They say in sports that “the best ability is availability”. If that holds true for grills, Made In lost points with their otherwise great grill that they first released last year.
I really liked that grill when I reviewed it, was frequently asked about it, but always had to provide the disclaimer that you couldn’t get it. It went out of stock instantly and never seemed to recover.
This year, Made In has fixed that with Version 2 of their grill and even refined an already top notch grill. They’ve partnered with a new manufacturer and offer another model that sets the bar for quality.
Two Material Options
They offer two different material options for Version 2 of their grill. You can get it with a carbon steel body like last year, which is still a solid choice, or you can get it in thick 304 stainless steel.
Made In sent me the stainless model to test out (full review soon), and that thing will last forever. My kids don’t know it yet, but after I’ve started my last charcoal fire, their futuristic AI robot will have a beautiful grill to cook on.
Features and Specs
- Retail price of $599 (check price) in carbon steel or $699 (check price) in stainless
- Handmade in Nebraska
- Stainless steel grill grate and ash tray
- Weighs a beefy 30 to 35 lbs depending on the model
- The Made In griddle (sold separate) locks into place on the grill for a solid griddling experience
- The cooking surface is 19.6” x 10.5”
Cooking Experience
The new Made In grill stays true to why people love the Made In brand. It’s a high quality product that works really well.
It’s a portable grill that’s big enough for the backyard if you’re cooking for a couple people or just cooking proteins. It can get really hot, really quickly, which makes it a nice option even on weeknights.
When it gets a little too hot, or if you want to get the last bit of heat out of your charcoal, the charcoal bed is adjustable. It has two positions you can put it in for temperature control.
Cleaning is a breeze with the removable ash tray and wide stainless steel cooking grates. Then, when you’re all done cooking, it’s easy move with sturdy handles wrapped in silicone.
Version 2 Improvements
Beyond the material upgrades on the body, Made In made some other refinements to the design for their new version. For cooking, there are now two positions for the charcoal bed instead of 3 on the previous model.
While there is one less position, you don’t miss it for cooking. The overall height of the grill is only 12 inches, so there isn’t much temperature variability from that extra middle position.
They also redesigned the track for the two positions, so now it locks into place for carrying in both positions. That makes it easier to move.
They also made the charcoal bed a little narrower which is a welcome change. Before, you couldn’t retract the grill grate in all cooking positions, and now you can.
They also changed the hardware setup on the grill grates. It’s connected on the ends with cotter pins, so it can be easily removed for cleaning.
They also made improvements to the ash tray so it locks in place better. This keeps you from having an unexpected mess when you’re moving the grill around.
Conclusion
Made In took an already fantastic grill and made it even better. If you need a little grill for the backyard, camping, or tailgating, I’d recommend this one. It’s not cheap, but it will also be the last little grill you’ll have to buy. They’ve assured me they have better production capacity this year, but I still have PTSD from last year, so don’t wait!