Grilling on the water has never been more popular, and with a wide range of pontoon grills now available, there’s never been a better time to get the BBQ fired up. But, as with any accessory, there’s good and bad so this guide contains reviews of three of the best, with a couple that I wouldn’t even consider.
Best Pontoon Boat Grill Reviews
Grills on pontoons go together like peas and carrots, and with such a large part of pontooning life focussed on entertainment, owning a grill is a standard requirement. If you don’t have one, you’re missing out.
But, they aren’t all created equal. On websites such as Amazon you will see a ton of options, but some of them won’t come with mounts, some won’t last, and some might even rust. You don’t want to make a costly mistake, especially given how expensive they can be.
The best recommendations below are the pontoon rail mount grills. If you buy one of these, you get everything you need in the one package, with no need to purchase anything else to get it mounted properly.
I’ve also listed a couple of portable grills without mounts, which you can set down on a deck, table, or take onto the beach. These aren’t my favorites, as I prefer to grill over the side of the pontoon rails for safety reasons (plus it saves me cleaning up my vinyl flooring).
You can still detach the mounted rail grills and take them to the beach though, so it makes sense to spend a little more portable that comes with a mount. You can future proof your cooking that way!
#1: Cuisinart Pontoon Grill w/ Bracket Review
- Best For: It’s simply the best value and best constructed in my view
- Price Bracket: Great value (view Amazon prices)
- Comes with Rail Mount: Yes
- Gas Operated: Yes
- Warranty: 3 years
- Grill Surface Area: 145 square inches
I believe this to be the best pontoon boat grill on the market and the online reviews tend to back that up. I’ve got one myself and love the ease at which I can attach it to my Bennington’s rails and cook over the water, protecting my boat from mess.
Each summer we will use this on our pontoon, but also detach it for picnics on the beach. It’s very lightweight and simple to operate. We have the red model featured here in the photo, but you can buy silver and black models too depending on your boat style.
If there is one drawback, occasionally the ignition can be a little temperamental and not spark up sometimes. We’ve had ours for three years, so it’s probably and age thing. I always have a lighter in my back pocket though, so it’s not a massive issue.
As long as you keep it clean, it should last you for years too. There is no corrosion on it, with not a single speck of rust. It’s a high-quality piece of cooking kit and comes with a long-term warranty for peace of mind.
Buy it Without the Mount
If you want to save money, or already have a mount, then you can buy it without the mounting bracket.
To see the non-rail mounted version, click here. It has really sturdy aluminum legs and even with some waves pushing your boat, it will keep steady if set on a table or deck. You can always buy a mount later if you change your mind.
Pros
- Can be taken off the rail and used flat on the floor or a table
- Compact and easy to transport
- Rust resistant
- Easy to install and mount
- Brackets don’t scratch boat rails
Cons
- Quite a small grilling surface
- Can cook about 4 burgers in one go
- Igniter can be temperamental with age
#2: Kuuma Stow and Go 160 Propane Grill Review
- Best For: Larger parties and more food
- Price Bracket: Mid-range (view Amazon prices)
- Comes with Rail Mount: Sold separately
- Gas Operated: Yes, but charcoal version available also
- Warranty: Not known
- Grill Surface Area: 160 to 316 square inches
Cheap and easy to use, the Kuuma is a little larger than the number one review, which could be the deal breaker for you. If the Cuisinart wasn’t available, this would definitely be my next choice.
But, if you want to mount it on your rails, you will need to buy the bracket separately. When you add up the cost of the two items together, it comes out at a similar price to the modified Cuisinart pontoon grill and bracket set.
If it’s worth that extra hassle for a little more grilling space, then go for it, as generally speaking it’s a pretty decent product. You can see the separate mount price here.
But this is just the 160 square inch model. They also range sizes all the way up to 316 square inches. That choice makes it the best pontoon boat grill for larger entertaining where you need to be passing out sausages and burgers in rapid succession to a hungry crew.
