Best Pontoon Grill- Full Buyers Guide

Before you install a pontoon boat grill

Before jumping into the list, there are a few things you should keep in mind before mounting a grill to your boat and setting sail.

First of all, it’s good to keep basic grilling supplies on board. This means stocking up on extra propane tanks, matches, lighters, and charcoal depending on the type of grill you have.

The second think you should keep in mind is whether or not the mounts are secure. Test the grill and mounts on land before taking it to the water. This way if anything goes wrong, your grill doesn’t gain residency at the bottom of a lake.

Once you know your mounts are secure, be aware of any potential damage to your pontoon boat’s railing. Some mounts can easily cause scratches to the rail they’re attached to. This may not be a concern for some, but for others it will be. To prevent any scratches, put a piece of cloth or padded fabric in between the mounts and the railing.

The last thing you should take into consideration are the actual grill mounts. Depending on which pontoon grill you get, it may or may not come with grill mounts. If it doesn’t come with any mounts, you’ll have to purchase them separately. These are a few of the better options out there:

–Arnall’s Pontoon Grill Bracket Set

This is more of a traditional pontoon grill mounting kit. It works well with a wide variety of grills, including a lot of Coleman models.

–Kuuma Quick Release Inboard / Outboard Boat Grill Rail Mount

As the name suggests, this mount is made for grills to be quickly removed. It works best with Kuuma grills, but with a little ingenuity people have been able to get it to work with other brands as well.

–Magma Products Pedestal Grill Mount

The Magma pedestal grill mount is great because it doesn’t force you to hang your grill off of the side of a boat. Instead, it has a pole design to support the grill mounted on top of it.

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Best Pontoon Boat Grills

A good grill is an essential boating accessory, especially if you spend a lot of days on the water. These are the best options currently available, and they all of their own set of features that set them apart.

Coleman Perfect Flow Grill Stove

Most people are pretty familiar with Coleman, and for good reason. Coleman has been a leading grill maker for years, and generally people would agree they make high quality products.

The only thing stopping this from being the absolute best pontoon boat grill is the fact that it doesn’t come with mounts. Other than that, it’s a pretty solid option.

The Coleman Perfect Flow is loaded with features like a 2-in-1 design that allows the grill and the stove to be used at the same time. There’s also convenient wind blocker panels on both sides of the grill that can even double as side tables on less windy days. To top things off, it has a removable grease tray for easy cleaning.

In terms of actual grilling power this thing is somewhat of a beast. It has 20,000 BTUs of cooking power, which is impressive for a compact grill like this. The total grilling area is 130 square inches, and it can fit a 10 inch pot on the stove.

Feature Summary:

-2 in 1 design for use of grill and stove at the same time

-Dual wind blocker panels / side tables

-Removable grease tray

-20,000 BTUs of cooking power

-130 square inch grill area

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Cuisineart Pontoon Boat Grill

The Cuisineart pontoon grill comes with everything you need to start grilling on your boat. Unlike a lot of other pontoon grills, this one comes with a set of Arnall brackets. A grill and bracket combo is nice because it eliminates the need to make a trip to the hardware store. To make things even better, it doesn’t even require any tools to install. The brackets come assembled in the box. This is a great option for an inflatable pontoon boat.

Overall this is one of the best pontoon boat grills out there. It has great customer feedback, and there are very few complaints about its functionality.

The only drawback that people seem to have is that igniter isn’t very consistent. Of course, this can be fixed by keeping a lighter or some matches on board.

Feature Summary:

-Mounts to 1.25″ Square Pontoon Rail

-Comes with pre-installed brackets

-145 square inches of grilling surface

-No tools needed for installation

Kuuma Stow N Go Gas Grill

Although Kuuma isn’t the most well known grill company, the Stow N Go is definitely worth checking out. Kuuma makes their own custom pontoon grill mount, so you can have peace of mind that the Stow and Go can be easily installed to your vessel.

With a cooking surface of 125 square inches and a heat output of 9000 BTUs, the Kuuma Stow N Go is a respectable pontoon grill. It’s constructed from 300 series marine grade stainless steel, and comes fully assembled.

It’s not the most impressive grill, but the compatible mounting system alone is reason enough to consider the Stow N Go.

