Are you searching for a portable grilling solution that truly delivers on performance and versatility? Look no further. Our in-depth review of the STOK Gridiron Grill explores every aspect of this remarkable portable propane grill, highlighting its innovative features and practical design. We’ll cover everything from its impressive cooking capacity and unique insert system to its portability and ease of cleaning, providing you with a clear picture of its pros and cons. Discover if the STOK Gridiron is the perfect companion for your next tailgate, camping trip, or backyard cookout. Plus, don’t miss your chance to enter our exclusive giveaway at the end of this review!
STOK Gridiron Grill Review: Unleash the Power of Portable Outdoor Cooking
The STOK Gridiron Portable Grill is specifically designed for outdoor enthusiasts who demand both power and convenience. With a substantial 348 square inches of cooking space, this grill offers ample room to prepare meals for various group sizes, from intimate family gatherings to larger outdoor events. It operates efficiently on a small, easily obtainable 1-pound propane tank, making it a highly practical choice for adventurers on the go.
This grill shines particularly bright for those with an active outdoor lifestyle. In our own family, with two sons and my husband, Scott, deeply involved in Boy Scouts, monthly camping trips across Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and California are a staple. The STOK Gridiron has consistently proven to be an invaluable addition to our gear, effortlessly handling diverse culinary needs throughout these excursions. Whether it’s sizzling breakfast bacon and eggs, grilling burgers for lunch, or even roasting a chicken for dinner, this grill transforms any campsite into a fully functional outdoor kitchen. Its adaptability makes it much more than just a grill; it’s a versatile cooking system ready for any challenge.
First Impressions & Initial Setup: Getting to Know Your Gridiron
From the moment we unboxed the STOK Gridiron Grill, its robust construction and thoughtful engineering were evident. The components felt durable, promising longevity even with frequent travel and exposure to various outdoor conditions. Setting up the grill for the first time was surprisingly quick and intuitive. The legs unfold smoothly, transitioning the unit from a compact, travel-friendly package to a stable, full-height cooking station in just a few simple steps. This seamless transformation speaks volumes about the grill’s user-centric design, allowing you to spend less time on assembly and more time enjoying your outdoor cooking experience.
Gridiron Portability: Smart Design for Effortless Transport
The STOK Gridiron’s design prioritizes portability without compromising on grilling performance, making it an ideal choice for anyone who enjoys cooking away from home.
PRO: When folded, the Gridiron achieves a remarkably compact size of just 40 inches by 12.5 inches. This streamlined profile is a significant advantage, as it allows the grill to fit comfortably into the trunk of most sedans, SUVs, and even many smaller vehicles. No more struggling with awkward shapes or sacrificing precious cargo space; the Gridiron tucks away neatly, ready for your next adventure.
PRO: A key feature for secure transport is the grill’s robust lid lock. The lid latches down firmly and securely, preventing any accidental opening during transit. This thoughtful design ensures that all internal components, cooking grates, and any stored accessories remain safely inside, eliminating rattling, potential damage, or messy spills while you’re on the move.
PRO: The large, sturdy wheels are another testament to the Gridiron’s commitment to portability. Unlike the smaller, less durable wheels found on many portable grills, these are built to handle diverse terrains. They roll effortlessly over grass, gravel paths, and paved surfaces, making it surprisingly easy to maneuver the 57-pound grill to your desired cooking spot. This means less effort and more enjoyment, regardless of your destination.
CON: While the Gridiron excels in terms of its folding design and durable wheels, its weight of 57 pounds is a factor to consider. This isn’t a lightweight backpacker’s grill. If your plans involve carrying the grill for extended distances, traversing challenging rocky terrain for remote camping, or attempting to drag it through soft beach sand (where even large wheels struggle), you might find its heft a considerable challenge. For car camping, tailgating events, or picnics where your vehicle is relatively close to your setup area, its weight is manageable, but it’s not designed for true backcountry adventures.
PRO: A truly standout ergonomic feature is the grill’s full-height operation. When fully unfolded and set up, the Gridiron stands at a comfortable working height, eliminating the awkward bending or squatting often associated with smaller portable grills. This allows for a more relaxed and enjoyable grilling experience, mirroring the comfort of a standard backyard grill and making it accessible for users of all heights.
