'Plenty of cooking space and great for camping' - Our expert reviewer tries the 2-in-1 Wave BBQ and Fire Pit

Those really balmy nights are few and far between here in the UK, so when you want to stay sitting outside, a fire pit can keep you cosy. But it’s not always convenient to take one of the best portable BBQs as well as one of the best fire pits on a trip, or even to have both if you’ve only got a small garden.

Personally, I’ve ruined many a small BBQ over the years by throwing logs on them at the end of cooking, to create a makeshift fire pit when they really weren't up to the job. But the Wave BBQ and Fire Pit is designed to be dual purpose, so after cooking you can sit back, relax and toast some marshmallows over the roaring fire.

I love BBQs, fire pits, and camping, and since the Wave BBQ and Fire Pit is so suited to all three, I couldn’t wait to try it out. I wasn’t disappointed, it’s a great bit of kit and I was happy that it works well as a fire pit and BBQ in equal measure. But I couldn’t give it 5 stars because the sides warped after just a couple of uses and it’s hard to say whether this will get worse after prolonged use.

Product specs

• Fuel type: charcoal or wood
• Materials: 3mm zinc coated stainless steel sides and stainless steel grill
• Assembled dimensions: assembled: 49 x 49 x 47cm high
• Packed dimensions: 57 x 42 x 1.2cm
• Cooking area dimensions: 36 x 36cm
• Weight: 8.7kg
• Colours: steel or matte black

Who tested this BBQ?

Helen McCue

After completing a Home Economics degree, Helen went on to work for the Good Housekeeping Institute and has been reviewing home appliances ever since. She lives in a small village in Buckinghamshire in the UK, where she reviews all sorts of home and garden appliances using her wealth of experience. 

Helen reviewed the Wave BBQ and Fire Pit in early June, the sun was shining and BBQ season had well and truly begun. She cooked three different meals for herself and her husband as well as friends. She was allowed to keep the BBQ after the review and can definitely envisage using it on her next camping trip.

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

Considering it’s collapsible, I wasn’t surprised that the Wave BBQ and Fire Pit came in a very thin box, but I was surprised that it was almost 10kg. When I removed the cardboard packaging, everything was neatly packed into padded envelopes within the carry case.

The base comes in three flat pieces and there’s a triangular bottom grate as well as a large triangular cooking grate. Three simple slide-on clips secure the three base pieces to each other, and it’s supplied with a spare clip in case you lose one. 

The first time I put it together it took me a minute to figure out, but after you’ve done it once, it’s straightforward the next time, although it's easier if you’ve got a second pair of hands to help out. The three pieces slot together at angles and the clips lock them in position, then you just drop in the small grate, followed by your wood or charcoal, and the big grate goes on top.

You’ll want to assemble it roughly where you plan to use it because it’s awkward to move around. And although the pieces are locked together with the clips, they will still move slightly if you try and lift it up. I’d also recommend placing it on flat ground, because its strength comes from the three pieces evenly locking together and taking the weight. So if the ground is very uneven it’s tricky to keep all the parts well aligned.

Everything slots comfortably into the canvas carry case and velcro at the top keeps all the parts inside. It’s a long bag though,  I’m 5ft 3in and I found the bag too long for me to carry with my arm straight, so I had to either bend my arm to lift it high enough off the ground, or carry it on my shoulder. And even though the straps have lightly padded leather-effect handles, it’s weighty, and I wouldn’t want to carry it on my shoulder for too long.

I was sent the leaf design in the stainless steel finish, but it’s also available in matte black, or there’s a hex design. Each of the three base pieces has a bottle opener at the top, so no matter where you sit, you can easily open a beer. My first impression is that it’s incredibly sturdy and the 3mm thick stainless steel pieces feel virtually indestructible. The only thing I’d say is that some of the edges are quite blunt.

Using the Wave BBQ

The cooking grill on the Wave is pretty big so I didn’t hold back. I got my hands on a big chicken shawarma kebab from the supermarket and barbecued it alongside chunks of pepper and halloumi - all of it to be plated up with hummus, tzatziki and breads.

For this first barbecue I used lumpwood charcoal which I lit using three natural firelighters. It got going without any interference from me. But it was an hour before the heat of the coals had died down enough for me to cook on it without burning the food. I think the triangular shape means the charcoal is quite densely packed and so stays very hot.

I added the big shawarma kebab, but after about 15 minutes I decided that six tightly packed chicken thighs was going to take a long time to cook thoroughly. So I removed them from the kebab sticks and cooked them individually - which turned out to be a good call.

After the chicken had been cooking for 20 minutes I added the seasoned and oiled peppers, and after 30 minutes I popped the halloumi on too. It was all ready to eat after 40 minutes. But since I’d waited an hour for the coals to reach the right temperature, it’s a good job I had some nibbles to hand! 

