From lightweight grills that are ideal for camping to larger models perfect for a tailgate, we list our picks for the best portable grills to help you decide. The Big Green Egg is a Kamado-style cooker (Kamado is a Japanese word that roughly means “stove”), which makes it much more than a grill. The ceramic construction retains heat and turns it into a portable oven as well.
We had a small issue with the Q 1200 unit we got for testing. The propane coupling sat a couple of millimeters too close to the body, and we had to flex the assembly away from the grill to get the canister to fit. We asked Q 1200 owners on staff if they had this issue, and they confirmed that attaching the propane was easy on their grills. We’re chalking this up as a one-off problem unique to our test unit.
He has been writing for more years than anyone can remember, starting at the legendary Time Out magazine – the original, London version – on a typewriter! He now writes for T3 between playing drums with his bandmates in Red Box . Ben Tish, owner of Sicilian-Moorish influenced London restaurant Norma , gives his verdict on that age old question -what’s best? “Lump wood charcoal is superior in flavour to briquettes due to the fact there aren’t any chemicals or binders in there to mask or skew the flavours. Popular Mechanics participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Send me exclusive offers, unique gift ideas, and personalized tips for shopping and selling on Etsy.
Break in the electric heating element to remove the new-appliance smell before cooking for the first time. Once the grill is assembled, plug in the electric heating element, set the control on HIGH and let the grill run for about 10 minutes with the lid off. Serve freshly grilled food any time, anywhere—even indoors—with the Indoor Outdoor Portable Grill!
The grill produces up to 20,000 BTU per hour, and you can buy interchangeable cooktops that allow you to swap out the grill grates for griddles or stove grates. For on-the-go barbecues, the Weber Q is the best portable grill. It gives the same great, even cooking without flareups that you get from full-size Weber grills. For fuel, it uses a one-pound propane cylinder, which will let you cook for a couple hours — that’s more than enough time for several rounds of burgers, just-caught trout or even chicken. Though, this wouldn’t be enough time for smoking a turkey breast or pork butt, unless you want to bring along a second tank to connect while cooking. On the porcelain enameled cast iron grates, there’s enough room for about six hamburgers.
Use two or three small fire starter blocks under the coals and start grilling once the flames have died down. GrillGrates amplify heat, prevent flareups, make flipping foods easier, kill hotspots, flip over to make a fine griddle, and can be easily moved from one grill to another. You can even throw wood chips, pellets, or sawdust between the rails and deliver a quick burst of smoke. You’ll need to start a campfire to get this grill going, but that just means you get to flex your lumbersexual woodsman skills in front of your buds. The grill grate also has retractable legs, so when you’re not cooking over the open fire, it collapses and folds to dimensions so small it can be stashed in your backpack.
This is a woodfire grill, and you can actually use found twigs and branches to get the fire going, as long as you know what you’re burning is food safe. It can also be used to cook using a cast iron skillet, or to brew a pot of your favorite campsite coffee in a fire-safe kettle. I’ve scoured the web to find the best portable grills for every situation. So, pack up the cooler with burgers and hot dogs and get ready to grill all summer long.
Even though the Weber Q 1200 neatly folds up (albeit into a not-so-compact package), the lack of a lid latch is perhaps more annoying than anything when considering the portability of this grill. Lining up grills side-by-side to test the backyard ultra-classics, hamburgers and portabella-burgers. The electronic ignition system ensures fast and reliable start-ups with just the push of a button, so that you can begin grilling right away. The grill comes with a comfortable carrying strap that allows you to conveniently tote it with you anywhere you go, whether it’s via car, bike, train, boat, or even skateboard.
Bahr owns a Q1000 that he came to almost by accident, receiving it from his mother, who won it as a prize. The variety of portable grills on the market may seem daunting, but we’ve enlisted the help of three experts in the field to help you find the right grill for your needs. Cory Bahr is the chef and owner of Parish restaurant in Monroe, Louisiana, a finalist on The Next Food Network Star, and a Food & Wine Best New Chef. Jake Wood is the owner and pitmaster of Lawrence BBQ in Durham, North Carolina. Finally, Tank Jackson is the pitmaster and hog farmer of Holy City Hogs in Charleston, South Carolina. We paired their input with combing retail and review sites to research the best portable grills, dubbing the Weber Q1200 the winner.
Charcoal grills give food a distinct smoky flavor that so many people love, which is why the Weber Smokey Joe Portable Grill is such a popular product. This compact grill is basically a miniature version of Weber’s cult-favorite weber q charcoal grill, and it’s the perfect cooking device to take on the road with you. Despite being light and very portable, the Venture features a heavy-duty cast iron grilling surface that cooks evenly and sears well.