Honest Comparison / Weber Traveler vs Coleman RoadTrip 285 Portable Gas Grill / Which is Best?

[@JCSteel2112]

I have a 1st generation Coleman Road Trip that has gone through 1,000's of tailgates. I've had this grill since the early 2000's. To this day, it still does a great job of cooking. I've never had an issue with it. The water pan serves to help with clean up. Also, mine can travel with the grill cooking grates. Only issue is make sure you drain the water pan before you take it down and store it; other wise it can be a hot mess.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching! Appreciate the feedback

[@eneashernandez2432]

Don’t buy the new Coleman road trip, they are horrible and cheaply made, mine did not last 1 years, before issues started.

[@timprior8462]

Glad to know I’m not the only one who had these issues with coleman. Can’t get the lid to shut for the life of me

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Tim! Took mine back…

[@sometin_else]

my lid lock on the weber traveller doesnt work. It cant support the grill grates and just comes tumbling out

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching! Sorry to hear that

[@robbabcock_]

Nice! Overall I'm not very impressed with Weber products but their portable does seem to be the best on the market. It's probably the only Weber product I'd consider.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Rob! I agree

[@kennethisaac3799]

The Weber is definitely the winner of that matchup. The Traveler is so cool in the way it works that I had to buy one. I fortunately found a used one that was never used for a great deal. I don't cook on it but get it out just to watch it slowly collapse by itself when you pull the handle.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

lol…. Thanks for watching

[@michaellemaire7827]

Can the Traveler (out of the box) connect up to a regular propane bottle along with a 5-lb bottle vs the ridiculously expensive 1-lb bottles? Or do you need an attachment?

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching! You would need the adaptor hose

[@tedz.]

Your assessment is spot on Tom. The way the Weber folds and secures itself is well thought out. I have a Weber Q and am happy with it. If I were to replace it, I'd consider the Napolean. The biggest drawback is the Pro model is as much more expensive ($500) over the Weber as the Weber is over the Coleman. That said, the cart design on the Weber is better.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks Ted! Appreciate the feedback

[@lindsaycooper3221]

You can transport it with the grill grates in it just not the griddle

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching!

[@Turtlesalacart]

You did not do an actual cooking comparison. Like which one cooks more evenly across the grill and which one has more cooking control..?

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching! The temp pucks are more accurate

[@danpatterson6444]

I have the Coleman and it is portable with the grates on it and the lid is raised like that for the other swaptop griddle and stove I use this grill all the time it stays in the truck and I use it everywhere I was given as a Christmas gift to me so I didn't pay for it but I have every accessory they make for it and the road trip is an amazing grill especially once you get the griddle grates (I prefer the ceramic coated ones vs the aluminum) but ya I absolutely love my Coleman

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Dan! Appreciate the feedback

[@vidsling]

I have the Coleman X-Cursion grill which is basically the same. I initially had problems with the lid as well, basically that it wouldn't close and lock properly with the grill grates inside. However after some experimenting it turns out the problem is actually the water pan not being inserted properly. If you just place the water pan down on the grill it SEEMS like its laying there properly, but its not. You have to make sure that that the pan inserts FULLY downward all the way around the grill rim. What I do is push the pan down along the back of the grill rim first then work it down the rest of the way around. The fit will be tighter than if you just dropped it down on top of the grill edges. Bottom line is if you have the pan properly inserted you will be able to close and lock the lid with the grill grates inside.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching! Appreciate the feedback! Thanks

[@martydemmings4358]

Thanks for the tip… I had returned 1st grill for this problem, assembled 2nd grill successfully and then had problem recur. You’re right… the water pan looks like it is placed correctly when it isn’t and prevents the lid from closing over the grate and latching. Thanks!

