If you enjoy cooking and grilling food outdoors, then getting a portable gas grill is probably your best bet. In comparison to charcoal and pellet grills, which take longer to ignite and warm up as they require you to stoke their fire and keep fueling it with more wood chunks or pellets, gas grills deliver instant heat and can also achieve desired temperatures almost instantly, as you simply have to turn their burner knob. Their operation method also makes gas grills much easier to turn off than other types of grills, as well as to control their cooking temperature. Moreover, gas grills can also maintain stable levels of high heat much better than their counterparts, as they utilize gas (like propane) as their fuel source for generating their flames and heat. Lastly, gas grills are also much easier to clean than charcoal and pellet grills, as there are no ashes to dispose of after cooking, and their removable drip trays also make it easy to clean any grease. So, if you’re looking for a portable gas grill for using outdoors that’s versatile, easy to operate, and also has a large cooking area, then consider going with the Napoleon TravelQ 285X.
The Napoleon TravelQ 285X is a portable propane gas grill which comes attached to a scissor cart featuring a unique “X” design that provides easy folding for a quick set up and compact storage, while also coming equipped with all-terrain wheels that provide great stability on most surfaces. The grill also comes equipped with two porcelain-coated cast iron cooking grids featuring a large 285 sq.in. (1,840 cm²) cooking area that’s spacious enough to cook up to 19 burgers at once, a high-top cast aluminum lid that’s high enough for cooking whole chickens, and two separate burners which provide precise temperature controls up to 12,000 BTUs so that you can cook in any way, from gentle roasting and smoking using indirect heat, to high heat searing. It also features a wind-proof design that ensures perfect airflow for an efficient fuel consumption while also preventing wind from lighting the grill or accidentally keeping its flames lit, and also comes together with an included reversible drop-in cast iron griddle that you offers you a flat cooking surface in alternative to using its cooking grids. The grill also comes equipped with a built-in high-end thermometer for accurately monitoring its cooking temperature, 2 small side tables where you can easily prepare food, and a safety lid lock for keeping its lid securely shut. This grill can be used to cook anywhere by hooking it up with a 1.2 lbs. liquid propane cylinder, but you can also connect it to a full-sized tank when grilling at home.
Designed to bring professional grilling anywhere within a portable and versatile package, this portable propane gas grill has everything you need to take portable grilling to a gourmet level. You can use it for preparing delicious food while you’re camping, tailgating, and even for barbecuing at home.
In case you’re still not convinced, check out our full review of the Napoleon TravelQ 285X, where we’ll go over the many cool features this portable propane gas grill has to offer you.
DESIGN & SPECS
Starting with the grill’s size, this gas grill has a sleek form factor, measuring exactly 44.25 inches long by 20.25 inches wide by 38.75 inches tall when completely unfolded (112.39 x 51.43 x 98.42 cm), and the grill is also fairly lightweight, weighing only 43.21 lbs. (19.60 kg).
On top of its compact dimensions, the Napoleon TravelQ 285X is also designed with portability in mind, as the grill comes permanently attached to a foldable scissor cart that’s equipped with two (x2) large all-terrain wheels which make its transportation easy and convenient on any type of terrain. Moreover, its wheels also provide an incredible stability on most surfaces, whether that’s pavement, grass, dirt, mud, forest floors, or even rocky grounds.
What’s more is that its scissor cart also features a unique “X” design that allows for an easy folding of the grill’s leg stands, thus providing a quick set up whenever you want to cook with it as well as a compact storage when you’re done cooking.
When folded, the grill can be conveniently tucked away. You can have it stand upright in a corner thanks to its built-in kick stand, or even have it hanged up for a more tidy storage method.
The Napoleon TravelQ 285X also sports a stylish and minimalist design inspired in the “outdoor-lifestyle”, for which its lid (both its top cover and lower-side) comes painted in a beautiful solid color, and is also protected with a powdered coating finish. For our review unit, the company provided us with the Red color model, which comes in a bright and vivid Red tone. (Alternatively, there’s also a Blue color model).
