Smev Mini Grill 555 - yes or no?

[Nicky]

Hi all, I'm booked in to have my T6 converted in the next few weeks and I had asked my converter to include a Smev Mini grill. Since then I've read a couple of negative comments about these grills saying they don't get hot enough to be usable so I'm now wondering if I should still include one.

I'm happy to sacrifice the space the grill takes up if they actually work as a half sensible grill so I guess I'm just looking for comments and experiences from anyone who has had or used one.

Thanks for any help you can give on this, can't wait to get my camper

 

[Davenjo]

We use ours quite a lot for toast (about the only thing, aside from pasta/rice on the hob, we ever cook actually inside the van - most of our cooking is done on a Cadac outside). You can get 4 slices of bread under the grill at a push but you have to move the slices around so that they toast - much better with just 2 slices which will fit below the burner. When not being used it makes quite a good little storage locker for Jo's plastic champagne flutes and the collapsable kettle - using it this way also stops the grill pan rattling when driving

Not as fast as our grill at home but does the job!

 

[Nicky]

Great thanks Davenjo .... champagne flute storage sounds like the perfect use, I will pinch that idea I think!

Do you think it gets hot enough to do bacon/sausage etc. if it's rainy and we aren't cooking outside ?

 

[Davenjo]

Great thanks Davenjo .... champagne flute storage sounds like the perfect use, I will pinch that idea I think!

Do you think it gets hot enough to do bacon/sausage etc. if it's rainy and we aren't cooking outside ?

Yep it would get hot enough - my preference is still to cook such things outside though, even in the rain/snow, to stop my pride and joy smelling like a mobile chip shop

 

[Nicky]

Excellent, thanks Davenjo .. I'm going to keep the grill in the van spec ... I know what you mean though about not wanting to stink the van out with fried food. You mentioned you have a cadac, I've been looking at the little cadac safari's, they look great so think I'll invest in one of those too

 

[Davenjo]

Excellent, thanks Davenjo .. I'm going to keep the grill in the van spec ... I know what you mean though about not wanting to stink the van out with fried food. You mentioned you have a cadac, I've been looking at the little cadac safari's, they look great so think I'll invest in one of those too

I'd go for the slightly larger Grillogas version - free standing at a reasonable height and still packs everything down to a reasonable size - I've had mine for a few years and wouldn't be without it camping - it works fine for the 3 of us but there are times when the even larger Carri chef would be useful. I'd also spec an exterior gas/bbq point on the van to save having to carry extra gas around for outside cooking.

 

[Hyvast]

Anyone used a Halogen Oven for cooking on or off grid?

 

[Ed Webb]

Spec also do an oven grill which is similar in size, I've attached a link
Smev 20 Litre Mini Oven & Grill (9103303627)
This is what I'm contemplating.

 

[Davenjo]

Spec also do an oven grill which is similar in size, I've attached a link
Smev 20 Litre Mini Oven & Grill (9103303627)
This is what I'm contemplating.

I think it depends where you plan to install it and what other appliances you have - my mini grill is directly above the Waeco CRX65 fridge and fits in nicely below the worktop. The mini oven/grill is slightly taller and wider so I think you may need to find somewhere else for it - the aperture my grill sits in, including the air space at the top, is 480mm by 280mm - looks like the oven requires 530mm by 310mm - not a massive difference but would then need higher worktops (closing safety gap between hob and ceiling) and a wider cabinet which, with my RIB bed butting up against the cabinet side when folded out, would not fit in my van.

Hillside, who I got my van from, do offer the oven but only in the LWB variants (never really thought about it before but guessing its for the reasons I describe above?).

 

[Davenjo]

Anyone used a Halogen Oven for cooking on or off grid?

View attachment 11689

I've not used one but would be interested in how you get on!! In a similar vein, I've recently bought an Instant Pot (electric pressure cooker) and am tempted to try it camping. For me though, the thing again using either is that I don't like cooking anything remotely greasy or smelly in the van so would need an extension lead so I can use outside or in the awning.

 

[Hyvast]

I've not used one but would be interested in how you get on!! In a similar vein, I've recently bought an Instant Pot (electric pressure cooker) and am tempted to try it camping. For me though, the thing again using either is that I don't like cooking anything remotely greasy or smelly in the van so would need an extension lead so I can use outside or in the awning.

