Oklahoma Joe's Rambler Portable Charcoal Grill with 218 sq. in. Cooking Area in Black

This compact unit from Smoker Joe is the most practical, well made, functional smoker / grill I have ever used or owned in the past 40 years I have been using grills and smokers. It is simply outstanding. A true "Goldilock's / just right" unit for those that wish to cook 5 pounds or so -- give or take-- of meats at a time. A little charcoal - single layer- goes a long way in this grill, with less often being more! It's compact size and ability to raise and lower the coals as needed -- plus the adaptability of the stack's baffle and the body side vents-- allows on the fly temp control you just can't get on bigger units when cooking up smaller quantities of food. And requires just a minimal use of coals. A layer of briquettes or lump charcoal on the right side with a smoker box for chips or smaller wood chunks, with a stainless drip pan and meat on the grill plate to the left under the stack, allows a very small turkey, or large chicken -- or any other piece of meat you desire that serves two to four people -- to be smoked slowly to perfection. With far less hovering than it takes when using a larger capacity unit. Just take the right side grill plate out of the unit and put it off to the side and occasionally throw in four or five briquettes, or wood, if needed when doing a longer haul smoking and the unit will maintain great temperature with less fuss than the full sized units. As stated above. The unit is super effiecient. Also, again, just using coals on one side of the unit and that sides grill plate, allows enough space and adjustable heat to cook a family dinner, using a very minimal amount, single layer of briquettes to cook up a half dozen to ten chicken thighs. Or a crazy thick, 3 inch cut rib-eye steak. It really is amazing how efficient this compact unit is! It is also built like a tank. The perfect gauge steel for it's size, that is often used on larger units. But because of their larger surface area and cooling effect of that surface area, they just are not as efficient as this perfectly proportioned unit. I could write a short novella explaining all of the benefits of using this grill for regular 2 to 4 people family use. But the best thing I can say is, if you are looking for a durable, well proportioned, solidly constructed, efficient, compact grill that can also be used as a smoker, this is it! Recommendation: For use as a small smoker... When assembling, use some high heat silicone caulk around the base of the smoke stack to seal. Also, a strip of smoker gasket around the bottom of the lid. Gasket: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TAJW0QE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Silicone: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LRMEQYU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Another upgrade I added was a "toggle latch" as shown in the link below, that allows me to clamp the lid down tight when smoking and sealing the unit completely. https://www.amazon.com/YUEPIN-Toggle-Stainless-Holding-Capacity/dp/B07S896GLP/ref=sr_1_29?crid=1QX8P5ZCFWJ1R&keywords=toggle+latch&qid=1685708326&s=hi&sprefix=toggle+latch%2Ctools%2C87&sr=1-29

