8 Made In Grill FAQs

Powerful, compact, and insanely versatile, the Made In Grill is our first-ever product to include its own heat source—one of the many reasons we’re beyond excited to have it in our lineup. We wanted to give our customers—from dedicated home cooks to frequent tailgaters—a portable, durable grill with the same capabilities of a larger setup, and we think the Grill delivers.

Today, we’re taking a closer look at some of our most frequently asked Grill questions. This guide is intended for everyone from curious customers to devout Grill owners looking to learn more about their purchase. Here’s (basically) everything you could possibly want to know about the Made In Grill, and maybe a little bit extra.

1. What Is the Made In Grill?

The Made In Grill is a portable charcoal grill intended to give users a restaurant-quality outdoor cooking experience on the go. It’s designed and assembled in the U.S. using premium, lightweight materials like carbon steel and stainless steel, both of which offer excellent heat retention and can hold up to extreme heat and weather-related wear and tear.

In addition to a built-in stainless steel grate, the Grill is also compatible with our Carbon Steel Griddle, so customers can choose between live fire and a sizzling flattop. All you have to do is slide back the grate and place your Griddle on top.

2. What Fuel Does the Made In Grill Use?

One of the best parts of using the Grill is that you can choose whatever fuel source suits your fancy: lump or briquette charcoal, Japanese binchotan, and fragrant hardwood are all compatible. Lump or briquette charcoal are the standard—as well as the most widely available—though you can opt for binchotan if you prefer a clean, smoke-free burn (perfect for smaller outdoor spaces). Hardwoods like apple, cherry, or hickory offer a similarly clean burn with a bit of extra flavor.

3. How big is the Made In Grill?

At roughly 20 inches long by 10 inches wide, the Grill is perfectly sized to cook up a small party’s worth of burgers, a whole fish, or a full spread of bacon, eggs, and hash browns. It can accommodate a full-sized Griddle as well as a Grill Frying Pan, Enameled Cast Iron Skillet, or your cookware of choice. While a fair bit smaller than a standard, four-burner gas grill, it’s also incredibly portable and easy to transport, making it an ideal balance of size and convenience.

4. What Can I Cook on the Made In Grill?

We designed the Grill to be compatible with two different kinds of cooking: direct, high-heat searing and grilling, and indirect cooking. For the first, all you have to do is lower the adjustable fire bed so that it’s directly above the flames, giving you an intense, smoky char-grilled flavor (if you’re using the built in stainless steel grate) or a golden brown, crispy crust (if you’re using a Griddle). To cook large cuts of meat such as whole chickens or racks of ribs, or to keep your food warm while you prep other components, simply raise the bed back up to the highest level.

5. What Makes the Made In Grill Different from Other Outdoor Grills?

The Grill isn’t just unique among Made In’s other product offerings: it’s also—in our opinions— the best portable charcoal grill on the market. Made from rugged, weather- and heat-resistant carbon steel and stainless steel, the Grill is designed to withstand extremely high heat and resist wear and tear, making it well worth the investment. The patent-pending retractible grate is made from professional grade stainless steel, which we chose for its excellent heat distribution, ease of maintenance, and durability. The Grill also heats up in minutes once the coals or hardwood have been lit, making it easy to grill or sear on the fly. It’s another great example of our commitment to chef-first engineering, offering both a user-friendly design and restaurant-quality performance.

6. Is the Made In Grill Easy to Clean?

With a removable grease tray and a stainless steel ashbox and grate, the Grill couldn’t be easier to clean. To clean the stainless steel grate, you’ll likely only need to give it a quick scrub with a rough sponge or bristle scrubber; if that’s not enough to remove stuck-on food and grease, you can try adding a mild dish soap and water. To discard leftover coals and ashes, you can either dump out the removable ash box or use a Shop-Vac to vacuum them out (making sure they’re fully cool, of course).

The inside of the grill is coated with naturally non stick carbon steel, which can easily be cleaned with a high-pressure hose; you can also use a bit of dish soap if needed. Use a neutral cleaner such as dish soap or Barkeeper’s Friend to clean the exterior shell. For long-term maintenance, we strongly recommend reseasoning the carbon steel interior of the Grill periodically, both to prevent rust and to keep it non stick. You can find a more extensive guide to cleaning the Grill in our post, How to Care For and Maintain the Made In Grill.

7. Where Is the Made In Grill Made?

When we were developing the idea for the Grill, we were adamant about a couple of things. One, the grill had to be completely portable, serving as both a cooking surface and a self-contained heat source. Two, it had to be assembled entirely in the U.S. Made from a combination of domestic and imported components, the Grill is hand-welded in Fort Worth, Texas by seasoned grill builders.

8. What Accessories Work With the Made In Grill?

Part of what makes the Grill so versatile is that it’s compatible with a wide variety of Made In grill tools and accessories. Swap the stainless steel Grate for a carbon steel Griddle to cook up smash burgers, hash browns, and omelettes; break out tools like the stainless steel Grill Press and Griddle Spatula for pressing and flipping sandwiches and burgers; and use the lightweight, reversible Grill Prep Tray for convenient prep and organization. We also offer a custom-fitted Grill Cover to keep your Grill clean and rust-free between uses.

Ready to Shop?

Stellar heat retention, restaurant-worthy precision, and a durable, virtually indestructible carbon steel body make the Made In Grill one of the best investments you can make in your outdoor cooking setup. Whether you’re spending your summer on the road or staycationing in your own backyard, the Grill is your ticket to a summer of laidback—and delicious—grilling.

If you haven’t already gotten your hands on one, make sure to get on the waitlist so you can claim your very own Grill as soon as they’re back in stock.