Starwide Go Retro Campervan Charcoal Grill Review
The Starwide Go Charcoal Grill was designed for portable grilling, trips to the beach and tailgate parties. One of the problems you run into with traditional portable grills is that you have to carry so much other gear with you. Yet with this visually interesting unit, everything is designed to pack with it, and deploy in as little as 30-seconds. It looks just like a classic retro campervan
When it’s set up for transport the Starwide Go Charcoal Grill rolls on two durable wheels, and only weighs in at around 45 total pounds. There is a sturdy handle and 4 easy to use latches to hold everything secure. It even comes with a UV resistant, water-resistant, and dustproof cover.
Though the cover isn’t the only added extra that comes with the Starwide Go Charcoal Grill. Included in the purchase you also get a pair of tongs, a spatula, and a grilling fork made from stainless steel. There is also a manual BBQ fan and five S-Hooks that attach to the grill frame to hold your tools when you grill. There’s even a frying pan included in the purchase.
When you deploy it as a grill, the set up takes around 30-seconds. Then you can remove the lid and install four legs to create a convenient grilling table to hold beverages, sides, and serving platters.
The firebox itself is a little bit shallow. It’s not the sort of thing that you’re going to be grilling slow and low. Though it’s great for searing off foods like hamburger patties, bratwursts, hot dogs, and pork chops.
The stainless steel grill grate slides, which allows you to add extra charcoal or smoking woods during the course of a long grilling session. They are even approved by the FDA! When you’re done grilling the ash pan pulls out easily to dispose of the spent coals in a metal waste bin.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
There’s a lot of thoughtful engineering principles woven into the Starwide Go Charcoal Grill. The stainless steel is there where you need it, and you have to like that the sliding grill grates are FDA approved.
You could argue that the grilling table with it’s four detachable legs can be a little wobbly. There’s also a chance of pinching your fingers if you don’t set it up according to the manufacturer’s instructions. So, be sure give the owner’s manual a thorough read.
Setting up the Starwide Go Charcoal Grill is very quick. You can have the grill set up in 30-seconds. Then probably another minute to two for the BBQ table, and installing the S hooks to hold the grill tools that come in the purchase.
Grilling Performance
The Starwide Go Charcoal Grill is intended to be a direct flame grill. The shallow charcoal firebox does a great job of searing off steaks, burgers, and hot dogs. Though this package also comes with a special frying pan included in the initial purchase. This is great for sauteing vegetables for fajitas or cooking hot side dishes.
The sliding stainless steel grill grates have been approved by the FDA, which isn’t something you necessarily find with competitor grills with similar grates. When you slide them over you can add smoking woods for added flavor or extra charcoal to extend the grilling session.
The BBQ fan comes in handy when you need to get started. You simply crank it and the wind it produces helps fire up the charcoal for situations where you might be short on time. You can also use it to help ignite a second batch of charcoal during a long grilling session.
Special Features
The Starwide Go Charcoal Grill has sliding stainless steel grill grates that let you reload charcoal quickly and easily. The BBQ fan also helps you ignite the charcoal.
The sliding ashtray pulls out easily, and there’s a fire hook included for safe handling. This makes for easy cleanup which is a big deal for a portable charcoal grill.
You also have to like the fact that it comes with a water-resistant, UV resistant, and dustproof cover to keep it safe in storage or during transport.
Ease to Clean
The Starwide Go Charcoal Grill is easier to clean than most portable charcoal grills. This is thanks in large part to the pull out ash pan, which lets you quickly remove the coals and embers from the equation. You can then dump them into a metal bucket of water to put them out for safe disposal.
At that point, you should scrape down the stainless steel grill grates with a stiff nylon-bristle grill brush. Try not to use steel wool or a wire brush as it can scrape up to the stainless steel surface making them sticky for future grilling sessions.
The frying pan griddle they include isn’t necessarily as easy to clean. If you fry bacon on it, you will need to deal with the hot grease, or wait for it to fully cool down before you can give it a complete cleaning.
Conclusion
The Starwide Go Charcoal Grill is a thoughtfully designed portable charcoal grill that has some visual appeal planned into it. This package lets you take everything you need with you, and includes a lot of accessories that you would otherwise have to pay for if you bought the competitor.
Though there are a few flaws in the works. The legs of the BBQ table and 5 S-hooks are a little wobbly, to the point where you have to be extra careful when hanging up tools. The frying pan is also a little bit troublesome to clean.
Beyond that cleaning, the Starwide Go Charcoal Grill is relatively easy. Especially when it comes to disposing of the excess ash. If you’re on the go, just remember to bring a metal bucket to hold the ashes. You can pull the ash pan out and quickly dump it in to get on the road without having to worry about burning something in the trunk or back of your SUV.
