Grab this product when you want to dash out of the house with a simple and lightweight no-fuss BBQ or breakfast cooking apparatus. You won't be flaming things and achieving beautiful grill marks, but grease from food won't ever fall into the burner holes and clog them, either. It's good for grilling things like asparagus because there are no holes in the grate to potentially lose them through. In the morning, flip it over onto its griddle side, and you have a wonderful way to prepare pancakes and eggs and keep the bacon smell out of the RV.
The Dash's total BTU output is 7,000, but it doesn't put off a huge amount of heat, (we suspect because there are no holes in the grilling grate) and the perimeter of the cooking surface is consistently not as warm as in the middle.
If you're looking for something super portable and lightweight, check out the Cuisinart Petite Gourmet. It has a lower BTU output, but it grills just as hot and much more evenly. The Coleman RoadTrip LXX received the highest score in this area, and it grills hot and evenly.
This product has clear low, medium, and high settings, starts easily, and the flame of the burner is fully protected from the wind. The regulator is in a spot where it doesn't get in the way of anything, and the lid latches securely via two metal clips and a Velcro strap. We did give this product a low score in this area because of the grease trapping system. It takes some finessing to make the Dash level on uneven surfaces, and even on level ones you still have to prop the back leg up onto something higher than the front ones to get control of the grease flow.
The grease trap is located on the very front of this product. We cooked on some uneven surfaces, such as bark, and campsite dirt; try as we might to make it level, this was often not the case. Instead, you must lift up the back leg and guide any grease collecting on the sides by tipping it forward and from side to side to prevent the oil from spilling off the edges. The grease trap on this product is also challenging; it is quite small and tucked underneath the grate. If you are going to cook something greasy, bring an oven mitt because it's likely you'll have to lift the hot grate up to empty the trap when it gets full midway during your cooking session.
The Weber Q 1200 has the best grease control system tested. It has the largest and most easily accessible grease trap.
This grill is one of the lightest tested. The Petite Gourmet is lighter by three pounds, but The Dash is easier to carry because it doesn't have cumbersome leg bases sticking out. The large bases on the legs of the PG make it a little more awkward to carry than the Dash when in briefcase style carrying mode. The Dash takes up very little space when packed up, so it's easy to transport and store. In its packed position, it is easy to carry. Just grab with one hand and carry. In rolling carry on luggage mode, it transports well. The wheels are small, but if you run into any terrain too tough, it is easy to lift it up and over most anything in the way.
You do have to turn it upside down to position the legs and secure the handle as the third tripod leg.
The Eureka Gonzo Grill also earned a high score for ease of transport. It is lightweight and easy to carry. Check out the STOK Gridiron 1-Burner to investigate the easiest cart style, stand-alone grill to transport.
As a portable contender in this review, it may be a surprise that The Dash sports a 240 square inch cooking surface, which is significantly larger than other highly portable grills in this review. It has a cast aluminum Teflon-like coated cook surface, and we would recommend that you don't use metal utensils on it.
The cooking surface on The Dash doesn't have any holes. It is a solid cast aluminum grate with a ribbed surface on one side for grilling and a flat griddle on the other. The griddle allows for all sorts of cooking options that other products might not be capable of (since most grills have grates with holes in them). With the Dash, you can grill and cook pancakes and bacon as well. The middle of the grilling surface is hotter than the outside areas.
The Dash received one of the highest scores in this metric. It is very wind resistant because it doesn't have any holes in the grill. We tested this metric in winds high enough to blow over a large garden umbrella in a metal stand. The Dash was completely unaffected.
The Dash is best used for fast and ultralight trips to the park, beach, or campsite. Take it along on your adventure if you want to grill a little something for dinner and make breakfast outside in the morning. Heck, maybe even some grilled cheese or panini for lunch.
At $129, this is the least expensive product in this review. We think it's worth the price considering its versatility and portability.
It's not burly or tough or even super hot, but it is lightweight and easy to transport and reliable. It's versatile not only because it can be a grill and a griddle but also because you can use it on a tabletop or as a stand-alone model. Do make sure to set the back leg/ telescoping rolling to handle up higher than the front legs if you plan on preparing something greasy.
