table­top Propane Grill: The Cole­man NXT Lite Table­top Propane Grill is a bud­get-friend­ly option that pro­vides reli­able per­for­mance. It fea­tures a com­pact design, high heat out­put, and a spa­cious cook­ing sur­face. It is easy to use and clean, mak­ing it a con­ve­nient choice for boat grilling.

5. Mag­ma New­port 2 Gourmet Series Gas Grill: The Mag­ma New­port 2 Gourmet Series Gas Grill is a high-end option that offers excep­tion­al cook­ing per­for­mance and dura­bil­i­ty. It is con­struct­ed from marine-grade stain­less steel and fea­tures a large cook­ing area, adjustable heat con­trol, and a reli­able igni­tion sys­tem.

When you’re shop­ping for a boat grill, make sure to con­sid­er the size and porta­bil­i­ty of the unit. A big­ger grill will offer more cook­ing sur­face, but small grills are often eas­i­er to trans­port and store. Some grills are designed to be mount­ed to the boat, so make sure to check the mount­ing require­ments to ensure it will fit your boat. Look for grills that fea­ture adjustable heat set­tings, as this will allow you to cook dif­fer­ent types of food with­out hav­ing to use a lot of fuel.

Types of Boat Grills

When choos­ing a boat grill, it’s impor­tant to under­stand the dif­fer­ent types avail­able and how they’re designed for use on the water.

• Portable Propane Grills: These grills are designed for easy trans­port and use on boats. They typ­i­cal­ly use small propane can­is­ters for fuel and offer fea­tures like adjustable heat set­tings and com­pact designs.

• Elec­tric Grills: Elec­tric grills are a pop­u­lar choice for boaters who pre­fer a has­sle-free grilling expe­ri­ence. They are easy to use and require no fuel oth­er than elec­tric­i­ty. These grills often have remov­able cook­ing plates for easy clean­ing.

• Char­coal Grills: Char­coal grills are a clas­sic option for boat grilling. They pro­vide a dis­tinct smoky fla­vor and are suit­able for those who enjoy the tra­di­tion­al grilling expe­ri­ence. These grills require char­coal bri­quettes or lump char­coal for fuel.

• Infrared Grills: Infrared grills use infrared tech­nol­o­gy to heat the food direct­ly, result­ing in faster and more even cook­ing. They are known for their high heat out­put and ener­gy effi­cien­cy. These grills are typ­i­cal­ly avail­able in both propane and elec­tric ver­sions.

• Built-in Grills: Some boats come equipped with built-in grills that are specif­i­cal­ly designed for marine use. These grills are inte­grat­ed into the boat’s struc­ture and often offer fea­tures like stain­less steel con­struc­tion, pre­cise tem­per­a­ture con­trol, and easy clean­ing.

Here are the most pop­u­lar types of boat grills you’ll find on the mar­ket.

Portable Boat Grills

Portable boat grills are the most pop­u­lar type and offer the most con­ve­nience. These grills are designed to be light­weight and eas­i­ly trans­portable, and are often pow­ered by propane, butane, or char­coal. Portable boat grills are great for day trips and week­end get­aways, but may not be suit­able for longer voy­ages due to their small size.

Built-In Boat Grills

Built-in boat grills are designed to be per­ma­nent­ly installed on larg­er boats. These grills are typ­i­cal­ly pow­ered by propane and are designed to be more durable and weath­er-resis­tant than portable grills. Built-in grills are per­fect for longer trips and can make cook­ing and enter­tain­ing aboard more con­ve­nient.

Electric Boat Grills

Elec­tric boat grills are a great option for boats that don’t have access to propane. These grills are pow­ered by elec­tric­i­ty, either from a gen­er­a­tor or a shore pow­er con­nec­tion. Elec­tric grills are per­fect for boats that stay in one place for long peri­ods of time and don’t have access to propane.

Charcoal Boat Grills

Char­coal boat grills are a great option for those who pre­fer the taste of char­coal-grilled food. These grills use char­coal bri­quettes to pro­vide heat, and are great for day trips and week­end get­aways.

Conversion Boat Grills

Con­ver­sion boat grills are a great option for those who want the flex­i­bil­i­ty to switch between cook­ing with char­coal and propane. These grills come with both char­coal and propane burn­ers, and allow you to switch between the two with ease.

Features to Look For

When choos­ing a boat grill, there are a few key fea­tures to look for to ensure you get the best per­for­mance and val­ue. Here are the most impor­tant fea­tures to look for when shop­ping for a boat grill.

Size and Weight

When choos­ing a boat grill, size and weight are two of the most impor­tant fac­tors to con­sid­er. If you’re look­ing for a grill for a day trip or week­end get­away, you’ll want to choose a light­weight and portable grill. If you’re look­ing for a grill for a longer trip, a larg­er and heav­ier grill may be more suit­able.

