Given the general lack of extra space in a gear-stocked vehicle aimed at base camp, we've become a big fan of modular, multifunctional cooking equipment. California company Grill Game takes the concept to new ends with its G1. We're not even sure whether to call it a grill, griddle, stove or smoker, so we'll just stick with "cooker" because it does all four and more. It cooks over top a wood or charcoal fire, as well as with an accompanying propane burner. When the going gets unpredictable, the G1 adapts on the fly.
At its most basic, the G1 is a freestanding grill grate designed for campfire cooking. Its two legs attach to the ends of the grill so it can stand up over the fire and offer direct or indirect cooking for all your campsite favorites, working much like existing alternatives that include the Camp Chef Lumberjack over-fire grill and smaller Daggerfish Campfire Grill.
Unlike those other campfire grates, the G1 comes with a precise-fit lid that drops atop the grill. Not only will it help keep heat in for tasks like roasting thick cuts of meat, it'll also keep the smoke in, turning the G1 into a simple smoker for slow-BBQing over dispersed, indirect heat below.
For times when you're trying to tread lightly and not leave behind a fire ring filled with hunks of char and piles of ash, the G1 also includes a collapsible fire pit that uses the same set of legs to support a basin floor and side walls. Users can use it to burn wood or charcoal, dropping the grate on top to grill. Grill Game even includes a divider for smoking, allowing you to place charcoal and wood chips into a small section at the end for indirect heat.
Of course, there are times when you simply can't burn wood or charcoal at all, regardless of whether it's on the ground or in a portable fire pit. For those occasions, Grill Game adds in a propane burner that attaches through the side of the fire pit, turning the wood/charcoal grill into a 17,500-BTU gas grill. Remove the grill grate and the G1 doubles as a handy propane fire pit, a simpler, more conventional solution that the Tripod Torch for keeping the campfire going during burn restrictions.
Even with all that built-in flexibility, the G1 is as portable a grill as you'll find. The collapsible pieces pack flat into an included carry case that stores between the lid and grill grate. A pair of latches secures it all together into a package that's just under 7 inches (18 cm) high with a footprint measuring 19 x 13.5 inches (48 x 34 cm). At 17 lb (7.7 kg), it carries easily via its wood top handle and stows away neatly with the rest of your camping gear.
Grill Game launched the G1 as a 4-in-1 camp cooking solution last year and upgraded it to full 7-in-1 status just in time for Summer 2024 (northern hemisphere). The first of the three new functions comes courtesy of a griddle top that can swap in for the grill to provide a hot, flat surface ready to sear. A stove bar lets users drop cookware into the fire pit body right over the propane burner, providing a way of boiling water and cooking with compatibly sized pots and pans.
And like that, the G1 handles virtually any and all cooking you could possibly want to do at base camp, including roasting up marshmallows and s'mores after dinner. The additional components of the 7-in-1 package add an extra 11 lb (5 kg), bringing total weight up to a still-manageable 28 lb (12.7 kg).
Finally, the fire retardant Keep it Clean (KIC) mat sits on the ground below the G1 legs to catch dropped embers, grease and ashes, keeping camp cleaner and safer. Users can properly dispose the remnants once cool, and the KIC mat then doubles as part of the carry case.
The full 7-in-1 G1 package retails for $399, while the original 4-in-1 can be purchased for $269. Each grill is assembled in the USA and comes backed by a limited lifetime warranty.
For a closer look at how the G1 assembles, disassembles and works in various configuraitons, take a look at Grill Game's Youtube.
Source: Grill Game
