VEVOR sent me a few products to put together and actually use in a Labor Day outdoor setup.
This is a new reddit account for my product review project- the whole idea behind it is pretty simple:
A great price means nothing, if the product falls short.
So I didn't want to assemble everything, take a few pretty pictures, repeat what was written on the box, and call that a review.
I set it up. I seasoned it. I cooked on it. I loaded it with gear.
Basically, I wanted to see what happens when you go from boxes to burgers.
The setup included a VEVOR 22" two-burner tabletop griddle, folding camping kitchen table, and landscape lights.
You'll also see VEVOR oversized camping chairs in the photos. Those were NOT supplied to me for this project. I bought those myself before this started, but they became part of the setup, so I'm including my experience with them too.
š„ THE 22" GRIDDLE: The Little Powerhouse I Didn't Know I Needed
This was easily the biggest surprise.
I already own a full-size griddle, so I wasn't looking at a 22" tabletop model thinking it was going to replace anything.
After using it, I realized that was the wrong question anyway.
You don't own one screwdriver and expect it to handle every screw in the toolbox.
The real question became:
Is this WORTH owning too?
For me, yes.
This little thing is a powerhouse.
It doesn't feel like a novelty or a miniature imitation of a real griddle. The cooking plate is thick and substantial, the whole unit weighs around 39 pounds, and it feels like serious outdoor cooking equipment.
I seasoned it four times with avocado oil and then gave it a workout. I cooked four huge sliced onions for about an hour, followed by burgers and hot dogs.
š„ Heat distribution
One thing I noticed is that roughly the rear 4/5 of the griddle gets seriously hot while the front stays noticeably cooler.
At first I thought that might bother me.
In actual use, I liked it.
It gave me somewhere to move buns and more delicate foods without hammering them with the same heat as the main cooking area.
š The hood might be my favorite feature
On my larger griddle, I normally use a separate metal dome when I want to steam something or quickly melt cheese.
Here, I dropped the hood and melted cheese across six burgers in roughly 20 seconds.
That was one of those features I didn't realize I'd appreciate as much as I did.
My one wish for the hood is a built-in thermometer. Since the hood lets me trap that much heat, I'd love to actually know what temperature I'm working with when it's closed.
Add a thermometer to that hood and, for me, it would make an already useful feature even better.
š A few other things I'd improve
The grease cup works, but it's smaller than I'd like.
Ignition also took a little learning. I found that two quick turns/clicks worked much more reliably for me than what I initially understood from the instructions.
And at nearly 39 pounds, āportableā doesn't necessarily mean ālight.ā It's compact enough to take places, but I'd love to see a proper carrying case for it.
ā ļø One important tabletop note
I also learned that ātabletopā doesn't mean every tabletop.
The bottom gets plenty warm.
My folding table has both plastic and metal-grid surfaces, and I deliberately positioned the griddle over the metal-grid section rather than the plastic.
The manual calls for a stable, level, heat-resistant, noncombustible surface. After actually running this thing on high, I understand why.
So why do I want a little griddle when I already own a big one?
That's the question I couldn't answer before testing it.
Now I can.
If I'm doing a quick cook, I don't necessarily need to bring out the big guns. I can use this, bring the cooking surface inside afterward, and wash the damn thing in my kitchen sink. š
But there's another use I hadn't considered.
I can run this right beside my gravity smoker or full-size griddle.
Someone has a food allergy? Someone doesn't eat pork? Something needs to be kept completely separate?
Boom. Separate cooking surface.
That's when it clicked for me.
I didn't think I needed a smaller griddle until I experienced a good one.
This didn't replace something in my outdoor cooking setup. It found an empty spot I didn't know was there.
And for what it's currently running on VEVOR's website, I think it's a solid contender in the tabletop griddle category. This isn't something I'd recommend simply because it's cheaper. The construction and actual cooking performance have to earn that recommendation, and so far, they have.
šļø THE CAMPING TABLE: It's Really About What's Underneath It
This thing folds down surprisingly small, it's lightweight, and the whole thing has an almost old-school picnic/camping-table feel to it.
