Best Pontoon Boat Grill Reviews – Buying Guide 2021

What feeling can be better than a summer on a blissful sea?

Gourmets know that nothing beats a day spent on a pontoon boat with a grill — preparing the best meals.

On the water, grilling has never been more popular than now. Grills and boats go well together more than anything else, and so there has never been a better time to get a BBQ fired up on your pontoon.

But if you don't have a pontoon BBQ grill, you're missing out a lot.

So, if you are searching which one will be good for you, you are about to find the answer.

Top 5 Pontoon Boat Grill Reviews for 2021

There are hundreds of grills for pontoon boats flooding the market. This makes deciding on which one to buy a lot challenging.

Fortunately, we have done the homework for you. Here are the five best pontoon boat grill reviews we have shortlisted.

1. Extreme Marine Cuisinart Grill (Top Overall)

Our top pick for pontoon grills comes from Extreme Marine Product. Their Cuisinart Grill has a design quality unmatched by many. It comes with Arnall’s Bracket, which is also a winning combination.

Should anyone want good-looking grills for pontoon boats that require no additional mounting support, this one makes the strongest case. 

This Cuisinart grill is specifically designed for pontoon boats, and it wouldn't be wrong to call it a freestanding grill.

You can move it across the boat as freely as you want and mount it anywhere necessary. Its two set of adjustable legs will give you the most stable mounting without taking much space.

This model comes with a large cooking area of 145 square inches. This might not seem like much at first, but when you cook, you'll see it can fit up to a dozen chicken breasts at a time. The grilling surface is enough to cook meals for more than 8 people.

In addition, it comes with a locking lid, drip tray, two stainless steel burners, and a strong propane tank mount.

More so, the grill is very easy to use with simple instructions. So, it doesn’t matter if you are a professional or a newbie.

And if you are thinking about the installation, you don't need any special tool to install the grill on your boat. It comes with stainless steel brackets, which can be mounted on 1.25 inches railings easily.

Also, taking the grill off the mount is just as easy. Simply screw out the four big nobs from the base, and it is off.

This Cuisinart grill is compact but high-performer, and should you keep it clean; it will last for years easily. There are almost no chances of corrosion for a long time.

And also the small size makes it easy to transport and store anywhere. Overall this is a very good product. For most people, this one is the right choice.

2. Cuisinart CGG-180T - Great Tabletop Grill

Every pontoon lover tries to make sure to get the most fun in their adventure. So, enjoying a fresh fish meal is one of the best things one could ever do on a pontoon.

And the Cuisinart CGG-180T pontoon grill will make this come into reality.

When you are looking for a grill that will give you a quality barbecue experience, we would suggest you consider this one. This model is specifically designed for pontoon boats with a strong propane tank mount.

The grill might look heavy on first sight, but we can assure you it is to the contrary. It is quite light — weighing only 13.5 pounds, making it easy to carry.

With a 145 square inches of grilling surface, it can easily feed a small crowd. The burner is made from stainless steel, which makes it very sturdy. It can hit 600°F in less than 10 minutes.

This amazing feature will make your food taste better with its convenient speed. Its compact size ensures quality performance too. The construction quality is amazing, as well.

Cuisinart CGG-180T is very well built and joyful to use. It is compatible with some universal mounting solutions too.

If you’re worried about it being stable on a flat surface, this will cause you no problem at all. Its folding legs are stable enough for boat use.

The easily removable grate and drip tray can be washed in dishwater. Much needed features many grills seem to lack are temperature control knobs and twist-start ignition.

These two make the cooking experience so much better. If kept clean, this will surely last many years to come.

3. Cuisinart Grill Modified

We try our best not to miss the amazing taste of barbecues and grill on boat trips. Also, we have taken enough of them to tell you why a pontoon grill is not an average cooking tool you can buy.

That is why we suggest you buy the best boat grill to serve you right.

One of our favorite pontoon grills comes from Extreme Marine Products modified with Arnall’s Brackets. This combination is definitely the best as Arnall makes a great, secure bracket for holding the grill.