Fuel Type

Anoth­er impor­tant fac­tor to con­sid­er when choos­ing a boat grill is the type of fuel it uses. Grills can be pow­ered by propane, butane, char­coal, or elec­tric­i­ty. Propane is the most pop­u­lar fuel type for boat grills, but if you don’t have access to propane, an elec­tric or char­coal grill may be a bet­ter option.

Ease of Use

When shop­ping for a boat grill, you’ll want to make sure it’s easy to use. Look for grills that have sim­ple con­trols and a design that makes it easy to light and adjust the heat. You’ll also want to make sure the grill is easy to clean, as you don’t want to spend hours scrub­bing after every use.

Durability

When buy­ing a boat grill, you’ll want to make sure it’s built to last. Look for grills that are con­struct­ed from cor­ro­sion-resis­tant mate­ri­als and have a durable fin­ish, such as stain­less steel. You’ll also want to make sure the grill is designed to with­stand the ele­ments, such as high winds and salt­wa­ter.

Best Boat Grills of 2023

Now that you know what to look for, here are our top picks for the best boat grills of 2023.

Magma Products Monterey Gourmet Series Infrared Gas Grill

The Mag­ma Prod­ucts Mon­terey Gourmet Series Infrared Gas Grill is our top pick for the best boat grill. This grill is con­struct­ed from cor­ro­sion-resis­tant stain­less steel and has a sleek and styl­ish design. It fea­tures a pow­er­ful 12,000 BTU burn­er and uses an infrared cook­ing sys­tem to reduce flare-ups and pro­vide even heat dis­tri­b­u­tion. It also has a remov­able grease tray and is easy to light and clean.

Cuisinart CGG-180 Petit Gourmet Portable Gas Grill

The Cuisi­nart CGG-180 Petit Gourmet Portable Gas Grill is our pick for the best portable boat grill. This light­weight and com­pact grill weighs in at just 13 pounds and is per­fect for day trips and week­end get­aways. It has a pow­er­ful 5,500 BTU burn­er and is pow­ered by propane. It also has a fold­ing stand and a lid with a built-in tem­per­a­ture gauge.

Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill

The Weber Q2200 Liq­uid Propane Grill is our top pick for the best elec­tric boat grill. This pow­er­ful and effi­cient grill is pow­ered by propane and has a pow­er­ful 12,000 BTU burn­er. It also has an easy-start elec­tron­ic igni­tion and a porce­lain-enam­eled cook­ing grate for even heat dis­tri­b­u­tion. It also has an alu­minum lid and a built-in ther­mome­ter for easy tem­per­a­ture con­trol.

Cuisinart CCG-190RB Portable Charcoal Grill

The Cuisi­nart CCG-190RB Portable Char­coal Grill is our top pick for the best char­coal boat grill. This com­pact and light­weight grill weighs just 12 pounds and is per­fect for day trips and week­end get­aways. It has a durable steel body and is pow­ered by char­coal bri­quettes. It also has a built-in ther­mome­ter and an adjustable air vent for easy tem­per­a­ture con­trol.

Best grills for pontoon boats

The­yare those that are designed for marine use, as they are designed for the spe­cif­ic needs of being on a boat. Look for grills that are made from stain­less steel, as this will help to resist rust­ing and cor­ro­sion from the ele­ments. Look for grills that are designed to be mount­ed to the boat, as this will make them more secure and sta­ble than free-stand­ing grills. For added con­ve­nience, con­sid­er a grill that has an attached side-table for hold­ing plates, condi­ments, and oth­er grilling essen­tials.

When choos­ing a grill for your pon­toon boat, also make sure to con­sid­er the size of the grill and the BTU rat­ing. A larg­er grill will require more BTUs to heat up, while a small­er grill will require few­er. It is impor­tant to con­sid­er the type of fuel your grill uses, as some grills are designed to use char­coal, while oth­ers are designed to use propane. If you plan on grilling fre­quent­ly, look for a grill with a large fuel tank so you don’t have to keep refill­ing it. Make sure to pay atten­tion to the manufacturer’s instruc­tions for prop­er care and main­te­nance of your grill, as this will help to extend its life.

Is it safe to grill on a boat?

FAQs

Conclusion

When it comes to choos­ing the best boat grill, there are a lot of fac­tors to con­sid­er. From size and weight to fuel type and ease of use, there is a lot to think about. We’ve done the research for you and put togeth­er this guide to the best boat grills of 2023. We’ve includ­ed our top picks for the best portable, built-in, elec­tric, char­coal, and con­ver­sion grills, so you can find the per­fect grill for your needs.

Hap­py grilling!