Features Summary:

-Compatible mounting system available

-125 square inches of grilling space

-9,000 BTUs 

-Made from 300 series marine grade stainless steel

-Comes fully assembled

Coleman Camp Propane Grill

Similar to the Coleman Perfect Flow, the Coleman Camp grill is a really well rounded option. What makes this such an appealing pontoon boat grill is its compact size and ease of use.

The Coleman Camp is smaller than the Perfect Flow, but they share a lot of the same features. It has most of the things people want on a grill including pop up wind blockers and a removable grease tray. There’s 180 square inches of cooking area, and it has 11,000 total BTUs of cooking power.

This isn’t the best pontoon boat grill, but it’s far from the worst. Most people will find that it works really well. The only drawback is its small size, but some people would consider that a benefit.

Feature Summary:

-Wind block panels

-Removable grease management tray

-Durable porcelain coated grate

-11,000 BTUs of cooking power

-180 square inch cooking area

Blackstone Tabletop Grill

When it comes to overall cooking space, the Blackstone tabletop grill is one of the better options available. It boasts 260 square inches of grilling space, which is why a lot of grilling fans love it.

There aren’t too many bells and whistles with this grill, but it gets the job done and it does it well. It has a stainless steel “H” burner that heats up quickly and distributes heat evenly. With 12,000 BTUs of cooking power, it can handle most afternoons grilling at the lake. Because the top is a griddle, it’s also very easy to clean up after using.

As for drawbacks, you may be disappointed to find out the Blackstone cannot be mounted to the railing of a boat without making custom alterations. It’s also somewhat heavy, but that could be considered a pro rather than a con since it won’t slide around as much.

If you have some extra table space to spare, this can function as the perfect pontoon grill.

Feature Summary:

-260 Square inches of cooking space

-Simple design

-Stainless steel “H” burner

-12,000 BTUs of cooking power

-Griddle cooking surface

Magma Marine Kettle Gas Grill

Although it may not look like a pontoon grill, Magma Marine’s Kettle gas grill is a fan favorite among boaters. Its design is unlike most tradition pontoon grills, but that’s what sets it apart.

The bowl shaped design shell is made of 100% polished stainless steel. It has a hinged lid, as well as an easy to clean grease catch pan.

The reason why this is such a great pontoon grill is the mount that Magma Marine makes. Their mount works perfectly for almost any type of railing, so their grill is easy to install regardless of the boat. The mount has to be purchased separately, but it’s relatively inexpensive.

Feature Summary:

-Bowl shaped design

-Easy to clean grease pan

-Made from 100% stainless steel

-Hinged Lid

-Easy to install 

Coleman Roadtrip LXE Portable Grill

The Coleman Roadtrip LXE is unlike any of the other grills on this list. Rather than a standard table top design, the LXE is a portable fold out grill. By no means was it made to be a pontoon boat grill, but many people have found that it works exceptionally well.

Because the LXE can fold up and has wheels, it’s easy to transport on and off of a boat. It doesn’t need to be permanently installed to a railing, so it can be used for occasions like camping, picnics, and tailgating.

The only downside is having wheels makes it more likely to move around if not secured properly.

Since it’s much larger than other pontoon grills, it has a lot more cooking power as well. The LXE provides 20,000 BTUs of heat across 285 square inches of cooking surface. The cooking surface can be switched between a grill, griddle, and stove grate depending on which on you buy. Built in is an instastart ignition, so matches or lighters aren’t needed to fire it up. Lastly, it has two side tables and comes with three grill hooks on the front.

It’s safe to say the Coleman Roadtrip LXE has a lot to offer compared to other pontoon grill options. However, it isn’t a permanent option, and that can definitely be a make or break for some people. It’s also important to note that because it’s larger, it’s going to take up more room on board when it’s not folded up.

Features Summary:

-Fold out design

-20,000 BTUs of cooking power

-285 square inches of cooking space

-Built in ignition

-2 side tables

-3 grill hooks

Which Pontoon Grill should you get?

When it comes down to deciding what the best pontoon boat grill is, it ultimately depends on what you’re looking for. Some things that you may want to consider are:

• Grill Size
• Cooking Power
• Cooking Space
• Features & Functions
• Fuel Source (Gas, Charcoal, etc.)
• Price

All of the grills mentioned on this list are excellent options, so there is no wrong choice. What it boils down to (or grills down to) is what works best for you and your boat.