Paul Jr. Designs Coleman RoadTrip Grill

So I did A LOT of research before I bought a grill. I was so excited about this specific grill because the reviews said it was made with a better quality product than the standard Coleman grill. They were right. It is very simple to put together, it moves with easy, cleaning is a breeze, and it has everything you need for at home, on the go, or traveling! The fact that it uses the smaller propane tanks is just perfect! We use it at our apartment and since their are regulations about keeping grill on the patio, we can disconnect the propane tank and store it in a fire safe container until it is needed again. The thermometer on the top is wonderful for when you start using the grill to see what levels to place the light at where to place your meat. The sloped pan is great for catching oils/fats that drain off and makes it very simple to clean along with the grill plates that you can easily take to the kitchen sink and wash down! So far the only complaint is that it is a little difficult changing the propane tanks and getting the holder arm to fit around the tank but we are learning! I would definitely recommend for people in apartments, campers, tailgaters, or just anyone who wants a nice grill. Even my father-in-law is in love with my grill!

EDIT 1/2/13:So, I've now had this grill sitting on my patio for a year and a half, and it's gone thru 2 winters. I cook year-round on my grill, so it gets use in all seasons, even when it's 0F and snowing. Well, Yesterday it proved to be less than stellar. I put the gas tank on, and went to light it, and as I turned the dial for the gas, I discovered that something is clogged up in the gas/air mixing chamber under the grill, and it shot the gas out the sides of the chamber instead of thru it. I also found that when I turned off the dial, it did not shut off, and continued to shoot gas until I removed the tank. I tried both burners with identical results. So it would seem that this grill is not as durable and rugged as I had originally found. That's a disappointment, I expected better from Coleman, makers of camping equipment that is SUPPOSED TO handle the rough, rugged use of all-weather camping. Since I use it all the time, it's not like it sits for long periods without use. I reduced my overall rating to 3 stars because of its lack of longevity in service.My original review is listed below, unmodified:If you're looking for a portable grill, the RoadTrip is an excellent choice.If you're looking at a RoadTrip, I would seriously recommend getting this version instead! I don't really care about Paul Jr, but for the same price, you can get higher output burners, and a few extra small features such as the utensil hooks on the front edge. The side trays also have diamond-plate metal inserts on top, so they're a little better made than the all-plastic ones. It's also black instead of red, so it's less outstanding when you don't want to see it.The burners are a little bit close to the cooking surface, so there tends to be a hot spot right in the center, and immediately around the edge of the diffuser, but if you get used to it, then you'll be able to cook great stuff all over the surface. Really the trick is as simple as moving things around on the surface so you work the heat around whatever you are cooking.The trays are actually pretty sturdy considering their limited construction. They don't droop or sag like so many of these pull-out trays.The extra grill pieces, such as the the pot holder, and the flat griddle are nice pieces, but again, they tend to generate hot spots right in the middle around the diameter of the burner... so just keep that in mind and you'll be fine. These are not included in the box, but they're good to have around just in case.So... the one thing I would change.... The gas port is right in the middle of the back of the unit. It's a bit of a pain to put on and take off the small 1-pound tanks. So I would like to see that on the side, maybe under one of the trays, or hang it off the front control panel. That's nice and easy to get to, and if you are grilling on a tailgate and have the legs folded up, the tank doesn't sit right from the back, but it would hang over the edge of the tailgate on the front, so it wouldn't be in the way.So overall, it's a great grill for a small apartment, or if you have a small porch or limited grilling space. I can easily cook 20 hamburgers on it, so it's VERY capable of handling a good crowd at your party. No functional problems, nothing that needs to be "fixed"... just move that gas port to the front and it would be awesome.

This grill is currently unavailable on Amazon. I don't know if if has been discontinued or not. I am just going to review the Paul Jr. Design for the RoadTrip and post another review for the actual grill under the regular Coleman RoadTrip Grill.The Paul Jr. extras on this grill really make it look sharp and stand out. The only problem is that the bells and whistles are cheaply made and applied.The diamond plate side trays look really cool. However, the glue that is used at the factory is cheap and the diamond plates start coming off quickly. I had to use some Gorilla glue and clamp the plates back on. Haven't had any issues after this. The diamond plates are very, very thin inserts that fit onto the plastic tray giving it a tough look. They do add a bit more durability in that they will save the tray from getting melt marks from hot items.The thermometer is your basic cheap bi-metal thermometer which are notoriously inaccurate. This thermometer is no exception. What is being read on the lid is much cooler than what is happening on the grate. Once you learn the grill though it is nice to have something to gauge the hotness of your grill, even if the actual numbers are not correct. Instead of numerical measurement it should gauge Low, Medium, High. This is how I use it and just ignore the numbers.The accessory hooks are a nice addition. They are not very strong and I have bent them easily when moving my grill around. They bend back into place easy enough but I think the plastic ones would outlast these. I use them all the time and they are nice to have. I just hope they last.The Paul Jr. name plate has the same issue as the diamond plates, it was not glued well. I haven't taken time to fix this yet, so the name plate is barely hanging on.The lid lock is very loose and will not stay in place when the grill is being moved. Also, sometimes when you set the lid down it wiggles into a locked position. This needs to be fixed.Overall, I like the looks of the grill. Coleman is a quality product and I am bit disappointed that they didn't implement that quality control into the Paul Jr. Designs grill. I don't really know if the sub-par quality of the Paul Jr. implements make it worth the price though.I will say the Coleman RoadTrip is awesome. I just don't know if I would pay extra for the bling next time.