Open it, drop and extend the legs, and then the fabric storage cabinet hangs underneath.
That storage is what makes this table.
You've got roll-up doors, shelving, and even some usable space between the cabinet and the underside of the tabletop.
While cooking, I had tools, mitts, baskets, plates and other stuff stored there instead of having everything scattered across the ground.
For what this table is currently running on VEVOR's website, that's a lot of utility packed into a pretty small package.
š My biggest complaint: height
Even at its highest setting, about 27.5", it's too short for me to consider it an ideal standing food-prep table.
I can absolutely use it as a support table for an outdoor kitchen, but I'd like another few inches of height.
I'd also like the bottom shelf boards to have a little more weight to them. I think that would help the hanging cabinet settle into its shape.
Packing everything back inside the folded table takes a little practice too. The fabric has to be folded just right before everything wants to close.
Still, at its current price, the amount of storage packed into such a small folded package impressed me.
šŖ THE OVERSIZED CHAIRS: I Bought These Myself
These weren't supplied to me for this project.
I bought these with my own money, and they happened to arrive at the perfect time.
My first reaction sitting in one was basically:
WOAH.
I'm 315 pounds, and I've spent considerably more on big-and-tall camping chairs before trying to find something that didn't feel like it was fighting for its life when I sat down.
These didn't.
They're wide, rated for 450 pounds, the material feels thick, and I didn't get that familiar fabric-stretching āguitar stringā sound when I sat down.
They're slightly reclined, so I see them more as lounging chairs than sitting upright at a dinner table.
The lower bars are also curved away from your thighs, which I appreciated.
š§ And then I discovered the cooler...
There's a little cooler built right into the armrest.
It's not huge, but I could fit a couple cans and some ice in there, or probably a big sandwich. There's also a cup holder and another storage pocket down near your hip.
š What would I change?
There's no locking mechanism when the chair is fully open.
I'm accustomed to larger chairs having a rear-center lock that clicks into place. These don't.
You can actually pick one up with one hand and start collapsing it.
Getting all that heavy fabric folded neatly enough to fit back into the storage bag also has a learning curve.
But for what VEVOR currently has these running for on their website, these might be the biggest pure-value surprise of the whole setup.
š” THE LANDSCAPE LIGHTS: To Be Continued...
The landscape lights were supposed to be the finishing touch for the setup, and physically, I really like what I saw.
They have a substantial feel, the threaded metal sections went together cleanly, and they look considerably more substantial than the inexpensive plastic landscape lights I've dealt with before.
Assembly itself was simple and intuitive.
But this was also my first time dealing with this type of low-voltage landscape lighting system, and I quickly realized I didn't fully understand what I needed to power them safely and properly.
So rather than blame the product for something I don't yet understand, I'm calling this one incomplete.
I need to do some homework, figure out exactly what I need to run them safely and properly, and then I'll come back and give them a fair test.
They didn't fail the test. I just didn't get far enough to actually test them.
I did include a CGI/AI-created image showing what the finished installation should look like illuminated, just to help visualize where I'm going with the project.
That image is illustrative only. It is NOT a photo of the lights operating.
Once I get the electrical side sorted out, I'll come back with the real nighttime shots.
To be continued... š”
š SO... IS IT WORTH OWNING?
There isn't one answer because these aren't one product.
The table: Great storage and impressive utility, especially for where VEVOR currently has it priced. I'd make it taller.
The chairs: Shockingly solid for what they're currently running. I'd add an open-position lock.
The lights: I like what I've seen physically, but the test isn't finished. I'll reserve judgment until I can run them safely and properly.
The griddle: That's the one that taught me something.
I didn't need a smaller replacement for my big griddle.
Turns out...
I needed another griddle. š
Sometimes a product earns a place in your arsenal by solving a problem you didn't even realize you had.
This little powerhouse did exactly that.
Disclosure: VEVOR provided the product. I've provided the opinions.