The grill is rust-resistant and has a strong bracket. It is also very lightweight and simple to operate. Keeping it clean will make it last for years without no corrosion or a single speck of rust.

It has two sturdy aluminum legs that keep your grill in place on a table or deck, even with waves coming. As you already know, grilling on a pontoon is so much easier when done on the rails, since it frees up a lot of space.

So, the foldable white bracket with a detachable black grill can be of great help should you decide not to use it on a flat surface.

This modified Cuisinart grill is also dead simple to install or mount. It sticks hard in its place with ease. Although a little bit on the heavy side with 37 pounds, it is actually quite compact and portable.

And since no product is perfect in this world, this grill could use some improvements too. The ignition system sometimes doesn’t work and gets a little temperamental with no sparks.

Therefore we suggest you keep a lighter stored in the grill for those times.

4. Cuisinart Grill Modified with Arnall's Grill Bracket Set BLACK

Our last pick from Extreme Marine Products is the Cuisinart Black grill. It is probably the best grill and bracket set on the market since it comes with Arnall’s grill bracket set.

This one is also rust-resistant like others, and so it is extremely unlikely that rust will damage the product anytime soon.

Besides, Arnall’s bracket set is known to be very strong and durable. So it can survive harsh weather conditions with relative ease.

It is also a great multipurpose grill that's control valve can be easily adjusted upon necessity.

Moreover, this one has a grill brush, and the fuel canister can be quickly changed without any problem. This superb marine grill has a hinged lid to protect your food if there is a strong wind.

The pontoon grill can be mounted on any boat railing measuring 1.25 inches. The push-button igniter can make cooking a lot easier too. It is a propane type grill, so the propane tank is situated at the back. All in all, everything can be put together and mounted easily.

With a dimension of 18 x 12 x 19 inches and weighing 37 pounds, you will find it relatively easy in terms of mobility and portability. Its 145 square inches of grilling surface is ideal for cooking a size-able amount of food.

So you see, this incredible pontoon grill is great for grilling hamburgers, steaks, and fish alike. And it is also easy to install and uninstall with minimal work. You will not need any tools at all to install this set onto your boat.

5. Magma Products Marine Kettle

One interesting thing about barbecue purists is that they refuse to cook with anything that doesn't burn wood or coal. This Magma grill is perfect for them in all ways. This portable oven is the best coal-burning pontoon grill you can get for any small eat outs.

The Magma Marine Kettle grill comes in a round form and is sleek and stylish. Therefore, the outer appearance of the grill is compact and outstanding.

Made from 18-9 mirror polished stainless steel, it provides improved rust protection. The polished steel makes it effortless to clean. This grill is able to eliminate blowouts and gives you no corrosion at all.

The bowl shape helps cook food evenly and gets hot without having to use a lot of fuel. This allows you to cook in harsh conditions too. It comes with a windproof turbo venture and a control valve, which will eliminate all blowouts.

This grill is easy to clean and is rust-resistant. The draft door gives the opportunity to control the temperature of the coal easily.

Moreover, the smoke vents bring out the smoke easily, and the drips go in the water without spilling your boat at all.

The grill heats up quickly using the method of convection and radiant cooking with a solid burner. This type of heat distribution method is awesome for enjoying a good barbecue party as it makes the food taste way better than conventional barbecues.

When it comes to performance, this grill is second to none. But the downside is that it doesn’t come with all of the grill mounting hardware. So, you have to purchase the grill mounting hardware separately.

What to Look for Before Buying a Pontoon Boat Grill ?

The grill for pontoon boats is not as stable as a typical kitchen grill. It needs to be placed securing stability and giving easy access too.

In order to choose the best pontoon boat grill, you need to consider and weigh a lot of options to get the best pontoon boat grill.

Durability and Material

Regular household grills don't last long in harsher weather conditions. So, you'll need grills that would be durable, strong, and highly rust-resistant. Since you'll be cooking food, food graded material is the only choice to make.

