Boss Grill Deluxe Portable review

• Read our full review of the best gas barbecues

First impressions of the Boss Grill Deluxe Portable

The Boss Grill Deluxe Portable is a compact and simply designed barbecue that offers enough grilling space for four portions. We felt that elements of the design left this barbecue looking and feeling a little plasticky and cheap, namely the grey lid. But we liked the faux leather handle, which also kept the handle cool. A thermometer can be found on the lid, which was useful and responsive.

The gas cord is a little short, which meant that canister had to sit just behind the barbecue when cooking. We’d have liked a little more length.

How easy is the Boss Grill Deluxe Portable to assemble?

This model was quick to assemble and took a single person just 45 minutes to put together. One Philips screwdriver was needed. The quality of this barbecue was good overall, though two of the washers had to be left off the final build as they didn’t fit.

We found the instruction manual overly simplistic with little text and a heavy reliance on imagery that didn’t fully illustrate how to assemble certain elements. We were left trying to figure our some of the more complex parts by ourselves.

You’ll need an extra pair of hands when adding the legs to the base. We'd recommend ignoring the method shown in the manual, as it’s not particularly safe – it recommends lowering the grill onto the cantilever construction legs, which was virtually impossible to do. Instead, flip the grill upside down and attach the legs from above. We would have liked to see the addition of a simple safety catch that locked the legs into a standing position independently.

How easy is the Boss Grill Deluxe Portable to use?

The grill is quick and easy to ignite and, once the lid was lowered, it took around five minutes to preheat, making it one of the fastest barbecues we tested. The handle is heatproof and faux leather, which gives a slight luxe quality.

This is a simple barbecue, offering a basic grill and nothing more. But the grill heated up evenly and we were glad to see that, although lightweight, this barbecue remained sturdy when we cooked on it and could easily be moved around a patio or grass area thanks to the chunky wheels. Sliding shelves are hidden on the underside of the grill area which provide a little extra space for food, utensils or drinks.

The grilling area is a generous size and offered enough space to comfortably cook enough for four people. We did feel the overall height of the barbecue was a little short – on our 5'5" tester the grill sat just below the hips.

Cooking results

Whether cooking in the centre of the grill or toward the sides, the Deluxe Portable provided even and consistent heat. The grill plates were also very responsive to changes in temperature.

All of the vegetables achieved well-defined and even grill lines. The halloumi skewers were evenly cooked from top to bottom and our burger buns had a defined, toasty char.

How sustainable is the Boss Grill Deluxe Portable?

This barbecue fell down on sustainability. The plastic packaging that protected the Deluxe Portable was prolific. All the plastic and polystyrene was unrecyclable.

We couldn’t find any information in the manual about whether spare parts were available either.

Conclusion

This barbecue is a brilliant option if you’re after something that offers a generous amount of space, is easy to move around and gets the basics of barbecuing right.

The instruction manual needs attention, as much of the assembly process requires common sense owing to the less-than-clear imagery.

The grill is generously sized for a family of four and is a joy to cook on. We did feel it lacked a little height, as it is one of the shorter models tested.

• Available from Appliances Direct (£249.97), Amazon (£289.97)

Boss Grill Deluxe Portable specifications

Brand: Boss Grill
Model: Deluxe Portable
RRP: £249.97
Dimensions (cm): H: 96.5 x W: 122 x D: 53
Materials: Stainless steel
Warranty: One year
Gas needed: Propane

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