We also took into consideration whether the lid was big enough for closed grilling, how easy the grease trap was to use, remove, and clean, and if the regulator provided a snug or loose fit. If you’re cooking only one type of food that covers the entire grilling surface, then you will want to have consistent heat throughout. If you are cooking a variety of foods all at once, you might prefer different temperature zones. To test the distribution of heat across a grill, we grilled different food types in different corners of the grill. While we couldn’t rely on BTU-ratings for charcoal grills, our reviewers utilized an infrared thermometer to accurately test the temperature of these grill surfaces. Grilling is a quintessential summer activity, saving you from heating up your kitchen with your oven and encouraging you to spend quality time outdoors on a nice night.
In our tests, the Jumbo Joe produced the best seared burgers, barbecued chicken, and grilled bratwurst. The two adjustable vents, in the lid and firebox, allowed the quickest and easiest temperature control of all the grills we tested. Even after loading the Jumbo Joe with a full chimney starter’s worth of red-hot embers , we could still tamp down the temperature to medium heat. We couldn’t do that with the 14-inch Weber Smokey Joe, where the one vent and the lack of airflow caused the coals to extinguish while we were cooking. Of all the portable propane grills we tested, the Weber Q 1200 grilled foods the most consistently, with a cast-aluminum firebox that evenly held and reflected heat throughout. It had the fewest hotspots of all the grills we tried, due in large part to the U-shaped burner, which evenly heated the grate.
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But no matter how you measure it, the Traveler’s 13,000-BTU burner gets plenty hot and really shines when searing. The 320-square-inch grilling surface is big enough to grill for a crowd. Coleman has accessories that let you use half the stove as a griddle or regular stove burner so you can simmer beans while you grill hot dogs.
If your need for portability is limited to moving your grill from storage to the patio, a larger option might be best since you’ll have more grilling capacity. If you’re planning on taking your grill on a camping trip, weber charcoal grill though, a smaller model might make the most sense. There’s a grease pan to catch drips while cooking, and it’s removable for cleaning. You also get push-button ignition and 11,000 BTUs of propane grilling power.
The large surface of the Cuisinart All Foods Roll-Away gives the cook multiple heat zones to work with while grilling. The infrared burner of the Solaire Everywhere heats the entire grill surface to about the same temperature. This is good for cooking lots of one type of food, but not so good if you’re hoping to cook different foods at different rates.
If opening the lid while cooking, to reduce the risk of burns from hot air, steam, and flare-ups, open the lid carefully and slowly. Residue left on the grill surfaces will cause excessive amounts of smoke or may cause fire if not properly cleaned. Folds down to 17% of it’s volume, unfolds to become a complete grilling system WITH a lid. Our most important source of sustenance is people who join our Pitmaster Club.
Scrape the hot grates with a grill brush, wipe them with a wet rag to remove the soot, and brush them with vegetable oil. The Grill2Go’s cooking grate can grill up to six large burger patties at a time. Weighing over 40 pounds , the Weber Q 2200 stretches the meaning of “portable” to its limits. However, the Q 2200 is still an excellent grill for small backyard spaces.
But the position of the side handles helps to evenly distribute its 30-pound heft and lessens the burden of hoisting and moving the grill. Portable grills aren’t just for camping, picnicking, and tailgating; they’re also great for city and apartment dwellers with limited outdoor space. Grills in this category should be light, small, and comfortable portable bbq enough to carry from a car into a park or campground. With its compact design, this portable grill fits right into a storage cabinet in your kitchen. Cook your favorite meals over wood with one of the lightest tabletop grills on the market. Transform your BioLite CampStove 2 into a wood-fired grilling surface with this seamless and fun attachment.