Napoleon Travelq Portable Propane Gas Tabletop Grill Reviews

Introducing the Napoleon TravelQ Pro 285, a portable gas grill for cooking on the become. Read on to learn the key specs and features, plus an in-depth review of associates and usage.

I honestly was almost to write, "If you don't find me at home, yous'll probably find me somewhere else." It was so encarmine absurd, I decided to include information technology anyway so we could all have a adept express joy.

My point was to be that when I'g at home, I dear to grill. And I honey to grill on a quality barbecue. When I'm non at home, I withal dearest to grill. Picnics, embankment days, camping — they all go meliorate with some tasty food hot off the 'cue. Just, what'southward ofttimes missing is that prissy grill; I've cooked up dejeuner and supper on some god-awful "barbecues."

Napoleon thinks that shouldn't be the case. Then, I decided I needed to cheque out what their fine engineers had come up with.

If you're in the marketplace for a small, portable gas grill, join me as I observe what the Napoleon TravelQ Pro 285 brings to the picnic table. We'll go through the unboxing and associates process, review cadre features and specs, then put it through its paces. By the end of this review, you lot'll know if information technology's right for you lot, and I'll know if I've wasted my money.

Beginning, let's become superficially judgmental.

Contents (Jump to Topic)

• 1 First Impressions
• 2 Overview and Core Features
  • 2.1 What We Like
  • two.2 What Could Be Improved
• 3 Who is the Napoleon TravelQ Pro 285 Best Suited to?
• four Unboxing and Associates
  • 4.1 What's Included
  • 4.two Ease of Associates
• 5 Overall Build Quality
• 6 The Napoleon Pro 285 in Use
  • six.i Portability
  • vi.2 Ease of Functioning
  • 6.3 Temperature Control and Accurateness
  • 6.4 Grilling and Smoking Performance
  • half dozen.v Ease of Cleaning
• seven Napoleon Company Overview, Back up and Warranty
• 8 Practise We Recommend the Napoleon Pro 285?
• ix Final Thoughts

Napoleon TRAVELQ PRO285 Portable Gas Grill

A portable grill with 285 square inches of cooking space, with a high topped hat and dual burners, will allow you to cook up to xx burgers at one time, roast a craven, turkey, or even prime rib. All in a professional package with quality components and loftier build quality.

First Impressions

Well, information technology has that basic black thing downwards and looks similar a charcoal-broil, non an accompaniment colour-coordinated with your cooler. Information technology reminds me in appearance of the Weber Q series portable grills. Simply I suppose at that place are only so many means to configure ane of these things. It doesn't wow me with its looks, but there's nothing incorrect with it, either.

I'm pleased to run into two knobs on the front end. Two burners should equate to two-zone cooking and more versatility than y'all often get on a stow-and-go BBQ. Nosotros tested this and can report information technology'southward successful and versatile in this manner.

It's a solid-looking and feeling grill with a cast aluminum body and lid, and I instantly got the feeling information technology'll hold up to a lot of travel and the inadvertent corruption that goes along with that. I also notice that the lid seems pretty tall, alpine enough to suit a pocket-sized ham or a chicken. I always dearest having options beyond the obvious.

The stainless steel burner tubes look excellent quality, will non rust, and are built to concluding. And the cast-iron cooking grates are substantial, will hold heat and sear beautifully, and will last for many years if bones cast-atomic number 26 upkeep protocols are followed.

Overview and Core Features

How does the Napoleon Pro 285 spec out, and what are the pros and cons? Got that all correct hither.

• Cooking area: 285 foursquare inches
• Burners: 2 stainless steel tubes
• BTUs: 12,000 (2 x 6000)
• Dimensions (W, D, H): 29" x 18.5" x 14.75"
• Weight: 29 pounds
• Material: Cast aluminum
• Grill grate fabric: Porcelain-coated cast iron
• Warranty: 10 years on lid and base; 5 years on burner tubes and grates; 2 years on everything else

Portable grilling ofttimes means making compromises versus what y'all're used to at domicile. Typically, you lot surrender on space, versatility, and cooking quality to bask some basic charcoal-broil. I won't say the Napoleon TravelQ Pro285 completely does away with compromise, but it is a lot closer to a domicile grill experience than nigh portable gas grills permit.

