What the Safari Chef 30 Compact actually is
Cadac itself calls the unit the Safari Chef 30 Compact and describes it as an ultra-compact, lightweight gas tabletop grill for direct bayonet gas cartridges. In the manual it appears as model 6525L1 with the addition “Direct Pressure”, and in the manufacturer’s shop under article number 6525L1-10-UN. Our classification: more a camping stove with grill attachments than a small gas grill on its own frame.
The product image shows this clearly. At the bottom is a flat, box-shaped black base with a silver round surface and the burner head in the middle, a control knob at the front with the lettering “Safari Chef 30 Compact”, and a ribbed section on the right. Above it the photographer has stacked the parts: drip tray, wire pot stand, round grill grate, smooth plate and, right at the top, a lid with two side handles. A second unit next to it carries a deep dish full of vegetables.
The 30 in the name is the diameter; Cadac writes “ø 30cm”. According to the manufacturer’s page the unit measures 30 x 23 x 35 cm (width, height, depth). On Amazon the Compact costs approx. €143 (Amazon page on 20.10.2026: €143.14), and in our comparison of gas grills it scores 8.2 out of 10.
There is one thing you need to know before buying, because the Amazon title twists it. It says “Gas Barbecue, 50mBar”, and anyone who reads that may buy a pressure regulator as well. The manual, however, gives the gas pressure as “direct cartridge operation”, also in the column for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and Cadac makes it clear: “An external pressure regulator is not necessary.” The cartridge connects directly to the unit. The model number 407473 from the Amazon catalogue also appears nowhere at Cadac.
Gas and output: 1.6 kW from the bayonet cartridge
The product page gives 1.6 kW heat output, and the gas data table in the manual gives the same figure as nominal gross heat input. According to the table only butane is permitted, the nozzle carries the number 0.48, and according to Cadac the unit complies with the standard BS EN17476:2021.
On consumption the two sources differ. The product page gives 130 g/h, the manual a nominal consumption of 114 g/h. For planning we would use the higher value.
The Compact runs on a CADAC butane cartridge of 220 g or 227 g with a nozzle valve, that is a bayonet cartridge, or on a locally approved cartridge to EN417. According to the manual it must not be used on mains gas.
The cartridge is connected horizontally. The notch on the cartridge must match the safety guide, then you flip the locking lever. It can only be locked when the control knob is at “Off”, and beforehand you check that the seal is present and in good condition. According to the manual you may remove a partly used cartridge and store it.
As a general rule for appliances that burn pure butane without a regulator: the pressure in the cartridge depends on temperature, and butane boils just below 0 °C. On a cool spring evening there is therefore less pressure at the nozzle than in high summer, and because the cartridge cools itself as it evaporates, long grilling on a high setting amplifies the effect. How strong this is on the Compact, Cadac has not published. Which gas supply suits which purpose is explained in our guide gas bottle for the grill.
In detail: one burner, four cooking surfaces and a ceramic layer
Cadac advertises the Compact with “four modular cooking surfaces”. These are the pot stand, the inverted lid as cooking pot, the grill grate and the griddle plate. You do not need to assemble anything; according to the manual you set up the cooking surface and can get started. Ignition is automatic by piezo.
All four sit over the same burner and are controlled with the same knob. The manual shows a single burner. Separate zones in which a piece of meat can finish cooking beside the heat are therefore missing. With a round burner head in the middle of a round surface, general heat physics makes it plausible that the centre gets hotter than the edge; we found no measured temperatures across the surface in any source. If you prepare sausages and vegetables at the same time, you therefore move them around by feel instead of spreading them over two zones.
Under the cooking surface sits the drip tray. According to Cadac it also serves as a windshield for the flame, and the manufacturer advises pouring some water into it before grilling.
Grate and plate carry a ceramic coating, and Cadac is not consistent about its name. The manual speaks of GreenGrill and writes that the coating is “completely PFOA-free”. The product page now calls it CeramiCoat, made “without intentionally added PFAS”. The second wording is narrower than the first: it says something about the recipe, not about traces. For the coated surfaces the manual recommends using “only 75% of the usual output”. If you come from an uncoated grate, you therefore do not reflexively turn it to full.
