Two burners on a folding X cart: that is the Napoleon TravelQ PRO285X, sold as PRO285X-BK. It wears plain black paint with bright chrome trim. Napoleon also sells this cook box without legs, and in a matte Phantom version.
That lineup turns the purchase into a price ladder. Weber’s one-burner Q 2000 sits on the bottom rung, on a table. The Phantom sits at the top. So where should a buyer who wants two burners on legs stop climbing?
This review climbs one rung at a time. Each step up costs money, and this grill review explains each one plainly.
6,000 BTU x 2One burner per knob, so either half can run cold
285 sq inCast iron grate area, as Napoleon's manual states it
42.1 BTU/sq inHeat density, level with Weber's one-burner portables
$150Napoleon's list price gap between this cart model and the tabletop PRO285-BK
First Impressions of the Napoleon TravelQ PRO285X
The carton is long and flat, about 43 inches end to end. Setup is short. You spread the X of the cart and lock it. The cook box is then ready to light.
Height is the first surprise. The grates sit 33 inches off the ground, close to a kitchen counter. Nobody hunches over it at a campsite. Its fold-out shelves land at 28.75 inches, handy for a platter.
This version is not shy about its trim. The cart tubes and handles are bright chrome, and so are the knob faces. Beside the all-matte Phantom it looks busier. It also looks like the Napoleon it is.
Thick pork chops make a good first cook. Light only the left burner on high. Let the grids soak up heat with the lid down.
Mark the chops over the flame, then slide them right to finish gently. They come off with dark wave stripes and a juicy middle. A one-dial grill makes you pick one of those two jobs.
Key Features of the Napoleon TravelQ PRO285X
Most of the feature list is the cook box itself. The cart adds a second set. The cart is what turns a tabletop PRO285 into this X. A few useful pieces are missing from the BK’s box, so they are listed too.
- Two stainless steel burners, two knobs. Each tube is rated at 6,000 BTU and lights on its own. Everything that sets it apart from a one-burner Weber starts here.
- Cast-iron WAVE grids. Two porcelain-enameled halves cover the cook box. Their curved bars print wavy marks instead of straight lines.
- Push-button igniter. Press a knob in and twist it slowly toward hi, and JETFIRE sparks that burner. A lighting rod for a match comes along as a backup.
- High lid with a gauge. The domed lid clears a whole chicken. An ACCU-PROBE dial in the lid shows roughly what the air inside is doing.
- X scissor cart. It rolls on two 8 inch wheels, tilted back by the handle. Folded, it stands upright on a kick stand or hangs on a garage wall.
- Tank straps and a hose. Straps on the cart hold a 20 lb tank. Napoleon packs the hose for it with the grill.
- Not included. The warming rack is an accessory on the BK. The $44.99 cast iron griddle and the $77.99 fitted cover are extras too. A rotisserie is optional.
Start with the number that ties the whole ladder together. Spread over the grate, 12,000 BTU comes to 42.1 BTU per square inch here. The Weber Q 2000 works out to 43, and the rolling Weber Traveler to 41. Call it a three-way tie on how hard each grate is driven.
That settles the heat question early. Above the Q 2000, every extra dollar buys legs or a second knob. None of it buys heat.
So pay for the second knob, because it changes how you cook. Napoleon’s manual covers anything needing more than 30 minutes. Light the burner opposite the food and cook it indirect.
A Q 2000 or a Traveler cannot do that. Each has one burner under the whole grate. Wings, thick chops and a spatchcocked bird all get easier with a cold side.
Searing asks for a little patience. Give both burners ten minutes on high with the lid closed, as Napoleon advises. Those heavy grids need the head start before they mark a steak well.
Wind is the weak spot at a beach or a stadium lot. Napoleon’s warranty even excludes burner blow outs from strong wind. Keep the lid down when it gusts.
Build, handling and durability
The Phantom comparison is easy to settle from Napoleon’s own parts list. Burners, grids, drip pan, regulator, manifold and base share the same part numbers on both versions. Every flame-side part on the BK is the Phantom part. What changes is paint, trim, knob color and the rack.
The cart is where your $150 over the tabletop model goes. No other part of a portable gets handled as often. Every trip it folds, rolls, gets lifted into a truck and unfolds on rough ground. Big 8 inch wheels keep it moving over lawn, gravel and packed dirt.
Open, the grill spans 44.25 inches with both shelves out. Drop the shelves and it narrows to 42.75, handy beside a camper door. Napoleon credits the X shape of the legs for its footing on uneven ground. Each 9 inch shelf takes a plate of raw meat and a pair of tongs.
Lifting is less pleasant. Napoleon publishes only a 50.5 lb boxed figure, with no number for the bare grill. A high truck bed is a job for two.
One manual note matters on every trip. Empty the drip pan before standing the grill upright. Tip it up full and the grease runs out the wrong way.
Running costs, upkeep and value
Fuel is simple. For a weekend, a 1 lb disposable cylinder is all it needs. The included hose moves you to a 20 lb tank for longer ones.
That switch saves money. There is a second reason. A little cylinder can ice over during a long or chilly cook.
Upkeep is mostly about the cast iron. Napoleon wants the grids seasoned with vegetable shortening and cleaned with a brass brush. The drip pan slides out, but it must never be lined with foil. Napoleon sells fitted foil trays instead.
Now the ladder itself, from the bottom:
- Weber Q 2000, around $249 to $299. One burner, a tabletop body, no legs.
- Napoleon PRO285-BK, $329 list. The same 12,000 BTU over the same 285 square inches, also on a table.
- Weber Traveler, $399 on Weber’s list. Legs and wheels, but one burner.
- This PRO285X-BK, around $441 on Amazon. Legs, wheels and two burners.
- Phantom PRO285X-MK-PHM, $549. The same cooking parts again, plus matte paint and the rack.
Read that way, the BK is the first rung with both things a roaming cook wants. It costs a little more than the Traveler. That gap pays for a second zone, nothing else.
At list the Phantom gap is $70. On Amazon it widens to roughly $108.
The warranty is tiered rather than flat. Burners and grids carry five full years, then half price on replacements until year ten. Aluminum castings and the base get the full ten.
Possible Napoleon TravelQ PRO285X Complaints
- The cart has the shortest cover. The scissor cart is the main thing the X adds over the tabletop model. Napoleon’s warranty names no cart parts, so they fall under all other parts at two years. Scratches and worn chrome are excluded outright, so a cover between trips earns its keep.
- Napoleon cannot agree on the lid. The BK’s page says cast aluminum, and the Phantom page says steel for that part. That decides between ten years and five plus half price. Ask the dealer which applies.
