The 7 Best Boat Grills

We all know that going out to sea may sometimes mean staying there for hours, or even the whole day. Yes, you can bring snacks, so you don’t get hungry, but why not treat yourself to something more? Perhaps, a delicious steak or even a hamburger.

With the advancement of technology, it’s a great thing that we now have grills designed to be placed on boats. But, with the many choices on the market, it’s hard to pick the best one. So, we’re here to help.

Below, we listed the seven best boat grills on the market today. We also discussed the pros and cons of each, so try to weigh which boat grill would be the perfect fit for you.

First on our list is the Magma Newport II Infrared Gourmet Series Gas Grill is already a redesigned grill to ensure top-quality overall performance.

It features a 100% 18-9 marine grade mirror stainless steel construction, making it perfect for boating. This way, it looks exquisite and will stay rust-free for long. On top of that, the rounded-edges give it a much modern and refined look that keeps you safe from accidentally cutting yourself.

Another noticeable feature is the hardened glass viewing window that is also improved. It has a clean silver finish, too, and allows you to watch your meat from the outside without the need to open the lid.

This is a compact grill that offers 162 square inches of cooking area. This is already enough to grill burgers, steaks, chicken breasts, and other meat for yourself and a friend who is with you on that boat.

The cooking area is heated by an 11,200 BTU powerful infrared burner, which cooks the meat fast. Added to that, it also ensures that the heat is distributed evenly throughout the cooking area so that there are no cold and hot spots on your meat.

What’s also good about this is that it comes with a dynamic combustion system, which stays lit even if you’re out on the ocean where the wind is strong. It then has an anti-flare system that minimizes flares, preventing your food from getting burned.

Right above the lid of the grill, there’s a built-in thermometer for temperature monitoring. The lid then comes with a locking feature to not be accidentally open when the boat is rocking.

Another feature to note is the foldable legs. So in case you’re not going to use it on a boat and just decide to grill in your backyard, you can still use this as a tabletop grill.

First on our list is the NOMADIQ Portable Propane Gas Grill. This is a compact and very lightweight grill, which makes it a perfect companion on boat rides. The grill features overall heavy steel construction with a powder-coated finish so it can last for years. On top of that, the black coating makes the grill nice looking.

The cooking area is a total of 226 square inches, which is larger compared to its counterparts. It is said that you can fit up to 10 hamburgers here, so if you’re going boating alone or with friends, this is already a large enough size.

Another good thing about this is that it uses ceramic-coated non-stick cooking grates so that your food won’t stick on the surface. It’s also rust-resistant and very easy to clean, too. You’ll also appreciate the 10,000 BTUs dual burner (5,000 BTUs on each side of the grill) that contributes to the fast cooking of your meal.

Another thing we love is the electric push-to-start ignition system for reliable start-ups all the time. So, even if the wind is strong, you’re confident that your grill will work.

Lastly, the grill is very easy to set-up and won’t even take you 45 seconds. The design is so simple that if it’s closed, you might think it’s a small grill. It’s very easy to carry, easy to clean, and just has overall excellent quality.

The Extreme Marine Products Modified Cuisinart Grill is truly something else. It’s a result of a partnership between two excellent manufacturers (one of boat parts and one of the grills). Because of this, you can ensure that it will work well regardless if you’re at sea or land.

Like other Cuisinart grills, you can ensure great product quality with this grill. The stainless steel overall construction makes it very durable and will surely last you for years.

It features a 145 square inches cooking area that is large enough for you to prepare eight burgers at once. It may be quite small, but this would be enough to serve 2-3 people on a boat. It then comes with a 5,500 BTU stainless steel burner that heats the grate fast, and because the grate is also made of porcelain, you can ensure even distribution.

The Cuisinart grill also comes with a locking lid, convenient for when you need that shield against the wind. Sadly, it doesn’t come with a built-in thermometer from the outside for easy temperature monitoring. But it does have temperature controls, so you can adjust the heat accordingly.

Now, let’s go to the bracket part of this grill.

The grill features an Arnall’s stainless steel grill bracket, which is known to be one of the most secure brackets on the market. It is said to be rust-resistant and very sturdy.

Set-up and installation is usually the hard part. So, since this is a customized grill, you have several choices on the bracket depending on your boat railing. You need to be sure of this before buying to ensure that you get the right fit for your boat.

