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Published October 13, 2026. Prices and specs checked October 13, 2026.
Weber Traveler vs Coleman RoadTrip is mostly a question about your cargo area and your crowd. For an SUV or a pickup and four or more people to feed, buy the Weber Traveler. Weber’s own product page says its grate fits 12 burgers, and it carries a 5-year limited warranty. The Coleman RoadTrip 285 is the pick for a smaller cargo space or a tighter budget. Coleman.com lists it at $389.99, with a $289.99 sale price, while weber.com lists the Traveler at $449.00.
I have grilled out of the back of a car at tailgates and campsites for years. A grill on wheels is easy to roll and awkward to lift. Its legs never sit flat in a cargo area, so mine goes in last and comes out first. A hot grill can’t go back in the car, either, so let it cool first. Then there’s the little 1 lb cylinder. It always runs dry with the last round of burgers on, so I never leave home with just one. And the spec sheet hides what matters in a windy parking lot. The BTU number is the burner wide open on a calm day.
Short version, before the numbers:
- Best for SUVs, trucks and groups: Weber Traveler — 320 sq in, 12 burgers, 5-year warranty.
- Best for small cargo floors and budgets: Coleman RoadTrip 285 — 59% of the Weber’s footprint, three burners.
- Cheaper to run on 1 lb cylinders: Weber Traveler — $6.18 an hour at full flame, against $9.51.
- Same lift into the car: both are listed at 49 lb.
Weber Traveler vs Coleman RoadTrip 285
The size and fit matrix below puts each maker’s numbers side by side. Three rows are my own arithmetic from those numbers, and they are marked as computed.
| Spec | Weber Traveler | Coleman RoadTrip 285 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $449.00 | $389.99 list, $289.99 sale |
| Listed dimensions | 37.2 in H x 43.6 in W x 23 in D | 32.1 x 18.5 x 15.45 in |
| Floor footprint (computed) | 1,002.8 sq in (43.6 x 23) | 593.85 sq in (32.1 x 18.5) |
| Folded size | Not published | Not published |
| Weight | 49 lb (under 50 lb per Weber) | 49 lb |
| Cooking area | 320 sq in primary | 285 sq in |
| Burners | 1 | 3 |
| Heat output | 13,000 BTU | 20,000 BTU |
| BTU per sq in (computed) | 40.6 | 70.2 |
| Cooking area per lb (computed) | 6.5 sq in | 5.8 sq in |
| Burger count | 12, per Weber | Not published |
| Fuel | Liquid propane; 20 lb tank with adapter hose | 1 lb cylinder, sold separately |
| Warranty | 5-year limited | 3-year limited |
Where the Weber Traveler Specs Come From
Here is where each figure comes from. Weber’s US product page for the Traveler, part 1501740, gives the $449.00 price and the 37.2 by 43.6 by 23-inch dimensions. The same page gives the 12-burger grate, the under-50-pound weight and the 5-year limited warranty. Weber’s page does not print BTU or square inches, though. Those come from AJ Madison’s listing for part 1501740. It shows 13,000 BTU, 320 sq in of primary cooking area and 49 lb. Weber’s Singapore page for the Traveler agrees on the burner at 13,000 Btu/hr.
Every Coleman number is from the RoadTrip 285 page on coleman.com. It lists 20,000 BTUs, three burners, 285 sq in, 49 lb, a 1 lb cylinder sold separately and a 3-year limited warranty. The footprint row is width times depth, which is the floor space a grill takes in a cargo area. The BTU row is burner output divided by cooking area. Neither maker publishes a folded size, so that row stays empty.
Weber Traveler Grill vs Coleman RoadTrip
The first decision is whether you want a cart at all. Both grills here are stand-up carts on wheels, so they cook at standing height with no table under them. That is the big draw at a tailgate, where the only flat surface is often the asphalt.
They fold differently, though. Weber’s page describes the Traveler as a one-piece design. You press a lever to raise or lower it with one hand, and the lid locks automatically when it folds down. Coleman’s page lists folding legs, wheels and Instastart push-button ignition for the RoadTrip 285. So the Weber folds as a single unit, while the Coleman’s legs fold on their own.
