About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the searing station, which I purchased with my own money in March of 2023.

My take

The Camp Chef Sidekick Sear 14-Inch Propane Searing Station is one of the most versatile attachments for any grill. This version is the Sear Box, which is basically a small gas grill, but the tops can be changed to a flattop/griddle and pizza oven.

About the grill I own

• Product Name: Camp Chef Sidekick Sear
• Type of Accessory: Gas attachment
• Dimensions: Overall Unit Dimensions: 18”x20.5”x6”; Sear Box Dimensions: 14”x16”x8”
• Unit This Accessory is Designed for: The Sidekick is designed to add cooking styles to one’s pellet grill that one can’t do on a pellet grill
• Material the Accessory Is Made From: Stainless steel and cast iron

About me

• Experience: 10 years of grilling and smoking competitions

Test conditions

• When I bought it: March 2023
• Days tested: 30
• What I’ve used it for: Pizzas, skewers, wings, breakfast food, burgers
• Type of Grill I’ve Used This Accessory On: 2022 Camp Chef Woodwind Pro
• Seasons I’ve used it in: Spring and early summer
• Weather conditions I’ve used it in: Mild to hot temperatures and generally dry but humid

How it performs

What I was looking for

I bought the Sidekick when I bought my Woodwind Pro. While the Woodwind Pro gets up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit, I knew that I wanted higher temperatures for a good sear on steaks, burgers, etc. Additionally, I wanted to be able to just cook some hotdogs, burgers, and chicken breast without firing up the whole grill. I have two small kids, and this is the perfect size for a quick cook with my family.

Why I chose this product

I had the previous version of the Sidekick on my old pellet grill. It performed well, but it was only the Sear Box, and I wanted to add cooking options like the pizza oven and flat-top griddle. I did consider buying a small grill instead of this attachment because it would give me more flexibility in the layout of my grilling area, but those options increased the footprint the grills took up in my backyard.

What I love about it

• Durability: Overall, the quality of the materials used is fantastic. However, the stainless steel does patina pretty quickly. I like the look, but it happened much faster than I expected and is related to the extremely high heat the Sidekick can produce. Because the grates are cast iron, one will need to care for them like other cast iron products, or else they will rust.
• Ease of use: Once the Sidekick is attached to the grill, one can connect the gas hose and turn it on. It does sometimes take two tries to light, but nothing too challenging. The temperature is managed with a knob with high, medium, and low settings. The gas level adjusts as it is turned.
• Features: The Sidekick having three different top options makes it the most versatile grill attachment out there, in my opinion. However, one does have to purchase the additional tops separately. The ability to change out the tops for the preferred cooking style is a huge benefit. I like using the Sear Box most of the time for things like reverse sear burgers, steaks, etc. I also like using the pizza oven to cook a BBQ chicken pizza with the chicken I smoked on my pellet grill. I also like to use the griddle/flattop to cook breakfast food (bacon, eggs, etc.) while I start the smoker in the morning.
• Performance: The Sidekick is a great small grill option for high-heat cooking. I can fit about four burgers with ease, and six if I keep them closer together, which is perfect for my family of four. The cast-iron grates really help with the quality of cooking by retaining heat extremely well and keeping a good flavor throughout the food.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Portability: The Sidekick is not portable. It attaches to the side of the grill and cannot function as a standalone product.

Favorite moment with this product

I was smoking wings and a Boston butt at the same time. Because the wings were for lunch and the Boston butt was for dinner, I couldn’t turn the heat up to finish the wings. So I turned on the Sidekick and moved the wings over in small batches to crisp the outside of the wings. They were perfect!

Value for the money vs. other options

The Sidekick Sear is a huge upgrade for any Camp Chef pellet grill. It makes even the cheaper options highly versatile and opens more cooking options. There is no other option like it on the market. Other pellet grill brands offer flattop/griddle plates and pizza ovens that fit in the pellet grills, and those work, but they do not reach the temperatures the Sidekick can.

Final verdict

For those thinking about getting a Camp Chef pellet grill, the Sidekick is something that must be considered. It allows one to cook any type of food in any style and easily get over 750°F.