Best Grills For Pontoon Boats

‍Are Pontoon Boat Grills Safe?

Pontoon owners should always follow safety tips and procedures when using a hot grill. Pontoon grills are similar to other outdoor cooking grills in that they can use either charcoal or propane to provide an even heat distribution. While grilling with charcoal is the purist’s method, most pontoon owners like the convenience of smaller one-pound canisters of propane. A propane grill will need about 20 minutes to reach the right temperature for cooking, and the temperature is easier to control. The additional advantage is that clean-up is a lot easier with propane because you don’t have to deal with the aftermath of burnt charcoal and ash.

Here are some safety tips to keep in mind if you use a modified grill on a pontoon boat.

Never use a pontoon grill while the boat is underway. While the pontoon boat’s wide deck does provide more stability than other boats, a live grill on a speeding boat is never a good idea.
Never leave a pontoon grill unattended.
Check to make sure all connections are tight before lighting.
Keep the flames away from flammables or people.
Keep children away from the grill at all times.
Never dispose of waste in the lake.

What are the Best Pontoon Boat Grills?

There are several models to choose from when deciding the kind of pontoon boat grill that works best for your particular situation.

Magma Products Newport II Infrared Gourmet Series Gas Grill

This stainless steel grill is built for water use, making it easy to use and maintain. The hinged lid opens and stays put, so a gust of wind won’t ruin your attempts to grill by accidentally shutting the lid on your hand. In addition, the unit has a cool-to-the-touch handle, so you won’t have to fumble with a mitt to open and flip your burgers. There is a see-through window that lets you watch the cooking process.

The Magma uses infrared and convection to cook food evenly. A built-in temp gauge is set into the lid’s center space, which is very helpful. At 162 square inches of grilling surface, you should have plenty of room for whatever the Captain is cooking.

The Magma has a locking front grease drip tray (a grilling safety feature) and folding legs for easy storage once it has cooled or when not in use. The grill operates on a standard 1 lb propane tank or can be adapted to the boat’s LNP or CNG systems.

The unit weighs 25 lbs, but the only drawback is that it doesn’t come with installation hardware, so without that, you will have to use it on a table. The mirror-polished stainless steel is easy to maintain and looks terrific when hooked to a pontoon rail.

Magma Products have been making boat and outdoor grills, tables, and other items for nearly 40 years. The company is based out of California and was started by twin brothers Jerry and Jim Mashburn. Since their original charcoal grills (still available), the company has expanded into various outdoor grilling accessories, from mounting hardware to umbrellas and cookware sets.

Features

Mirror-polished stainless steel construction
Stainless steel burner
Wide cooking surface
Infrared Heat (allows for more even cooking)
Cool-to-touch handle
Built-in cooking thermometer to ensure adequate cooking temperatures
Clear cooking window

Pros

Made in the USA
Cooks a lot of food
Adaptable for Tank, LNP, or CNG systems
Legs fold for easy storage

Cons

Installation hardware not included
Relatively expensive as far as other grills go

Price

For more information, please see the manufacturer’s website
For TODAY’S PRICE, please check out Amazon.

Extreme Marine Product Cuisinart Grill

While it might appear on the small side, this mighty little open-air Cuisinart is a beautiful little beast for a pontoon grill. It’s versatile in that you can mount it almost anywhere, easy to cook from, and surprisingly has mounting hardware already included (even the propane bottle has a mounting rack). You just have to pick the pontoon boat rail you want to cook from, latch it on, fire it up and throw on the burgers and brats.

The unit has 140 square inches of cooking surface and uses the standard 1 lb propane tank. With two different burners, the Cuisinart Grill can handle most barbeque meals, and the even cooking ensures that you won’t have to worry about burgers being burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. The only drawback is that there is no built-in temp gauge (but it isn’t like any of us trusted them anyway).

The Cuisinart grill is small enough to avoid being in the way of any other activities you might have planned. It is lightweight (only 18 lbs), mounts easily on a railing, and can be stored quickly when not in use.

The appearance is attractive because the grill is made of stainless steel and comes in three colors (silver, black, and red). The grill is very popular among boaters and ranks highly on Amazon’s list of best pontoon boat grills.

Cuisinart is a brand name that most Americans are familiar with in that they splashed onto the culinary scene in the mid-70s with their food processor. (It didn’t hurt to have Julia Child and James Beard promote them). Since 1989, the company has been under the umbrella of ConAir and continues to make all sorts of things to help people cook in their homes or wherever they happen to be, including on the water. The company’s manufacturing is located in France and China.

