Megamaster 820-0065C 1 Burner Portable Gas Grill for Camping, Outdoor Cooking , Outdoor Kitchen, Patio, Garden, Barbecue with Two Foldable legs, Red + Black

A compact grill that earns its keep

I first put the Megamaster portable grill to work on a Saturday morning tailgate, where space in the trunk and time to set up are always at a premium. The appeal was immediate: fold the legs, latch the lid, grab the handle, and it moves like a small suitcase. On a folding table it sits sturdy and level, and it’s up and running fast. Over several weekends—campsite breakfasts, quick weeknight burgers on a small patio, and a couple of park outings—it’s proven to be a simple, reliable single-burner that trades brute force for portability and convenience.

Build and design

The frame is steel with a heat-resistant finish, paired with a porcelain-steel firebox and a stainless-steel burner rated at 11,000 BTU. It feels solid for its size, with minimal flex when you pick it up one-handed. The foldable legs snap open and shut with a reassuring click, and they don’t wobble on uneven picnic tables as much as I expected.

The lid latch is the only piece that feels a bit fussy. It closes, but it took a little bending and testing to get it to catch consistently. Once set, it stayed shut through a walk from the car to a field, but I still wouldn’t swing it around by the handle without a hand under the base. The carry handle is comfortable, and the overall balance is good.

Inside, there’s a simple diffuser/heat shield over the burner. It’s thin, which is typical at this size and price. After several high-heat cooks it discolored and picked up some minor warping, but it still seated properly and did its job.

There’s no built-in thermometer. I don’t miss one on a portable, but plan to bring an instant-read or a magnetic grill surface thermometer if you want precise numbers.

Setup and ignition

Assembly out of the box was minimal: fit the grease tray, attach the handle, drop in the grate, and that’s about it. The grill uses small 1-pound propane cylinders by default; with a common adapter hose I also ran it off a 20-pound tank at home without issue.

Ignition is via a push-button starter and a single control knob. The printed instructions are a little vague about the lighting sequence. Here’s what worked consistently and safely for me:

• Make sure the knob is in the fully vertical OFF position.
• Open the lid.
• Press and turn the knob slowly toward the ignite marking (counterclockwise), then press the starter. You should hear/see ignition right away.
• If it doesn’t catch within a couple of clicks, turn everything off and wait a full minute before trying again.

Once lit, the burner is steady and the flame pattern even across the tube with the diffuser in place. Preheat with the lid closed for 10–12 minutes before you start cooking; that gives the grate time to store heat for better searing.

Cooking performance

For a single-burner portable, this grill gets respectably hot. With a proper preheat I was able to put real color on steaks and burgers. It’s not a screaming-hot steakhouse sear, but it’s more than adequate for 1-inch cuts and smash-style burgers. The porcelain-coated grate (nonstick once seasoned) released food well after an initial oiling.

Heat distribution isn’t perfectly uniform. On my unit, the left half of the grate ran hotter than the right by about 25–40°F during the first few cooks. Rotating food midway evened things out and prevented overcooking on the hot side. The diffuser must be seated correctly—once it had shifted during transport and created a front-to-back gradient that disappeared once I clipped it back in.

Where the grill shows its size is heat retention. Open the lid and you feel the temperature drop. That’s the trade-off with a small firebox; it recovers, but it takes longer than a full-size backyard grill. The solution is simple: preheat thoroughly, keep the lid closed as much as possible, and resist the urge to peek. Wind can also push this little cooker around thermally; if you’re grilling on a blustery beach or ridge, a small windscreen makes a big difference.

Capacity is better than you’d expect. The 360 square inches of cooking surface handled six standard burgers comfortably, eight in a pinch if you manage spacing. I’ve done a pork tenderloin, a couple of ribeyes, chicken thighs, and a mess of peppers and onions. For breakfast at the campsite, a small cast-iron skillet sets nicely on the grate for eggs while the open part of the grate handles bacon.

Low-and-slow smoking isn’t its forte. With one burner you can’t create a true two-zone setup, and the venting isn’t designed for sustained low temperatures. You can certainly add a foil packet of wood chips for a little smoke flavor on hot-and-fast cooks.

Cleaning and maintenance

The removable grease tray is the hero here. It slides out easily and catches most of what you want it to. Lining it with foil before cooking makes cleanup almost trivial. After cooking, I crank the burner to high for a short burn-off, let everything cool slightly, then brush the grate. The porcelain firebox wipes down with a damp cloth, and the grate responds well to a nylon or brass brush.

Because the diffuser is thin, it’s worth checking that it hasn’t shifted when you pack/unpack the grill. Expect cosmetic discoloration on the shield and grate from high-heat cooks—normal stuff that doesn’t affect function.

Portability and storage

This is where the grill shines. With the legs folded and the lid latched, the footprint is compact, and the unit is light enough to carry with one hand from car to campsite. There’s enough internal space to tuck a 1-pound propane cylinder under the lid for transport, which keeps your gear consolidated. Just disconnect the cylinder before packing and make sure the valve is capped.

At home, it fits on a narrow balcony shelf and doesn’t monopolize storage space in the garage. If your outdoor cooking area is limited, it’s a big step up from disposable grills without the commitment of a full-size unit.

Quirks and tips from use

• Give it time to preheat. Ten to twelve minutes closed lid makes a noticeable difference in searing.
• Bring a thermometer. Without a built-in gauge, an instant-read ensures doneness without constant lid opening.
• Rotate food to counter hot spots. Plan on a half-turn halfway through for even browning.
• Shield from wind when you can. A simple folding windscreen or strategic placement helps a lot.
• Check the latch fit and diffuser seating after transport. Two quick checks prevent headaches.
• Consider an adapter hose for backyard use. Connecting to a larger tank is convenient if you cook often.

Who it’s for—and who should look elsewhere

If you camp, tailgate, grill at the park, or you’re cooking for one to four people on a small patio, this portable makes a lot of sense. It’s quick to set up, easy to store, and hot enough for everyday grilling. It’s also a pragmatic choice for RVers who want a no-fuss gas option and for anyone who doesn’t want to deal with charcoal.

If you routinely cook for a crowd, demand high-end heat retention, or want to do advanced two-zone or low-and-slow cooking, you’ll run into the limits of a single-burner tabletop. In that case, a larger two-burner portable or a compact kettle might serve you better.

Recommendation

I recommend the Megamaster portable grill. It’s a well-built, straightforward single-burner that prioritizes portability without feeling flimsy. The 11,000 BTU burner delivers solid heat for weeknight steaks and burgers, the 360-square-inch grate handles small-group meals, and the grease tray and folding legs keep setup and cleanup simple. You’ll need to adapt to its quirks—preheat patiently, manage hot spots, and be mindful of the lid latch—but those are reasonable asks for the size and price. For campers, tailgaters, and small-space grillers who value convenience over brute power, it’s an easy pick.