Ah, the classic problem: you love cooking outdoors, but maybe you don’t have a huge yard, or you want to take that cooking experience on the road – camping, tailgating, or even just to a friend’s patio. For years, I struggled with finding a versatile cooking solution that wasn’t just a standard grill. Trying to cook things like pancakes, eggs, or fajitas on grill grates is messy and frustrating. Not having the right equipment meant limiting what I could cook, leading to less exciting meals when away from my full kitchen setup. A portable griddle, something like the Royal Gourmet PD1301S, would have been a game-changer, opening up so many culinary possibilities.
- Portable and Convenient: Portable and easy to store. With sturdy feet for enhanced stability, this tabletop griddle is perfect for any outdoor or home use by connecting the regulator with 20 lb. LP...
- Protective PVC Cover: The durable PVC griddle cover, which protects your portable griddle from any elements and bad weather, is included in the package upon delivery
- Spacious Cooking Surface: With a total of 319 sq. in. cooking area, the 3.5 mm thick glossy porcelain-enameled steel griddle top accommodates 15 patties at the same time
What to Think About Before Getting a Portable Griddle
If you’re considering adding a portable griddle to your cooking arsenal, you’re likely looking to solve the problem of how to cook a wider variety of foods outdoors, or how to have a versatile cooking surface when space is limited or you’re on the go. This type of cooking surface is perfect for anyone who enjoys camping, tailgating, RVing, picnics, or has a small patio or balcony where a full-sized grill isn’t practical. It’s ideal for cooking breakfast foods like bacon, eggs, and pancakes, smash burgers, stir-fries, fajitas, and anything else that might fall through traditional grill grates or require a flat, even cooking surface.
However, a portable griddle might not be the best fit for everyone. If your primary goal is searing steaks or cooking large cuts of meat with smoky flavor, a traditional grill might be more suitable. Similarly, if you need to feed a very large crowd regularly, even a generous portable griddle might feel too small, and you might need a larger, wheeled griddle or a full grill setup.
Before buying, consider the following:
* Cooking Surface Area: How much food do you typically need to cook at once?
* Number of Burners: More burners usually mean better heat control and the ability to create different temperature zones.
* BTU Output: This indicates how powerful the burners are and how quickly and hot the griddle can get.
* Portability: Look at the weight, dimensions, and any carrying features if you plan to move it often.
* Fuel Source: Most portable griddles use propane, either small tanks or larger 20lb tanks with an adapter/hose.
* Material: What is the griddle plate made of? Porcelain-enameled, cold-rolled steel, or stainless steel? This impacts cooking, seasoning needs, and cleanup.
* Cleanup: Are there features like a grease management system or a removable top that make cleaning easier?
Thinking through these points will help you find a portable griddle that best suits your needs and cooking style.
- ❤ STAINLESS STEEL BURNERS: This propane gas grill has 3 Stainless Steel burners, can put out 30,000 BTU-per-hour with integrated piezoelectric ignition system, quick start up with the push &turn of...
- 【Powerful & Even Heat Distribution】This propane gas grill features 3 stainless steel burners plus 1 side burner, delivering a total of 21,200 BTU—perfect for fast, even heat during your backyard...
- POWERFUL BURNERS: Four 11,000 BTU burners deliver a total of 44,000 BTUs of heat for precise, even cooking.
Meet the Royal Gourmet PD1301S
The Royal Gourmet PD1301S Portable 24-Inch 3-Burner Table Top Gas Grill Griddle is designed to be a versatile, convenient solution for outdoor cooking in various settings. It promises a spacious cooking area and powerful heating in a compact, portable package. Essentially, it’s a flat-top grill built for transport and tabletop use. When you purchase it, you get the griddle unit itself, equipped with three burners and an integrated igniter, sturdy feet for tabletop stability, a removable grease cup, and a PVC cover to help protect it when not in use.