PRO: Despite its portable nature, the STOK Gridiron boasts an impressive 348 square inches of cooking real estate. This is more than enough space to handle a substantial amount of food simultaneously. To put it into perspective, you can comfortably grill approximately 10 chicken breasts, 17 hamburger patties, or a whopping 30 hot dogs at once. This generous capacity makes it perfect for feeding a hungry crowd, whether at a tailgate party or a family camping trip.
Grilling Grate & Inserts: The Epitome of Culinary Flexibility
PRO: The foundation of the Gridiron’s superior cooking lies in its porcelain-coated cast iron grates. Cast iron is celebrated for its exceptional ability to retain and distribute heat evenly, ensuring consistent cooking temperatures across the entire grilling surface. This results in perfect sear marks and thoroughly cooked food. The porcelain coating adds a crucial layer of non-stick functionality, making cleanup significantly easier while also protecting the cast iron from rust and enhancing its overall durability.
PRO: What truly differentiates the STOK Gridiron is its ingenious insert system. The central part of the cooking grate is designed to be easily removable, allowing you to swap it out for a variety of specialized STOK inserts. This brilliant feature transforms your grill into a highly versatile outdoor cooking appliance. Imagine stir-frying your favorite dishes in a wok, baking a perfect crispy-crust pizza on a stone, braising a tender pot roast, slow-cooking smoky BBQ ribs, delicately grilling vegetables, boiling water for corn on the cob, or even whipping up a stack of pancakes on a griddle – all possible with this single unit! Most of these innovative inserts are also very budget-friendly, typically priced between $15 and $22 each (for example, the pizza stone is around $16), offering incredible value for expanding your culinary horizons.
During our extensive testing, we made excellent use of the chicken roaster insert. This accessory allows you to roast a whole chicken upright, often with a can of beer or other flavorful liquid inserted for extra moisture and aroma. We found the roaster insert to be generously sized, comfortably holding a medium-sized chicken along with an assortment of carrots and potatoes scattered around the base, effectively creating a complete, delicious meal directly on the grill. The consistent results of juicy, flavorful chicken underscored the Gridiron’s capabilities far beyond basic grilling.
CON: While the insert system is a phenomenal asset, there’s one notable oversight: the specialized insert removal tool is sold separately. Although we thoroughly enjoyed using the chicken roaster, priced at about $16, we quickly realized that a dedicated tool is essential for safely and conveniently swapping out inserts, especially when the grill is hot. This additional tool costs approximately $17. In our opinion, this vital accessory should be included with the Gridiron grill. It feels like an integral component for fully leveraging one of the grill’s primary selling points, and having to purchase it separately detracts slightly from an otherwise outstanding feature.
Cooking with the STOK Gridiron Grill: Power, Evenness, and Precision
PRO: Prepare to be impressed by the STOK Gridiron’s incredible heating speed! This grill gets exceptionally hot, incredibly fast. Preheating the grill to optimal cooking temperatures takes mere minutes, often exceeding 600°F. This rapid heat-up time means significantly less waiting and more actual cooking, which is a huge advantage for hungry families or impatient guests.
PRO: Despite featuring a single burner, the Gridiron achieves impressive heat distribution across its cooking surface. This is largely thanks to its heavy-duty cast iron grates, which effectively absorb and radiate heat evenly. This design minimizes unwanted hot spots and cold zones, ensuring that your food cooks uniformly, delivering consistent results that rival those from larger, multi-burner grills.
PRO: Our most striking observation during testing was the sheer intensity of heat this grill generates and, crucially, how well it maintains that heat. We often found ourselves needing to significantly reduce the heat setting during cooking sessions, a true testament to its powerful burner system. This characteristic makes the STOK Gridiron an absolute dream for achieving that perfect, restaurant-quality sear and beautiful char on steaks, leaving them with a rich, smoky flavor and a tender, juicy interior. It’s an undeniable workhorse for high-heat grilling.
Tip: Given its compact size and powerful heat output, the STOK Gridiron demands a bit more attention than a sprawling backyard grill. Flare-ups can occur, especially with fatty foods, due to the concentrated heat and dripping grease. It’s wise to keep a close eye on your food, regularly checking its progress and being prepared to move items between hotter and slightly cooler zones on the grate to ensure even cooking and prevent burning. Engaging actively with your grill will yield the best results!
PRO: One of the most appreciated thoughtful design elements is the small, yet incredibly useful, integrated side table. This seemingly minor addition provides a precious dedicated space for resting your grilling utensils, spices, marinades, or a plate of uncooked food, keeping everything conveniently within arm’s reach while you cook. It significantly enhances the overall functionality and organization of your grilling setup, making the entire process smoother and more enjoyable.