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

@martydemmings4358 Thanks for watching

[@NickPeters-ey9ht]

I have the coleman 285 but dont use it for camping. I live in a small apartment no deck but a large driveway so i keep it in the garage and wheel it out when i want to use it. IMO it works well for me and what i use it for. The 3 burners are efficient when cooking different things (such as meat on one side and veg on the other) the internal temp may reach 400 or 450 throughout the grill but the fire beneath and the heat of the metal wont be the same on both sides (which could cause veggies to burn and cook much faster then the meat) i have always left the metal cooking grills in while transporting.. the weird thing i found with this grill was the water holder (ive never heard of this). The weber looks like a much more quality product and im sure its better overall, however, i believe my coleman will last me a long time for the purpose i purchased it and do like it overall.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Nick! Appreciate the feedback

[@eneashernandez2432]

Iv had a coleman 285 since July 2022, and now July 2024 it’s no longer functioning correctly. The burner will not light at a consistent temperature any slight breeze will turn it off, the regulator cannot be replaced, nor could the burners. Weirdly my burner has rusted pretty much all the way, my igniter no longer works , I kept my grill clean, covered and it was used daily 2-3 times a week. For how expensive it is I expect to still work perfectly fine….. oh yeah I forgot, the inside of my lid the paint started to flake off and go on food.

[@nannantratratv7457]

Which weber one would you recommend ? One thats good for daily use but portable to bring traveling too for our family

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching! I prefer the full size one

[@alicealinnette]

Thank you for your video review 😊

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching!

[@jeffpowell8308]

My friend has a Coleman at his beach house that I cooked steaks on once and it worked great! I did not notice any of the issues you mention in this video. Colman was sold to a big conglomerate a few years ago, so maybe the parent company made changes that resulted in lower quality standards? I would think that weber would be better because their well earned reputation for quality products. I bought the Stok gridiron in 2019 on clearance for $150 it's not perfect (the latch that keeps the lid shut for travel is made of cheap thin metal and it broke) but it has a single zone stainless steel burner and it works great. I've used it a lot for tailgating camping and at the beach in a rental. I've taken it to west Virginia and the outer banks and I have no real complaints. In fact the starter has lasted longer than any of the ones on the more expensive patio grilles that I've owned.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching! Appreciate the feedback, Thanks!

[@PeteRock13]

Stok makes a grill similar to the Weber. I had it. Locking lid and the grates locked down when folded up

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Pete! Appreciate the feedback

[@paulsevenco9804]

Iv'e got a coleman 285 and haven't had any of the isuses your talking about.The water trough is for eliminating flare ups and easier clean ups of grease. Before knocking somthing ,you should do your home work first.For the money this is more bang for your buck, with its 3 burner 20000 btu, water trough,cast iron grids and porcelin coated shell.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching Paul! Appreciate the feedback

[@michaelp7617]

Oh shut up, Karen.

[@billmonroe7328]

I have the Coleman with full griddle, half griddle, grill grates, and even an insert for using a pot. I have made biscuits by using the half griddle and pot insert and only running heat on that side so that it acts like an oven. Overall, it cooks great and is very flexible, but I agree with all the comments... it has some dumb designs. The lid doesnt close with full griddle on...who designed that? All I had to do was grind some clearance foe the hinges and it closes fine...but why wasnt it designed that way? Why do side tables slide out when tryng to move? Why is folding contraption so complicated and yet so clunky? Why is there no way to level? It's like engineers in separate rooms designed the different parts and were never allowed to talk. With just a little unified design, the Coleman could be an awesome grill. The way it is, it's an effective cooker for someone willing to work around its odd design issues. BTW, mine was free from curb on trash day with accessories because someone didn't know spiders like to build nests in gas tubes and grill didn't work - a quick shot of compressed air solved that.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching Bill! Appreciate the feedback and Honesty

[@absolince]

Im wondering if i should exchange my coleman for the weber. I just opened the box today and i was not impressed. Very flimsy material in my opinion.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching! Did you watch the video?

[@daleley7645]

I just use a cheap table top gas grill and a 4 foot folding table. I think the extra burners on the coleman would work great if you are using a griddle on it.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching!!

[@EricPetersen2922]

I knew there was a issue when the tools were out on the side shelves in the beginning

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Eric! Agreed,,, how disappointing…

[@lindsaycooper3221]

The water you put in so that the grease doesn't stick

[@MittenOverlanding]

Tom, great review as always. I just saw the Weber Traveler Mini at Ace Hardware. It’s 25% smaller than the standard Traveler. Not sure if there’s enough of a difference to warrant a review on it compared to the standard traveler but I figured I’d let you know.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching! Appreciate the information!