Furthermore, this portable propane gas grill also packs a premium and durable construction. Its cart frame is built of a high-quality cast iron, while its lid is built of high-quality cast aluminum. That said, you can be assured that this grill is definitely built to last.
Moving on to the grill’s different components. For its cooking area, the Napoleon TravelQ 285X comes equipped with a set of two (x2) porcelain-coated cast iron cooking grids which combined offer you a large rectangular grilling area with 285 sq.in. (1,840 cm²) of cooking space, making it spacious enough to fit and cook up to 19 burgers at once. This essentially means that you can easily cook enough food for a big group, all ready to eat at the same time.
While its cooking grids are better for achieving distinctive sear marks on foods like meat, fish, and vegetables, know that this grill also comes together with a reversible drop-in cast iron griddle that offers you a flat cooking surface like a frying pan, which you can use in alternative to cooking with its cooking grids.
In addition to its two sets of cooking surfaces, this portable gas grill also comes equipped with a high-top cast aluminum lid that’s specifically designed to be high enough for cooking whole chickens, all while still having some extra space for them to cook and steam properly on every side.
Not only that, but its lid also comes equipped with a safety lid lock which ensures that its lid remains securely shut when necessary.
Furthermore, the TravelQ 285X also comes equipped with two (x2) small side tables (integrated on each side of the grill) which offer you extra space where you can easily prepare your food before cooking it, having more than enough space for chopping and dicing vegetables and mushrooms, cutting fish and meat, as well as glazing your food, etc.
When it comes to its cooking method, know that this propane gas grill utilizes two high-end Stainless Steel burners which work individually, both of which have a widely adjustable temperature range from low-heat to high-heat cooking temperatures all the way up to 12,000 BTUs. Thanks to that, you can use this gas grill to cook in any style, from gentle roasting and smoking using indirect heat, to high heat searing.
Plus, since its burners work individually from one another, you can also have two zones cooking food at completely different temperatures.
What’s more is that the interior of the grill’s cooking area also features a special wind-proof design, which not only ensures that the grill maintains a perfect airflow so that it can have an efficient fuel consumption while you’re cooking with it, but also helps to prevent wind from lighting the grill’s burners or accidentally keeping its flames lit or waving uncontrollably.
Integrated at the top-center of the grill’s lid, there’s also a built-in high-end thermometer that allows you to accurately monitor its cooking temperature with great precision at all times. Thanks to that, you can make sure your food never goes under nor over your target cooking temperature and that it always hits the doneness level you want to achieve.
Lastly, for its fuel source, know that the Napoleon TravelQ 285X can be used to cook anywhere by hooking up a 1.2 lbs. liquid propane cylinder (i.e. canisters). Alternatively, you can also connect it to a full-sized 20 lbs. propane tank by using its included conversion kit for times when you’re grilling with it at home.
We’d also like to note that this portable propane gas grill is also compatible with electric stovetops.
INTERFACE / CONTROL PANEL
We’ll now have a closer look at the grill’s control panel.
Integrated at the front-center of the grill’s scissor cart frame, you have two individual temperature control knobs, which allow you to separately perform precise temperature adjustments to their respective burners.
FINAL THOUGHTS
When accounting for its portability as well as its many features and functionalities, it’s safe to say that this portable propane gas grill is perfect for grilling in any sorts of outdoors environment, whether you’re camping, boating, tailgating, throwing a barbecue party at home, or any other type of outdoors activity.
The Napoleon TravelQ 285X is currently available in two (x2) stylish color finishes: Red and Blue.
If you’re interested in purchasing it, know that each unit is currently priced either at $399, and each purchase also comes accompanied by a 10-Year Limited Warranty for its base and lid, a 5-Year Limited Warranty for its burners, sear plates, and cast iron grids, and a 2-Year Warranty for its remaining parts. You can order it online, either directly from Napoleon’s official shopping page, or you can instead get it from Amazon, if you’d prefer.
