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Notebook portable grill
Design Within Reach has started carrying an 18-inch grill that folds flat when not in use. At $70, the Notebook Portable Grill seems like a small-space dweller’s ideal outdoor stove. I haven’t tested the product, but it appears to be sturdy and straight forward in its design. From the product description:
Freeing the barbeque from the backyard, the Notebook Portable Grill (2005) folds up into a slender, nine-pound notebook-shape with a carrying handle. Included are two chrome-plated grill surfaces that sit at different heights within the frame (and can be folded into the grill when it’s shut for carrying). Measuring only 1.25″ thick when folded, this little grill goes from patio to park to poolside and can pack into a backpack for camping trips or beach visits.
Has anyone tried this cute, little grill? For the price, it looks like a decent solution if you like to grill outdoors, but live in a small space.
12 comments posted
Posted by Marc - 07/08/2008
Looks interesting, it doesn’t look like the fuel source is mentioned in on the site. Any idea?
Posted by Erin Doland - 07/08/2008
@Marc — Charcoal (or wood briquettes).
Posted by dancing monkey - 07/08/2008
There was only one review at Amazon UK, but that person said it was difficult to light the charcoals and that flames shot out of the open spaces on the sides of the grill … A few other reviews were more positive though one mentioned the metal warping a bit over time, and getting difficult to put back in the box.
It only costs $48 at this other site: http://aplusrstore.com/product.....38;pid=290 ($58 with shipping charges) … I’m more willing to take a risk at that price point.
Posted by PJ Doland - 07/08/2008
In general, you’re much better off lighting your charcoal outside the grill in a chimney starter. That way you don’t get the taste of lighter-fluid in your food.
Posted by black rabbit - 07/08/2008
Hmmm… I love me some grilling, but if it’s something I’m going to have to clean off to haul inside and store (where? In a kitchen cabinet or something?), then I don’t think it counts as being “uncluttered” any more than any other single-use appliance that looks like a giant pain to use.
I live in an apartment. I have a grill pan that I use a few times a week. For those times when I absolutely *must* use charcoal, there’s a city park a couple of blocks away with free-to-use cast iron grills in the picnic area.
Posted by Springpeeper - 07/08/2008
Wasn’t sure at first if this was a barbecue or a new type of laptop computer…
Posted by j - 07/08/2008
This seems like a bad idea. If you really live somewhere space-cramped enough that a full size grill isn’t an option, then you probably also live somewhere that you shouldn’t be grilling in the first place, and especially not with charcoal.
Also, as black rabbit notes, are you really going to clean it out enough to store it every time you use it? Where to you store it? And where do you store the grate (which, from the picture, looks kind of flimsy)?
Posted by cerrissa - 07/08/2008
i actually went to a bbq for the 4th where this grill was used. it seemed to get the job done. and i understand the need for a small portable grill for the summer in the city. lots of people have backyards(i envy them) and you can grill in some of the parks. it fit an entire rack of ribs or about 6-8 burgers i think. if i could grill on my roof i would have one of these in 5 seconds.
Posted by Pat - 07/08/2008
Oh, I would like something like that for our camp set. We live in a city – no yard, no grilling on the balcony. But we can grill in parks or by the river or when we go camping.
However, it looks like one those lovely ‘design concept’ products that don’t work very well in real life. Cuz the designer never grills. Or like the little silicon whisk & dustpan I have – I bet that designer never swept up anything in his/her life – cuz that don’t work well either.
These days I stay with classically designed stuff unless I’ve had the opportunity to test the product at a friend’s house. Designer gear just doesn’t cut it, usually.
Posted by Caro - 07/08/2008
Hmm! Give me one of those little hibachi grills anyday. There small,compact, last for years and work. I don’t want a BBQ that’s too light – not safe and I don’t like the open ends.
Posted by Gleb - 07/09/2008
Although we’ve got a proper BBQ grill for home, I’ve got one of these a few months ago for the days where we’d go meet friends somewhere outdoors – it’s amazingly compact and doesn’t need much trunk space.
The only annoyance compared to a proper grill is that this one needs to be cleaned up right away – unless you get rid of all the charcoal, you obviously can’t fold it back to take home. The fact that it’s usually still hot with some charcoals doesn’t help either.
Posted by allen - 07/09/2008
I was given a small GAS grill to use, because of my small condo. It normally lives under the corner-bench for my dining table. Being gas, i don’t have to worry about any ash. and being gas, i don’t have to worry about any dusty charcole. Being gas, it only has the small little tank sitting next to it, under the cabnet.
Don’t get me wrong, i love charcol. But, you add in the extra time it takes to cool, the extra time it takes to heat up, the extra space it all takes (charcol, lighting-fluid/chimney starter, dust-pan), a small portable gas grill makes alot more sense for me right now.
@J: when i want to grill, i carry the thing the one block to the park, or down to the shared grass between my condo’s buildings. I agree: PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE GRILLING INSIDE THIER KITCHENS WITH GRILLS: Use a grill pan if you have to do it inside!
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