You attach it with two bolts, and it will mount on any rail, or can be placed on a pedestal on the deck if you prefer.
Pros
- There is a pontoon boat charcoal grill version if you prefer
- You can buy really large versions, with the smaller one being very portable
- Comes with removeable grease tray
- Stainless steel design
Cons
- If you want to rail mount it, you need to buy the bracket separately
- Reports that the propane adaptor can become faulty over time
#3: Springfield Deluxe Propane Grill Review
- Best For: Cooking on the deck
- Price Bracket: Mid-range (view Amazon prices)
- Comes with Rail Mount: No, sits on included pedestal
- Gas Operated: Yes
- Warranty: 5 years
- Grill Surface Area: 189 square inches
For something even larger, you might want to look at the Springfield Deluxe. A word of warning here though, I have not used this product myself, or seen it in action. The reason I am featuring it in the reviews is because it’s so different to the others, and offers a solution where it can be set on a pedestal on deck.
That might be something you’re interested in, as what you can do is set it to replace a pedestal seat on deck, plus cooking on deck puts you right in the middle of action, closer to your guests.
But, I have young kids, so having something like this sat up high is just inviting trouble. I prefer to keep hot metals and flames as far away from children as possible, so just bear that in mind if you are considering this large propane grill for a pontoon boat.
In term of negatives when it comes the actual cooking of meat, many of the online reviews have mentioned that it doesn’t always cook evenly. Whilst you might have a larger surface area with this grill, it’s probably going to only really benefit you to push the cooked burgers, sausages, or meat to the edges to keep warm once cooked fully through.
Pros
- Has a large grilling surface area
- Comes with a 5-year warranty
- Can be used on table top if you wish
- Very sturdy
Cons
- Doesn’t always cook evenly
- No grease catcher
#4: Coleman Camp Propane Grill Review
- Best For: Flexibility and low price
- Price Bracket: Cheap (view Amazon prices)
- Comes with Rail Mount: No
- Gas Operated: Yes
- Warranty: 3 years
- Grill Surface Area: 180 square inches
Whilst not specifically designed to be used with pontoon boats, it’s worth a mention due to the low price point, rugged design, and flexibility. It’s sold as a camping grill, but there’s no reason why you can’t bring it on deck, set it on a table, and get cooking some delicious BBQ.
It does state that it comes with wind panels, but having used one camping before I can tell you for a fact, that if this is on a boat, you need protection from the wind… I can imagine you will have to keep moving around the table to stop the wind from extinguishing the flames. That’s no fun.
But it’s simple, easy, and a no-frills product.
I can imagine you could easily beach your pontoon, take it onto the sand, then pack it up again quickly to use on your deck if you want. It’s very flexible, and can be used in multiple scenarios.
Pros
- Very cheap
- Very lightweight and portable
- Strong and rugged case
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Can’t be mounted on a rail easily
- It’s as windproof as it should be on a boat
#5: Magma Marine Kettle Gas Grill Review
- Best For: Those who want something that looks nice and shiny!
- Price Bracket: Expensive (view Amazon prices)
- Comes with Rail Mount: No
- Gas Operated: Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Grill Surface Area: Small
This isn’t the best pontoon grill, which is a real shame as I love the way it looks. It’s very shiny looking and would look great on your boat. But, and there are quite a few buts. To start with, the metal isn’t that durable, with some online reviews stating it doesn’t take much to dent and ding.
It also doesn’t come with a mount, and of all the pontoon boat grills for sale, it’s also one of the smallest.
Would I buy it? No.
Should you buy it? Only if the design and style of it is important to match up with other stainless steel looking accessories on your pontoon.
