Napoleon TravelQ PRO285E Portable Electric Grill Review
Napoleon is a premium grill manufacturer producing outdoor cooking appliances to meet every size and need. In the past, they tended to stick to gas grills, but in recent years they have expanded their line to include other fuel types like charcoal as well as electric grills like the TravelQ PRO285E.
The exterior is painted black, to give this grill its own distinct visual appeal. The lid has a highly accurate thermometer built into it. The legs fold up and the carry handles are set up to let you carry it one-handed if need be.
This grill is set up to run off standard 120 Volt AC current from any household outlet. The detachable power cord has a heat control knob built into it. Turned up to the maximum the NAPOLEON TravelQ PRO285E’s electric resistor element consumes up to 1,500 Watts.
The grill grates measure in at 285 square inches. They are made from heat-absorbing cast iron, with a protective non-stick coating of porcelain. Under the grate, there is a modest-size porcelain coated drip cup.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
Napoleon hangs their hat on a reputation for quality materials in every grill throughout their line. You see that carrying through with the NAPOLEON TravelQ PRO285E’s grill grates, exterior shell, accurate lid thermometer, secure electric connection, and the portability features. Even the drippings cup has a thoughtful coating of nonstick porcelain for easier cleanup.
There is a little bit of a debate in their choice of an exposed resistor electric element over a nichrome electric element. This allows for more of a traditional grilling experience with smoke and fire-kissed aromas. Especially when drippings contact the electric element. It’s just resistor elements do tend to have a limited lifespan of around three to five years. Napoleon covers this base by offering superior long-term warranty coverage.
This type of electric element also means that this grill is meant for outdoor use. If you live in an apartment or condo, you can likely grill on your deck. If you bring the NAPOLEON TravelQ PRO285E indoors it will likely make too much smoke for your smoke detector to handle.
When it comes to assembly, from taking it out of the box to plugging it in for the first grilling session should take you less than half an hour.
It’s also worth noting that Napoleon offers a flat griddle that will replace one of the two cast iron grill grates. They also offer an accessory cart for people who want to let the NAPOLEON TravelQ PRO285E live on their deck or patio as their daily grill.
This electric element is rated to consume up to 1,500 Watts of AC current, from a standard household outlet. Just take a moment to double-check the circuit breaker it’s plugged into. A 15-Amp breaker can only handle up to 1,800 watts before tripping. If you have other electric appliances plugged into a 15 Amp circuit and you then fire up this grill, you could suffer a frustrating interruption. Ideally, you want to plug the NAPOLEON TravelQ PRO285E into a 20 Amp circuit breaker, which is rated to handle a robust 2,400 Watts.
Grilling Performance
The NAPOLEON TravelQ PRO285E was designed to work as a portable grill. Yet it has enough size and quality to deserve a long life on your patio. The electric element inside is rated to produce the equivalent of 12,000 BTUs.
The 285 square inch grill grates are made from thick, heavy-duty cast iron which has the ability to absorb an enormous amount of heat energy. When turned up to the max this portable grill can sear off a piece of meat with near steakhouse quality.
The fact that Napoleon also offers accessories to convert half of this grill into a griddle adds versatility to the easy portability. It’s especially nice if you want to take the NAPOLEON TravelQ PRO285E on a camping trip where electric service is available. It lets you make breakfast items like bacon, eggs, pancakes, and French toast. Just keep in mind that the griddle top is an accessory, and it isn’t included in the original purchase.
Grilling Areas
The porcelain-coated cast iron grill grates in the NAPOLEON TravelQ PRO285E measure in at 285 square inches. Which is just enough to be able to grill up hamburgers for four people.
Special Features
The collapsing legs and portable design features make it very easy to take with you camping, tailgating or for trips to the beach.
Ease to Clean
The porcelain coating on the drip cup and the cast iron grill grates might not jump off the page as being exciting. Still, they make this grill very easy to clean.
Drippings and grease can sometimes land in the lower grill body and caramelize before making it to the drippings cup. Thankfully Napoleon thought about this and designed the TravelQ PRO285E’s electric element to come out easily. You can then scrape it down with a stiff nylon bristle grill brush.
Warranty
Napoleon’s reputation for quality engineering and material selection extends its warranty coverage program. The NAPOLEON TravelQ PRO285E has a multi-tier warranty.
The lid and grill body has a 10-year limited warranty. The heating element has 5-years of full warranty coverage, and then 50% coverage until the 10th year. All other parts and components have 2-years of coverage.
Just make sure to register the NAPOLEON TravelQ PRO285E within 30-days of purchase to activate the warranty coverage.
Conclusion
The NAPOLEON TravelQ PRO285E is a very well designed outdoor electric grill. It has all the quality materials and engineering you expect from this premium manufacturer. It packs away easily to make it truly portable. Yet it also has the characteristics to spend a long, productive life on your deck and patio.
Napoleon sells some accessories that work seamlessly with the NAPOLEON TravelQ PRO285E. The replacement griddle, and portable cart base are very much worthy of the investment. You might want to also consider getting a cover for this electric grill or making sure to store it in the garage to spare it from the weather.
