Two die-cast aluminium grilling trays that fold out sideways from a base, each with its own burner and its own control. There is no more to the principle of this grill than that, and that is exactly why a close look is worthwhile: what two separate sides can do, what is missing without a lid, and what the manual really says about balcony, boat and cartridge. On Amazon it costs approx. €320 (Amazon page on 20.10.2026: €319.95).
What Amazon calls Compact is called Gas BBQ 3.0 by the manufacturer
The name in the Amazon title is retailer language. nomadiQ, a company from Mijdrecht in the Netherlands, lists the device as the nomadiQ Gas BBQ 3.0. The model number settles the match: Amazon lists 18.2256.77UR, and on the manufacturer’s site exactly this item number carries the colour Urban Grey. There is also Black (77MB), Terracotta (77TE) and Forest Green (77AG), all at the same price.
Compared with its predecessors, nomadiQ has changed two things. A revised locking mechanism is meant to prevent the grill from locking by itself, and the grate has a new enamel coating. The second has a consequence you should know about: only the six-language manual dated 18.06.2021 (model number CQ_BBQ_001) is online. It still describes grates made of die-cast aluminium with a non-stick coating. All the safety and gas rules below come from this edition; we did not find a separate version for the 3.0 model.
In our gas grills category, the nomadiQ is one of the portable devices. According to the manual, it is manufactured in China.
Trays, burners, grates: what the grill is made of
In the product photo, both grilling trays are rounded, not square. You adjust each side with its own knob on the side of the base. For the folded grill, the promotional text gives a “diameter” of 16 cm without explaining what was measured.
The materials by component:
- Trays: die-cast aluminium
- Grates: enamelled steel, PFAS-free according to nomadiQ
- Burner tubes: stainless steel, as stated in the warranty terms
- Foot, lever and knobs: plastic, so that they do not get hot
There is one burner under each tray; the manual’s parts list shows burners and regulators twice each. Ignition is by piezo, and the grill is certified to EN498 for liquefied gas. nomadiQ gives the grilling area as 730 cm² per side, 1,460 cm² in total.
On dimensions and weight, the sources contradict each other, in small but planning-relevant amounts. Unfolded, the grill measures 65.5 × 42 × 19 cm (length, width, height) according to the manufacturer’s table. For the folded state, the same table gives 12.5 × 42 × 37 cm, while the promotional text below it and the Amazon text give 40 cm width, 36 cm height and 16 cm depth. For the storage compartment in a motorhome, we would calculate with the larger values, that is 42 cm width, 37 cm height and 16 cm depth. On weight, the manufacturer’s page says 5.6 kg, one field of the shop variant says 8.2 kg (presumably with packaging, it is not explained), and Amazon says 14.33 pounds, so around 6.5 kg.
The box contains the grill, a gas hose with pressure distributor, two drip trays, a shoulder strap and the manual. A gas bottle is not included.
In detail: two zones instead of a lid
On a large garden grill, the second zone is created by turning one burner off and closing the lid. The food then cooks in the circulating air next to the flame, not above it. The nomadiQ works differently, because it has no lid, and no manufacturer source mentions cooking under a closed hood. Its two zones are two separate grilling surfaces. You control each with its own knob, and one side may also stay off completely.
According to the manufacturer, the output is 3.2 kW for both burners together, also given as 5,450 BTU per side and 10,900 BTU in total. If you convert the BTU, you arrive at around 3.2 kW, so the two figures match. Spread over the grilling area, that is about 2.2 watts per cm² by our calculation. For temperature, the manufacturer FAQ gives about 350 degrees in the centre of both grates, about 300 degrees at the edges and an average of 325 degrees.
The temperature drop from centre to edge is more useful in practice than the peak figure. What should only stay warm goes on the second side, which you set to a low level or switch off completely. According to the manufacturer, the edge is only about 50 degrees cooler than the centre.
nomadiQ itself says where the limit lies: thick cuts of meat from 2.5 cm take relatively long, and the grill is designed for thinner pieces of meat, fish and vegetables. Without a lid, the heat from above is missing, so a thick rump steak or a whole chicken piece cooks only from below. According to the FAQ, you can place a pan on it instead, and the grill then serves as a cooker.
Is one cartridge enough for a grilling evening?
For a normal evening, yes. On the product page, nomadiQ gives an average grilling time of 2.5 hours per cartridge, and about three hours for its own 500 g cartridge. If both sides run continuously on full power, it will be a little over two hours by our calculation.
The calculation behind this: the 2021 manual gives the total consumption as 233 g per hour. 500 g divided by 233 g gives just under 2.15 hours at full power on both burners. The longer manufacturer figures therefore assume that you turn down in between or switch one side off, which is what the two separate controls are for.
The sources describe differently exactly which gas should go in. The product page names butane, the manual’s technical data a butane-propane mixture, and its safety note number 24 again only butane disposable cartridges. The manual puts the regulator outlet at 29 mbar, while the FAQ speaks of 30 mbar cartridges. All agree on the connection: disposable cartridges to EN417 with a screw valve. The nomadiQ cartridge itself contains 80 percent butane and 20 percent propane and cannot be refilled. According to the manual, the nozzles measure 0.64 mm.
In the manufacturer’s shop, three of these cartridges cost €24.95 and twelve cost €89.95. That is €8.32 and €7.50 each respectively and, calculated with the manufacturer’s three hours, about €2.50 to €2.80 per grilling hour in the manufacturer’s shop. If you would rather use the large bottle in a motorhome, you need a nomadiQ extension hose; according to the FAQ, it is not intended without one. How cartridge and bottle differ in principle is covered in our guide gas bottle for the grill.
