What the Party Grill 400 R is, and what the R stands for
Campingaz calls the unit a “5 in 1 camping grill & gas stove”. A round blue base on three legs carries a single 2,000 W burner. Depending on the dish, you stack a grate, a plate or a pot on top. The product page lists the five functions like this: pot cross, grill grate, contact grill plate, plancha and lid with wok function.
The R stands for the gas supply, and this is exactly where our earlier version of this text was wrong. It spoke of gas cartridges. The 400 R runs on a Campingaz R904 or R907 bottle or on a standard butane or propane bottle, always via a pressure regulator. A different unit works with a cartridge, the Party Grill 400 CV. So if you only read “Party Grill 400” in a shop, pay attention to the letter after it.
According to our price box, the 400 R costs approx. €90 at Amazon (Amazon page on 20.10.2026: €89.76). In our comparison of gas grills it scores 8.2 out of 10; as a camping unit it sits there next to much larger garden grills.
One uncertainty remains with the model. Amazon lists the part number 694001, Campingaz the item number 2000023717, and no source links the two numbers. The title and photo of the Amazon listing do, however, show the bottle version.
Eight parts stacked up: construction according to the manual
The product image is an exploded diagram. At the very bottom sits the blue, round tray on three legs, with the control knob at the front. Above it float a ring with small feet, a light-coloured perforated disc, a round wire grate, a black round plate that two red arrows mark as reversible, and on top a domed black lid with two handles. On the right is a blue Campingaz bottle, connected by an orange hose.
The instruction manual applies to all models in the Party Grill 400 series and numbers the parts: (1) lid (wok), (2) grill plate, (3) wire grate, (4) heat diffuser, (5) grate, (6) legs, (7) water tray, (8) base. This makes the five functions fewer individual parts than the name suggests. Contact grill plate and plancha are one and the same grill plate with two sides, a ribbed one for searing meat and a smooth one for fish, seafood and vegetables. According to the description in the “Stove” section, the grate (5) takes over the role of the pot cross.
It is assembled from the bottom up. You screw the legs into the sockets on the underside, then place the water tray with the viewing window facing forward onto the base plate and turn it clockwise as far as it goes. The window then lines up with the control knob. For grilling, the grate (5) goes on its three feet onto the supports in the tray, then the heat diffuser and then one of the two grilling surfaces. You fit the lid handles once only, with screws, cap nuts and washers.
Ignition is by piezo. The knob has a lightning symbol for the ignition position, and you set the heat between a large and a small flame symbol.
The sources say little about the material. According to the manual, the grill plate has a non-stick coating and the wire grate does not; you spray it lightly with cooking oil before putting food on it. One Amazon bullet point speaks of “enamelled grill grates”.
Campingaz states a weight of 4.9 kg and, as the “open” dimension, Ø 36 x 42 cm with standing legs. The Amazon catalogue gives 2.2 pounds, so around 1 kg, which hardly fits a unit with lid, grill plate, grate and water tray; we go with the manufacturer’s figure. For the scope of delivery, the product page lists the lid with wok function, pot cross, the reversible grill and contact grill plate, the grill grate, a polyester carry bag and a gas hose. For transport, you place the unscrewed legs in the water tray. You turn the wire grate so that its U-shaped spacer does not rest on the grate feet, otherwise the lid cannot be closed according to the manual.
Collected together, what none of our sources state: the grilling area in square centimetres and the diameter of plate and grate (the “approx. Ø 32 cm” from our old data sheet is unsupported), the material of base, lid, burner and water tray, a maximum temperature, a heat-up time to grilling temperature, the packed size, a number of people, the country of origin and a matching cover. A windshield, as the old version described, does not appear in any manufacturer source. Deriving a grilling area from the 36 cm outer diameter would be wrong, because the tray rim and handles are included in it.
In detail: one burner in the centre and water underneath
Larger gas grills divide their surface into zones, because several burners sit side by side. Here there is one burner in the centre, and Campingaz derives an operating rule from it: “The heat is greatest in the centre and lowest at the edges.” So you put a steak in the middle and vegetables at the edge. That replaces the second control that the unit does not have.
Between flame and food sits the heat diffuser (4). It must be under the grill plate before use, and the manual forbids more than one grill plate at the same time. Grill plate and wire grate therefore exclude each other. You never place pots or the wok on the grill plate or heat diffuser. For cooking, you remove both and put the pot directly on the grate (5); you use the upturned lid there as a wok. With the lid on, the unit becomes an oven according to the manual, but it is only lit without the lid.