The dual burners are possibly the chief differentiator between this grill and many other portables. If y'all know nearly two-zone cooking already, yous know how much variety this instantly adds to what yous tin melt. For case, with 1 burner upwards high and one down low, you can sear a steak on the hot side and finish information technology on the cooler side. Or, you can exit one burner off and cook meat using indirect heat grilling.

Fortunately, the tall hat provides enough pinnacle to melt something large enough to warrant the indirect oestrus method. There's enough room for a small chicken or game bird or a modest roast.

Thanks to its squat build, the Napoleon TravelQ Pro 285 is sturdy and very difficult to knock over. Thick, plastic handles stick out from each side, making information technology like shooting fish in a barrel to carry — simply not while information technology's hot; that'southward an express route to burnt fingertips.

The dual cooking grates feature Napoleon's signature moving ridge pattern, making grilling small items like asparagus much more manageable — they won't fall between the bars! I likewise love how this design prevents wieners and sausages from sitting in the grooves, a particular pet peeve of mine.

I suppose since y'all'll typically employ this grill on a tabletop or tailgate, we can alibi the lack of side shelves. Still, I'd prefer to accept them at that place, so I accept the option, at least.

What We Like

Dual burners hateful more variety, including cooking over indirect estrus, searing on one side and finishing on the other, or having a "continue warm" zone.

The bandage aluminum structure is durable and traps heat efficiently, allowing for roasting under the dome-like hat.

The grates are frequently the weak indicate of a portable grill. But, these bandage-iron grates are every bit as good every bit those constitute on full-size Napoleon barbecues.

The fact this grill hooks upward to large propane tanks and not one lb. disposables can be seen as a bonus due to the extra running time, longer time needed betwixt changing bottles, and the resulting savings in cost to run the grill due to cheaper fuel.

What Could Be Improved

Bandage aluminum is lighter than cast iron, but it's still a heavy grill for a portable unit of measurement. Don't plan on hiking also far with it unless you lot have assist and carry it between ii people.

Unless you buy the version with the folding stand, in that location are no side shelves for a workspace.

The connector hose running from the burners to your propane tank is a bit brusk, so information technology may require some strategic thinking to hook upward.

Did we say the fact it hooks up to bulk tanks is a feature we similar? Well, it's a double-edged sword. You cannot apply disposable 1 lb. bottles at all, y'all can only utilise large tanks.

This fact takes away from this grill's portability equally you lot need to transport a big gas bottle along with the grill, which may limit its appeal. There is also no way to convert the grill to use 1 lb. bottles every bit there only isn't room under the grill to connect a bottle with the right orientation safely. You lot are stuck with large gas bottles only on the end of a hose.

Who is the Napoleon TravelQ Pro 285 Best Suited to?

The primary purpose of this grill is to requite you something to cook on when you're away from dwelling. As such, it's best for people who like to army camp, especially drive-in camping and RVing, since it's on the heavy side for backpacking. Information technology would likewise be great at a cottage or cabin, on a boat, or equally a tailgating grill.

You might also consider it as a secondary grill for habitation. For example, if your main charcoal-broil is tied up with a roast or turkey or annihilation that requires an extended melt time, you could use the Pro 285 to cook a few burgers or hot dogs at the same time, or maybe some veg for a side dish.

Anyone cooking solo or for two or with express outdoor space might likewise love this grill, given the small footprint and relative versatility.

Napoleon TRAVELQ PRO285 Portable Gas Grill

A portable grill with 285 square inches of cooking space, with a loftier topped lid and dual burners, will allow you to cook upward to 20 burgers at once, roast a craven, turkey, or fifty-fifty prime rib. All in a professional parcel with quality components and high build quality.

Unboxing and Assembly

Just so you know what you're in for, here's a preview of what to look when your own Napoleon TravelQ Pro 285 arrives, and you're fix to put it together.