What else is worth considering?
| Model | The difference | Price | Our rating | Choose this one if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nomadiQ Gas BBQ 3.0 (this one) | 2 fold-out trays, each with its own burner, no lid | approx. €320 | 8.2 | you need two cooking levels at once and carry the grill often |
| Weber Q 1200N | 1 burner under a lid, enamelled cast iron grate | approx. €249 | 8.3 | you want to cook with the lid closed and one zone is enough |
| BURNHARD JONES Jr. | 1 burner, 4.4 kg, smaller pack size | approx. €127 | 8.2 | you travel alone or as a pair and every kilo counts |
| Burnhard Wayne | 2 burners with 4.4 kW, around 12.6 kg | approx. €239 | 8.0 | the grill stays on the balcony and is hardly ever carried |
The prices are guide values from our price boxes and change. The rating is our editorial assessment based on manufacturer data; we did not measure anything on any of the four grills.
When the nomadiQ fits and when another grill does
The first question is about the lid. If you grill burgers, sausages, vegetables and thin steaks, you do not need one. But if you also want to cook a thick chop or chicken thighs through, you are better served by the Weber Q 1200N, which has its one burner under a lid and costs approx. €249 instead of approx. €320.
The second question is carrying. 5.6 kg with a shoulder strap is manageable for the walk from the car park to the beach. If you travel on foot or by bike and grill alone, the BURNHARD JONES Jr. at approx. €127 saves weight and money, but then you do without the second zone. Conversely, if the grill stands permanently on the terrace anyway, weight no longer matters, and the Burnhard Wayne brings more burner output for approx. €269.
How many people 1,460 cm² is enough for is a detail nomadiQ leaves unstated. Our assessment: for a large group, it turns into grilling in several rounds.
Third, the boat. The manufacturer expressly advertises the grill for boat and beach, but its own manual advises against using or storing the device in areas with a high salt content (the wording follows below), and the warranty excludes damage caused by salty air. If you grill on the water regularly, you are buying a risk with this grill that nomadiQ itself names.
And in a motorhome, a lot depends on the gas. With cartridges, the grill works straight out of the box. For the external connection or the large bottle, accessories are needed. If you are still torn between gas, charcoal and electric, you will find the criteria in the camping grill buying guide, or you can let the grill finder point you in a direction.
Setting up, cleaning, storing: what the manual prescribes
In capital letters, the manual requires that the device is not operated indoors; it is intended for outdoor use only. For the location, two numbered notes apply, which we quote verbatim (the manual is in German; translated here):
When setting up the product, make sure of a stable (horizontal) and level surface that is large and strong enough to carry the product and withstands temperatures of 60°C above ambient temperature.
All combustible materials must be kept more than 250 mm from the sides and rear of the product and more than 1500 mm above the cooking surface of the grill.
Then note 34: “Do not place the grill on glass or a combustible surface.” The balcony appears in the manufacturer’s About Us text as a place of use; it does not appear in the manual. Whether you may grill with gas on your balcony is governed by your tenancy agreement and house rules; our guide grilling on a balcony explains the situation. The 1500 mm upwards is the hurdle where it usually fails on a balcony with an awning or a balcony above.
Note 31 verbatim: “Do not use or store this device in areas with a high salt content (near the sea) or in areas with corrosive vapours or liquids (e.g. a swimming pool), as these chemicals can cause damage to the device materials (and the warranty will lapse).”
On gas, the manual requires that you change cartridges only outdoors and well away from any ignition source, and that you store no spare cartridge under or near the grill. You look for leaks with a 1:1 solution of detergent and water, brushed onto the connections; bubbles indicate a leak. An open flame is forbidden for leak detection. You check the gas hose for cracks, grooves, nicks and abrasion before every use, and it is replaced only with a nomadiQ replacement hose.
For exterior cleaning: the device must have cooled down and be safe to touch. You clean painted and plastic surfaces with a mild household cleaner and a dry cloth, without abrasives, and try the cleaner first on a small spot. Paint thinner and solvents are taboo, as is cold water on hot surfaces. Everything must be dry before covering.
For the interior: fully cooled down, water, mild detergent and a soft sponge, coated surfaces with a slightly damp cloth, stubborn spots with a little baking soda, the grates under the tap, then rub everything dry. Abrasives, metal tools and hard brushes have no place on the coated surfaces. Take care at the ignition points in the tray, they are sharp. For the enamelled steel grates of the 3.0 model, the product page now also permits the dishwasher.
The grill may be stored indoors, the cartridge may not. Before storing it in a garage or cellar, you unscrew it.
Warranty, spare parts and what remains open
The voluntary manufacturer warranty is graded by component. Base and grilling plates: five years against rusting through and burning through, two years on the paint, with fading and discolouration excluded. Stainless steel burner tubes: five years against rusting through and burning through. The enamelled steel grids: likewise five years. Plastic parts: five years, excluding fading or discolouration. All other parts: two years. Excluded are, among other things, damage by insects and rodents to burner tubes and hoses, and the fitting of parts not made by nomadiQ. The serial number you need in a warranty case is on the inside of the foot.
nomadiQ sells spare parts individually in its own web shop, including left and right burner, piezo igniter, igniter wire, handle, gas hose with pressure regulator, drip trays and grill grate. For a grill that is transported a lot, that is worth more than any extra feature.
Collected here are the points on which we found no information in any manufacturer source: the heat-up time in minutes (only “up to temperature within a few minutes”, ready for use in 2 minutes according to the FAQ), the gas consumption per burner and per level, a thermometer, the grate dimensions in centimetres, the material of the drip trays, the material and length of the supplied hose, the regulator pressure specifically for the 3.0 model, whether a windshield is included, and a manual that describes the 3.0 model.