The water tray is not an extra. Before every firing you fill it to the “MAXI” mark, whether you want to cook or grill. Campingaz explains this on the product page by the fat dripping into the water instead of onto the flame. As a general rule with any grill: fat that falls on an open flame ignites and can flare up. With a burner sitting directly under the grilling surface, the water bath is therefore more than a cleaning aid.
With the coated plate, Campingaz draws a hard limit. It must not get hot for longer than 1 minute without something grilling on it, otherwise the coating can be damaged. The Use section at the same time says to preheat the unit on full flame for about 2 minutes before grilling. The manual does not explain how the two fit together. We would have the food ready to hand before the flame is lit and preheat the plate rather briefly.
On power: 2,000 W at 145 g/h gas consumption according to the product page. The manual prints only a table for Belgium and Luxembourg, with the same power, nozzle marking 68 and 146 g/h for butane (G30) or 143 g/h for propane (G31).
Which gas bottle do you need for the Party Grill 400 R?
A Campingaz butane bottle R904 or R907 with a Campingaz pressure regulator for 50 mbar, or a larger butane or propane bottle of 5 to 15 kg with a suitable regulator. You buy the regulator separately; according to the manual it is not part of the unit.
The 50 mbar applies to units bought in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, for butane and propane alike. In the rest of Europe it is 28 to 30 mbar. The regulator must comply with EN 12864 or EN16129 (European standards), and the bottle or regulator needs a control valve. The product safety sheet is more explicit: “Do not use an adjustable low-pressure regulator”, only fixed regulators to the European standard.
On the hose, the sources contradict each other. The product page lists a gas hose in the scope of delivery; the manual says pressure regulator and gas hose are sold separately. What is certain is what it must be able to do: at most 1.50 m long, suitable for butane and propane, replaced if cracked, damaged or past its expiry date. You should not pull it, twist it or lay it near hot parts. It is tightened with two spanners, no. 10 at the gas connection of the unit and no. 17 at the hose nut, without overtightening.
Campingaz itself gives the runtime: 12 h 30 min with the R904, 19 h 30 min with the R907. At 145 g/h, that works out to roughly 1.8 kg and 2.8 kg of gas respectively. For a 5 kg bottle, the same calculation gives a good 34 hours on full flame, but that is not a manufacturer figure. You stand the bottle on the ground behind or beside the unit. Which bottles and connections exist is explained in our guide Gas bottle for the grill.
Setting up, connecting, cleaning: what Campingaz prescribes
What follows is a selection from the manual and the product safety sheet, as close to verbatim as possible. Campingaz provides both documents online. The manual asks you to read it in full before the first connection.
On location: the unit “may only be used outdoors and at a sufficient distance from ignition sources”. The product page says the same more briefly, that it is not suitable for enclosed spaces. The reason is in the manual: gas appliances consume oxygen and give off substances such as carbon monoxide, which is “odourless and colourless” and in an enclosed space without ventilation can lead to nausea, flu-like symptoms and possibly death. As clearances, Campingaz gives at least 20 cm to a wall or a combustible object and at least 1 m to the ceiling. The unit stands on a stable, level surface and is not moved during operation.
The surface it stands on also gets hot. According to the safety sheet, the unit must not stand on plastic, a tablecloth or any other combustible surface; concrete, stone, brick, the bare ground or a fireproof layer in between are recommended. You do not leave it unattended while in operation.
You check for leaks with soapy water or a similar agent, never with an open flame. Close the shut-off valve, apply the liquid to the connections of bottle, regulator, hose and unit, leave the knob on O, then open the gas. If bubbles form, the connection is leaking; close the gas again, retighten the connection or replace the faulty part. The unit is not used until the leak is fixed. This check is due at least once a year and at every bottle change. If you smell gas, you close all valves. If the burner goes out while grilling, you close the gas valve immediately and wait 5 minutes until the gas has dispersed.
After grilling, you first turn off the gas tap at the regulator or bottle and only after the flame has gone out turn the knob to O.
Cleaning is never done during operation. After about 15 minutes of cooling time, you remove the cooking plate and grate, unscrew the drip tray anticlockwise from the base plate and empty the water. You clean greasy parts with water and soap or a mild detergent. Blocked burner holes you clean with a soft brush, expressly not a wire brush. If the unit has stood for more than 30 days, you check the openings of the burner tube for cobwebs; according to Campingaz they can reduce output or cause gas to ignite outside the burner. Store it cool, dry, ventilated and out of reach of children, not in the cellar, and disconnect the bottle when it is not used for a longer period. Ignition problems on other grills are covered in our guide Gas grill will not light.
