Plus, it clocks in at a budget-friendly $48 , making it my pick for the best cheap portable charcoal grill. Will almost certainly give you more power and cooking capacity, a proficient portable grill can still shoulder a lot of your summer grilling demands. Plus, with a reliable portable grill, you can bring all that charred goodness on camping trips, park hangouts and down to the shore for a sun-filled weber charcoal grill beach barbecue. That’s a lot of hype, and I was prepared to be underwhelmed, but the Takibi lives up to the hype and then some. It folds flat, leaving more room in your trunk; the grill top is a grid so small things won’t fall through, and when you’re done cooking it turns into a fire pit. There is an add-on cast iron coal bed ($26) that holds charcoal, but I don’t see it as necessary .
Winner of the National BBQ Association’s product of the year award. This 8.5″ x 11″ magnet contains more that 80 benchmark temperatures for meats , fats and oils, sugars, sous vide, eggs, collagens, wood combustion, breads, and more. Although it is not certified as all-weather, we have tested it outdoors in Chicago weather and it has not weber genesis 2 delaminated in three years, but there is minor fading. This is one of the most versatile charcoal-fired mini barbecues on the market and one of the most efficient. Invented in South Africa, the sturdy, kettle-style Cobb is a small, portable cylindrical unit that can grill, fry, bake and even roast a whole chicken, albeit a small one.
The lid becomes a side shelf where you can prep food or use it as a cutting board. With the Grill Top in place, we tested the heat distribution and found that, at medium to low levels, it was fairly even—with the burner turned all the way up, it was hottest in the center. We were able to grill burgers with nice sear marks and cook chicken more slowly and evenly done throughout. There are a number of mounts and stands for the Magma Crossover. We tested the Quad Pod Stand with adjustable leveling feet, which lets you set up the grill virtually anywhere.
The KettlePizza add-on kit ($250) is fun, but way more expensive than the grill itself; there’s a cheaper basic version, but it’s currently out of stock. Do yourself a favor, throw away your lighter fluid and get a charcoal chimney starter ($27). Of all the charcoal grills I tested, the Weber Jumbo Joe strikes the best balance of affordability, features, and ease of use. This versatile portable grill is pre-assembled and perfect for use in picnicking, tailgating, camping and the backyard. It is easy to move and store and comes with locking bowl and hood and folding legs.
The flame is easy to control and keeps a consistent temperature throughout cooking, even when grilling with the flame turned low. The Char-Broil American Gourmet is a barrel-style grill with a hinged lid. While we liked the idea of its pull-out drawer to add coals, the door stuck badly and was frustrating to use. And because the drawer’s grates ran vertically, it was difficult to rake the coals from side to side to create an indirect heat pattern. The grill itself was easy to clean and sturdy as we used it, but it was difficult to see inside the grill and the rounded lid design funneled the smoke straight into your face.