You're standing in a gravel parking lot or maybe a patch of grass near a trailhead. It’s 7:00 AM. Everyone is hungry, and you’re staring at a flimsy little camping stove that looks like it belongs in a dollhouse. We’ve all been there. But then there is the Camp Chef Big Gas Grill 3. It’s not just a stove. It is a beast. Honestly, it’s more like a portable kitchen range that someone decided to put legs on.
If you’ve spent any time looking at outdoor cooking gear, you know the name Camp Chef. They don't really do "subtle." This specific model, the Big Gas Grill 3, is a three-burner powerhouse that comes out of the box ready to fry, grill, and boil pretty much anything you can throw at it. It’s heavy. It’s loud. It’s effective.
Most people buy it because they want the versatility. You get the professional grill box included, which covers the "grill" part of the name, but underneath that is a massive three-burner stove. You can take the grill box off and suddenly you have space for a massive griddle or three separate pots of boiling water. It’s modular. That is the secret sauce here.
The Raw Power of Three Burners
Let’s talk numbers because they actually matter when you’re trying to cook in the wind. This thing puts out 30,000 BTUs per burner. Total? That is 90,000 BTUs. To put that in perspective, your high-end kitchen range at home probably tops out at 15,000 or 18,000 BTUs on its "power" burner. This is double that. Times three.
Why does that matter? Altitude. Wind. Cold weather. When you are camping at 7,000 feet, water takes forever to boil. On a standard cheap stove, you’re waiting twenty minutes for a pot of pasta. With the Camp Chef Big Gas Grill 3, it’s done before you’ve finished setting up the chairs. It’s aggressive in the best way possible.
The burners are made of cast aluminum. They won’t rust out like the cheap stamped steel ones you find on budget models. There is a reason you see these at base camps and scout troop cookouts. They are built to be abused.
Honestly, the heat control is where things get a bit tricky. Because it is so powerful, the "low" setting is still pretty hot. If you are trying to simmer a delicate sauce, you have to be careful. You’ve gotta learn the "Camp Chef dance," which involves barely cracking the dial open to find that sweet spot where the flame doesn't go out but also doesn't scorch your eggs.
That Removable Grill Box
The "Big Gas Grill" part of the name comes from the BB30L Professional Grill Box that comes in the package. It covers two of the three burners. It has a hinged lid and a built-in thermometer. But the real magic is the heat diffuser plate.
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Most portable grills have terrible hot spots. You get one charred burger and one raw one. The diffuser plate on this unit turns the flame into infrared heat. It minimizes flare-ups. You get those actual sear marks that make people think you know what you’re doing.
You can literally lift the grill box off while it's still warm (with gloves, obviously) and use the burners for a cast-iron skillet. It’s this modularity that wins. You aren't locked into one cooking style. One day it’s steaks; the next morning it’s a pancake factory.
Portability is a Relative Term
Is it portable? Sure. If you have a truck.
Don't buy this if you’re driving a Mini Cooper and camping solo. The Camp Chef Big Gas Grill 3 weighs about 49 pounds. That’s without the propane tank. It’s a literal hunk of metal. The legs are removable, which is nice, but they don't fold up into the body like some of the smaller models. You have to pull them off and find a place for them in your trunk.
The legs are independent, though. This is a huge deal. If you’ve ever tried to cook on an uneven campsite, you know the pain of your cooking oil pooling on one side of the pan. With these threaded levelers, you can actually get a flat cooking surface on a hillside. It takes a minute, but your eggs won't slide to the corner of the griddle.
Wind Protection and Real-World Use
Wind is the enemy of outdoor cooking. Camp Chef built a three-sided windscreen into this model, and it helps, but those 30,000 BTU burners need a lot of oxygen. If it’s really howling, you might still see some flame flicker.
Some users complain about the ignitor. It’s a matchless ignition system, which is great when it works. But let's be real: it’s an outdoor appliance. Dirt gets in there. Humidity happens. Always carry a long-neck lighter in your gear box. It’ll save your life when the piezo clicker decides to take a vacation.
