 This Product
Snow Peak Takibi Fire & Grill | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Dual Function Grill and Fire Pit |  Best Overall Portable Grill |  Best Cooking Performance for the Money | Best Tabletop Grill | Best Value in a Smaller Grill |
| Price | $309.99 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $399 List Check Price at Amazon | $170 List Check Price at Amazon | $259 List $255.98 at Amazon | $120 List $119.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Though more expensive, this beautiful design is more than just a portable grill, it provides an outdoor gathering experience | Even though it's expensive, this grill exceeded expectations and received high scores in every testing metric | A high-performing propane grill that features an aesthetic and durable stainless steel design along with high output power and excellent control | A thoughtfully-designed grill that has everything you need, and then some | Almost too powerful for its size, this hearty grill specializes in searing steaks |
| Rating Categories | Snow Peak Takibi Fi... | Weber Traveler | Cuisinart CGG-306 C... | Weber Q 1200 | Cuisinart Grillster |
| Output Power (25%) | |||||
| Control (25%) | |||||
| Portability (20%) | |||||
| Cooking Area (20%) | |||||
| Wind Resistance (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Snow Peak Takibi Fi... | Weber Traveler | Cuisinart CGG-306 C... | Weber Q 1200 | Cuisinart Grillster |
| Heat/Power Source | Charcoal / wood chips | Liquid propane | Liquid propane | Liquid propane | Liquid propane |
| Total BTU | N/A | 13,000 | 20,000 | 8,500 | 8,000 |
| Weight (Per Manufacturer) | 32 lbs | 49 lbs | 22 lbs | 31 lbs | 10.0 lbs |
| Measured Cooking Surface Area | 243.0 sq in | 390.0 sq in | 275.0 sq in | 189.0 sq in | 148 sq in |
| Number of Burners | N/A | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Grill material | Stainless steel | Porcelain-enameled cast iron | Stainless steel | Porcelain-enameled cast iron | Enameled steel |
| Measured Packed Size - Dimensions | 22.0"L x 21.5"D x 2.0"H | 44"L x 23"D x 13"H | 22.0"L x 14.0"D x 18.5"H | 26.0"L x 15.0"D x 14.0"H (side tables closed) | 20.5"L x 12.0"D x 10.2"H |
| Measured Packed Size - Volume | 0.5 cu ft | 6.5 cu ft | 3.3 cu ft | 3.2 cu ft | 1.5 cu ft |
| Piezo Ignitor | No | Yes | Yes | Electric | Yes |
The Snow Peak Takibi Fire & Grill is the perfect grill for those seeking an experience beyond the convenience of propane and cast-iron. This grill is very thoughtfully designed while the stainless steel construction is aesthetic, durable, and easy to use. While it takes some time and finesse to harness the output power, there are three separate levels to rise or lower the rectangular-shaped grilling surface to and from the flame below. And while the design is 30+ pounds, the packable size makes it easy to shoulder and store inside your vehicle in between uses. While not the experience everyone is looking for, this niche design offers the versatile combination of both portable fireplace and grill.
While Snow Peak does not quantify the maximum output power of the Takibi grill in terms of BTUs (British Thermal Units), our testers achieved temperatures measuring “Hi” on our infrared thermometer, meaning over 1,000 degrees fahrenheight. Needless to say, this grill can really pack a punch when it comes to output power, just be ready to settle into the grilling experience as it takes quite a long time to produce enough coals before this fireplace transforms into a portable grill. The grill can be used with charcoal briquettes or with wood, and our testers found the charcoal to offer more convenience while the wood offered more ambiance and took a little more finesse to achieve the desired coals for grilling.
If you spent the day pushing your body in the mountains or find yourself on the brink of “hanger,” this grill will likely provide a very frustrating experience as it took our testers over an hour to get the coals to the desired heat for grilling. When using wood, our testers found that smaller pieces of wood produced coals at a faster rate. If you want to settle into an evening with your friends where you push aside modern conveniences to gather around a fire, enjoying a cold drink or appetizers, the Takibi can produce as much output power as you need, simply continue adding fuel to the flame, whether removing the cooking grate or sliding below.
