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Sometimes it’s easier to bring a campfire grill grate rather than a gas grill on camping trips. They’re lighter and take up less space. All you need is an open fire and a grate, and you have yourself a campfire grill.
In this article, we will discuss and compare the best campfire grill grates. Our hope is for you to learn more about campfire grill grates, what purpose they serve, then determine which model best suits your needs.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Beat Campfire Grill Grates
- OUR TOP PICK: Texsport Heavy Duty Over Fire Camp Grill
- RUNNER-UP: Sunnydaze Fire Pit Grate
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Coghlans Heavy Duty Camp Grill
Comparison of the Best Campfire Grill Grates
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What is a Campfire Grill Grate?
Campfire grill grates typically sit over an open fire or fire pit. Many people prefer this method of grilling for camping as it leaves less of a carbon footprint.
In general, campfire grill grates allow you to cook food without having to touch the fire directly. You can typically use pots and pans on it, or even put food directly onto the grate.
Features of a Great Campfire Grill Grate
Size
When it comes to choosing a size, it’s simple: it all depends on how many people you typically cook for, and you should base your decision on that.
Mounting Style
There are grill grates that are stake mounted or can be freestanding. The stake mounted grills typically have adjustable heights or can be swiveled away from the fire.
If you think you need these features, definitely choose a grill that can be stake mounted, otherwise, a freestanding one is typically cheaper and easier to use if simplicity is all you need for your campfire grilling.
Quality
Most campfire grill grates are made of steel. Typically, the ones that are made with high-quality steel will offer you the best quality for your money.
In general, it is necessary to properly clean the material after each use so that it doesn’t rust, ensuring to keep its original quality for continuous, long-term use.
Willy's Top Picks - Best Campfire Grill Grates
Here are the top 3 best campfire grill grates:
Review of the Best Campfire Grill Grates
Now that we've discussed a handful of styles and the qualities that contribute toward a great grill grate, let's take a look at some of our top picks.
Best Overall:
Texsport Heavy Duty Over Fire Camp Grill
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Customers are mostly satisfied with it, saying that they took it on their camping trips over the holidays with their families and it did a splendid job. It held up for continuous uses, and some who have had it for years are happy to report that they are still using it, even after so long.
Why it Stands Out to Us
It stands out to us because of its high-quality build. It is very sturdy and durable, and even after multiple uses, it holds up really well. Even after years of use, customers are satisfied with its performance and mention that it stays the same, just like the first time they used it.
First up is our number one choice, the Texsport Heavy Duty Over Fire Camp Grill. It is welded with high-quality steel and designed to go over an open fire.
It has a steel-mesh grill top for sturdy support, and it is designed for use of heavy cast iron cookware. Even if it isn’t staked into the ground, the heavy-duty material allows it to be durable.
This grill grate’s design is simple and easy to use since there is no assembly required. Also, the foldable legs make the grill easy to pack up for storage and transporting.
Who Would Use This Most
People who love outdoor activities, such as exploring, backpacking around hilly areas, or camping in forests or open grounds, should use this product. In addition, people who love cookouts or backyard barbecues can also benefit from it. It is easy to transport from one place to another and good to use when going on outdoor adventures with friends and families.
Bottom Line
It is a good product, made of high-quality steel and durable. It lasts for a long time and comes in use for years to come, so it is a great investment. You can have backyard barbecues or casual cookouts with your families, or you can take it with you when you go camping or on some sort of outdoor adventure. It is a good product to invest in as it lasts for years, and so do the memories made with it.
Overall, with its simplistic design and usability, this campfire grill grate is an obvious choice for first place. It’s designed to be easy for anyone to use for the best campfire grilling experience.
Runner-up:
Sunnydaze Round Steel Outdoor Fire Pit Grate
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Customers who have recently bought this grill are satisfied with its performance, saying that it is the ideal grill for open fire cooking. They further mention that when they go camping with their families, they take it with them. It is easy to transport and carry, and is also durable, lasting through several uses over time.
Why it Stands Out to Us
A stand-out feature of this grill is that the cook top grill has been painted with heat-resistant paint. Frequent users of grills usually complain about the paint peeling or flaking off after the grill has been used for cooking or exposed to open fire. But with this unit’s heat-resistant painted top, it overcomes that problem and performs better for its customers.
Up next is the Sunnydaze Round Steel Outdoor Fire Pit Grate. This round grate comes in sizes from 12-inch to 40-inch to fit your specific fire pit. It is recommended to put the grate under wood for better air flow.
This grate features a durable steel construction with a high-temperature heat resistant paint finish that is perfect for cooking food directly on the grate or using heavier duty pots and pans.
The design allows for great air circulation as well. The product also comes with a 1-Year Warranty.
Who Will Use This Most
People who love to go on outdoor adventures, such as backpacking across the wilderness, camping in open meadows or forests, and need to cook, can use this grill. Also, people who have a lot of family cookouts or barbecue parties, or those who go on annual camping trips with their families can find this grill to be highly suitable.
Bottom Line
This is a top-of-the-line grill that can be used for family outings and cookouts as well as things such as family camping trips. It is a sturdy and durable grill, with a lot of positive feedback from customers for being a good quality product that lasts them a long time.
Although not designed for an open fire like the other products in this review, it is definitely the best choice for using a fire pit.
Best for the Money:
Coghlans Heavy Duty Camp Grill
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Generally, customers have given this product highly positive reviews. They say that this is great to use and is now a part of their family cookouts and camping trips, and they use it whenever they go on such things without any hassle. Moreover, its adjustable height makes it easier to use and cooks the food properly, but keeps it from being burnt.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This is one grill that is a little different from those provided by other companies because it has the added feature of having steel-plated construction. Most customers who buy grills from other companies complain about the fact that while they may be listed as long-lasting, they actually start to rust after a few months of buying. Being steel-plated prevents this product from corroding over time, and it remains as good as new for a long time.