Having said that, everything was cooked beautifully, the chicken had just the right amount of charring on the gnarly bits and retained a good succulent texture. The peppers and halloumi were also deliciously smoky and well cooked. The BBQ has plenty of space and this was enough food for four people, but if you’re cooking small food like burgers or sausages you could easily feed six with this size grill.

A small amount of ash fell out of the bottom, but nothing major, and the feet stay cool, so it won’t scorch grass. It’s worth pointing out though that some oil from the food ran down the leg and pooled on the patio, so you’ll want to watch out for this if it’s on a surface you’re precious about.

After the barbecue it was time to put my feet up, add some logs and sip on a nice cold beverage. Despite initially being concerned about removing the hot grill grate, I managed it easily with my long BBQ tongs. But if you don’t want to scorch the grass, you’ll have to think carefully about where you put it if it’s still very hot.

What can I say about its performance as a fire pit other than it did the job, had space for 2-3 logs at a time and kept most of the ash contained. We sat around it on camping chairs and toasted marshmallows and the fire was at the perfect height.

Next time I used it, I tried an instant light charcoal bag. I was only cooking two meat and two veggie burgers, so didn’t need a huge amount of coal. And quite unusually for one of these instant light bags, it got so hot that it was 50 minutes before I could add the burgers. And even then, I had to place them right at the edge because the middle was far too hot to cook on.

The result was great, within just eight minutes all four burgers were on our plates, including toasted buns that I'd quickly popped on the grill at the end. After the BBQ, I once again loaded it up with logs and - all in the name of research - enjoyed tasty toasted marshmallows.

The first time I tried the bottle opener, I was slightly hesitant because I was worried about destabilising it while coals were burning. But actually, it was fine and you can easily open bottles whilst barbecuing or having a fire.

For my final BBQ it was lamb chops and halloumi to go with a greek salad and tzatziki. I used another instant light bag, and this time I knew to light it at least an hour before I wanted to BBQ. There’s something about the triangular shape of the BBQ that means the coals get very hot and stay very hot.

The results were great, by this point I’d really got the hang of cooking on this BBQ - it’s best to start your food off at the edges of the grate. The fatty strip down the edge of the lamb chops cooked beautifully and they were ready in under 10 minutes.

Cleaning and storage

The heavy steel grate can be cleaned by hand and it may need a good scrub to remove stuck on residues. Though to be honest, unless you’re packing it away in the bag I’d be inclined to leave it dirty and let the heat from the next BBQ burn the residues off instead. 

Removing the ash can be a messy job. I found the simplest way was to upend the whole BBQ as best you can. It is a bit awkward, but it does the job. The BBQ disassembles and packs away very neatly. The canvas bag is as much a neat storage solution as it is a bag.  

The pieces can all get quite greasy and covered in ash, so I’d recommend keeping hold of the padded envelopes it arrives in. This way, if you need to pack it away, and you’re somewhere without access to a hose to blast the dirt off, at least you won’t ruin the canvas bag.  And since the bag has a velcro top, any remaining ash should be contained and not escape into your car. 

One other point worth noting, is that when I disassembled mine after the first BBQ and fire pit evening, the three base pieces had all slightly warped. So instead of being completely flat, they now had a slight curve to them. This didn’t in any way affect how they fit into the bag or stop them slotting back together when I reassembled it, and they didn’t seem to warp further after the next couple of uses. But it’s tricky to say whether this would get worse over time.

Comparisons

If you’re not really a fire pit person, then the BergHOFF BBQ is a portable BBQ I’d highly recommend. It’s a great compact table top BBQ that’s roomy enough to cook for 2-4 people and it won’t scorch the grass at your campsite. It takes a while to cool down though and it’s a touch more expensive. On the plus side, there’s no assembly needed.

For BBQs in the park or at the beach, you’ll need a BBQ that can cool down quickly, so you can pack it up and take it home, without having to hang around for hours. In this instance, I’d recommend the LotusGrill. Although expensive - at around £165 - this clever fan assisted charcoal BBQ heats up in just 5 minutes and only takes around an hour or so to cool down. What’s more, the sides stay cool even during cooking. The only drawback is the heat on the grill is uneven so you need to rotate foods frequently.

Should you buy the Wave BBQ and Fire Pit?

I would absolutely recommend the Wave for camping and caravanning trips. Not only is the space saving design helpful when the car is crammed with other gear, but having a 2-in-1 BBQ and fire pit makes a lot of sense. Plus the height is perfect for sitting around on camp chairs and you can enjoy a fire late into the night without worrying about burning the grass at the campsite.

At full price it’s £110 but at the time of writing it was reduced to £70, which I think is fantastic value for money given that it’s a 2-in-1 BBQ.  Keep in mind that this isn’t the best portable BBQ for taking to the park, it’s heavy and will take too long to cool down. And it’s most sturdy when on stable, even ground. As I mentioned above, I did see some warping, but it didn’t affect the use. Otherwise, the large grate offers plenty of cooking space and I really like it.