COLEMAN GRILL

Even though we are heading into August, summer is far from over. In fact, in New York City, the heatwave has really just started, which means it’s the ideal time to dust off your rubs and barbecue sauce and get to grilling. Whether you’re looking for some pre-back-to-school camping, a Scout field trip, tailgating into the fall, or moving into college and being well and truly prepared, then you probably want a cooking surface that won’t take up much space and will still get your steaks done right.

You want the COLEMAN GRILL NXT 300. Granted, there are cheaper grills out there, smaller ones, heftier and far pricier models too. But this guy hits a sweet spot for your average weekend aficionado- the sort who wants to cook up some hot dogs and sausages and hamburgers with a satisfying char, and not worry too much about impressing onlookers. The NXT 300 comes in on a budget and is considerate of your environment- it folds for easy storage, but offers a lovely 321 square inches of cooking surface when setup. Twin burners are individually controllable, for independent cooking needs on either side, and can reach temps up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit (with dials that go to 750). It heats up fast too, but a word of warning- the outside of the grill does get very hot as well. And it stays hot for quite awhile, which can make packing up a bit of a “wait and test” proposition.

Season for a few minutes and prepare your tanks for 20,000 BTUs of heat to cook over a dozen burgers at a time if you so desire- exactly the sort of machine that’s ideal for a family picnic. Out of the box, only the porcelain-coated cast iron grill plates are included, but we liked that you can easily mix-and-match between a set of surfaces that allows you to switch easily between stove or griddle (sold separately). If you want to use a traditional, large tank, you’ll need to pick up an adapter, but Coleman included the connector for the smaller 16.9 ounce cylinders. Electric push-button ignition never caused an issue for us, and there is a built-in thermometer for easy reading of the grill’s internal temperatures. Cleanup is about the same as with most grills, and the black color holds up well to use. The more eye-grabbing red is reserved for the sister model, the NXT 200, which is basically identical save for the lighted knobs (handy in the dark, for sure).

Perfect for tailgaters, we’ve had some great results on the NXT 300 from brats to filets. The wheels have held up well to some rolling into and out of parks and driveways, and there aren’t many grills that are friendly for urbanites but still offer serious flames. Available now, online and in stores for a reasonable $230, the Coleman NXT 300 balances everything carefully, and manages well- it’s a great grill for the city, and our new favorite way to cook this summer.