Features

Stainless steel construction
Open-air cooking surface
Multiple color schemes
Brackets easy to install
18 lbs.
Propane tank bracket

Pros

Accessible to transport and store
Even two-burner cooking
Reputable brand name

Cons

Made overseas
Uses only propane

Price

For more information, please see the manufacturer’s website.
For TODAY’S PRICE, please check out Amazon.

Magma Marine Kettle Gas Grill

Magma scores on our best-of list again with this unique boat grill. The best thing about this pontoon boat grill is its shape (round rather than oblong). Unlike rectangular or square grills, the round surface offers over 700 square inches of cooking area, which is more than enough room for even the most particular of pontoon owners. The kettle is made from marine-grade stainless steel and has a hinged lid that securely stays in place even on the most breezy days. This particular grill swivels so that you can quickly move it around to keep smoke from getting into everyone’s space.

The Magma offers mounting solutions, including rail and pedestal mount systems. (You have to buy pontoon boat grill mounts separately). In addition, the bbq grill has an adjustable windproof turbo venturi and control valve, providing better usage of the cooking space. The compact grill is easy to dismount, has a removable grease tray, and breaks apart for detailed cleaning.

The kettle cooker uses a radiant plate and convection heating to ensure even and thorough cooking.

There are a couple of downsides to having a kettle-styled grill on a pontoon boat. The polished metal is prone to dents and needs to be continually buffed and maintained to keep its shine.

Magma has been in business since the mid-70s and continues to make quality marine and tabletop grills.

Features

Mirror finish stainless steel
Wide cooking surface
Infrared Heat (allows for more even cooking)
Cool-to-touch handle
Built-in venturi, adjustable control valve.
Relatively moderate price

Pros

Made in the USA
Cooks a lot of food

Cons

Installation hardware not included

Price

For more information, please see the manufacturer’s website.
For TODAY’S PRICE, please check out Amazon.

Kuuma Stow and Go Tabletop and Mountable Grill

This pontoon boat grill is versatile enough to be used on land or at sea. It can mount on a rail or be transported off the boat as a portable tabletop grill. It’s made from 100% stainless steel and if you purchase the pedestal mounting bracket separately, it makes an attractive addition to your pontoon boat.

The Kuuma stow grill has adequate dimensions for a cooking surface (160 square inches) and stainless steel burners that resist deterioration. The removable grease tray makes cleaning more manageable, and the fact that it comes already assembled is a huge plus. Just take it out of the shipping box, mount it to the rail, and you have an excellent addition to any pontoon boat.

The Kuuma is the best pontoon boat grill for the money. It has a reasonable price, making it a great boat grill for families on a budget. At only eight pounds, it can quickly become the perfect portable grill for use offshore at only eight pounds.

The drawbacks are relatively minor, in that the Kuuma has no electric ignition (so you’ll need to use some matches), and there is no temperature gauge to help keep an adequate cooking temperature (so you need to monitor the flames from getting too hot and burning the meat.

Kuuma is unknown in the states, but the company is of Finnish origin, and grills are made in Thailand (although they have an inspection center in North Carolina).

Features

Stainless steel
Wide grilling surface
Infrared Heat (allows for more even cooking)
Cool-to-touch handle
Removable grease tray.
Relatively moderate price

Pros

Budget Friendly Unit
Cooks a lot of food

Cons

Installation hardware not included
Not made inside the US

Price

For more information, please see the manufacturer’s website.
For TODAY’S PRICE, please check out Amazon.

Masterbuilt Propane Tabletop Grill

This tabletop grill is modified for pontoon boat use. Its size is likely best reserved for more prominent pontoon boat owners who plan to entertain the entire neighborhood. The propane grill goes through 1 lb canisters at a good rate (so you want to have a few on reserve to swap out). Despite the increased fuel usage, the way this portable gas grill cooks makes it a favorite boat grill for pontoon owners.

The Masterbuilt boat grill is made from stainless steel, similar to other propane grills on the market. While many competitors' marine grills are less bulky, they don’t have the cooking space this grill has. The cooking space generates more room than most pontoon grills at 205 square inches and even includes a warming rack.

A built-in temperature gauge helps grill masters keep track of their creations by providing adequate cooking temperatures, whether you are grilling fish, steaks, or just a bunch of hot dogs. The removable drip tray makes for effective cleaning and grill maintenance.

Masterbuilt includes a mount for holding this unit to the side of the pontoon boat rail. The stainless steel brackets are attached by bolts that can easily fall into the water (so it is best to install the grill over dry land). While it also has modifications for converting it to a portable grill, the size (over 32 inches long) and its weight of 37 lbs make this option more of a challenge than other grills.

The folks at Masterbuilt have been producing quality smokers, bbq grills, and fryers for decades. They are a family-owned business with years of experience in bbq and grilling meat. The company manufactures one of the best boat grills on the market today.