Customer Reviews

Char-Broil Patio Caddie Gas Grill

5 star:		(143)
4 star:		(64)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(24)

 

 

Consider this a long term test. I bought my Patio Caddie out of desperation when another cheap grille died one nice summer Saturday with friends coming over for dinner. I simply wasn't in a mood to spend $400 or $500 for a king kong unit.

What makes a good grille is really simple: it must start every time (it does), it must generate enough heat to cook (it does, but keeping the cover on helps)and it must have high quality grids (it does). On the last point, and what really sets the Patio Caddie Apart, are the heavy porcelainized grids. The are wonderful to cook on, easy to clean, haven't sagged in 5 years use.

Consider this the Honda Civic of grills: I fill the mini-tank once or twice a year for $7 and cook at least once a week year round (in Seattle, no less). It is absolutely the finest chicken cooking device I have ever seen and easily cooks dinner for 4 to 6. No it won't handle a 10 Lb salmon in one shot or cook a dozen burgers for a tribal reunion. And a Honda Civic wont carry an entire NFL team at one time either.

The only downside is that the heat output does become limited below 50 degrees, but that's a function of the propane, not the grill itself.

If you live in a condo or apartment with a small deck, if you're on a budget, or want a portable unit look no further, this is it.

I will be moving on to a bigger and better grille in a couple weeks, and believe it or not, I have a friend who wants my old patio caddie for her condo. Old, greasy and well used, it still has life in it, and she knows how well it cooks. I just hope my new, bigger grille works as well.

The Patio Caddie is a nice small grill-good for small spaces when you want the convenience of propane. It is well constructed and easy to use. Assembly is a bit of a pain, though nowhere near as bad as their old full size units. If you have a cordless screwdriver and can follow their instructions, it should take about 30 minutes to an hour. It's very easy to use-a push button ignition, burner control on the front, and with the propane tank sitting down below, you have easy access to the valve. There are nice touches like a built in thermometer and a retainer clip so you can hinge the lid on the lip of the grill if you don't have a place to put it when you have the lid off. It does generate a decent amount of heat for a single burner grill-just enough for searing, and the ceramic charcoals do much better than lava rocks. On the bad side, it's hard to see the flame, so it's not exactly easy to tell if you've sucessfully ignited the gas. An electronic battery operated ignition would be a lot nicer. And while easy to wheel around, the small propane tank doesn't cut it-it doesn't hold enough, and if you do the tank exchange instead of filling your old one, no one will accept it. It's great for a small grill-a good step up from a small charcoal grill. If you have the space, you'll be a lot happier with a full size grill. With multiple burners and a lot more BTU power, you'll get better results with a full size grill-and many don't cost much more than the patio caddy. But if you only have enough room for a small grill, this is one of the best on the market.

If you read other reviews people are giving this thing 5 stars and listing serious shortcomings... Here are mine.

Cons :
You have to cook with the lid on. Low with the lid on is 475 high is 525 degrees. Mother of Pearl!!! Steaks, fine. Ribs, forget it.

The assembly kit comes with two types of screws that are only 1/8 inch different in length. I used 2 of the longer ones someplace on my grill, then could not install the lid handle because what I had left was slightly too short.

The grill shipped with two parts missing and a sheet that said that if I happened to be missing any parts they would ship them to me at no charge... Hmmm....

There are significant hot and cold spots on the grill surface

Pros :

The form factor is perfect for my small balcony

The little tank makes it easy to move and to refill. It lasts forever too. No need for a biggie tank.

The ceramic grate doesn't rust and is a snap to clean

The electric start is STILL WORKING!!!

I have stress tested the Patio Caddie for five weeks and am very pleased. Obviously, it has size limitations, but for day-to-day cooking for one or two people, it's great. Capacity is fine: Have grilled six burgers, four steaks, four tuna steaks, four chicken breasts with ease and excellent results. Considered several alternatives before buying this grill, and clearly this one stands out in its class.

There are some shortcomings: It takes a few minutes to get up to "grilling speed". You should let the grill heat up to 400+ before you start cooking, otherwise you're just warming first. And that takes about four minutes.

You can get the grill up well over 500+, but you must keep the lid on all the time. The design is based on closed-lid cooking. Take that lid off, and the heat dissipates, and you're not cooking, just burning.

