Verdict
It’s a handy product, just as long as you work within its limitations. We think Quest has done an excellent job in designing such a compact portable BBQ, and if it had longer legs we’d be even happier. The Quest Folding BBQ is being sold at a bargain price of £21.99 at the time of our group barbecue test and we think this is pretty good value for money. It may seem a little flimsy to some, however, so we recommend that you check out our other Practical Caravan barbecue reviews before making up your mind which to go for.
We’ve also tested the Weber Go Anywhere, the Olpro SAfire charcoal barbecue, Bodum Fyrkat, Campingaz 1 Series Compact EX CV, the budget-friendly Outwell Cazal and SunnCamp Deluxe Bucket BBQ.
Practical Caravan magazine regularly tests groups of camping accessories to make sure you spend your money only on the best camping gear for caravanning. Happy barbecuing!
Pros
Compact
Folds almost completely flat
Comes with a carry bag
Easy to set up
Decent grill area
Light weight
Cons
Leaks more ash than rivals
Only 7cm above ground
The scent of food cooking on a charcoal barbecue or wood fire is one of the joys of summer camping holidays. Not every caravan has enough space left in the lockers to pack the kind of BBQ you might favour in a garden, though. So we’ve tested a selection of portable products designed for compact living.
Before we tested them, however, we debated the pros and cons of gas-fuelled barbecues and traditional charcoal and wood-fired units. Which is better, we wondered?
Charcoal BBQs tend to give food a delicious smoky singed flavour that you simply can’t achieve when you’re cooking with gas. You can even cook with wood, such as hickory, pear wood or apple, to give your meat an extra something special – and it works particularly well with beef steaks and pork. On the other hand, lighting a living fire close to grass and caravans can be risky in hot, dry conditions, so charcoal barbecues are banned on some campsites, especially on the Continent. On top of that, there’s the half hour wait for the coals to turn ash-grey before you cook anything. Plus there’s often an unpleasant smell of various firelighters and accelerants to contend with.
So what about gas barbecues? They heat up almost instantly and create no ash to clean up after the party. If you use lava rocks or a grill, the fat can drip down and then flare up to singe and flavour the food. The cooking method is a little easier, in that you can often adjust the amount of gas flowing, the height of the grilles and vent openings, to control cooking speeds and heats. Best of all, you can use gas barbecues more safely in hot countries, so they’re favoured by campsites.
In this test we’re looking at the Quest Folding BBQ, which is priced at a modest £21.99.
Top marks to Quest Leisure for producing such a compact charcoal unit — it measures just 36 x 25cm when folded flat in its carry bag. Well, almost flat: the full bag is around an inch thick.
Unfolding the legs and sides and setting up the barbecue is an absolute doddle, and the spacious 31 x 31cm grilling area is certainly not to be sniffed at. We’re sure that the portability and low price will give this product wide appeal not just for camping, but also for picnics on the beach and in the countryside. It only weighs 1.9kg.
Once loaded with charcoal or wood, the vents under the grate make it easier to light than most. Unfortunately the low vents also allow more ash leakage than others here. This could prove an issue, given that the base of the unit sits just 7cm above the ground. Unless you stand this portable product on a heat-proof barbecue stand, you’ll find that hot ash is likely to set fire to dry grass beneath it, making you rather unpopular on the campsite! And once the charcoal fire is lit, you really won’t want to take the risk of trying and lift any kind of folding portable barbecue into a new position.
Top marks to Quest Leisure for producing such a compact charcoal unit
Technical Specifications
Size when folded | 36 x 25cm |
Fuel | Charcoal or wood |
Grill area | 31 x 31cm |
Height above the ground | 7cm |
Weight | 1.9kg |
Frame | Stainless steel |