We’re on a fast course toward outdoor cooking season, which means new gear from top culinary brands across the board. Among them is Made In, the Texas company behind some genuinely cool cooking equipment. When we heard a new grill was in the works — the first of its kind for the outfit — we had to give it a spin.
The Made In Grill dropped the first week of May. It’s an intriguing model for a number of reasons. First, it’s compatible with several fuel sources. Second, it’s quite portable while substantial enough in its own right to be your go-to home grill. And it can easily convert to a griddle as well, meaning you can cook a number of things just the way you like them.
But the question begs: Is the Made In Grill worth it?
The pros
Right away, there’s no denying the attractive design of the Made In Grill. This is cookware that was made with real intention, and there’s a hand-forged element that’s hard not to love. The tiered height settings for the grill are smart, allowing for different heat intensities and the required spacing for everything from binchotan and charcoal to wood.
Without a doubt, the grill looks good. It’s a model that stows away easily but you’ll probably want to leave it out for folks to see. It’s another great example of slick Made In design and the minimalism feels both modern and timeless. Upon playing around with the carbon steel griddle, we appreciated not only the heat distribution but the weight of the piece, which the brand says is about half the weight of traditional cast iron.
Other thoughtful additions are also included, like the grill handle attachments to prevent burning your hands and the deftly made stainless steel grill press with a leather-covered handle. The metal is hand-welded in Texas, and it certainly feels that way. It has a clean overall aesthetic but enough subtle imperfections to reveal something made by an artisan, as opposed to a robot in a factory.
We tried a number of foods on the griddle and grill, both with charcoal and fire, and found no real weaknesses. Meats, seafood, veggies, and more cooked well, and clean-up at the end was fairly straightforward, mainly because the thing is so compact.
The griddle really is a nice addition, and after one use, it’s easy to see why it garners such rave reviews across the web. Easy to clean and pre-seasoned, it’s an excellent surface that can easily transfer from the grill to your stovetop, induction oven, or even over an open flame. It’s a restaurant-level addition to your kitchen and outdoor cooking area, and it seems to get better over time.
The cons
A price tag of $500 seems steep, especially when you can get a standard Weber grill for under $200. In fact, the bundle we tested, which includes the grill, the griddle, and the grill press, is currently marked at $679. Yet, when you add up all the compatibility, functionality, and good looks, it begins to seem fairly reasonable. The add-ons can become costly, but you do not need them all, and you can certainly add pieces over time, should you want them.
The only other knocks are fairly minimal. The stainless steel grill surface is a bit on the small side, especially if you’re one for larger cookouts and big portions. The grill spacing is a little awkward, the holes large enough for items like asparagus and sliced potatoes to fall in, but that’s the case with a lot of grills and can be addressed with a little foil if need be. Additionally, the design doesn’t really allow for large-scale endeavors that might need some added height under the cover, like, say, beer can chicken, so keep that mind.
At 35 pounds, the Made In Grill is a little heavy but given the durability at play, we’re more than okay with this. It could be an issue for some when hauling to the beach fire or camp spot but you can also grab an add-on grill cover ($59) that’s weather-proof and comes with a carrying handle. We can see it as a nice fixture in the back of a car, come tailgating season.
We found it helpful to have an oven mitt on hand, especially when dealing with the ashtray, which can really heat up. Moving the charcoal around while cooking can be a little awkward with this grill, so consider having a poker of some kind on hand to do just that.
The verdict
With the Made In Grill, the pros outweigh the cons. We’re suckers for deftly made, good-looking cookware, and this is exactly that. While the price is not low, we’re willing to shell out a bit extra for something that’s going to tighten up our meals and last a long time.
Start with the basic grill set and contemplate going next-level with additions like the griddle. It’s fair to say you probably don’t need add-ons like the grill mat or prep tray. This is a great option for cooking for oneself or one’s family and is certainly portable enough to be a camp grill, especially if you’re not hauling great distances.
While the size can be an issue for, say, party hosting, we learned to love the compact nature of the thing. It’s part of why the heat distribution is so dialed-in and the clean-up is such a breeze. We’re willing to simply keep the thing on for a while and do several rounds of items on the grill when hosting large groups, as, unlike on some larger grilling surfaces, there doesn’t seem to be any lesser areas on the cooking surfaces (that goes for both griddle and grill).
Check out some of The Manual’s related works on BBQ vs. grilling and the best camping grills as we head into summer. A great meal is all the better when enjoyed outdoors.