This specific Royal Gourmet griddle is definitely for the camper, tailgater, picnicker, or someone with limited backyard space who wants more cooking options than a standard portable grill offers. It’s less for someone needing a large, stationary griddle workstation or those who want the highest-end build quality on the market, though it offers great value for its price point. While other brands like Blackstone are well-known in the portable griddle space, the PD1301S offers a competitive option, particularly with its multi-burner setup in a 24-inch size, often at a more accessible price.
Here’s a quick rundown of its pros and cons:
Pros:
* Excellent portability and tabletop stability.
* Three independent burners allow for versatile temperature zones.
* Integrated igniter is convenient.
* Large cooking surface area for its compact size.
* Porcelain-enameled surface aids in cleanup.
* Comes with a protective PVC cover.
* Attaches to standard 20lb propane tanks.
Cons:
* Heat distribution can be uneven across the surface.
* Temperature control knobs may lack precision.
* Requires proper seasoning and oiling to prevent sticking.
* Some users report minor build quality issues upon arrival (bent edges, chipped enamel).
* Grease cup feels a bit flimsy.
Diving Deep into Features and How They Perform
Having used the Royal Gourmet PD1301S for a good while now, I’ve gotten a real feel for what it does well and where its limitations lie. Let’s break down the key features and how they translate into real-world use.
Portability and Stability
One of the main selling points of the PD1301S is its portability. At just shy of 30 pounds and with dimensions around 25″ x 16.3″ x 7.9″, it’s genuinely easy to pick up and move. This is crucial if you’re taking it camping, tailgating, or just setting it up on different surfaces. It connects directly to a standard 20 lb LP tank using the included regulator hose (the tank isn’t included, which is standard), which is far more convenient for extended cooking sessions than smaller, disposable tanks, though you can use an adapter for those if you prefer. The sturdy feet provide solid stability on various tabletops, from picnic tables to outdoor counters. You don’t feel like it’s going to wobble or tip over while you’re scraping or flipping food. This makes it a reliable option for temporary setups outside your home kitchen.
Spacious Cooking Surface and Material
The heart of the unit is the 319 square inch cooking surface. Royal Gourmet states it can handle about 15 patties at once, which feels about right in practice. For a family of 4-6, you can easily cook a full breakfast – bacon on one side, eggs and pancakes on the other – or a solid batch of smash burgers without crowding. The griddle top itself is made of 3.5mm thick steel with a glossy porcelain enamel finish. This porcelain coating is where things get interesting. Unlike raw steel griddles that require meticulous initial seasoning to build up a non-stick surface, the porcelain is intended to offer some non-stick properties and make cleaning easier right out of the box. However, based on my experience and user feedback, it’s *not* inherently non-stick like a Teflon pan. You absolutely need to use cooking oil, especially for things like eggs, or food *will* stick. But the enamel *does* make cleaning considerably easier than raw steel; stuck-on bits scrape off more readily.
A point to note, which some users have mentioned, is that the cooking surface might not be perfectly flat. You might notice slight dips or rises, particularly when trying to spread oil or scrape grease with a flat tool. While not ideal, I’ve found this doesn’t significantly impact cooking performance for most typical griddle foods like burgers, fajitas, or breakfast items. Liquids like pancake batter still spread reasonably well.
Three Burners and Heating Performance
The three independently controlled burners are a major plus for the Royal Gourmet PD1301S. With a combined output of 25,500 BTUs, it gets hot quickly. The separate controls mean you can set up different temperature zones – high heat for searing on one side, medium for cooking in the middle, and low or off on the other side to keep food warm. The integrated piezo igniter is convenient; a simple push of the button lights the burners reliably, as long as the propane is flowing.
