The 7 Best Portable Boat Grills for Pontoon Boats [2023 Edition]
The time of year is fast approaching when everyone will be out on their boats, cooking up a storm and hosting the best boat parties imaginable. And when it’s time to take your pontoon boat out on the water, it makes sense that you want to prepare.
One of the best ways to prepare for boat season is to find the best pontoon boat grill on the market. With a pontoon grill, you can be the one impressing all your friends while the meat sizzles on the rocking waves.
Making waves with your friends is all about having the right tools. So finding the perfect boat grill for a brand new cooking space on your pontoon boat will get you more than just bragging rights. It’ll get you a whole new way of life.
Benefits of a Boat Grill
Not only is grilling on a boat completely safe and 100% legal, but it’s also a great way to spend an afternoon. As long as you know what you’re doing and are ready to practice all the right safety measures, there’s no reason why you can’t be grillmaster and the captain.
Bragging rights are probably one of the main reasons you want to improve your boat grill game. And that’s fair: who wouldn’t want to be the one friend who has the awesome boat and the awesome grill?
However, you must remember that there’s something unique about being that person. It is, in a sense, the sort of power that comes with a whole load of responsibility. Understand that once you become that person, everyone will want to be your friend.
Not that that’s a bad thing. The portability alone makes having a boat grill one of the best decisions you could ever make.
In the end, then, there are no downsides to being the guy that has the boat and grill on the boat. It seems like it’s the best thing ever. So don’t feel bad for wanting to deck out your rig with an excellent grill fitting to serve the whole crew.
Charcoal Grill or Propane Grill?
When deciding what type of boat grill to get, it’s essential to narrow down your options. One quick way to do that is to determine whether you want a charcoal grill or a propane grill.
Deciding on charcoal or propane is actually a pretty easy choice: don’t get a charcoal grill.
For barbecuing in your backyard, charcoal is a great option. It delivers a smokey flavor that propane just can’t match. But when you’re on a boat, it’s the last thing you want. Charcoal grills rely on a large flame, even more so than a propane grill.
And in case you were uncertain, having a large, open flame on your rocking boat is probably not the best idea. It’s not a good idea at all.
So go ahead and get yourself a propane grill. Or an electric grill. But whatever you do, please do not get a charcoal grill for your excursion out to sea.
What You Want
When it’s time to look for a grill to put on your boat, there are a few essential things that you’ll want to consider before you make a final decision.
You want to find something with plenty of square inches of grilling surface so that you can provide burgers and dogs for all the people.
The mounting hardware is an essential feature since this is the thing that secures the grill for your boat. A pedestal mount is one standard option for your grill, with mounting brackets to keep everything where it should be on the deck.
You certainly want something that has a removable grease tray, providing an easy means of disposing of all that nasty grease.
Something with even heat distribution that can withstand the rocking motion of the waves would be a good idea.
And since you’re going to be using this grill when you’re out on the open waters, you want something resistant to corrosion. Whether it’s naturally resistant or you can add some sort of coating that protects it from corrosion, this is a top concern for a boat grill.
Best Boat Grills for Pontoon Boats
Now that you know a little more about what you’re looking for let’s look at some of the best portable boat grills for pontoon boats. And since you can order practically anything online these days, getting your hands on one has never been easier:
- Cuisinart Grill Modified for Pontoon Boat
- Kuuma Premium Stainless Steel Mountable
- Magma Products Newport Gourmet Series
- Blaze Professional LUX Marine Grade
- Cuisinart CGG-608 Portable
- Char-Broil Propane 240
- Monument Grills Tabletop Portable
Cuisinart Grill Modified for Pontoon Boat
From Anywhere Grill, this stainless steel masterpiece is modified to make grilling on your pontoon as easy as you can imagine. With 145 square inches of grilling surface, you’ll never run out of room with this bad boy.
The Cuisinart Grill comes in at 18x12x19, making it the perfect size for your pontoon. It has an open fencing design that works perfectly with any standard pontoon railings, and it’s incredibly lightweight for ease and mobility.
Customers love this grill because it’s easy to clean, install, and incredibly durable. It offers maximum stability mounted on your pontoon, and it’s hard to find a better value for the money you spend.
Kuuma Premium Stainless Steel Mountable
The next boat grill on our list is the Kuma Premium Stainless Steel Mountable Gass Grill. This compact grill is easily portable, the perfect size to affix to your pontoon for a day out at sea. And since it’s stainless steel, you know it will last for a long time.