I've been in the meat-smoking game for some forty years now, and have a bit of experience with different types of grills & smokers. I now have only two - a big electric Master Built model for the larger jobs (like 2 or 3 briskets at a time), and the OK Joe "Rambler" for everyday stuff. We have downsized again after retirement and this product was just right for our needs as empty nesters. This is my first OK Joe product. After reading a slew of reviews, I purchased it hoping mine would not arrive with any flaws. I found none. Mine arrived shortly after 8 AM, allowing me to assemble it in my garage before the Florida heat became unbearable. After unpacking, one of the first things I did was give the ash tray a second coat of high-heat grill paint (just because) and let it dry in the sun while I looked over the assembly photos - I am one of those "visual learners". Assembly was pretty easy by following the pictures, with one exception - the instructions seemed to indicate putting the rod/hinges that secure the domed lid on FIRST, but that didn't work. I then laid the domed lid in position and secured the rods second - took a bit of jiggling but everything was coming into place. In my defense, the garage temp was approaching 100 degrees even with fans running, so I may have been delirious from a mild heat stroke. Anyway, everything else went together smoothly. The side handles were a really tight fit, so I used a thin flat-head screwdriver to gently wedge the edges of those handles into place and an awl to line up a hole to begin threading the four small bolts. The temp gauge is large and easy to read. Build quality, overall, seems quite good for this price point. The cast iron grates were a bonus - more on that in a moment. A few words about dimensions : if I recall correctly the dimensions listed indicate a "depth" (front to back) of 19.7". The ACTUAL depth, measured from leg to leg, is 13.5". The width is 23", not counting the handles sticking out the sides of the domed lid. Total width including the protruding handles is approximately 27 inches. I only mention it because of the awesome grill cart my bride purchased for me - we were concerned the Rambler might not fit on top of it but that potential issue was put to rest with a visual inspection. FWIW, the grill cart was purchased online from Wally-World / China Mart. It was delivered yesterday, assembled last night, and the OK Joe Rambler arrived bright and early this morning... the timing was just about perfect. Everything I need is right there in one nice package on wheels. Per the instructions, I did not paint this interior of the domed lid with grill paint as it is not safe for food. Instead, I "seasoned" the entire lid at the same time as the cast iron grates using a vegetable oil spray to give it a good coating. I slathered the grill grates with a brush while my charcoal was getting started in a chimney. Once the coals were in place, the "seasoning" began in earnest - it's a crucial step in the process. As of this writing the Rambler has been seasoning for about 5 hours with multiple coats of vegetable oil and is now cooling down slowly... and my garage is still hotter than a popcorn fart. Speaking of heat, I used an entire chimney full of charcoal briquets for the initial break-in, and that sucker got all the way up to 550 degrees in no time flat ! It peaked near 600 degrees, so I closed the side and top (chimney) dampers a bit. It stayed at 550 degrees for hours, even with the fire box lowered all the way down. One thing to consider is using a length of hi-temp gasket on the sides and front ledges to help keep the smoke from escaping the chamber. Do not apply the gasket to the rear ledge as it will make the domed lid sit high in the front, defeating the purpose of using the gasket. The product I use and can recommend is Lavalock brand High Temp Nomex BBQ gasket smoker seal - 1/2" wide. I also used it on the chimney assembly, just because. I like to keep my smoke inside the chamber. For my first cook, I'll probably cut the charcoal in half and raise or lower the fire box to suit conditions. I've owned a lot of grills and smokers over the years, and I can honestly say this is the first one that came with a serial number on a small plaque. Fit and finish was fine, and I am one happy camper. Yeah, I know this review was long-winded but if it helps someone that might be "on the fence" then it was worth my time. Buy with confidence. ETA : First cook was burgers, turned out well but had a small issue with temperature control - weird concept considering it was 100 degrees out. I think it was the cheaper briquets I used, so I'm switching up to the trusty Kingsford brand. When the temp dropped to 200 degrees I turned a fan toward to damper and pumped in a bit more air which brought the temp back up to 350. The briquets I used were smaller than Kingsford and not as well compressed - I'm pretty sure they were the culprit. Even with the trials of getting acquainted with my new grill, I'm still liking it.

Love this little tank of a grill. Very well built and should be the last a long time. Simple design and being able to raise and lower the coals is a key for good grilling. It is portable but is not a lightweight by any means.

A little more attention to detail in the manufacturing of this product and it would be a strong 5 star rating. I originally had the legs attached and it wobbled while sitting on a flat surface, I loosened the legs on a flat surface and tightened the fasteners, no more wobble. The lid was a little twisted with one corner nearly a half inch open while the other was closed, a screwdriver handle in the closed side while applying friendly persuasion downward on the open side cured this much. One small area of less than professional weld on the left front really doesn't bother me but it is there. This cooker is more efficient than my larger grills after sealing up the stack, lid, ash pan and adjustable vent with the listed product below. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TAJW0QE?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details First was the break in burn to off gas the paint, machine oils... then I went with a chuck roast test. Mildly hot smoked and seared which was excellent! Heat adjustments were no problem with the vent and other cracks sealed up, the coals perked up with added oxygen by opening the vent. The coals seemed freakishly long lasting so some frozen pre-seasoned pork ribs went on for a smoky sear after the roast came off, then the ribs went into the sous vide and onto a glaze broil in the oven. So choice! I've cooked on quite a few grills/smokers/BBQs and this one once is top notch once sealed from unwanted air intrusion. Efficient enough I'm going to have to adjust my usual amount of coals for quick grills and long smokes, yes, this little grill is completely capable of long smokes when set up right. Although not a light weight compact cooker the weight is just part of the heat retention that's a win in my books. Smokes, grills and BBQs like a champ!