However, this is also where one of the main disadvantages appears: heat distribution isn’t perfectly even. I’ve noticed, similar to some user reports, that there can be hotter spots and cooler spots. Often, one side (for me, usually the right) seems to get hotter than the others, even when set to the same level. The front strip near the grease drain tends to be cooler, which, as some have noted, can actually be useful as a warming zone, but it does mean the full 319 sq. inches aren’t uniformly hot. While not ideal for delicate items requiring precise, even heat across the entire surface, you can learn to work with it by placing different foods in different zones. Mastering the somewhat imprecise temperature control knobs also takes a little practice; dialing in *just* the right low heat can be finicky. But once you get a feel for how the burners behave, you can still achieve great cooking results. Some users have speculated wind direction might influence heat, and I’ve found that shielding the griddle from strong breezes can indeed help maintain more consistent temperatures.
Cleanup Simplicity
Cleanup on a griddle is always part of the deal, but the PD1301S makes it less of a chore thanks to a couple of features. The removable and slide-out grease cup collects grease and food debris, keeping it contained and easy to dispose of. While the cup itself feels a bit light, it holds a decent amount for typical cooks. The porcelain-enameled surface, as mentioned, facilitates cleaning compared to raw steel; food bits are less likely to bond permanently. A simple scrape with a griddle scraper while it’s still warm, followed by a wipe-down and a light re-oiling once cool, usually does the trick. The detachable griddle top is also handy for a more thorough cleaning if needed, although I rarely find it necessary to remove it entirely after every use. The key is to clean it while it’s still warm (but not scorching hot) and apply a thin layer of oil afterwards to protect the surface.
Added Value – The PVC Cover
The inclusion of a PVC cover is a thoughtful addition. While perhaps not the most heavy-duty cover available, it provides basic protection against the elements if the griddle is left outside temporarily or helps keep dust off during storage. It’s a small feature, but it’s nice not to have to purchase a separate cover right away. Just manage expectations regarding its long-term durability if exposed to harsh weather constantly.
Overall, the features of the Royal Gourmet PD1301S portable griddle combine to create a very functional and convenient outdoor cooking tool, particularly when you consider its price point and portability. While it has a couple of drawbacks like uneven heat, these can often be managed with a little practice and adjustment.
What Other Users Are Saying
Looking at feedback from other folks who’ve bought the Royal Gourmet PD1301S, the general sentiment is quite positive, echoing many of my own experiences. Many users rave about how easy it was to assemble and get started. They appreciate the size of the cooking surface, finding it ample for family meals. The convenience of having three burners for different heat zones is frequently highlighted as a major plus. While some confirm the need to use oil despite the enamel coating, they also agree that the porcelain surface makes cleaning remarkably easy, especially with the grease cup. A few users have encountered minor issues upon delivery, such as bent edges or chipped enamel on non-cooking surfaces, and there’s occasional mention of dealing with customer service for these issues, though many found Amazon’s return process straightforward. The heat distribution is sometimes brought up as not perfectly even, but users find ways to adapt, using the cooler areas as warming zones. Overall, for the price, most users feel they’ve gotten a fantastic, portable, and effective griddle that performs well for camping, tailgating, and home use.
Wrapping Things Up
If you’ve ever felt limited by traditional grills when cooking outdoors, or if you need a versatile cooking surface that you can easily take with you, the need for a portable griddle is clear. Without one, you miss out on cooking entire categories of food like breakfasts, stir-fries, or perfect smash burgers, making outdoor meals less diverse and sometimes more difficult to prepare. The Royal Gourmet PD1301S Portable 24-Inch 3-Burner Table Top Gas Grill Griddle stands out as a great fit to solve this problem for a few key reasons. Its excellent portability means you can cook wherever you want. The three burners offer much-needed control over cooking temperatures, allowing you to cook different things simultaneously. And while it requires oil, the porcelain-enameled surface and grease management system make the inevitable cleanup much less painful. For its combination of features, size, and portability, the Royal Gourmet griddle offers significant value. If you’re ready to expand your outdoor cooking horizons with a capable and portable unit, Click here to check out the product page and see if it’s the right fit for your adventures.
Last update on 2025-08-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API