What'south Included

Within the well-packed box is your grill (pretty much fully assembled) and an owner's manual and setup guide. Seriously, that's information technology, other than the cardboard inserts that keep it from moving around in transit.

Ease of Associates

Unless you lot count removing the plastic covers from the grates and and then putting them in identify, there is no assembly required for the Napoleon TravelQ Pro 285. Gotta love that.

However, Yous should follow a seasoning process with the cast-atomic number 26 grates earlier utilise, to help create a non-stick layer and protect the grates from rust. And then plan on a skilful 90 minutes or so to get this done. But it'southward a one-off procedure and should be followed with anything cast-iron that you ever buy and cook on.

Overall Build Quality

Like all Napoleon grills, the Travel Q Pro 285 is a premium barbecue that'southward expertly built from high-quality materials.

The bandage aluminum body and lid strike an almost perfect residuum between durability and weight reduction. Information technology's notwithstanding moderately heavy at 36 pounds, only it's not unmanageable. Plus, the trade-off is meliorate bear upon resistance, and it holds in heat more efficiently for more consequent cooking than yous'll experience on cheaper models.

The quality of the cooking grates is exceptional, especially compared to other portables. Yous await to get steel wire grates in a compact grill. Only, Napoleon raised the bar on the Pro 285, going with porcelain-coated cast iron for superior heat distribution — and sexy grill marks! Honestly, I've owned full-sized abode grills with significantly worse grates.

Beneath the grates are twin stainless steel burner tubes, each one looping back in itself to form a rough square. Not only are they made of quality material, merely they too deliver fifty-fifty heating with a minimum of hot spots. In improver, the JETFIRE ignition is responsive and normally lights on the first effort.

The Napoleon Pro 285 in Utilize

I've at present owned the Napoleon Pro 285 for a few months and have used information technology multiple times at home and twice while camping.

Here'south how I found the grill in actual use, cooking meals for my family friends.

Portability

I would summarize this grill equally existence the biggest yous can get away with while still being able to call it portable. Whatever bigger, and y'all would have to say it's non meant for travel.

It's a fairly big grill, and considering of its shape doesn't pack too well. It tin can also just be run from large gas bottles connected to a hose, not your typical ane lb. camping bottles. Because all this, it's not the about portable of grills by whatever ways.

Just it does fit hands into about car'southward trunks and is light enough to be carried by a single person, although taking an end each past ii people is meliorate.

All in all, information technology's a neat grill for small backyards, and perfectly suited for those with RVs or campers who have a lot of infinite in which to transport a grill.

There is likewise an optional scissor stand with wheels, that folds downwardly and converts the grill into essentially a loaded sack truck for easy wheeling about. This stand also provides side tables for a workspace. This setup might be preferable to some with an RV or campervan.

Napoleon TravelQ Pro 285X Portable Gas Grill on Scissor Stand up

A portable grill with 285 square inches of cooking space, with a high topped chapeau and dual burners, will permit you to cook up to twenty burgers at once, roast a craven, turkey, or fifty-fifty prime rib. All in a professional package, with quality components and high build quality, with collapsible scissor stand included.

Ease of Operation

Using the grill could non be simpler.

To go things going, it has a built-in JETFIRE ignition system, that ignites a flame thrower like flame when you plough the gas knob and push information technology in, igniting the 2 burners. No batteries are required.

This JETFIRE feature has worked for me first fourth dimension, every fourth dimension, since I've owned the grill.

The gas knobs are big and convenient, and the lid thermometer is fairly authentic in my testing.

Then this grill is easy to light, easy to control temperature on, and overall ease of use is simple. Just allow'southward swoop deeper into different aspects of its apply.

Temperature Control and Accuracy

The Napoleon Pro 285 grill has two contained burners, one for each half of the grill. This allows yous to create two split heat zones for grilling at different temps or roasting and smoking by using merely ane burner and leaving the second ane off.