This ugly little spud took about thirty minutes to assemble and ended with a hefty weight of about fifty pounds. No problems with parts, or parts mating with other parts. Very simplistic and functional in design. The charcoal tray works well and is designed to be lowered or raised to one of three heights. The idea behind the raising and lowering of the charcoal tray to it's three positions and how it locks the tray in place is proof that this little grill is well designed by those who have learned the lessons of their craft well. The charcoal tray is no light weight piece of 'burn through' sheet metal. It is good heavy stainless steel and will not burn through. The ash tray is sheet metal and is very easily removed for cleaning. The side air vent is designed to move very easily and top stack vent cover is spring loaded, snug and stay's in place. The rather heavy cast iron cooking grates will need to be seasoned. For those of you who may not know how to season iron whether BBQ grates or skillet. The process is very easy. Place a heavy coat of some sort of cooking oil on the iron that you wish to season. Olive oil, peanut oil, or coconut oil. Place the grate over a high heat and let it burn until it stops smoking. Then more oil, and more burning. This is repeated until a nice black glossy coat is built up on grates and iron is sealed. You are done. The size of cooking area is just about right for one large cut up freezer eagle or six good sized burgers. The one thing that you will notice upon construction of parts is that, this is no light weight basement deal BBQ grill. This is heavy duty and will last a lifetime. Or, until you feel a need to upgrade to a larger size. I like this little grill very much and do recommend it to any in need of a small grill that is just right for camping and back yard smoking needs. I even thought that this grill was actually made in Oklahoma. Oh well, thanks joe!

The construction is solid. The grates are cast iron instead of the wire grates that are on most grills this size. Being able to raise or lower the coal basket is a big plus for me. I grilled 3 thick filets that came out perfect. Pull the coal basket and sear 2 minutes on each side with the lid open then drop the coal basket all the way to the bottom, close the bottom vent and the lid and the stack and give them 3 more minutes. Being able to drop the temp with the coal pan and vents means I no longer have to have a cooler side to finish off the filets. Closing all the vents down turns the grill into a smoker and gave the meat a nice Smokey flavor. It’s large enough to cook for 4 people and small enough to fit in our camper van. It’s a great price for a quality product.

Way better than I expected. I have been smoking for almost 10 years on mostly a kamado and some on a pellet. Didn't care for the pellet much. This little thing is legit. Will probably add on some heat gaskets. This is great for smaller meals.

Great small grill/smoker. Very well made. I like the way the charcoal height can be adjusted for different kinds of meat.

Received it during the week, build it yesterday (I enjoy doing that so no complains), very little smoke escapes considering it’s all metal I doubt it’s possible to not have any smoke / heat escape. Build quality and the control on the bbq for its size is more than perfect. I have used enough bbq over past decade - it’s Rambler that really surprised me and Magneto. Two of my favs, I am willing to test the reverse smoker from OJ’s. Love their product.

First, Amazon continues to provide excellent delivery service along with a website that highlights reviews of products sold. Oklahoma Joe's far surpasses others on the market. It is heavy, sturdy. I like the bottom drawer/shelf that slides out to empty embers. The temp gauge is large, easy to read. Excellent grill, very happy with our choice/purchase!

A GREAT QUALITY portable BBQ. It had a cooking area similar to some home BBQs. Well built. Read assembly instructions carefully and take your time assembling it. I added a washable teflon oven liner to the drip tray to easy clean up after. Not cheap as portable / tabletop BBQs go, but very happy with the quality.

Best smoker we had so far!

Great smoker grill as advertised