Magma Newport A10-918-2GS Review

The Magma Newport A10-918-2GS is cheap for an infrared grill, but we're absolutely sure it's worth picking up.

Front-on view of the Magma Newport A10-918-2GS infrared grill
(Image: © Future)

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

This model is worth considering, but we aren't convinced it's worth the price tag.

Pros

  • +

    Small and portable

  • +

    Easy to store

Cons

  • -

    The thermometer isn't precise enough

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We chose to review the Magma Newport A10-918-2GS whilst testing, ranking, and rating the best infrared grills. On the whole, we felt this particular tabletop infrared grill offered some benefits—namely, the unit's portability meant it was quick to clean, easy to store and simple to move around. However, the small size also meant it's not the one to go for if you're entertaining a large group. Read on for our full thoughts.

J D Chadwick headshot
J. D. Chadwick

J D. Chadwick worked at Top Ten Reviews between 2008 and 2018. He was an expert in software and covered everything from antivirus programs, video editing apps, interior design software, power tools, and outdoor grills. He reviewed the Magma Newport A10-918-2GS in terms of its cooking performance, heat consistency and design to see whether it was worth buying.  

Magma Newport A10-918-2GS: Heat consistency

side view of the Magma Newport !20-918-2GS

The Magma Newport is constructed of high-quality stainless steel. (Image credit: Future)

The heat generated by the Magma Newport A10-918-2GS grill is adequate and expected for a grill this size. The burner generates about 11,200 Btu; although that makes it the second lowest-powered grill among those we tested, it still produces enough heat to safely cook meat. 

It has decent heat consistency, even though it’s nearly impossible to tell the exact temperature of the grill since its built-in thermometer doesn’t actually display that information. Instead, it relies on a color-coded thermometer, with blue, yellow, and red to give you an idea of how hot it's running. 

We used an infrared heat gun to get a better idea of the temperature at seven, 14, and 21 minutes after ignition to test heat consistency. What we discovered is that this grill doesn’t do the best job of maintaining consistent heat over extended periods of time. Unfortunately, the Newport was simply outclassed in this area by the Char-Broil Performance 500 (opens in new tab)

Magma Newport A10-918-2GS: Cooking Performance

Magma Newport A10-918-2GS open to show the grill area

The grill grates of the Magma Newport provide 162 square inches of grilling space. (Image credit: Future)

This infrared grill delivers on several levels: It’s convenient, cooks food well, and can be taken pretty much anywhere you need a cooking surface. But, because of the thermometer issues, you won’t be able to tell exactly how hot the cooking surface is.

The main issue you'll have here is the size; you can't cook much on its 162-square-inch stainless steel grate. It was only enough space to cook three hamburger patties at a time. This is fine if you’re barbecuing for a small family or just a few friends but won’t suffice if you have a larger get-together.

Magma Newport A10-918-2GS: Design

Magma Newport A10-918-2GS front-on view

The Magma Newport is constructed of high-quality stainless steel. (Image credit: Future)

There are obvious benefits to Magma Newport's small size. For a start, the tabletop size keeps the cost down and offers several benefits like portability, easy storage, and quick cleaning. The trade-off is that you can’t fit much on the cooking area, as we mentioned above.

Another gripe we had is the stainless steel construction makes this grill’s exterior quite hot. This isn’t uncommon among the grills we reviewed, however, the lid handle can get uncomfortably warm as well. It won’t burn you, but you definitely won’t want to touch it a second longer than you have to. Additionally, it has no carrying handles, so make certain it’s completely cooled before you try to move it.

The Magma Newport A10-91802GS

The Magma Newport’s drip tray does a good job of catching fat and other drippings while the grill is in use. (Image credit: Future)

Magma Newport A10-918-2GS: Price and warranty

top-down view of the Magma Newport A10-918-2GS with the igniter button

The igniter button is located on the right-hand side of the Magma Newport. (Image credit: Future)

Purely infrared grills can cost thousands of dollars, though the grills we chose to review cost $500 or less. At $399 (at the time of review), the Magma Newport A10-918-2GS is fairly cheap for an infrared grill.

In our opinion, you don’t have to spend $400 on this model when you can get similar results from products such as the Char-Broil Grill2Go (opens in new tab), which you can pick up for less than $100.

If you are considering dropping $400 on a new portable grill, you’ll want it to last for a long time... but the warranty period doesn’t bode well for that. You only get one year of protection for both the burner and other parts; for a model at this price point, we would expect to get at least three, and ideally five years of coverage.

J.D. Chadwick

J.D. Chadwick started writing articles for Top Ten Reviews 2008, and left the team in 2018 after filling the role of Multimedia Editor. A keen video creator, and expert in software, he was one of the most prolific members of the old TTR team, authoring articles on things like antivirus software, video editing apps, and more.