Warranty, spare parts, customer service
An extended manufacturer warranty is not documented for the Party Grill. For many products, Campingaz grants more than the statutory 2 years on individual components, but the Party Grill series is missing from the warranty table as of 2026.06. If such a warranty applies, according to the warranty terms you send only the defective part with proof of purchase and a damage report by post, not the whole unit.
Campingaz stocks spare parts for burner, grill grate, grill plate, lid, heat diffuser and the ignition unit, not all of which were available in October 2026. The safety sheet allows only parts that were supplied with the unit or bought from an authorised dealer anyway. If the inlet valve is blocked, according to the manual you do not try to clear it yourself but take the unit to the dealer.
For Germany and Austria, Campingaz gives the hotline 032 22 185 7753, Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, and the address info@campingaz.de. According to the safety sheet, the manufacturer is Application des Gaz in Saint-Genis-Laval, France; the brand belongs to the Coleman Company.
Three alternatives from our catalogue
| Model | The difference | Price | Our rating | Choose this one if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campingaz Party Grill 400 R (this one) | 2,000 W on R904/R907 or 5 to 15 kg bottle, grill and pot on one base | approx. €90 | 8.2 | you already have a gas bottle and want to cook as well as grill |
| Campingaz Party Grill camping stove | according to Campingaz 1,350 W from the CV 470 Plus valve cartridge | approx. €77 | 8.0 | you want to manage without a bottle and regulator |
| CADAC Safari Chef Compact 30 | according to Cadac 1.6 kW from the bayonet cartridge, Ø 30 cm | approx. €143 | 8.2 | you want a cartridge unit with a carry bag and can pay more |
| Campingaz Tour & Grill CV Plus | according to Campingaz 2.4 kW, grate 47 x 26 cm with 1,200 cm² | approx. €182 | 8.1 | you need a stated grilling area for several people |
The prices come from our price boxes and change constantly. The rating is our editorial assessment from the data comparison; we measured nothing on any of the four units.
When the 400 R fits and when another unit does
Bottle or cartridge. This is the first fork in the road. If you already have an R907 or a 5 kg propane bottle in the shed, a lot speaks for the 400 R, because according to Campingaz a bottle lasts for many hours. If you want to carry nothing but the unit, the three alternatives in the table are the better candidates; all three run on a cartridge.
Group size. Campingaz reveals neither grilling area nor number of people. With one burner and a round plate under 36 cm, we would think of two to three eaters served one after another; that is our estimate, not a stated figure. For four people at once, the Tour & Grill CV Plus is the more honest choice; Campingaz gives 2 to 4 people for it.
Balcony. The product page names the balcony as a place of use. The manual has no balcony rules of its own, but requires operation outdoors and the clearances of 20 cm and 1 m from the safety section. Under a deep awning or a low porch roof, that gets tight. What house rules and tenancy agreement allow is covered in our guide Grilling on a balcony.
Cooking and grilling. This is the case for this unit. Water in a pot in the morning, sausages on the wire grate in the evening, and everything on one base with one connection. Doing both at the same time is not possible, because only one surface sits on the grate at a time.
Budget. On top of the approx. €90 come the regulator and, if you do not have one yet, the bottle with its filling. Whether the hose is included, you clarify with the retailer before buying. If you are still undecided between gas, charcoal and electric, you will find the criteria in the Camping grill buying guide or you can let the Grill finder give you a selection.
Who is it suitable for?
For campers and people with a garden or terrace who want one unit for both, pot and grill plate, and do not shy away from a gas bottle. At 4.9 kg and with a carry bag, the 400 R is easy to carry, though the bottle comes on top.
It is the wrong choice for anyone who wants to cook in an awning, in a caravan or under a roof in the rain. The manual allows operation outdoors only, and the clearance rule also applies under a tarpaulin. Nor is it intended for a snack stand or a club event with sales: according to the safety sheet, the product is designed for ordinary private use and not for commercial use.
Families with small children should know two sentences from the safety sheet. Children must not play with the unit, and assembly, cleaning and maintenance must not be carried out by children. Because the accessible parts get very hot according to the manual, with children nearby we would put the grill on a solid, fireproof table rather than on the ground.