When turning food, according to the manual only plastic or wooden utensils belong on the surface.
Standard version or LITE: what is in the box
According to the product page the delivery includes pot stand, grill grate, griddle plate, pot with lid and a storage bag. The component list in the manual is more precise and distinguishes two versions. The 6525L1-10 has (A) lid/pan, (B) grill grate 30, (C) flat grate, (D) pot stand, (E) drip tray and (F) carry bag. The 6525L1-20 lacks part C. This fits the product page, according to which the LITE version comes without a griddle plate.
No source proves which of the two is behind this Amazon page. In favour of the standard version is the product photo, which shows the smooth plate. If you want to be sure, count the parts after unpacking.
On weight Cadac contradicts itself on the same page. The bullet points say “Lightweight (3.8 kg)”, the data table 4.5 kg. The Amazon catalogue gives 8.38 pounds, converted approx. 3.8 kg. For luggage we would still plan with the higher value. The colour is black according to Amazon.
Summed up, what appears in none of our sources: the grilling area in square centimetres, the diameters of grate and plate individually (the 28 cm and 26 cm from our earlier data sheet cannot be substantiated), the material of housing, burner, grate and lid (Amazon lists steel, aluminium and plastic but assigns them to no component, and Cadac mentions a stainless steel burner nowhere), a maximum temperature, a heat-up time, the number of burners as an explicit statement, a number of people and the country of origin. Deriving a grilling area from the 30 cm outer diameter would be wrong, because the rim of the parts counts too.
What does the Compact cost after purchase?
Mainly gas. A 227 g cartridge costs €4.95 in the Cadac shop. You need no accessories, because grate, plate and pot are included.
It can be calculated like this. At 130 g/h a 227 g cartridge is empty after a good 1.7 hours at full load, so one hour then costs roughly €2.83 of gas in the Cadac shop. With the 114 g/h from the manual it is roughly €2.49. If you grill at 75 percent, as Cadac recommends for the ceramic surfaces, you need less; how much less cannot be derived from the data sheets.
The manual lists the optional accessories like this: Paella Pan 30, BBQ 2 Plancha 30, Pizza Stone Pro 30, Soft Soak 30, Soft Soak Brush, a lid and a coffee pot stand. For some of them the Cadac shop gives prices: Paella Pan 30 for €49.95, BBQ 2 Plancha 30 for €39.95, Pizza Stone Pro 30 for €29.95, Tapas Set for €29.95 and Cleaning Set 30 for €31.95.
The manual describes two of the parts in more detail. The paella pan is made of pressed aluminium. The pizza stone is 12 mm thick, withstands up to 300 °C and, according to Cadac, only works with the lid on. A wok attachment, as our earlier version of this text mentioned, is not offered by Cadac for the 30 format.
These three alternatives are worth a look
| Model | The difference | Price | Our rating | Choose this one if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CADAC Safari Chef Compact 30 (this one) | Bayonet cartridge inserted horizontally, 1.6 kW | approx. €143 | 8.2 | you want to carry grill and stove in one bag |
| CADAC Safari Chef 30 HP Deluxe | Screw-on cartridge to EN417 under the unit, 2 kW according to Cadac | approx. €155 | 8.3 | you want larger cartridges with more gas per change |
| Campingaz Party Grill camping stove | 1,350 W according to Campingaz, valve cartridge CV 470 Plus | approx. €77 | 8.0 | you already have Campingaz cartridges in stock |
| Weber Q 1200N | 2.93 kW according to Weber, 1290 cm² cast-iron grate, 11 kg | approx. €249 | 8.3 | you need a stated grilling area and a lid for cooking |
The prices come from our price boxes and change constantly. The rating is our editorial assessment from the data comparison; we measured nothing.
The Compact stands at approx. €143 in our price box, the Safari Chef 30 HP Deluxe at approx. €155. According to Cadac the HP Deluxe delivers 2 kW instead of 1.6 kW, but the main difference remains the cartridge. The Campingaz costs approx. €77. The details on it come from the Campingaz page of the Party Grill 100 CV, which carries the same article number as the Amazon listing.
