Verdict
Pros
- Small
- Lightweight
- Affordable
Cons
- Small cooking area
- No lid
- No temperature gauge
Key Specifications
- Review Price: £44.99
- Charcoal cooking
- 50 x 25cm cooking area
- Vertical barbecuing
- Adjustable grill height
What is the Dancook 7100?
The Dancook 7100 is a simple, affordable box barbecue. It benefits from solid build quality and offers a decent cooking area. It feels like a big step up from disposable barbecues and flimsy budget models.
Cooking is slow and steady; we were impressed with the results. Bangers were unburned, veggie kebabs were crisp on the outside and moist inside.
Dancook 7100 – Design and Features
This box barbecue has a sturdy build. The body is made from stainless steel with an anthracite enamel coating with added Teflon for easy cleaning. The tray is aluminium-coated, for added heat resistance. The grille is made from 6mm chromium-plated steel that’s built to last and distributes heat better than more flimsy grilles. It came to us pre-assembled, but clearly it won’t be tricky to build yourself.
The grille is adjustable to four heights so you can control cooking speed. The clever design also lets you position the grille vertically across the back and then fill the space behind it with hot coals for a vertical barbecue. You can even add a battery-operated spit (optional extra) for a rotisserie: foodie heaven.
It’s lightweight and easy to carry compared with large kettle barbecues. This particular model doesn’t have wheels but larger models in the Dancook box barbecue range do.
Dancook 7100 – What’s it like to use?
Lighting is simple and then it takes a good while to warm up. Then the Dancook continues with its slow, surefooted approach. Cooking is surprisingly measured compared with the speedy, scorched results you’d get from a disposable barbecue.
Of course, it should be possible to pile it high with coals for hotter, faster cooking. Which is where the adjustable grille comes in – you can set it at one of four heights to control the level of heat hitting the food.
Capacity is smaller than some barbecues – it’s little over half the cooking area of a big kettle barbecue – so while it will easily accommodate a family, if you have friends over then it may take some time. Oh, and there’s no lid or temperature gauge.
We are huge fans of the simple design, however, and the barbecue is easy to move too. Even cleaning it was simple.
Should I buy the Dancook 7100?
If you’re after a simple, affordable barbecue then look no further. It’s good quality, lightweight and it cooks well. It’s a huge step up from disposable barbecues and flimsy budget models. However, if you have a little more to spend on a bigger charcoal option, consider the Char-Broil Kettleman.
Verdict
An impressive box barbecue that performs better than disposables and other budget models.
Trusted Score
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Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