The 11 pound tank is handy, but you can't use it for any of the "swap" programs at places like Home Depot. So invest in a 20 pound tank ($40 for the first purchase of a full tank), and you can then just swap it out for another full one. Use your 11 pound tank as the backup. You can, of course, bring the 11 pound tank to a refilling service.

What about tools? There's a little handle on the front for lifting the grill to wheel it around, but it's too small and it's right over the controls... you can't hang your tongs, fork, or spatula there. So, get one of the add-on tool hangers (Weber has one that's designed for their round grill), and use that for tools. (The Patio Caddie has this lame little metal loop that hangs below that you might use for this purpose, but it's inconvenient.)

This grill has provided outstanding service to us for over five years. It has not rusted out. It is stingy on gas, typically providing a full years use at three to five times per week on one five gallon tank. The company provides replacement parts so you can keep it working well. and it does a great job cooking your food. It is adequate for grilling enough meat for 4-6 persons. The heat is controllable allowing you to tailor your cooking to the items being grilled. It takes up very little space both in use and when being stored. In sum given it's size limitations it is probably the best grill we have purchased in the last forty years.

I've had this grill for about two months now and I love it. It's nice to see that Char-broil has taken the initiative to break free from the standard black, rectilinear grill. This grill tucks neatly into the corner of my back deck and looks great. Friends are always commenting on it.

As for cooking, the smaller grill surface has proven to be ample for parties of four when cooking fish, steaks or skewered items. For sandwich-style grilling (e.g., hamburgers, hotdogs, etc.) you can cook for twice that many. The cooking surface itself is a refreshing change as well; the metal slats are thick and give restaurant-style grill marks to your food, while providing more surface area for smaller items to sit on. The Patio Caddie comes with hickory-scented briquettes that enhance the flavor and mask the gas scent.

Be sure to consider the Patio Caddie if you're in the market for a high quality gas grill in this price range. You can't go wrong!

OK, this grill doesn't get as hot as the much bigger, much more expensive weber-type grills with multiple burners. That said, it still easily gets hot enough to cook a decently thick new york steak in just a few minutes per side. And as far as cooking with the lid off-- what do you expect for a lousy [money amount]!?!

On top of that, it's PERFECT for those with small apartment style balconies. It's economical on gas-- I use it pretty regularly and have yet to go through an entire large tank of propane in over six months of use. It's the perfect size if you're grilling a quick steak or two (or up to 6 or 7 hamburger patties) for one person.

The grill itself has the large gratings that leave pleasant, savory grillmarks on the meat. It's easy to clean, and doesn't cling onto charcoal and carbon like other grills seem to. The lid also has thoughtful little hooks on the inside part of the assembly screws, making it easy to hang the lid on the lip of barbeque itself instead of having to set it down somewhere. The little temperature guage on the front is useful for telling how fast the inside grill temp is heating up (essential for preheating the grill, something you should always do before cooking), although I don't rely on its accuracy in cooking/timing meat.

This is a great grill, a great idea, and great execution at a very attractive price. It's shown that it holds up extremely well after nine months of use, and I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

Those with the space/backyards and multi-family sized barbeque needs should look elsewhere, but just looking at it should tell you that. For the rest of us doing some quick grilling for 1-2 people, this could be the perfect grill.

I LOVE this grill! Although it is limited in size and you can't adjust the grill height as with larger gas grills, it is perfect for one or two people. I have always been a charcoal fan, but I have to say it's nice to come home and grill up some chicken or fish for one, without waiting for coals!

Does anyone know where I can get a replacement gas tank in the small size that comes with the grill? I recently moved from CA to MA and the movers wouldn't take even an empty tank...I can't find that size in the NorthEast...hey Amazon, do you sell just the replacement tank?

I recently bought this grill after evaluating my barbeque needs and my space constraints. First of all this is the only propane grill that has a circular shape as opposed to the much bigger and bulkier rectangular grills. As a result, this grill tucks neatly into my porch and looks very slick. The grill, although small has more than ample grilling space for grilling for 2-4 people. As a suggestion, make sure you keep the lid closed to generate enough heat to cook meat properly. My last suggestion is to purchase a full capacity tank (cost approx. $20) and use the one provided as a backup.

This patio caddy is the greatest thing! In San Francisco we don't have much space, and you see them everywhere! Because it is small, it heats up very quickly, cooks evenly, and I am delighted to have it in my life! The original came a little 'bumped and bruised' and for that I was not happy, but it has been with me now for over 2 years and I cannot imagine being without it at all. I use all year round!