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If you regularly grill in your backyard and you don’t have a BBQ grill table, then you must be missing out on all the fun. BBQ grill prep tables aren’t only handy for placing tabletop grills, they are also useful for storing your grilling accessories and keeping things handy when you need them.
Let’s put it this way; a BBQ grill prep table is as important as a nozzle is to a garden hose. You can use the hose without a nozzle but you certainly won’t enjoy using it.
We came across several DIY and custom made grill tables that looked great in the course of this review. But there were a ton of things lacking in many, if not all of them.
Hence, we’ve picked out carefully crafted tables built specifically for grilling enthusiasts.
#1. Best BBQ Grill Prep Table – Keter Unity XL BBQ Storage Table
The Keter Unity BBQ grill table offers a plethora of space for anyone interested in a quality grill table.
It’s made of an all-weather resistant resin material that can pass for top-notch wood anytime.
The top is covered with high quality 430 stainless steel material that gives it an exquisite finish and makes cleaning after each use, easy.
What’s more, there are sidebars for keeping paper towels, hangers for hanging cooking accessories, a spice rack and even an integrated bottle opener – kind of reminds one of the rotomolded coolers. The table offers ample space and has a good coverage area.
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Buying a BBQ Grill Prep Table? Here’s What You Should Consider
What are the things you should look out for when shopping for grill prep tables? Isn’t it better to just use any table at home? The truth is that you won’t enjoy grilling using just any table in your house. How many of those tables in your house have a stainless steel top?
Below, we outlined factors you should consider when shopping for a new BBQ grill table.
Size
You don’t need a behemoth of a table but that doesn’t mean you should compromise on space.
The grill prep table you choose should have ample cooking space on top of it to accommodate a tabletop grill, for instance, along with whatever you’re cooking.
There’s a great tendency that the larger your grill table is, the better and faster you’ll cook as you’ll be able to have all you need for cooking on that table.
Additionally, if the table is large, it’ll have space underneath for storing items you use for grilling including your compact sized rotomolded coolers. Foldable tables often don’t have storage spaces under it, so be sure of what you need before making a purchase.
Price
Price is a deal-breaker – definitely, and for many of us, the cheaper the price of a product that meets our basic needs, the better. Fortunately for us, grill prep tables don’t cost much and with a few bucks, we can buy something nice for grilling.
Worktop
This refers to the working space on the table. Ordinary tables in the house are mostly covered with wood or plastic. But BBQ grill prep tables are different as they often have a stainless steel worktop.
A stainless steel worktop is important considering the fact that it makes cleaning the work surface after each use, a lot easier. You’ll only need to apply a good surface cleaner, get a good cloth or wipe and clean the surface very well and your table will be sparkling.
This, in turn, increases the longevity of the table.
Hooks for Hanging
Hanging hooks come in very handy as they help you keep some of your cooking accessories handy. They also keep the worktop uncluttered, thus giving you ample space to prepare the food you’re grilling.
Adjustable legs and wheels
This also includes foldable legs. Adjustable legs come handy when you need to adjust the height of your table to be a little lower or higher as the case may be.
This can make your cooking more comfortable for you.
On the other hand, foldable legs help with making the table to be portable and solve the issue of storage. It is designed for people who have limited storage space for their grill prep table.
Lastly, there’s the wheel. Wheels aren’t a must-have for a grill prep table. But if you have a heavy table and you’d like to grill – probably begin to prepare food before everyone comes home, then a wheel can come in handy, as it will ease the stress of moving the table
Wheels also make it possible for seniors who love to grill food, to be able to move their grill prep tables without running the risk of a backache.
Lockable Storage Cupboard
Earlier, we made mention of having storage space under your grill prep table. In other to keep your grilling items in one place, it is advisable to get a grill with a cupboard underneath the worktop.
A lockable cupboard will be much better as it will restrict children’s access to your grilling items. All the same, a lockable storage cupboard isn’t a must-have – after all, foldable grill prep tables don’t have it.
BBQ Grill Prep Table Reviews
You’ll find our concise opinion on some of the best-selling grill prep tables in the lines below. We talked about their design, build qualities and some other features that make each of them unique.
#1. Best BBQ Grill Prep Table – Keter Unity XL BBQ Storage Table
Dimensions: 48.7 x 21.2 x 35.4
Type: Non-Folding
Features: 304stainless steel worktop, multiple storage spaces both open and closed, large working surface, stainless steel sidebars for holding items, hooks for hanging, bottle opener.
The Keter Unity XL BBQ storage table is undeniably the best grill prep table. For a lot of us who have used an ordinary table and this Keter table for grilling related activities, the difference is clear.
It offers the revered stainless steel top which makes cooking and cleaning after cooking easy for users. The stainless steel worktop is made from 304 stainless material and is somewhat thick.
On the other hand, the entire body of the table is made from a resin material that looks and feels like wood. It is only on the closer observation that you’ll discover that the table isn’t wood. We appreciated the durability of the table and how solid it feels.
Keter says the table is all-weather resistant; only time will tell if this is true or not, but judging by appearance and feel, we think it’ll last.
There are stainless steel sidebars and hanging hooks to the side of the table where you can hang your cooking accessories. And just beneath the worktop of the table is an open storage area with about 24gallons capacity.
A little further down is the closed cupboard which offers twice the space of the open storage location. We love the wheels on the table as they’re easily adjustable.