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I've seen people use these for more than just camping. Tailgating? Perfect. Emergency prep? Absolutely. If the power goes out at home for three days, this is basically a backup kitchen. You can fit a full-sized canning pot on here without it tipping over.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Setup
People think they can just hook this up to a small 1lb green propane bottle. You can't. Well, you can with an adapter, but you shouldn't. Those little bottles will freeze up in minutes trying to feed 90,000 BTUs.
You need a standard 20lb tank. The kind you use for your backyard BBQ. The stove comes with the regulator and hose, so you're set there. Just realize that you’re committing to a certain "scale" of camping. This is for the "base camp" vibe where the truck is parked nearby.
Also, the seasoning. If you buy the optional griddle (which you totally should), you have to treat it like cast iron. Don't just wash it with soap and throw it in the bag. It’ll be a orange mess of rust by next month. Season it with oil, keep it dry, and it’ll last thirty years.
Comparing the Big Gas Grill 3 to the Pro 90X
You might see the Pro 90X and wonder why the Big Gas Grill 3 exists. They are very similar. The Pro 90X has folding side shelves and built-in leg adjusters that are a bit more "premium."
But the Big Gas Grill 3 is usually the better value because it includes the grill box. If you bought a Pro 90X and then bought the grill box separately, you’d be out an extra $100 easily. If you want the "all-in-one" solution without overthinking it, this is the one.
Maintenance and Longevity
This isn't a "buy it every two years" kind of product. It’s rugged. However, the paint on the burner housing will eventually peel. That is just physics. High heat meets outdoor moisture; the paint loses.
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- Keep it covered: If you leave it out in the rain, the burners will get water in them and "burp" when you light them.
- Check the orifices: Spiders love the smell of propane. They build nests in the little brass valves. If a burner feels weak, poke a paperclip through the hole.
- Tighten the legs: Over time, the thumb screws can vibrate loose during transport. Give them a turn every few trips.
Honestly, the biggest risk to this stove isn't it breaking; it’s you losing the small parts. The leg screws can fall out if you aren't careful. I usually keep a few spares in the glove box.
Is It Worth the Trunk Space?
If you are cooking for more than four people, yes. Absolutely. Trying to cook bacon for a crowd on a two-burner stove is a nightmare. You're always playing Tetris with the pans. On the Camp Chef Big Gas Grill 3, you have a massive 608 square inches of total cooking area.
You can have coffee going on one burner, bacon on the grill box, and potatoes on the other side. Everyone eats at the same time. That’s the dream, right? No more "cook in shifts" where the chef eats cold food at the end.
It changes the way you think about camp food. You start looking at recipes that require high heat—seared ahi tuna, stir-fry in a massive wok, or even deep-frying fish. It handles it all.
Final Reality Check
Look, it’s not perfect. It’s heavy. The knobs are plastic. It takes up a lot of room in the garage. But when you are out in the woods and the wind is picking up and everyone is cold and hungry, this is the tool you want. It’s reliable, powerful, and versatile.
It turns a campsite into a kitchen. It’s less about "roughing it" and more about bringing the best parts of home into the wild.
Actionable Steps for New Owners
If you just picked one up or are about to, do these things first:
- Perform a "dry run" at home. Don't wait until you're in the woods to figure out how the legs attach or how the ignitor feels.
- Buy a carry bag. Camp Chef sells them separately, and they are worth it. Lugging a 50lb loose stove is a recipe for a bruised shin or a scratched truck bed.
- Grab a 14x16 inch griddle. While the grill box is great, the flat-top griddle is where this stove really shines for breakfast.
- Check for leaks. Use soapy water on the hose connections the first time you hook up your propane tank. Safety isn't boring; it's necessary.
- Level the stove early. Use a small bubble level or even a level app on your phone. It makes a massive difference when you're frying eggs or using oil.