The Kuuma Premium measures around 23x17x14 and weighs just over 20 pounds. It’s not all that difficult to move by yourself if necessary, which is one of the things that makes it so valuable.
You have simple control valves on the Kuuma Premium and fully integrated fold-away legs that won’t get in your way. The warming rack is removable, and the thermometer is built-in, meaning you don’t have to worry about losing that valuable instrument.
Magma Products Newport Gourmet Series
Ultimately, this is the grill I decided to buy personally. We use it on the boat, but we mainly find that we carry it to shore and cook on the beach with friends and family more than anything.
Being able to use the mounting hardware to install it into a rod holder, or fold down the legs to use it on the beach is a great option.
Sitting just under 20 pounds and measuring at about 22x11x11 inches, the Magma Products Newport Gourmet Series is an excellent gas grill for your pontoon adventures. You’ll feel like a champion when you fire this grill up for the first time.
It’s highly portable and features a tempered glass viewing window so you can check on your meat while it’s cooking. The viewing window helps you see your progress without opening your grill top and risk losing all the precious heat that’s been building up inside.
Made 100% in the United States, the Magma grill is an excellent option for a day on the water. It uses disposable propane canisters that you can find just about anywhere. And it has a marine-grade mirror of polished stainless steel that’s durable enough for anything.
The Magma will impress all your friends, so bring them along when you debut this one.
Blaze Professional LUX Marine Grade
If you have a little extra cash to spend and want to find something that’s truly remarkable, then look no further: the Blaze Professional LUZ Marine Grade Portable Propane Gas Grill sits on a pedestal and comes with side shelves for the whole experience.
The Blaze Professional is the grill for anyone who wants to feel like a world-class chef out on the waves. It weighs about 50 pounds, so it’s not as easy to move. But once you have it secured on your deck, why would you ever want to move it?
Customers adore this masterpiece, raving about how easy it is to use and durable and resilient it is. They also love how delicious the meat is from the 12-millimeter cooking grid.
If you’re looking for the definition of heavy-duty, then this is the grill for you. It’s big and imposing but easy to use, and no assembly is required. All you have to do is fix your pontoon and set sail for clear skies and delicious grilled food.
Cuisinart CGG-608 Portable
Cuisinart makes a second appearance on our list, and there’s a perfect reason for that: Cuisinart makes really good grills. And surprisingly enough, Cuisinart makes really good grills for pontoons. The Cuisinart CGG-608 Portable Professional Gas Grill is no exception.
The CGG-608 is a one-burner, stainless steel work of art that features an easy-to-use twist-start ignition and a built-in temperature gauge on the lid. All this comes together to create a simple, stress-free grilling experience.
The stainless steel cooking grate is made with the utmost care for quality, and it’s easy to remove and clean between uses. With 176 square inches of cooking surface, you’ve got just enough space for a nice intimate night out at sea or a small Saturday party.
Char-Broil Propane 240
Char-Broil makes some of the best grills, and the Propane 240 is simply another fine piece of equipment to come from their workshop.
Stainless steel and about 20 pounds, the Char-Broil Propane 240 contains a massive 240 square inches of cooking surface, which makes it perfect for any occasion out on the water.
At its very core, this grill is built to travel. It’s sturdy enough to hold up in rough weather, and it’s easy enough to put together that you hardly need the manual (but maybe take a look at it just in case).
Customers love their experiences with the Char-Broil Propane 240. It’s durable, it has even heat distribution and reasonable heat output, and it’s exceptionally easy to clean.
Monument Grills Tabletop Portable
Last but certainly not least, the Monument Grills Tabletop Portable Gas Grill is the grill that comes complete with stainless steel cooking grates, a reliable thermometer, and travel locks for any occasion.
It has two burners, independently controlled, and about 207 square inches of cooking space. It’s easy to move and adjust, making travel a breeze.
With a 40-inch hose that connects to the propane tank, this grill is highly versatile. It’s also rated by most customers as having exceptional heat output, which is really why we love it so much.
You can’t go wrong with a Monument Grill.
Best Portable Boat Grills, Final Thoughts
There’s no question that your pontoon boat ought to be fitted with the best of the best in terms of boat grills. And finding a great boat grill has never been easier. With one of these options, you’re guaranteed to be the life of the party, the king of the sea, and the master of the grill.