Pros
- Comes with a wind baffle
- Comes with a grease pan catcher
- Great looking stainless-steel design
- Cooks evenly across the whole grill area
- Very easy to clean
Cons
- Very small surface area
- Thin metal construction is easily bent and damaged
- Doesn’t come with a mount
- Comes with a short warranty
Don’t Forget the Gas Bottles
With exception to the Kuuma grill, which has a charcoal version, all of these are gas powered. Don’t make the mistake of not buying any small propane bottles, as you can’t place charcoal into them, it simply won’t work.
Buy a Grill Rail Mount Bracket Separately
If you do decide to buy a pontoon grill without a rail mount and bracket, or you already own a grill, then you can buy the Arnall’s bracket set which comes with the Cuisinart separately.
It mounts to 1.25-inch rails and should be able to take most of the portable pontoon boat grills on the market, even old, larger models. But, you might have to drill through the bottom of your grill to get things secure which should take no longer than 10 minutes.
Either way, it’s a great product and offers a great mounting bracket solution. For more information and to read common asked questions, read the Amazon reviews.
I really do recommend you mount, as it’s far safer and easier to cook over the side of your boat rather than doing it on the deck.
Additional Pontoon Boat Grill Ideas
For pontoon grill ideas and accessories that will help take your cooking to the next level, you might be interested in a list I put together.
It contains pontoon boat grill accessories that I recommend including:
- Wireless grill thermometers
- 7 in 1 BBQ tool including tongs and blades
- Barbeque grilling light for when it gets dark
- Grill baskets to help keep delicate food items from breaking up
- Grill brush and cleaning kit
- Smoking box for great flavor
Handy Hint: Now you have your grill, how about some quick, simple, and tasty grilling recipes?
Non-Meat Food Ideas
Not everyone is going to want grilled meat, so if you’re entertaining those on vegan or vegetarian diets, it’s only polite to have options available for them too.
Tacos in a bag… simple yet effective food to take on a pontoon boat
I asked my wife to put together a list of great food ideas that can all be prepared on the evening or morning before your boat trip. There are some great suggestions in there which should suit all forms of dietary requirements.
10 Pontoon Grill Safety Tips
Anytime you have a naked flame, gas, or coals on a boat you will be ratcheting up the potential for danger. I’ve made my fair share of mistakes whilst cooking up BBQ food and grilling, but thankfully nobody has ever got hurt.
- Don’t grill or cook whilst your boat is in motion.
- Make sure that any open flames are downwind of your Bimini or similar items.
- Check that hot embers cannot fall onto the deck or other parts of your boat.
- Don’t use gasoline or other accelerants to fire it up.
- Always read the instructions that come with your pontoon rail grill.
- Never, ever, leave a lit BBQ unattended.
- Check your marina of dock rules regarding open flames or BBQ cooking.
- Ensure any gas propane connections are leak free.
- Once you have finished cooking, extinguish immediately and let cool before storage.
- Remove the rail mounted grill before setting off again.
Conclusion
To conclude, you can’t go wrong with Cuisinart, especially if you decide to buy the grill bracket option. It’s an excellent product that will let you grill and BBQ over your rails, with no dangerous embers or grease dropping onto your deck.
Take your time to choose the best grill to suit you and your pontoon set-up.
In terms of making your final choice on what the best pontoon boat grill for you is, ask yourself a few questions:
- Do you want to grill over the water, with a mounted solution?
- Do you need something that is portable, and you can use on deck or off the boat?
- Is the grill made from marine grade materials to protect against rust?
- How easy will it be to mount it, should you wish to do so?
- Do I need to buy any extra accessories to go with it?
- Does it come with a long-term warranty?
- What are the online reviews like from other pontooners?
- How important is a large grill surface area for you?
- Is price important to you, and what’s your budget?
That should give you a good steer on what to select.
And one last piece of advice.
If you are cooking BBQ in your local dock or marina, check their rules. Some marinas do have guidelines as to whether or not it’s allowed.
Also respect other boat users at all times, especially if you are generating a lot of smoke… and always clean up after yourself and keep the marine environment clean.