If you would rather set a grill on a picnic table and carry it by hand, a cart is the wrong tool. The tabletop route is covered in our Weber Q1200 comparison, which sets the Q1200 against this same RoadTrip 285. Skip the cart if your campsite always has a table and your car has no room for wheels.
Weber Traveler Cooking Area
Second decision: how many burgers go on at once. Weber’s page says the Traveler’s grate fits 12 burgers or 15 sausages and feeds up to four people. Coleman does not publish a burger count for the RoadTrip 285. Its 285 sq in is 89% of the Traveler’s 320 (285 divided by 320). On area alone, the Coleman gives up 35 sq in of grate.
Heat is spread differently, too. The Weber runs one burner at 13,000 BTU across 320 sq in, which works out to 40.6 BTU per sq in. The Coleman splits 20,000 BTU across three independently adjustable burners, or 70.2 BTU per sq in. On paper, that gives the Coleman more heat per square inch. It also gives you three zones you can set apart: burgers on high, peppers and onions on low, buns on the third.
Weber’s page instead promises a wide temperature range from its single burner. With one burner, you control heat by where the food sits and by the lid. For a family of four, either grill does the job. For a bigger group, the Weber’s extra 35 sq in is the difference you notice first.
Weber Traveler Dimensions
Third decision: will it fit in the car. Weber prints two numbers that don’t quite agree. Its feature text says the Traveler is 40 inches wide and fits in the back of most SUVs. Its spec block, however, lists 43.6 inches wide, 23 deep and 37.2 tall. The spec block does not say whether that is folded or set up, so measure against the bigger number.
Take a tape to your cargo floor before you order. The tight spot is usually the width between the wheel wells, not the length. At 23 inches deep, the Traveler also takes a real bite of floor depth. The cooler and chairs go in around it.
Coleman RoadTrip 285 Dimensions
Coleman lists the RoadTrip 285 at 32.1 by 18.5 by 15.45 inches. Its floor footprint of 593.85 sq in is 59% of the Weber’s (593.85 divided by 1,002.8). That gap is the main reason to pick it. If your cargo space is small, it’s the one to measure first. Coleman’s page does not list a folded size either. Weight is a wash, since both are listed at 49 lb, so the lift into the car is the same.
How Long Does a 1 lb Propane Tank Last
Fourth decision: what fuel you carry. Both grills run on the 1 lb disposable cylinder out of the box. Coleman’s page says the RoadTrip 285 uses a 1-pound propane cylinder, sold separately. Weber’s Singapore page also lists the Traveler’s fuel as liquid propane, with the disposable cylinder sold separately.
Here is the math, at full flame. REI’s listing prices a Coleman 16.4 oz all-purpose propane cylinder at $10.50. Ferrellgas, the propane supplier, puts a pound of propane at about 21,548 BTU. So one cylinder holds 1.025 lb times 21,548, or about 22,087 BTU.
Next, divide that by each burner rating. The Weber’s 13,000 BTU empties a cylinder in 1.70 hours, about 102 minutes. The Coleman’s 20,000 BTU empties it in 1.10 hours, about 66 minutes, with all three burners on high. Cost per hour is $10.50 divided by those run times.
| Fuel measure | Weber Traveler | Coleman RoadTrip 285 |
|---|---|---|
| Full-flame burn rate | 13,000 BTU per hour | 20,000 BTU per hour |
| Run time per 16.4 oz cylinder | 1.70 hr (about 102 min) | 1.10 hr (about 66 min) |
| Fuel cost per hour | $6.18 | $9.51 |
| Fuel cost, 45-minute cookout | $4.64 | $7.13 |
| Cylinders for a 2-hour tailgate | 1.18 | 1.81 |
| Hours on a 20 lb tank | 33.1 | 21.5 |
The 45-minute cookout is my assumption: a short preheat and two rounds of burgers. Its cost is 0.75 hours times the hourly figure. Both grills spend much of a real cook below full flame, so treat these numbers as the ceiling. The 20 lb row uses Ferrellgas’s figure of about 430,000 BTU in a standard 20-pound cylinder, divided by each burner rating.