When the Compact fits and when another grill does
Number of people. Cadac gives none. With a 30 cm diameter and one burner we would plan it for two people, for three if you eat in turns. Four hungry people on the same evening are better served by the Weber Q 1200N with its stated grilling area, which however costs approx. €249 and is much heavier.
Balcony. On the product page Cadac answers the balcony question with Yes. The manual, however, sets minimum distances from combustible materials against that: 1.2 m above the unit, 0.6 m behind and at the sides. If an awning hangs lower, the spot is ruled out. Whether your tenancy agreement and house rules allow gas is covered in our guide grilling on a balcony.
Cartridge or bottle. The Compact only knows the cartridge. If you already own a gas bottle, you need a different unit.
Zones. One knob, one heat. For steak plus side dish next to each other that is too little.
Cooking instead of grilling. This is where its strength lies. Pot stand and lid as pot turn the Compact into a camping stove, and if you boil water in the morning and grill in the evening, you carry just one unit.
Budget. If it should stay under €100, only the Campingaz is left in our selection. If you are still undecided between gas, charcoal and electric for travel, you will find the criteria in our camping grill buying guide or can have a selection suggested by the grill finder.
Safety, cleaning and care according to the manual
Cadac puts it first: “Read the instructions before using the appliance.” What follows is a selection from the German part of the manual, verbatim or close to it; the full version comes with the unit.
On location: “Use outdoors only!” The unit consumes air (oxygen) and needs sufficient ventilation. “Do not use the appliance in an unventilated area. It is intended for outdoor use only.” You do not use a damaged, leaking or incorrectly functioning unit, nor one with damaged or worn seals. You may not change anything, “any modification can be dangerous”, and you do not put on a cooking surface or pot larger than recommended. Once lit, the unit is never left unattended.
Before every lighting you check for gas leaks, according to the manual. This works outdoors and with soapy water: wet the connecting parts, and if bubbles form, the leak is found. Then shut off the gas, disconnect and check again. If the leak remains, the unit goes to the dealer for inspection or repair. “Never try to find a leak with a flame.”
If you smell gas, you immediately turn the control knob clockwise to “OFF” and take the unit to a place without flames. In case of flashback you immediately close the gas supply, remove the cartridge after the flame has gone out and check the seal; if it happens again, the unit belongs with the dealer.
If the piezo does not ignite the burner within the first 5 seconds, you close the valve and wait 30 seconds. With a lighter you light cold from above before the cooking surface is in place; with a hot unit through the ventilation hole under the burner, not through the large hole. Fatty food can flare up, in which case you turn the heat down.
You change the cartridge outdoors, away from other people, and only when the burner has gone out and the knob is at Off. It can be hot, so you let it cool down and check the seal. You never remove it during operation, and after use and for storage you separate it from the unit. “Never store an appliance with the gas supply connected.” According to the manual you preferably store gas bottles outdoors and not in the cellar, and after longer storage you check the unit for insects and webs that can disturb the gas flow.
Cleaning is done after every use, but only when everything has cooled down. You wipe the outer surfaces with a damp cloth wrung out in soapy water. “DO NOT IMMERSE IN WATER”, writes Cadac about the unit, because otherwise water can get into the burner tubes; no water may reach the burner and pilot area. Abrasives, high-pressure steam cleaners and water jets are ruled out. For the GreenGrill surfaces, according to the manual, warm soapy water with a soft sponge is enough, and you avoid scouring pads and steel wool. Afterwards you rub the cooking surface lightly with oil. More on grease, rust and burners is in our guide cleaning a gas grill.
Who is it suitable for?
For people travelling with little luggage who want to both cook and grill at an outdoor table: two people on a campsite, at a picnic, on a bike tour with a car as base. The carry bag is part of it, and the manual requires handling the unit with reasonable care and not dropping it; throwing it loosely into the boot is therefore not intended.
The Compact is the wrong choice for anyone who wants to cook indoors in bad weather, in a motorhome, a caravan or an awning. The manual permits operation outdoors only.
And anyone sitting on the blanket with small children should take the warning in capital letters seriously: “ACCESSIBLE PARTS CAN BE VERY HOT. KEEP SMALL CHILDREN AWAY.” With a unit 23 cm high, we would therefore put it on a firm table, not on the ground.
