Portable Grills: The Grilliput

Labor Day means barbecues, but who wants to heft a bulky grill just to enjoy some smoke-scented food on the beach or at a tailgate party? If you want to shirk that work, a little gizmo called the Grilliput (think Lilliput, as in Gulliver's Travels) can help.

Like the wee folk who inspired its name, the Grilliput stands "not six inches high" and it weighs just over a pound. The stainless steel cooking surface has room to sizzle several sausages or a few veggie burgers—perfect for light use on camping trips or in the backyard on a whim.

The whole thing collapses into a sturdy stainless tube with a screw top. Slip the tube into a knapsack or picnic basket—or even the glove box. Setup takes about 10 minutes and cleanup is a snap. A notch in the tube helps you scrape crispy bits off the grill bars. And it can all go in the dishwasher.

The Grilliput is $30 at REI stores or at www.campmor.com [3]. A stainless fire bowl for charcoal or wood costs another $13. (888) 297-6062, www.grilliputusa.com [4].

Photography courtesy Industrial Revolution

This article was first published in September 2007. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.