Magma Marine Kettle 2 – Grill Review

Looking very stylish yet offering great functionality the Magma Marine Kettle 2 is a boaters delight.  The mirror polished finish won’t be the only thing people notice after serving up some delicious meat, or veggies I suppose.  Boater’s know it’s not often there isn’t at least a breeze on the water, the virtual blow-out proof turbo venturi and valve system make its reliability exceptional.  Magma’s patented plate and dome system provide the option of using the grill as a stove or oven, cooking breakfast never felt so good with those gorgeous mornings on the water.

Over 30 years ago avid boaters and barbecue lovers, Jim and Jerry Mashburn, became fed up with grills rusting out and wasting away on boats.  That sparked the idea of providing stainless steel grills that endure the hardships of sea life.  Boaters today can thank the brothers for their hard work and determination in convincing others a grill in fact was a good idea on a boat.  Now Magma is the worlds leading manufacturer of boat grills and accessories.

Key Features:

• Hinged Lid – Balanced lid will not slam shut.

• Reliable Piezo Igniter – Dependable push button lighting

• Windproof Turbo Venturi & Control Valve Design – Virtually eliminates blow-outs.

• “Stay Cool” Handle with Air Cooled Supports – Cast 18-9 Stainless.

• Cast 18-9 Stainless L-Bracket Mount Clamp – Indexed for positive no-slip level mounting.

• Burner & Heat Distribution Design – Less flare up, even heat distribution & longer grill life.

Mounting:

Mounts are sold separately with many options provided by Magma at their website to fit all makes and models of boats.  We found out that the double lined inner shells do keep the grill quite cool, opening up many spots suitable for placement.  After selecting the right one, we had no problem attaching it to the down rigger mounts.  The mounts are very sturdy and hold tight. With the ability to position the grill over the water instead of in the boat you save space which is great for smaller boats. And since the mounts are high quality they provide the peace of mind the grill won’t be falling into the drink.

Setup:

The Marine Kettle 2 itself only required a few quick things to be done before mounting.  The instillation of the radiant plate and dome over the burner, placement of the grill gate, and connecting the fuel source.  There are tabs on the grate which slide under a pair of holding clips locking the grate and all it’s components into place, a nice feature when the waves are rocking the boat.  Connecting the fuel source was simple enough, just insert the venturi tube into the bottom of the grill body and tighten the threaded nut and then connect the control valve regulator.  The control valve did throw us off a bit by how loose and easily rotated it was, but judging by the bold paragraph in the manual in which Magma reassures us this is normal, we weren’t the only ones.  The Marine Kettle 2 uses a standard 1-lb. canister or can be connected to a an on-board LPG if available.

Design:

When we first pulled the Marine Kettle 2 out of the box we felt it was something special.  The great look of Magma’s grills are just the beginning.  Over the past 30 years Magma has propelled itself to being the boater’s #1 choice worldwide for grills & grilling accessories.  We were able to put the Marine Kettle 2 to the test with a steady breeze on the water and it passed with flying colors.  The grills design uses convection cooking, providing the hottest temperature with the least amount of fuel.  So far we are still on our fist 1-lb. canister of propane, no doubt outlasting other grills we have used in the past.  The hinged lid does help to eliminate the unwanted slams caused from waves or wind, and us boaters know those are quite frequent.  Our favorite feature just might be the double lined safety shell on this grill.  Only being warm to the touch we weren’t sure the grill was getting hot inside, not the case.  The meat and veggies were sizzling like a hot fajita plate, but better.  The mounts being sold separately are a slight downfall, but when you realize they have options for virtually any boat it seems more reasonable.

Value:

Coming in at $394.98, the Marine Kettle-2 Combination Gas Grill & Stove (Party Size) won’t be your cheapest, but very well could be the last grill you buy for your boating adventures.  The sleek look and very functional design will not leave you dissatisfied with your purchase.   The saying. “you get what you pay for,” being heard more and more these days, this grill holds true to that.  With mounting options for any boat and the various ways to cook that sweet meat this grill might lower your bank account but is guaranteed to fill your belly.