I have one I use at home, it's very good for multi cooking, frys boils, good for chips, steak even made puff paste with it
Baked potatoes , Bacon ..... and on and on

The unit is fully closed when in use and could I guess be set outside but under cover

They have 1400 watt output so when hooked up it should be ok
They are not expensive, but ,Ishtar be considered bulky by some

I will try mine out, but I am sure others may have already

 

[DPS]

I've been researching the same issues. This is what I've found out:
Most people get them because it makes their van 'look good'.
Most people never use it.
There are better, easier ways to make toast.
I've decided against one as part of my conversion, I value the additional storage space more than the 'look good factor'.

 

[Ed Webb]

I'm appreciating the views of others here as it may seem that I may need to rethink getting an oven grill in my conversion.

 

[Oldrat]

Got one, use it for simple meals and toast. Hasnt left a smell in the van yet, but then we haven't burnt anything

Saves eating out the whole time, but if you have a roll out awning or a 'lean to' you might not need it.

You dont have the choice if you dont have it.

 

[Nicky]

I think I'm going to stick with the grill because I think I'll use it and if I don't get it, I'll always wonder if it would have been a good move or not. Worst case scenario is I don't use it and I'll get it taken out and converted to a cupboard with a tabour door.

The halogen oven is a great idea for when you have EHU, I've got one at home and they are great, the only thing is they are a bit large. You used to be able to get the little 7litre ones, not sure if they are still available.

I've actually been toying with buying this for when I have EHU - great price, only 800w and pretty small.

Daewoo 10 Litre Mini Oven | Robert Dyas

 

[Hyvast]

I think I'm going to stick with the grill because I think I'll use it and if I don't get it, I'll always wonder if it would have been a good move or not. Worst case scenario is I don't use it and I'll get it taken out and converted to a cupboard with a tabour door.

The halogen oven is a great idea for when you have EHU, I've got one at home and they are great, the only thing is they are a bit large. You used to be able to get the little 7litre ones, not sure if they are still available.

I've actually been toying with buying this for when I have EHU - great price, only 800w and pretty small.

Daewoo 10 Litre Mini Oven | Robert Dyas

I agee they are a big on the large side, but I am sure the large bowl could be filled with other bits and pieces & when being used I dont think size would be a problem
I get my new California in September and will test it out then, will report back findings
cheers

 

[Nicky]

I'd go for the slightly larger Grillogas version - free standing at a reasonable height and still packs everything down to a reasonable size - I've had mine for a few years and wouldn't be without it camping - it works fine for the 3 of us but there are times when the even larger Carri chef would be useful. I'd also spec an exterior gas/bbq point on the van to save having to carry extra gas around for outside cooking.

.... I took your advice and bought a Grillogas when I stumbled across the Cadac stand at the NEC show last week

 

[Davenjo]

.... I took your advice and bought a Grillogas when I stumbled across the Cadac stand at the NEC show last week

You won’t regret it - have you spec’d an external gas point for the van?

 

[Nicky]

I thought about it but didn't in the end. The van is actually in for it's conversion at the moment and is almost done :-D

The Grillogas came with a free Low Pressure to High Pressure regulator so it can run off EN417 cylinders. I've picked up 6 x cylinders for £24 delivered from Amazon (which I didn't think was too bad) and given it a test run and it worked perfectly .. it also means I can use it anywhere, whether it be at home in the garden or a little further away from the van. I quite like it being fully portable.

 

[Davenjo]

At that price, 3kg of gas for £24, its roughly comparable to getting a 907 bottle gas refill (2.75kg).

The only downsides are having to carry additional gas bottles that probably won’t fit in your locker with your van’s gas supply. Also, you will find that you are changing bottles a lot more mid way through cooking - can be a bit of a pain having to lift off everything to relight without the spark ignition.

We have the best of both worlds via the use of the Cadac power pack (takes two of the EN417 cylinders) and snap connections to link either to van supply or power pack. What we tend to do when we know the van’s gas bottle is getting a bit low or need more portability is take a couple of the Cadac bottles as backup.

Looking forward to seeing some photos of your new van!!