Compact Cobb BBQ

[jess]

Just looking at the compact Cobb BBQ in the club shop, does anyone have one of these? We were going to get the full size one but thought if we can save some space we had might aswell go for the compact version if it does the same thing? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[crazygrandad]

We ordered the compact Cobb ( not used it yet) Yes it is smaller than the premier Cobb and takes up much less room, also the cooking area is exactly the same so not sure why you would need the full fat version?

 

[El Greco]

I have the larger model and it has only been used a few times. Cleaning is a bit of a chore but results can be good. There is little smoke generated as the fat does not drip on the charcoal but collects in the moat (the part that's difficult to clean). It's an oven bbq offering interesting ways to cook that I still have to explore in warmer weather. As for space, the larger model is just taller, not sure what the benefit of a taller moat is. I suggest getting the Cobb bag to keep all the parts together and provide separation from other stuff packed around it. Enjoy!

 

[CaliCrazy]

Have the smaller Cobb and used it for a good few years. I agree that it is a bit of a pain to clean but no more so than any BBQ. Our main issue though is when you light it and then you want to pack up and drive off, you've got to wait for it to cool down. That can take hours! We tend to use the cadak now which is about the same size.

 

[Yorkie]

Have the smaller Cobb and used it for a good few years. I agree that it is a bit of a pain to clean but no more so than any BBQ. Our main issue though is when you light it and then you want to pack up and drive off, you've got to wait for it to cool down. That can take hours! We tend to use the cadak now which is about the same size.

I have been looking on you tube at Cadac's and in all of the vids the food gets burned. Does this happen with yours?

And, can you pack it away more quickly than the Cobb? Meaning does it cool faster or just not get as hot.

 

[Trailertrash]

I have been looking on you tube at Cadac's and in all of the vids the food gets burned. Does this happen with yours?

And, can you pack it away more quickly than the Cobb? Meaning does it cool faster or just not get as hot.

Owned both! I paid a passing stranger to take away the Cobb! The Cadac is a dream. Look at the reviews on Amazon. Best of all if you keep a roll of foil you never have to clean it. I have never burnt anything on it and you keep the cooking smells outside the van.

 

[CaliCrazy]

The difference is that the Cobb is heated by a cobb briquette (like BBQ coals) and stays hot for hours. It is one constant heat. It's ok if you can just leave it on your pitch but you can't use/leave it inside driveaway awning or in van etc cos of carbon monoxide. It cooks better with the lid on - think of it like a mini-oven.
The cadac on the other hand is attached to a gas bottle. Some people find it a pain to carry an extra gas bottle but I like the reassurance of knowing that if one bottle runs out, I've got a back-up. You can control the temperature so it doesn't burn. It also cools quickly, packs up into a perfect sized bag which fits in the boot and is fine to clean. I like the flexibility of the cadac - you can drive to the beach, have a BBQ and drive home at your own leisure. I haven't used the Cobb once since buying the cadac.
Saying that though...the Cobb is more robust and I once cooked a magnificent joint of lamb on it...

 

[Annik]

We love our Cobb, once you cook a pizza on it there is no looking back, we possibly use ours more as an oven now rather than a grill.

 

[Yorkie]

It all depends if you have the time for roasting rather than grilling I guess. I cook on the BBQ with lots of veg in tinfoil and then steadily cook the meats. So the Cobb seemed a good fit.

Problem I see for me is leaving it in the open all night whereas now my old BBQ just hangs around all week normally. Cali life will be a different one to tenting so need the get my head around the difference.

 

[blakeley]

We love our Cobb, once you cook a pizza on it there is no looking back, we possibly use ours more as an oven now rather than a grill.

Love the idea of cooking pizza whilst camping, do you need a special pan?

 

[Seaview]

I would say if you get one they take a little getting used too but once you have the knack so to speak they are great. We've used ours a lot and they are really good for one dish meals that you put on and leave to cook, have also cooked pizza and even a whole ham.

 

[Actionwave]

What size Cobb should I get to fit under the bed, compact or Premier, we are a family of 4....

 

[Actionwave]

I am looking to buy a Cobb Oven is the premier Oven size OK for fitting in the California under the bed when travelling?

 

[JohnnyP]

We love our Cobb, once you cook a pizza on it there is no looking back, we possibly use ours more as an oven now rather than a grill.

Please let me into the secret of cooking a pizza on the Cobb, I have tried it once using home made pizza dough and it didn't work very well. I haven't given up yet though.

 

[Kmann]

We had the Compact COBB (to use with COBB Stones), and it works very well.

BUT we also discovered that it was much effort to light a stone just to grill small things. The stone is warm for 2-3 hours. And more important, many aires in the southern Europe do not allow open fire barbecues. We never were confronted about using the COBB but had second thoughts every time the stone was lighted (smoking across the camping).

We looked at the COBB Gas but found it too bulky. So today we have the CADAC Safari II and are very satisfied with it. I made small alterations so it can both run on the small gas cartridges and the Campinggaz 907 we carry in the Ocean. It is so easy to use, very durable, getting super warm very fast and it is less than half the price of the COBB. It is smaller than the COBB Compact and as easy to clean.

I even made glutenfree pizzas on it ;-)

 

[Kmann]

This thread might help. Its almost the same topic:

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/compact-cobb-bbq.17200/#post-242823

 

[Actionwave]

I am looking at the cadec Safari and it looks like the best choice for me. Thanks

 

[SimonB]

We have a compact Cobb and love it. We've cooked chicken, lamb & beef on it with appropriate vegetables and have been very impressed. It takes 9 of the charcoal briquettes and cooks for 2-3 hours. We have also done puddings in them. Our friends Mr & Mrs Borris also have one so we cook one course each.
It suits the slower, relaxed speed of life that the Cali encourages and produces excellent results.
It really isn't that hard to clean if you are on a campsite with washing up facilities.

 

[Actionwave]

Ohh Decisions to be made now.

 

[Kmann]

Thats Cali-life! We all want the most suitable and we are all with different needs and priorities, so what is good for one, might not be interesting for another.

You can cook the same in either COBB or Cadac. You can get both on gas. So at the end it comes to gas vs charcoal, price and size.

 

[frenchie]

I have been using a Cobb for years. yes you do need to cook outside, but even when raining I just leave it to cook away. you don't need Cobb coals as any charcoal will do. I have cooked whole chicken in it, pizza, and pork chops, name it and I cook it. yes its a bit of a pain to clean but if you use a thin metal pan to hold the meat etc that cuts the cleaning down a fair bit. F

 

[AlanC]

I am looking to buy a Cobb Oven is the premier Oven size OK for fitting in the California under the bed when travelling?

We use 2 Really Useful Boxes for our stuff and the Cob Premier and a 907 Gaz bottle fit neatly in one of those under the bed board.

Alan

 

[CannellWalker]

Took the Cob on our last trip and didn't bother taking the lid. Just used the griddle plate a fair bit.