Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have not used this item yet, just received it. But I wanted to leave my impressions now, and I'll update later if it rates less than 5 stars. 1. This thing is BIG. It's bigger than I thought. It's as wide as a standard house stove/oven. This is not a bad thing, but you should know what you're getting. 2. The burners are MASSIVE. There's a reason it's listed at 30k BTU, because this thing means business. 3. It will operate as a table-top unit, and if I can figure out how to get the pics off my phone (used to, now can't), I'll show you. But you'll need a big table. Think picnic table size. The little camp tables are totally inadequate. And since the legs it comes with are plenty sturdy - there's not much need. Nevertheless - it will sit on a table just fine. 4. I also bought the reversible griddle for it. It's a perfect fit and was designed for this unit. I plan to buy a second one so I can fully utilize both sides or either side when cooking. It's probably overkill - but I like having more than I need rather than not enough. 5. I very much like the modular approach with this unit. And while the separate pieces will add up in price, the base unit alone I considered a bargain compared to smaller table-top units you commonly buy for camping - which are very close to the same price anyway. The quality is clearly there, and the K.I.S.S. principle alive and well in the design. 6. The kind of camping you do has an impact here. I plan to do car/tent camping for the most part, with the idea of extended stays. And I intend to do some real cooking while out there. Camp Chef is an appropriate name for the brand and this unit. 7. I'm a personal fan of designs where form follows function, to the point where it ends up becoming art. That's how I see this piece. 8. When I got this unit, the Amazon box it came in was pristine, but the box for the Camp Chef itself was dented. Furthermore, it was clear that it had been retaped. First thought was I was getting someone else's return, which obviously worried me. But the unit was fine, and I concluded it had been opened to ensure the unit hadn't been damaged - so now I'm happy. 9. I failed to get the carry bag that's available for it. That's a mistake I will rectify next week. It deserves a bag: this is something you'll want to protect for years to come. There's no reason for me to think it won't last decades with just a little care. 10. There is no electric start with this unit. If you've got to have that, this isn't the unit for you. My personal opinion goes back to the K.I.S.S. principle: it's one less thing to eventually break or go wrong, more parts that might need replacing later. I would PREFER a camp lighter. They're cheap and you can have several just in case. 11. My unit came with the propane hose attached, so you only need the propane tank and you're in business. 12. The legs and the windscreen came with a bag to hold them, which was a nice surprise. That will help with them not getting scratched or lost. One last thing: I looked extensively over all the table-top units by various manufacturers, with the intention of buying one of them. None of them felt right: all seemed to have some sort of problem or drawback. Either quality/longevity, or windscreen problems, or connector problems or burner issues or too hot with no adequate low setting. Something. So when I found this, although it's probably more than I need - I knew for certain it wasn't going to be LESS than I needed, and it had the option to grow with my expertise if I wanted it to. So now, having seen it in person - I know it was the right decision for me.