the nomad laptop grill is to grills what the Yeti is for coolers: better in every way, but expensive. That both companies come from Texas is a coincidence. Probably.
The Nomad is a fresh take on what a portable grill should be, or even can be. It’s refreshingly low-tech and compact, cooks phenomenally well, and unlike many “portable” grills, it really can go anywhere. It’s the closest thing to a perfect portable grill that I’ve tried.
wandering grill
I have i tried many portable grills over the years, and the Nomad is hands down the best built portable grill I’ve ever used.
From the anodized aluminum perforated housing to the cast aluminum grills inside, everything about the Nomad feels solid and well-made. Heavy-duty handles and latches are strong. Even the grill surface is held solidly in place with high-temperature-resistant magnets.
Photography: Nomad
The Nomad’s design is different from most grills. It’s essentially a suitcase, which means you can carry it with one hand. The solid construction doesn’t make it light—it weighs 28 pounds with one grill grate, 31 pounds if you opt to buy a second—but it’s not cumbersome or unwieldy like our current top pick portable charcoal grill. Weber’s Jumbo Joe ($89).
When folded into a suitcase-carrying position, the Nomad looks like a cross between something jason bourne I would use as carry-on luggage and as a kind of cage for live animals. I told someone who asked about it that my kids had a pet wolverine. For a second, I think they believed me.
Once you arrive at your destination with your Nomad, you can set it up on any flat surface. Thanks to the engineering behind the grill, it never gets hot enough to damage wood, metal, stone, or grit. I wouldn’t put it on a plastic table, but it should work just fine everywhere from the tailgate of your truck to the picnic table at your local park. While on the ground is the most awkward way to cook on the Nomad, it works, too.
The Nomad is also pleasantly low-tech. There are no Bluetooth temperature sensors, apps or anything else. This is old school grilling, trusting your skills and experience. The Nomad has a built-in thermometer on the left side of the “top”. but there is nothing digital here. Thankfully.
Outer space
For high-temperature grilling, the Nomad flips open, giving you two sides to grill. The problem is that the grill for the second side is sold separately and will set you back. other $130. If you get the add-on grill, you’ll have a total of 425 square inches of cooking surface. Nomad claims that this is enough for 30 burgers. I didn’t try the second rack of the grill, but cooking on one side only had enough room for 12 burgers about a quarter pound each.
The other thing to note is that the grill surface is warped, which means that if you get both grills, you’ll need to flip one over before closing it. Nomad also notes that you can cook with the grill surface flipped over, turning it into a sort of vegetable basket.