Coleman RoadTrip 285 Propane Tank
The plain reading: either grill needs a second cylinder for a 2-hour tailgate at full flame. But the Coleman empties its first one about 36 minutes sooner (102 minus 66). That is the cylinder that runs out with burgers still on.
Weber Traveler 20 lb Propane Tank
For longer trips, a 20 lb tank changes the math. Weber’s Canadian product page says the Traveler accommodates a full-size 20 lb tank with an adapter hose. By contrast, the RoadTrip 285 spec list on coleman.com names only the 1 lb cylinder. A 20 lb tank takes up floor space of its own. Still, at 33.1 hours on the Weber’s burner, one tank covers a lot of camp dinners.
Weber Traveler Price
Weber’s US page lists the Traveler at $449.00. Coleman.com lists the RoadTrip 285 at $389.99, with a $289.99 sale price, but showed it out of stock when we checked. At list price the gap is $59.01. At the sale price it is $159.01.
Set the fuel numbers against that gap. At the full-flame rates above, the Weber saves about $3.33 per hour of cooking ($9.51 minus $6.18). Covering the $59.01 list-price gap would take about 17.7 hours of full-flame cooking. Against the $159.01 sale-price gap, it would take about 47.8 hours. So fuel alone rarely pays for the Weber. The grate size and warranty are what you are paying for.
Weber Traveler Warranty
Weber’s US page lists a 5-year limited warranty on the Traveler. Coleman’s page lists a 3-year limited warranty for the RoadTrip 285. Two extra years matter on a grill that rides around in a car and gets bumped every time it loads. Read the terms on each maker’s warranty page before you buy, because limited warranties cover parts differently.
Coleman RoadTrip 285 vs Weber Traveler
Run the four decisions in order, and the answer usually falls out.
- SUV or truck, more than four people: buy the Weber Traveler. It has the bigger grate, the longer warranty and the cheaper burn per hour.
- Small cargo floor, or the sale price is back: buy the Coleman RoadTrip 285. Its three burners also suit a cook who wants separate heat zones.
- Want to carry a grill to a table instead of rolling one: neither cart fits. Start with the Q1200 comparison, or look at a flat-top in our portable grill and griddle guide.
Whichever you pick, pack a second 1 lb cylinder. For cooking away from the car, see our camp stove fuel comparison. More gear lives in Outdoors & Travel.
Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying.
Weber Traveler vs Coleman RoadTrip: Common Questions
How Many BTUs Is the Weber Traveler?
AJ Madison’s listing for the Weber Traveler, part 1501740, shows 13,000 BTU from one burner. Weber’s Singapore product page lists the same 13,000 Btu/hr. Coleman rates the RoadTrip 285 at 20,000 BTUs across three burners.
Which Has More Cooking Space, Weber Traveler or Coleman RoadTrip?
The Weber Traveler. AJ Madison’s listing gives it 320 sq in of primary cooking area, and Weber’s page says the grate fits 12 burgers. Coleman lists the RoadTrip 285 at 285 sq in and publishes no burger count.
Which Is Lighter, the Weber Traveler or Coleman RoadTrip?
Neither, in practice. Coleman lists the RoadTrip 285 at 49 lb. Weber says the Traveler weighs less than 50 lb, and AJ Madison’s listing shows 49 lb. The Coleman is the smaller package, with a floor footprint 59% of the Weber’s.
How Long Does a 1 lb Propane Tank Last on a Grill?
It depends on the burner rating. A 16.4 oz cylinder holds about 22,087 BTU, using Ferrellgas’s figure of 21,548 BTU per pound. At full flame, that is about 102 minutes on the 13,000 BTU Weber Traveler and about 66 minutes on the 20,000 BTU Coleman RoadTrip 285.