For this review, we looked at the Unity XL model which is available in two colors, graphite and Espresso brown. There’s a Unity model which is much smaller than this.
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#2. Budget Grill Prep Table – Coleman Outdoor Compact Table
Dimensions: 27.6 x 27.6 x 27.6 in
Type: Folding
Features: Made from stainless steel material, comes with a carry bag, foldable, lightweight, locking mechanism for legs.
The Coleman Outdoor Compact Table is a nice budget grill prep table. It is made from high-quality steel and aluminum materials with rubber accents here and there. To keep its cost low, the table compromises certain features including storage space, hanging hooks, etc.
However, considering its target market – which is mostly outdoor enthusiasts and campers – it’s a great pick. It weighs about 9lbs and is foldable enough to fit into a medium-sized carrying bag it comes with.
When folded, its dimensions are 5.5 x 5.5 x 27.5 inches. This dimension is certainly not as small as many expect, but it’s manageable considering the fact that the table supports weights of up to 100lbs. Setting up the table is as easy as ABC and takes only a couple of minutes to fold and unfold.
The Coleman Outdoor Compact Table features an aluminum top in contrast to the stainless steel top we saw on its counterparts. Nevertheless, the aluminum top serves its purpose perfectly.
This compact outdoor table is part of a lineup of products from Coleman. There’s also a Coleman Pack-Away Portable Kitchen which offers more convenience for outdoor grilling can add weight and take up space especially for people going camping.
The Pack-Away model has ample storage space when unfolded and comes with enough hanging hooks and a mesh storage layer.
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3. CampLand Aluminum Height Adjustable Folding Table
Dimensions: 48.7 x 21.2 x 35.4
Type: Non-Folding
Features: lightweight, waterproof, stain-resistant finishing, made from aluminum materials, has an aluminum worktop, holds up to 66lbs, foldable and comes with a carrying bag.
The CampLand Aluminum Height Adjustable Folding Table is yet another foldable grill prep table that made it to our list of grill prep tables. It shares similar features with the Coleman Outdoor Compact Table we reviewed above although it’s larger.
Considering its slightly larger size, one expects it to support more weight than its counterpart, but the reverse is the case. When compared to the Coleman, the Coleman weighs less, supports more weight and even costs less.
If portability is a major buying factor for you, it will fit your needs else go for the Coleman.
With respect to portability, we’d like to give the CampLand table a thumbs up for its novel idea and design. The CampLand Aluminum Height Adjustable Folding Table is a definition of the word “foldable”.
It totally folds into a mini-sized bag and has a dimension of 36.8 x 7.5 x 5.2 inches when folded. On the other hand, it unfolds to a massive 35.8 x 20.3 x 17.3. This is because of the foldable worktop. Let’s not forget to mention that it has height adjustable legs to offer more convenience for taller people.
The CampLand table is made from aluminum and is stain-resistant and waterproof. It’s lightweight and very portable, however, it can only support about 66lbs weight. It takes only a few minutes to fold and unfold the table without external help.
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#4. Best Folding Grill Prep Table – REDCAMP Small Folding Table
Dimensions: 24 x 16 x 10/19 inches
Type: Folding
Features: Dual height options, folds up like a briefcase, very lightweight, made from Aluminum, supports 70lbs weights, easy to set up
Just when we thought we’d seen it all with foldable grill prep tables, we came across the REDCAMP Small Folding Table. It’s undeniably the best folding grill prep table.
The REDCAMP table also features its own unique folding design. It completely folds into a briefcase shape and can easily be carried by even a teenager. The table weighs about 5.5lbs thus making it the lightest folding grill prep table we’ve seen.
It has two adjustable height options. When you’re done with your grilling related activities, you can clean the table, fold it down and use it as a laptop table. As expected, it takes only a few seconds to do that.
The table is able to support weights of up to 70lbs which is quite impressive. It is made from quality aluminum materials and features an aluminum worktop and secure latches to hold the leg in place and keep the table stable.
There are rubber caps on the feet of the table to ensure that it doesn’t slide around on a smooth surface. In all, the REDCAMP small folding table is a good grill prep table for anyone looking for something compact, light, and durable that can even be left in the car trunk all year round.
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#5. Cuisinart CFGS-222 Take Along Grill Stand
Dimensions: 54 x 20 x 30.5 in
Type: Folding
Feature: Flat folding design, multiple storage spaces when unfolded, extended worktop, hanging hooks, easy setup, lightweight.
Lastly, we’ll take a look at the Cuisinart Take Along Grill Stand. It’s a perfect grill prep table for the Cuisinart Tabletop Grills in the market.
The Cuisinart CFGS-222 Take Along Grill Stand is a compact-sized foldable grill table that folds flat. It is lightweight, very portable, and can be folded and unfolded in a matter of minutes. As earlier mentioned, the worktop is extended on both sides.
This gives you more working space especially if you have a charcoal or gas grill on top of it. At the ends of the two tables, you’ll find 6 cup holders, 3 on each side. Additionally, there are hanging hooks for hanging some of your accessories.
The Cuisinart Table is also has a storage shelf underneath the worktop. This is a pretty good place to keep your rotomolded cooker while you’re preparing food on top of the table. Did we mention that the Cuisinart CFGS-222 Take Along Grill Stand is lightweight, coming in at around 18lbs?
We think the aluminum frame isn’t as strongly built as possible.
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Finally…
Grab your portable and foldable grill prep table to go along with your portable grill and enjoy your steaks and roasted chicken any day, any time.
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