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. While the high heat setting perfectly seared burgers without burning, the Q 1200 also outperformed the competition at steady medium-low heat for items such as bone-in chicken and large sausage links. In general, gas or propane grills make for the best portable grills since they’re clean, easy and fast to get fired up.
Maybe you want to enjoy grilled meats or vegetables on your next camping trip or picnic, or you’re looking for that smoky flavor on your burgers at the next tailgate party. I also took into account ease of assembly and how sturdy a grill felt once it was assembled . I also dug through weber genesis 2 verified purchase reviews to determine if any had any consistent or glaring wear-and-tear issues to be concerned about. If you like the look of this and need a fire pit on top of a charcoal grill, I say go for it. But be aware that it might not last for as long as you want it to.
For cookouts at the park, before a ballgame or at the campground, the Weber Smokey Joe is an affordable way to get multiple uses from a tried-and-true portable charcoal grill. Just like all Weber products, this little kettle cooker is quality-built and constructed with high-grade materials for long-lasting use. Grab some briquettes and cooking utensils and take off for your next outdoor BBQ grilling adventure with this 14 in. We loved that the 256 square inches of cooking area could hold up to eight burgers, which also means there’s plenty of room if you want to cook a whole pork shoulder or a spatchcocked chicken.
We grilled bone-in chicken to test for flare-ups and how well both the gas and charcoal grills could sustain a medium-low cooking temperature over 45 minutes. In addition, we promptly dismissed gas grills equipped with a coupling for a 20-pound propane cylinder. We prefer 1-pound liquid-propane tanks because they’re small and lightweight enough to stash in a backpack or tote bag. In addition to performance, we test ease of use and score each grills on the types of features they have like shelves, storage space, amount of wheels, etc.
Equally, you don’t want something you can carry but you can’t cook what needs to be cooked – especially if it means you need to do two or three batches of cooking. Sign up to receive the latest info on new products, special offers, and exclusive sales. Coyote is committed to making outdoor kitchens an attainable reality for anyone who is passionate about cooking, entertaining or simply relaxing outdoors. Empty the ash catcher after each use, but only once the grill is completely cool and you see no trace of burning embers or warm ash . That way you won’t run the risk of the trap overflowing and staining your patio or deck. Weber’s segmented warranty covers the bowl and lid for 10 years, the “one-touch cleaning system” and plastic components for five years, and all other parts for two years.
What’s more, it’ll go on grilling for up to an hour on only a small handful of charcoal. Char-Broil is justly famous for its TRU Infrared grilling technology which ensures food is cooked evenly across the grill plate. The slight downside is that the corrugated infrared grill requires burning off after each barbecue session and scraped down using the supplied cleaning too. If you neglect to do that, the tiny holes in the infrared plate could become blocked and the system won’t work as well. The Grill2Go’s grate will accommodate about 12 hamburgers so there should be enough grilling space for two to possibly four adults. However, for RV, caravan and tailgate use, it’s the perfect take-away model – but only if you have access to an electricity supply or you’re able to use Traeger’s specialised power inverter.