Elevate Grill

Chef grade ultra portable gas grill.

Elevate sought to disrupt the portable-grill category by combining professional performance with true portability. The challenge: design the world’s largest travel grill featuring two cook zones while maintaining easy setup, safe transport, and standout aesthetic appeal.

Grill big, pack small.

We dove into tailgate, camping, and outdoor cooking scenarios—observing users juggling fuel, space, and cleanup. Psycho‑Aesthetics® framed the desired brand emotion as “empowered enjoyment”—encouraging both cooking prowess and social connection.

Research & Emotional Strategy

KEY OUTPUTS

Persona journeys for casual hosts and outdoor chefs

Psycho-Aesthetics® 2.0 Map

Emotional mapping emphasizing ease, trust, and sociability

Requirements aligned with dual zone cooking and portability

How We Used Psycho-Aesthetics™ to Identify Unique Opportunities in the Project.

Using our proprietary Psycho-Aesthetics® 2.0 framework, we conducted in-depth interviews and ethnographic observation in diverse lab settings. We identified key emotional and usability pain points — such as intimidation with complex interfaces, workspace clutter, and trust in precision. These insights guided both the form and interface strategy, ensuring approachability and confidence in operation.

The grill’s sculptural form is defined by handsome geometric lines, clean metal finishes, and a familiar cast iron surface. Clever engineering allows the robust enclosure to transform into carrying handles, making it easy to fold and go.

Industrial Design & Aesthetics

KEY OUTPUTS

Form Factor Concepts

CMF Strategy
Refined Industrial Design Language

RKS engineers delivered a portable powerhouse—featuring dual 12‑inch cooking zones, automatic ignition, internal propane storage, and clever foldable drip trays. All components were designed for ease of cleaning, stability, and reliability.

Engineering & Prototyping

KEY OUTPUTS

Prototypes for mechanical folding, ignition, and fuel integration

Technical documentation for burners, plumbing, and material selection

Field evaluation reports on heat distribution and ease of use

Elevate Grill turned on with gas
Elevate Grill rendering
Elevate Grill being folded

RKS established an identity and packaging system that reflected the grill’s premium performance. Visual elements, instructional graphics, and durable packaging all underscored the brand’s tagline, “Grill big, pack small”reinforcing both functionality and aspirational lifestyle.

Branding & Packaging

KEY OUTPUTS

Logo and tagline alignment

Packaging design incorporating portability messaging

Brand toolkit for photography and retail presentation

Elevate Grill
Elevate Grill industrial design showing how it was made
Elevate Grille with veggies on top with branding and manual

The Elevate Grill illustrates RKS’s ability to rethink product categories by merging big‑performance engineering with smart portability and emotional resonance. We redefined what a travel grill can be, delivering a compact powerhouse that inspires gatherings and culinary creativity, wherever the adventure takes you.

Key Outcomes and Results

Key Accomplishments

Status: Launched via crowdfunding and retail; praised by BBQ experts and outdoor enthusiasts.

Market Reception:

  • Called “sexy and portable” by pitmasters, who praised its sear performance and ability to feed a crowd

  • Dual cooking zones, weight under 35 lbs, and compact packaging established it as a best-in-class portable grill

Elevate Grill with veggies on the top
Elevate Grill bring used as part of a picnic

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