Camco 58155 216 Elite Gas Grill Review
Camco is a grill manufacturer, affiliated with Kuuma, who also specializes in a small line of RV and boat grills. Their 58155 216 Elite Grill stands arguably near the top of their line and is meant to appeal to these two niches.
It only weighs in at 14.5 pounds, which makes it very portable. The propane regulator is set up to work with an RV’s low-pressure external hookups as well as a common DOT 39 one-pound propane cylinder. If you want to connect it to a larger liquid propane tank, you will need to purchase a replacement regulator. It’s rated to produce an impressive 13,000 BTUs of heat.
It’s made largely from stainless steel, which helps with corrosion and rust resistance. It features a removable warming rack, the lid has a built-in thermometer and a built-in piezo igniter. It also has a removable lift and Clean liner in the concealed grease tray.
It was designed to be used as a portable tabletop grill. However, Camco does sell special brackets that will allow you to mount to an RV exterior or a square boat rail. However, those are secondary purchases.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
The stainless steel construction in the Camco Elite gas grill is absolutely necessary if you want a boat grill that can last for more than one season. For the price point, the little features like the built-in piezo igniter are a nice touch.
The assembly of the grill body itself is relatively straight forward. Just take your time installing the regulator. You might need to open the valve all the way when making the connection. Especially if you are planning to hook it directly to an RV’s external low-pressure propane system.
Also, keep in mind that this grill doesn’t come with any mounting hardware or brackets. You will have to source those through Camco or their affiliate Kuuma. If you need square rails for mounting to something like a pontoon boat parts number 58182 or 58195 should help.
Grilling Performance
The Camco Elite isn’t going to be mistaken for a high-end gas grill that can pull double duty as your daily griller on your home patio. Still, with a 216 square inch grill grate, you can make four good-size hamburger patties at one time, with a little bit of room leftover to grill hot dogs for the kids.
There’s also a little more height under the lid than you see with some of the competitor grills in this niche. You might not be able to grill up a beer can chicken, but you could stand up a thick-cut pork chop on the bone.
Of course, like a lot of smaller gas grills, high heat can be an issue. This particular stainless steel burner element is rated to produce up to 13,000 BTUs. You can dial down the heat to reduce the chances of burning the exterior of the food.
Just make sure that the flame is still a rich shade of blue, which means it is still oxidizing all the gas. If the flame is overly yellow, excess hydrocarbons can end up on the surface of the meat giving it a slightly chemical flavor. Also bear in mind that at a low flame, a strong wind could potentially blow the fire out when you open the lid.
It’s also worth noting that this grill can be used mounted to a boat rail or RV as well as a simple tabletop grill. However, the bottom can get a little bit too hot for a painted picnic table. So you might want to put down something like a silicone baking sheet or a cutting board if you want to set it on a potentially flammable tabletop.
Grilling Areas
The Camco Elite has a 216 square inch stainless steel grill grate.
Special Features
The latching lid with a thermometer is another one of those features that might not seem special at first glance. Yet you come to appreciate them. It means you can store all your grill items in one place. The thermometer also isn’t something you always see with competitor grills in this price range.
Ease to Clean
With small, portable gas grills like this, clean up is usually a little frustrating. Especially if you cook something greasy or with a dripping marinade.
Still, Camco makes an effort in this regard by including special drippings grease tray. This is a much better solution than simply lining the bottom with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Warranty
Camco covers this grill with a 2-year limited warranty. This is pretty good for this niche and price range. Only a few competitors offer a three-year warranty, and most offer a year or less. Just keep in mind that Camco and Kuuma both have a reputation for being a little slow with their customer service.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a stainless steel grill that can live on your boat or RV that also doubles as a portable grill for things like trips to the beach and tailgating, then this grill deserves to be on your list. It maybe doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as standalone portable grills at the same price point. Still, it has the quality materials you want for something that needs to withstand some serious time on the water.
Just bear in mind that it will need a different regulator to work from a propane source other than a low-pressure RV connection of a DOT 39 1-pound LP cylinder. If you do want to mount it securely to a square boat rail you will need to also invest in one of the special brackets. If you plan to move it around a lot, you might also want to spring for the custom grill cover and carrying case.