Coghlan’s Heavy Duty Camp Grill comes with foldable, sturdy metal, foldable legs, and a rugged steel frame with an iron mesh grill surface.
The heavy-duty design is ideal for cooking over an open fire. It’s a multipurpose grill for camping, picnic, or fireplace. This grill is ideal for those who are looking for a grate for cast iron cooking.
The surface is fairly large, and you are able to cook many things at once. This grate is perfect for large families or group camping trips.
Who Will Use This Most
People who love to go camping specifically, along with doing other outdoor activities such as exploring or going on long nature walks, will use the most. In addition to that, those taking part in any outdoor activity that requires them to stay away from their home and kitchen for a few days will be able to make use of this product.
Bottom Line
It is a good quality grill that can be used by people when they take their families camping or go with them for any sort of outdoor activities that may require cooking over an open flame. Its steel-plated construction gives it a boost in quality and durability, making sure that it does not rust over time, but instead remain in use for as long as possible.
Very similar to our number one choice, this grate has a simple and easy-to-use design that will satisfy your campfire grilling needs every time.
4. AmazonBasics Folding Campfire Grill
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Most customers have been quite satisfied with their purchase, saying that it holds up to their expectations and keeps the food high enough above the open fire that it cooks and does not burn. It is also easy to transport from one place to the other, being compact and foldable as it is.
Why it Stands Out to Us
It stands out as a good quality product because of its good build and sturdiness. It is manufactured of welded steel, which makes it very strong and durable. Its durability is one of its plus points, and people who have bought it have said that it is definitely an investment because it lasts them a long time.
This Folding Campfire Grill is a heavy-duty campfire grill made of high-quality welded steel with a steel-mesh grill top. This grate is for cooking over an open fire and is intended for cast iron cooking, but not ideal for direct food contact.
The AmazonBasics Folding Campfire Grill has a large cooking surface perfect for cooking a lot of food at once. With its foldable legs, it’s also easy to collapse for storage and transport. This product comes with a 1-year warranty too.
Who Will Use This Most
This grill is highly recommended for people who love outdoor activities or barbecue parties with friends and families. It is ideally made for cooking over open fires, so those going on activities such as camping, exploring, going on hikes, etc. that require such a product for cooking should take it along.
Bottom Line
This is a great product for people who are planning on taking an outdoor camping trip with family or friends, or just, in general, enjoy outdoor activities. This product is of high-quality and very durable, making it a good investment for activities such as camping and cookouts with friends and family.
This grate is perfect for those who want a large campfire grill grate specifically for cast iron cooking, and do not mind transporting the heavy weight.
5. Texsport Heavy Duty Barbecue Swivel Grill
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
The reviews mostly received from customers for this product are positive. They say that it is a good quality product that is durable as well as great for cooking over open fires. It also has an adjustable height, which makes it great for cooking. Its height also allows the circulation of air because the adjustability keeps the open fire going, saving you wood or coal as well.
Why it Stands Out to Us
One of the features that make it different from other grills is that it has a cook top that can rotate a full 360 degrees. This is a great feature that helps the person who is cooking a lot, as it keeps them from accidentally burning themselves while taking something off of the cook top. Also, constantly rotating the cook top will keep its edges from getting too hot in the first place.
This swivel grill is made of high-quality steel and is intended to go over an open fire. It comes with a large grilling surface and a vertical support stake.
The height is adjustable as needed for optimal heat, and it can also rotate 360 degrees to protect from heat and flames. The overall design of this product is great for directly cooking food on the surface, as well as supporting cast iron cookware.
Who Will Use This Most
People who love to go for outdoor activities, either with friends or family, should use this product. Activities such as camping, nature walks, exploring forests, or spending nights in meadows can use a grill such as this because all of them require cooking over an open fire, which this product is ideal for.
Bottom Line
This is a great product, which will make cooking on your outdoor trips easier and make it enjoyable to be with your friends and family. Plus, its durability promises you that you will be able to use this for a lot of your future family camping trips or outdoor cookouts.
If you are looking specifically for a swivel grill and love the 360-degree swivel feature, this is the best option for you. Its lightweight design makes it easy to set up and will leave you with great results.
Types of Campfire Grill Grates
The following are the most basic types of campfire grill grates.
Flat Campfire Grill
Flat campfire grills usually come with foldable legs and a basic flat surface for cooking. They’re easy to use and usually don’t have to be assembled.
Texsport Heavy Duty Over Fire Camp Grill
If you’re just doing some simple skillet cooking, heating of water, or using cast iron cookware, then a flat campfire grill grate is all you need. The only disadvantage is no adjustable height for the legs for how close you want the grate to be to the flames.
Tripod Campfire Grill
A tripod is a three-legged stand that goes over a campfire and are typically more lightweight and are easy to pack and store.
It hangs fairly higher than the campfire and the chain can be adjustable so that you don’t cook directly above the fire, which could be too hot for the food.
Tripods can be used to hang kettles or roast meats. The downside is that it’s necessary to use other cooking utensils, such as a circular grate. Unfortunately, larger kettles and cast iron tend to be heavier, and typically are too heavy to be held with a tripod.
Swivel Campfire Grill
Swivel campfire grills are adjustable in height and are staked into the ground for stability. They can be swiveled in order to be above or away from the fire for your needs.
Texsport Heavy Duty Barbecue Swivel Grill
Conclusion
Although all the campfire grill grates above are great choices, we highly recommend the Texsport Heavy Duty Over Fire Camp Grill. This grate is heavy-duty and easy to use with both cast iron cookware and direct-contact grilling.
But to ensure the best experience, make sure you pick the model that you think will work best for you.