Cleaning the Gridiron Grill: Keeping Your Gear Ready for the Next Adventure
After enjoying a delicious outdoor meal, the practical question of cleanup arises. How do you effectively clean a portable grill, especially before stowing it back into your vehicle, ensuring no messy residue is left behind?
PRO: Fortunately, cleaning the STOK Gridiron is a largely straightforward process. The porcelain-coated cast iron grates are remarkably easy to maintain; a quick scrub with a quality grill brush typically removes most cooking residue. For a more thorough cleaning, you can easily lift out the cast iron grates to access the burner area and the bottom of the grill. While this allows for deeper cleaning, scrubbing around the burner components can be a bit more intricate and might require a narrower brush or sponge to get into tight spaces.
PRO: Located beneath the grilling surface is a convenient, removable grease catcher. This critical design element effectively manages drippings and significantly simplifies post-cook cleanup. We highly recommend lining this small catch-bowl with aluminum foil before each use. This simple yet effective trick transforms a potentially messy chore into a quick and easy disposal process – simply remove the foil and discard. Additionally, we advise bringing along a good quality spray grease cleaner and a roll of paper towels to thoroughly wipe down the exterior of the grill, ensuring it’s pristine before being packed away in your vehicle.
A Crucial Tip from Experience: This important piece of advice comes from a personal, messy mishap! ALWAYS remember to remove the grease catcher BEFORE you fold up the legs and prepare the grill for transport. We admittedly forgot to do this once, and you can probably imagine the unfortunate outcome. All the accumulated grease spilled and dripped all over the folded legs and onto the ground, creating an entirely avoidable and frustrating cleanup situation. Learn from our mistake and save yourself the hassle!
Even with our eager “cleanup crew” (our Boy Scouts) who quickly tackled the mess, prevention is always better than cure:
Who is the STOK Gridiron Grill For?
The STOK Gridiron Grill is an exceptional investment for a diverse range of outdoor enthusiasts. It’s particularly well-suited for tailgaters who need a powerful, rapid-heating grill that packs down efficiently. Campers, especially those enjoying car camping or RV travel, will greatly appreciate its comfortable full-height design and robust cooking capacity without sacrificing valuable storage space. Picnic-goers looking to elevate their outdoor meals beyond simple cold dishes will find its versatility a game-changer. Even individuals with smaller backyard patios or apartment balconies can benefit from its powerful performance within a compact footprint. Essentially, if you prioritize mobility, a serious grilling experience, and the flexibility to cook a wide variety of foods using interchangeable inserts, the Gridiron is designed with you in mind.
Overall Value and Conclusion: Our Verdict on the STOK Gridiron
The STOK Gridiron Grill firmly establishes itself as a leading contender in the portable propane grill market. Its impressive combination of generous cooking space, powerful heat output, and the revolutionary STOK Insert System truly sets it apart from the competition. While its 57-pound weight might not make it suitable for every single outdoor scenario, its sturdy wheels, compact folding design, and comfortable full-height grilling position significantly enhance its practicality for a broad spectrum of activities, from vibrant tailgate parties to serene camping trips and lively picnics. The durable porcelain-coated cast iron grates ensure excellent cooking results and simplified cleanup, and the expandability offered by the various inserts makes it an incredibly versatile and enjoyable outdoor cooking appliance.
Considering its robust performance, durable construction, and unique versatility, the STOK Gridiron Grill offers exceptional value for its price. It’s a meticulously engineered product that consistently delivers on its promise of providing a superior grilling experience wherever your adventures take you. For anyone serious about portable outdoor cooking, this grill is a highly recommended investment that promises to elevate your culinary excursions and create unforgettable outdoor dining memories.
Watch the STOK Gridiron Grill in Action
Where to Purchase Your STOK Gridiron Grill
Ready to upgrade your outdoor cooking game? The STOK Gridiron Grill is conveniently available at major retailers. You can purchase it at Home Depot or Target for approximately $159.99. Be sure to check their respective websites or visit your local store for the most current pricing and availability.
STOK Gridiron Grill Giveaway!
Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to win your very own STOK Gridiron Grill and revolutionize your outdoor cooking adventures! Keep an eye on our upcoming announcements and social media channels for details on how to enter this exciting giveaway.