[@BigLewBBQ]

Coleman grills are not designed for frequent use. They are designed for occasional camping trips two or three times a year. I think your review is accurate.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching Big Lew! I agree

[@John__Wayne]

I had the Coleman roadtrip. We used to take it camping and it was so frustrating, every time you’d try to wheel it around while folded, the side table would slide out and drag on the ground. Then the stainless tops on both tables fell off. I took it to the scrap yard but I’m interested in the traveler to replace the old go-anywhere grill that I love but we’ve outgrown.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching John! Appreciate the feedback

[@DoritosResidue]

I have the traveler and I'd say it needs flavorizor bars and another burner. The heat distribution is far from even when using it for open lid cooking. I can't say its great for camping because it packs big and odd packing shape. The weber go anywhere is better are far better options especially portability. I have two of them (propane, Charcoal) those two take up less than half the space the traveler would take up. Plus they have a lot of after market parts such as the diffuser for the proplane version and it works extremely well.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching!

[@Abelard0]

Hi. Can you do a video to review the Cuisinart CGG 240. Thank you for your videos 😊

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching! Time will tell

[@katherinedolatshahi273]

I mean it’s over 30% more expensive. Soooo yeah it might be made better. It’s a way higher price print

[@eneashernandez2432]

You can find the Weber on sale at target frequently for 270$

[@aurorastarfire433]

Oh my God you're actually doing a comparison video thank you I didn't think one existed but these two grill an honesty I think the Weber is the better choice because it has an attachment for a slow cooker Pizza cooker

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching

[@globalcooling5286]

@Tom Horsman. You should revisit this Coleman comparison video again. I feel there is a lot of misinformation - fake news. The grill lid is supposed to have a gap by design for airflow. The latch can lock with the grates in it. Similar to Weber its made with globally sourced parts aka China made. Hence the quality of the product varies. However, Coleman warranty and customer service is top notch. The design is really good. The 3 burners definitely help in temperature control. It can get really hot as well as maintain a low temp. I have even cooked ribs on it. I do like the compact design of Weber. But at half the price of a Weber, you cant go wrong with a Coleman.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching! I call them as I see them, I gave Coleman the opportunity to make right but never heard from them, so I returned it. Glad it works well for you

[@aurorastarfire433]

They have replacement tops onse a griddles and the others a flat its halfs just like the Weber is the best

[@russellernst1705]

You must have worked for weber at one time

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

lol, no, Thanks for watching

[@bradybisgard]

Coleman grills are a far cry from Weber.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching! Agreed

[@SuperKingade]

Traveler is streets ahead

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching! Agreed

[@Mark-yx8nn]

I love the concept of the Coleman more than the Weber... but the quality just sucks. Typical chinese construction - sucks. I'm in the process of replacing all the rivets with 8-32 stainless hardware. The "cast iron" grates have already chipped horribly on both sides, with a lighter colored (aluminum?) metal underneath - it's definitely not cast iron clear through on the factory grills and this alone has p^&&ed me off more than anything right at this moment. I am waiting on a response from Coleman about exactly what metal was underneath this cast iron looking grill that is obviously a bi-metal construction and is it even safe to eat of off? The plastic feet on the Coleman will shift around and/or fall off. (I'm going to pin and JB weld the feet). Also... the soft material on the propane connection could easily be stripped out if not careful on the Coleman. I've already learned only to use Coleman's 1lb bottles as there is just a very slight difference in other brands like Bernzomatic that you must pay absolute attention to or you can crossthread it. As far as the zones on the Coleman... it absolutely does work. I have been able to cook perfectly with two zones doing pork chops/eye of round steaks/etc... it does heat differently from one side to the other simply because the top allows more ventilation vs. the Weber. The porcelain griddles are awesome for cooking eggs and pancakes. This is one portable grill that will make you the best bacon, egg, and cheese burgers! They both have massive room for improvement (moreso the Coleman by far). If Weber will simply employ the multi-burner and split grill into the Traveler... they'll own this and be worth the money.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching Mark! Appreciate the detailed feedback