To install, you need to attach the grill first on the bracket. Then attach the bracket to the railing. Some people link the bracket on the railing first before putting the grill. But whichever process you choose, get some help to install and remove the grill as it can get heavy. And also, it’s best if there’s someone with you to help hold the grill, so it doesn’t fall.

Next on our list is the Kuuma Premium Stow N’ Go Grill. Made with 300 series marine-grade stainless steel, this grill is designed to be placed on boats. It’s 100% high polished, easy to clean, and will surely last for years without getting rusty.

The grill already comes fully assembled. So, no need to figure out where to put certain parts. Just place it on your rod holder. It’s also designed to be compatible with any Kuuma rail, rod, or pedestal mount, so if you already have that, you’re good to go.

It has a cooking area of 125 square inches, which is quite small. However, this size is enough to cook up to 8 burgers. So, it’s already perfect if you’re out to sea alone or with at least two friends.

There’s only one burner that delivers 9,000 BTU of heat across the cooking surface. This allows you to cook meat fast, and you even get that charred meat taste.

So, it’s a very simple grill with not so many features, but it does its job. It performs well even in windy weather compared to its counterparts. But one particular downside is that the lid can get pretty hot, so you should be careful with that.

Another product from Magma is the Magma Marine Kettle Gas Grill. As the name implies, it’s made for boating purposes, so every feature you’ll see is convenient for going into the sea.

The grill features overall stainless steel construction. It uses 18-9 mirror polished stainless steel to give the boat an elegant modern look, that at the same time, does well when in contact with saltwater. So, it doesn’t get easily rusted or corroded.

It will require a bit of installation, but it’s quick and easy. It won’t take you an hour to have everything installed and set-up on your boat.

The grilling plate is about 13 inches in diameter. So, that’s about 132.7 square inches of cooking area, enough space to prepare meals for four people. The plate has what we call radiant-heat feature, which ensures even heat distribution. Along with that, the burner distributes 10,700 BTU of heat across the whole cooking surface. Combine the two, and you’ll be cooking meat fast.

For better convenience, the 15-inches lid can act as your barrier against the wind. It comes with a cool-touch handle, so you don’t get burned. It’s also hinged so that even if the wind is strong, it won’t slam close accidentally.

You’ll be happy to know that the grill does come with an easy to clean grease catch pan for no-mess cooking. It’s also advisable to place a heavy-duty aluminum foil down if you’re cooking marinated meat to prevent extra mess.

Next on our list is the Smoke Hollow 205 Pontoon Boat Grill. If you’re looking for good quality and versatile product that will not cost you much, this grill is a great choice.

It features an overall construction of commercial-grade stainless steel, which makes it durable despite being lightweight. It then comes with a handle so that it’s easy to carry while getting set-up on a boat.

This grill’s primary cooking area is 205 square inches, which is already large enough for you to prepare meals for a few people. On top of that, it comes with a 105 square inches warming rack, which gives you more space if you’d want to grill vegetables from lower heat.

The stainless steel material used for the cooking area doesn’t make it very easy to clean, which can be a problem. But, it does heat up fast, which also quickly cooks the meat.

The grill also features a stainless steel U-shaped burner that gives off 10,000 BTUs of heat across the cooking space. Since it’s U-shaped, it’s expected that some areas can be hotter than other parts. Though this sounds bad, it does create two heating zones for more flexibility in cooking.

You’ll also see that the grill comes with a built-in thermometer for easy temperature monitoring. Other features you’ll notice are the easy-to-use push start button and the locking lid so that air can’t interrupt the temperature inside the grill.

Last but not least is the Char-Broil Tru-Infrared Grill2Go X200. So this is another high-quality boat grill, but instead of the other grills made of stainless steel, this comes in a cast-aluminum shell. So, durability is unquestionable for this product.

Another great thing is that it comes with a TRU infrared technology that cooks meat fast and evenly. The cooking area is only about 200 square inches, enough to serve a few friends.

There’s a push-button ignition system that provides an easy start and a temperature gauge on the lid to monitor the grill’s temperature. But other than that, there’s really no way to control the temperature better.

What’s nice about this product is that it will last for years, you can take it anywhere, and it will cook meat fast. But, it can’t be easily installed in your boat. Standard adapter kits won’t work, so you might need to do some customization. Or you can just use it as a tabletop grill.