Okay, so you're off to the great outdoors, and you want to really get your cook on. The KivaKube hopes to be your companion for grilling, baking, searing, and even smoking wherever you end up – all in a single contraption that comes in at 87 lb (39 kg).
With just under a month to hit its crowdfunding goal on Kickstarter, this made-in-the-USA unit is ready for cooking over charcoal right out of the box. But it can also work with propane or wood pellets when you swap in the appropriate fuel modules in a matter of minutes.
When you're ready to set it up, the KivaKube offers 388 sq in (2,503 sq cm) of cooking area. The team behind it says that's enough to accommodate a medium-sized turkey, 10 steaks, 16 burger patties, 34 hot dogs, two whole chickens, or a large casserole.
Standing 20 inches (~51 cm) in height, the cube unpacks to reveal a table, chimney, and utensil hooks on the exterior. You'll find two BBQ grates and a griddle beneath it, and the body panels feature vents to help you control the airflow and temperature.
There's also a built-in thermometer to keep an eye on how hot things are getting inside the Kube. Plus, it's designed to prevent the transfer of heat through its feet, so you can use the BBQ on your tailgate. You should be able to get up to 850 °F (454 °C) in the cooker. Clark Barlow and the KivaKube team say you can fire it up and start cooking in 30 minutes flat.
The company's been working on this for a while now; it says the first prototype (which you can see in the behind-the-scenes video below) was completed last April. Three subsequent designs saw improvements made to the hinges and latches, the inclusion of wood handles and rotisserie rod supports, and ergonomics.
Four clever little touches I liked
- The designers repositioned the inner lid's handles from the center to the side, so you could open it without having to reach all the way over the top of the cube.
- Metal channels on the inside walls catch grease and drain it into a removable cup that you can clean out separately.
- There's an included rod with holes for hanging and smoking meat vertically.
- The griddle and grates are easily removable for quick cleanup.
Assuming all goes to plan with the Kickstarter, KivaKube hopes to begin shipping units in the first quarter of 2025 –the usual crowdfunding caveats apply. That'll include the charcoal fuel module, and set the first hundred early birds back by US$495. It'll then cost $745. The gas and pellet modules are slated to be ready by the end of June 2025.
While it isn't exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, that pricing makes the KivaKube a fair bit more expensive than Exit Outdoors' $499 Fire 'n' Go pellet grill. And if you're okay with a smaller cooker, the Grill Game G1 works with multiple fuels like the KivaKube and weighs in at just 17 lb (7.7 kg). Its 7-in-1 package is more closely stacked against the KivaKube's versatility, and retails at $399.
KivaKube will likely appeal to folks who cook a wide range of dishes outdoors, smoke meats often, and will appreciate a single no-compromise unit to handle it all. See it in action via the promo video below, or on the company's Instagram and TikTok.
Source: Kickstarter