The Takibi doesn't provide the best control for even grilling. The “hot spots” will vary every time you grill since they are so subjective as to how you choose to build the flame. The design does offer three different settings for you to raise or lower the grill towards the heat. If you built a high heat flame, simply raise the cooking area to the highest setting. Conversely, if you have excellent coals and want to slow cook veggies or poultry without searing the outside, simply lower the cooking grate closer to the coals on the lowest setting.
The Takibi is not for those seeking a controlled grilling experience, as the design requires some thought, effort, and trial and error before maximizes the control of this grill. As previously mentioned, charcoal is a better option for those seeking more convenience and predictability, while wood will require more patience and a longer process of building enough coals for consistent grilling. It's just not as simple as turning a dial and measuring the heat, the Takibi is for those ready to slow down and settle into a gratifying grilling experience that starts and ends with friends sharing stories around a beautiful, modern, stainless steel grill.
While this grill is nowhere near the lightest of the bunch, it does easily pack down into a canvas bag that offers two thick, over the shoulder, straps that help distribute the 30 plus pounds of weight. The bag is also very thin (measuring about 4 inches in width) so it could easily slide into a small space inside a truck, behind a seat, or sprinter van for storage in-between campsites.
The Takibi also offers an easy setup with only 4 separate sections to be assembled and the leftover coals can be dumped into an existing fire ring or trash bag (when cooled) so that you can fold the grill and pack it away in the large canvas carry bag. While this grill doesn't offer the lightest load, boy is it a neat design that easily sets up and packs down into a very portable and slender canvas bag for excellent portability.
The Takibi design offers an excellent cooking area for grilling. Our testing team loved the slick design that allows you to easily remove the cooking area from the grill itself, featuring two handles on each side, so that you can load the grilling surface on the picnic table while bringing the grill up to temperature as well as fully remove the grate once your food is cooked to the desired temperature.
The stainless steel design is not only aesthetically pleasing, (multiple testers admitting their appreciation of this thoughtful and functional design), but the cooking area also allows enough space to feed more than two people. Measuring 18" x 13", the cooking area can feed up to four, and we love that the square pattern helps to prevent losing food to the flames below. The Takibi grill not only provides a beautiful and modern aesthetic but also a highly functional cooking area.
Perhaps it goes without saying, but the Takibi is not built for wind resistance. The open flame alone is enough to allow wind to affect your grill performance, not to mention all the ventilation circles and slots between the grilling frame that allow even more wind to get through.
While our testers were able to grill in the wind, it took even longer to bring our food up to the desired temperature as the wind would often create an erratic flame that made producing enough coals a real chore. If you are looking for a grill that can withstand the wind and still offer enough output power for slow cooking or searing your favorite cut of meat, you'll need to look elsewhere.
The Snow Peak Takibi Fire & Grill is the perfect portable grill for those seeking more than just a piece of equipment for preparing food on the go. The Takibi lives up to its Japanese name, providing a place for friends and family to gather in the great outdoors. While this grill is worth a pretty penny, it provides the versatility of a grill as well as the ambiance of a fireplace. The stainless steel construction is durable, sturdy, and built to last while the cooking area provides ample surface for up to four. While this is not the grill for those seeking affordability and the convenience of propane, the Takibi provides an outdoor grilling experience for those willing to invest in its beautiful, aesthetic, portable, and versatile design.
The Takibi is the perfect grill for those seeking an outdoor grilling experience whether on the back porch or on the go. Unfortunately is not does offer the most convenient design for those who want to fire up a grill, and eat quickly after a long day in the mountains or on the trail. If you're after a little more convenience, check out the Eureka SPRK Camp Grill that's as portable as a grill can be, as reaches peak heat relatively quickly. If you're looking to invest your dollars into a design that prioritizes efficiency and specializes in searing red meat to perfection, the Solaire Everywhere will not disappoint. And finally, if you're looking for top of the line performance when it comes to output power, control, wind resistance, and a cooking area big enough to feed the pack, check out the Weber Traveler.
