The Coleman Road Trip Grill offers a popular outdoor recreation grilling solution. The Road Trip Grill and its models are both collapsible and portable. Although a popular commercial product, the manufacturer and consumers have reported several defects and problems with the Road Trip Grill.
Melting Handle
The plastic handle of the Road Trip Grill hood melts and falls off if the grill is operated with the top down. Coleman placed a sticker warning against top-down use on the back of the grill, but many customers report this caution is small and easy to miss. The grill hood heats up quickly during operation and the melted plastic poses a significant burn hazard to users.
Faulty Locking Mechanism
This device fails to keep the grill securely closed during transport. The lock pin unlatches easily and falls out, causing the grill grates to rattle out of the grill. Coleman has not recalled this manufacturing defect, and most customers faced with this problem use bungee cords to secure the grill during transport.
Propane Leak
A manufacturer defect results in a half-inch gap between the gas tube and the burner regulator mechanism. This gap can lead to a buildup of propane gas as well fire coming from the front of the grill, which can in turn melt all plastic components.
Cheap Components
The wheels on the portable versions of the Road Trip Grill bend and become unusable. In combination with the faulty lock pin, the grill is not easily transported. The grease tray below the grill is made of plastic and melts if hot grease collects and catches fire.
Recalls
A Road Trip Grill recall related to the faulty gas regulator is found on the Coleman website. The Road Trip Grill was recalled in Australia for similar reasons.
References
Writer Bio
Joseph M. Steele is a freelance writer originally from Wisconsin. He studied creative writing and Spanish at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and received a master's degree in education at Pace University in New York City. His articles have appeared in "Mas+Menos Quarterly."