The gas dials have approximately 135 degrees of rotation to have the burner strength from 100% downwards to a small deadening flame, then there's plenty of room and rotation for adjustment.

The dials aren't marked for temperature, but that's perfectly normal as information technology varies so much, because one burner or two, ambient air temperature, air current, and more. Just being a gas grill, the result of adjustments is quick, and you lot just need to look a few minutes to run across where the new temperature settles, as reported on the built-in lid thermometer.

And the born 'Accu-Probe' lid thermometer is reasonably accurate and reliable. Mostly speaking, born grill thermometers are highly unreliable, but information technology's reasonably shut and easily practiced enough later comparing the Napoleon Pro 285 lid thermometer with my digital probes.

So for temperature control and accuracy, this grill passes the examination.

Grilling and Smoking Functioning

I've cooked numerous things on this grill at present, and I'm pleased to say it grills excellently and performs almost besides as a full-sized grill, which from the size and quality on brandish, y'all can run across was Napoleon'due south intention.

From startup with both burners, it takes just over 10 minutes to get upwardly over 550 °F which is quick, and enough hot enough for some serious searing capability. And the wavy cast iron grates oestrus upwards and agree heat well, that in combination with the big D-shaped burners, ensure an even heat with no extreme hot or cold spots.

In cooking the steak in the following picture show:

I was able to become the grill up to temp in about ten minutes, sear the steak for 4 or 5 minutes per side, moving it around the open grate occasionally to keep it on hot grates. I then turned off one burner (nether the solid grate) while reducing the lit burner to well-nigh three/four ability, before placing the steak over the unlit burner to finally come up to temp. Piece of cake, intuitive, and works very well.

I take taken this grill camping a couple of times, and as you can see in the following flick, if you lot purchase the solid cast iron griddle accessory, it's competent at grilling bacon, eggs, and warming a roll:

You could easily grill pancakes, boom burgers, onions, prawns, or anything small or liquid every bit long equally you purchase the solid griddle accessory, which is something I highly recommend.

The solid griddle plates are porcelain-enameled, thick and heavy — showing they are of high quality — and give you a level of versatility to be able to melt nigh anything on this grill.

I purchased ii solid griddle plates to use simultaneously considering my tent tends to be the place for egg and bacon sandwiches in the forenoon whenever myself and multiple friends are on a military camp. And it also gives me versatility by being able to have either two traditional grates, 2 solid grates, or ane of each.

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Finally, how is the roasting and smoking operation? I'd say information technology's not the best, simply the spacious domed chapeau, generous cooking space, and temperature control are pleasantly good enough for such a small-scale grill.

Equally you lot can meet in the following images, I successfully smoked a whole chicken:

I used the smoke tube accessory from Napoleon, filling information technology with wood chips and placing information technology under the grate. I then smoked a whole chicken by placing it on the common cold side of the grill (over the burner turned off), controlling the smoking temp with but a single burner lit. I was able to adjust the heat to anything between 160 °F and 300 °F with simply a single burner, which easily encompasses preferred smoking temps of betwixt 225 °F and 275 °F.

I will say that the fume flavour generated is mild, only that's true of smoking on any gas grill. I was happy with the results, but yep this is not an out and smoker. Information technology is a grill you can smoke on if you have the desire and skill, much the same equally any gas grill.

And though you tin can employ a foil packet, I recommend purchasing Napoleon'south smoke tube, as information technology sits nicely under the grates on top of the burners, and so doesn't accept upwardly grate space. Though you could use whatsoever smoke box that's small enough to fit under the grates — or simply place on the grates — as y'all tin can see in the images beneath:

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One thing with this grill is it tin can be affected by wind. I've never had the blowers go out, but the temperature tin can swing a bit when it'southward cold and windy. However, you have to expect this with whatsoever small gas grills, and you need to counteract this with a windbreak somehow.

All in all, this grill grills very well and can be used for roasting and fume roasting successfully.

Ease of Cleaning

This is how the grill looked subsequently roasting a medium chicken and some vegetables.

This is the grease catcher subsequently cooking a medium sized chicken, and a clean out.

