If you want a portable Barbecue Grill that allows you to cook for plenty of people, the Magma Newport 2 is the one for you
Like its little brother the Magma Marine Kettle, the Magma Newport 2 is another shiny stainless steel Bobby Dazzler. Designed to serve four to six people it’s a large rectangular unit measuring over half a metre wide.
While the Magma Newport 2 can be used on a table top by virtue of its integral fold-out legs, if it’s be rail mounted then Magma’s optional dual attachment point fitting kit is required. This takes a few minutes to bolt to the base of the grill, but apart from that the unit itself comes fully assembled.
It’s then just a matter of slipping the regulator valve into the sleeve on the right-hand end of the casing, twisting it clockwise until it locks into position, clipping on the gas cylinder and you’re ready to rumble. Once again, the gas required is a disposable Camping Gaz canister, such as the CV470 or CV470 Plus.
Magma Newport 2 in use
Justifying its relatively hefty price tag, the Magma Newport 2 is packed with heating technology under the bonnet and it’s certainly one of the best boat grills I’ve seen . First and foremost, Series 2 units feature a completely redesigned combustion system with anti blowout screens which, Magma assure us, simply will not blow out.
Then there’s a ‘first time every time’ electronic ignition system, and at the business end air and gas are pre-mixed to ensure a consistently hot blue flame. Heat from the flame is directed onto a dual-element infrared radiant plate which spreads heat evenly across the unit’s entire 18 x 9 inch cooking area.
Externally, there’s a temperature indicator built into the lid, which like the Kettle is designed not to slam shut. A full length handle enables access to the food from either side, and secures the internal components when shut to make transporting the unit around easier. The integral grease collection tray snaps into place and can be easily popped out for cleaning.
Completing the picture are the Newport 2’s easy clean cooking surfaces and its overall good looks – this is a top end boat grill which would grace any boat.
In agreement with that was Andy 2, our Newport 2 chef, who said: “This is a good barbecue which cooks large amounts of food really well. Personally, I like to see what I’m cooking and with the wind blowing in quite strongly on the day I did find it seemed to cook at one end more than the other, so I kept having to move the meat around on the grill. But that was down to me and bringing the lid down fixed that.
“It also increased the heat inside the barbecue and cooked the food more quickly; I think, in relation to the other barbecues I seemed to be delivering food the fastest. And it’s a nice quality unit, isn’t it? It does look good.
“Once it’s mounted on the rail, it just looks like it’s there to stay. A couple of people mentioned how good it looked up there, you know, it physically looked right; a serious piece of kit.”
Pros
- Plenty of space for a portable BBQ | Impressive looks and build
Cons
- Prone to 'hot spots' | Quite expensive
