No, it’s not the kind of grill a backpacker will take when going for a long hike. For hitting the backcountry on wheels, though, the Snow Peak Kojin Grill offers a versatility you just don’t get with other portable grills in the market.
Billed as a “triple threat smoker, grill, and campfield oven,” it’s a collapsible grill that can pack down enough to be useful for car camping, while being so incredibly functional that you won’t mind using it in the backyard. Once assembled, it’s darn good looking, too, so it won’t create an eyesore during your BBQ parties at home, instead creating a curious sight that’s bound to have guests asking questions.
The Snow Peak Kojin Grill collapses to around the size of a big wok (all the round parts nest into the lid) and a pile of rectangular metal sheets that should fit without problem inside the boot of a car, making it viable for bringing along to a beach, a lake, or a backcountry campsite. When assembled, it turns into a multi-layer cylindrical cooker that measures 2.8 x 2.3 x 1.9 feet (height x width x depth), with a spacious interior that allows you to cook multiple dishes at the same time. This multi-layer function means that not only can you use this to make different types of dishes (e.g. roasting a chicken at a lower level, while grilling burgers on top), but that you can do it at the exact same time.
How? Well, this is made possible by notches built into the grill’s frame, which allow you to place the charcoal tray and the grilling grates at any of 12 different heights. You can put the charcoal at the bottom and the grates at the top, then close the door and put on the lid to make this a functional smoker, for instance. To enable multi-tasking, it comes with two sets of fuel trays and grates, so you can have one dish cooking at a lower level and another one cooking at the top simultaneously. You can also cook a main dish at a lower level, just leaving enough room for the food not to touch the grates on top, where you can lightly cook your vegetables to maximize the heat. With a dozen available heights, this offers plenty of room to experiment in your cooking.
The Snow Peak Kojin Grill is made from stainless steel, so it should perform durably through all your cooking adventures, whether outdoors or in the backyard, although that build also tips the scales at 40 pounds, making it a pretty hefty addition to any camping stash. It boasts a large 22-inch diameter cooking surface, so you can make a big meal in one go, especially if you take advantage of its multi-level grilling capabilities.
While definitely impressive enough to use in the backyard, the Snow Peak Kojin Grill has a very specific type of audience in mind – those who want versatile cooking options while adventuring outdoors. It’s available now, priced at $730.