This is as much as I brush and wipe out the grill for cleaning.

Previous Side by side

After a fair bit of use, and cleaning and maintenance, I tin say that this grill cleans out easily and quickly.

One time yous stop cooking, clean the grates with a good grill castor while still in the grill. Any debris will fall into the grill trunk and into the grease catcher.

Once make clean, simply remove the grates and brush the inside of the grill body with a expert grill brush and then some kitchen paper, pushing any debris down into the grease catcher.

Adjacent, remove the grease catcher, empty it into a bin, and wash it out with soapy h2o, followed by a good rinse.

Now lightly glaze the grates with vegetable oil to help preclude corrosion between utilize.

I did have a fair flake of grease drip onto the burner tubes once. I just fired upward the grill to mostly burn this off, followed past a practiced rub by my grill brush. They unblocked and were perfectly fine after.

Napoleon Company Overview, Support and Warranty

Napoleon makes a range of products, including gas, electric, and charcoal grills, complete outdoor kitchens, fire tables, fireplaces, and even furnaces. If in that location'southward a burn down involved, chances are they brand it.

The roots of Napoleon stretch dorsum to 1976 when it was a steel fabricator in Ontario, Canada. Barbecues came into the production line in 1995. They've been recognized as i of Canada's Best Managed Companies and have won numerous awards. Today, they have production facilities in N America, Asia, and Europe.

They have a reputation for building quality products and providing a solid warranty and customer support.

The Travel Q Pro 285 comes with a 10-yr warranty on the main torso and hat, five-year coverage for the stainless steel burner tubes, and 2 years on everything else.

If yous need support, you tin can fill out the online form or requite them a toll-gratis telephone call Mon-Fri from eight:30a to 5p, Eastern Fourth dimension. Annotation that they aren't answering phones in North America on Canadian holidays. If you're an American, don't worry — they have the aforementioned Christmas and New year'due south Day you exercise, and there's the added advantage of being OPEN when you're celebrating Thanksgiving or Independence Twenty-four hours.

Napoleon also offers a decent library of videos on their website and YouTube, and they're on all the big social media channels. There's one good-size Facebook owners group for North Americans, and that type of group is normally proficient for tips and troubleshooting.

Practise We Recommend the Napoleon Pro 285?

Without hesitation, I recommend this grill for all your getaway grilling, including camping and RVing, as long every bit yous have ample room to transport it forth with a large gas bottle.

I also recommend it every bit a secondary home grill or a small primary grill for couples, singles, and people with small outdoor spaces.

The mix of superior materials and quality in this well-built grill, with surprising versatility backed by a reliable proper name, makes this an splendid buy. Information technology's non cheap, but information technology's worth it.

Withal, if you're looking for a small portable grill that packs hands into a trunk, and must be considerate of the space your travel grill consumes, so it'due south too large for some people. Then think carefully on the dimensions of this grill — plus an essential gas canteen — and exist certain you have room in your vehicle to transport it before buying.

Napoleon TRAVELQ PRO285 Portable Gas Grill

A portable grill with 285 foursquare inches of cooking space, with a high topped lid and dual burners, will allow you to cook up to 20 burgers at once, roast a craven, turkey, or fifty-fifty prime rib. All in a professional packet with quality components and high build quality.

Last Thoughts

I'k looking forward to more days abroad with my new grill; nutrient is a large part of the experience of vacations and twenty-four hours trips for me.

I'm confident you'll too enjoy moving beyond the good ol' philharmonic of an open up fire and hot dogs or fighting with a low-form "portable" grill instead of having fun with your family and friends.

If you lot pick 1 up, ship a few words about your feel. I'm ever curious to know what others remember about the gear I similar. Y'all tin can send an email, use the form beneath, or follow FoodFireFriends on Facebook and Instagram and join the conversations in that location.

Cheers, friends! Thanks for reading, and enjoy some great grilling wherever the road takes you.

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Source: https://www.foodfirefriends.com/napoleon-travelq-pro-285-review/

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