Boat grills made from food graded stainless steel are the most common. Salty seawater causes most metals to rust easily.

The most commonly used steel has just the right amount of chromium and nickel content that protects the grill from forming rust.

Besides, buying from any recognized manufacturer saves you from replacing the grill within a short period of time.

Safety

Keep in mind that the space on a pontoon boat is not as wide as your regular backyard. Therefore, you’ll need some additional safety features to save yourselves from unintentional circumstances.

Some grills come with additional covers protecting the flame from wind. Besides, connecting pipes and the control valve must be designed well so that no leak or damage occurs, leading to unforeseeable fire hazards.

Size and Weight

There are many grill sizes available out there, but not all are suitable for your pontoon boat. The weight of a grill also depends upon the material it is constructed with. So, try to make sure the grill is of the perfect size with your boat. Measure the space available and buy according to that.

The most preferred size for pontoon boat grill is neither too big nor small but rather enough to serve the number of people that’s necessary. You know how many people your grill needs to serve better than anyone else. Don’t buy the one which takes up most of the available space on your boat.

Fuel Type

This is, by far, one of the most important considerations to make. Because you need to consider which type of fuel for grilling on the pontoon boat suits you the best. People use two main kinds of fuel for such occasions: charcoal and natural gas or propane.

Undoubtedly, charcoal grilling makes the dish taste way better than any other form of cooking. But it has its drawbacks as it is a bit messy to store and handle. Besides, starting a fire in a windy condition is not so easy. More so, dry charcoal on a boat can be a challenge, to say the least.

On the other hand, gas grills for pontoon boats are way more convenient to handle and offer greater flexibility. Gas also takes up much less space and known to preheat faster. But it doesn’t give you the taste of the traditional cooking experience.

Mounting Options

When you are on waters, the grill must be absolutely stable. You don’t want your pontoon boat grill to move here and there while cooking, besides it is risky too.

However, 90% of the grill comes with no hardware to make it stand, thus you’d need mounting kits to make them stable on the deck. There are two main options available for mounting the grill: pedestal post with screws and rod rail holder.

Grilling Area

When you are on the boat and want to feed hungry stomachs as soon as possible, primary cooking space on the grill becomes so much important. The primary cooking area is the space above the direct heat source.

Rectangular shaped grilling area offers more space than other shapes. While a regular grill offers an area between 400 and 1200 square inches, the smaller and portable boat grill cannot offer that much. Make sure to consider how much food you actually want to cook at a time.

Grills for pontoon boats offer around 160 square inches of grilling area. This can fit about 8 steaks or about 10 chicken breasts.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What type of food can I grill on a pontoon grill?

You can cook many types of food on a pontoon grill. But the best way to cook them is grilling. So if there is anything you want cooked that can be grilled, a pontoon boat is the one to pick.

2. Where do I install the pontoon grill?

You can install anywhere you want on your pontoon, but make sure it doesn't take up much of the available space on the deck. Most people use the rail to install the pontoon since it doesn't make a mess on the boat.

3. Which fuel should I use on a pontoon grill?

As we have discussed earlier, pontoon grills use charcoal and gas both. Although charcoal makes the food taste way better, it is difficult to handle on water and can be a bit messy too. So, for these reasons, some prefer gas over charcoal. But at the end of the day, it is all up to you since both options have their ups and downs.

4. How long does a pontoon boat grill last?

A pontoon grill lasts for over three years easily. But depending upon its usage and the frequency of cleaning that you do, you can make it last for more than seven years too.

5. Is it hard to cook or grill on a boat?

If you are a newbie, everything seems hard at the beginning. But grilling on a pontoon boat isn’t that tough once you do it for yourself. The waves create a bit problem to handle the grilling. But you will be able to adjust soon.

Final Words

There you have it! Out top five pontoon boat grill reviews to make your pick a bit easier. We have tried to cover everything to look for in a pontoon boat among the currently available ones.

So, if you want to entertain your friends and family with some genuine eat out, pontoon boat grill is the way to go.