The 240-square-inch grilling grate can accommodate up to seven 6-ounce burger patties at a time. As for the weight, the Q-series grills are a bit heavy for moving around often. If you prioritize portability over cooking performance, consider our runner-up pick. Our top pick is the Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill because of its quick and even heating and easy assembly.
Ultimately, I found food fell in between the bars of the grate too easily and the grill itself was too small to be useful. One of the best portable grills for camping is the Coleman portable grill. It features a built-in stand, extendable wings, and three burners for temperature control. For each grill, we cooked a hamburger patty; chicken kabobs with chunks of boneless, skinless chicken breast; and vegetables that included squash, zucchini, onions, and bell peppers.
If you don’t want to shell out for our best overall option, this is a more affordable choice that also stood up to rigorous testing. 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. Enjoy a traditional grilling experience complete with smoky, chargrilled flavor. I also took into account ease of assembly and how sturdy a grill felt once it was assembled . I also dug through verified purchase reviews to determine if any had any consistent or glaring wear-and-tear issues to be concerned about.
While the Weber Original Kettle may have taken the top spot in CNET’s list ofbest charcoal grills, this newcomer is my pick for the best portable charcoal grill. A smart and solid build portable bbq allows you to take this small grill anywhere, including on a long hike. Soaring in popularity, they come in a vast assortment of fuel types such as gas, pellet, electric, or charcoal.
The Jumbo Joe’s 18-inch-diameter cooking surface is enough to grill a complete meal for two or the main course for a small party . We also like the Jumbo Joe’s tripod base, which automatically stabilizes on uneven terrain. The simple ash catcher is a nice touch and keeps hot embers from falling on the ground. And the heat-resistant lid handle stays cool enough to grasp without a towel or oven mitt. While these features were impressive, the Pit Boss Grills had a harder time heating up that large cooking surface. Whereas other portable gas grills we tested reached temperatures above 500 degrees Fahrenheit, this grill could only maintain cooking surface temperatures in the mid 400s.
Be the envy of your next pregame party with these CNET-tested small and portable grills. For the charcoal options, I also smoked ribs, pork, and brisket, If you’re planning to smoke, I highly recommend investing in some kind of thermometer system. It has adapters based on your grill and offers one temp probe and three food probes. There’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support, so you can keep tabs on your cook from anywhere. If flavor is your only criterion, I would argue that charcoal is superior to propane gas. Often, we grill after hours on a Friday while we’re also trying to set up a tent, inflate a mattress, and wrangle hungry children.
If you can’t face the prospect of going without your Big Green Egg for a weekend, the MiniMax Big Green Egg is much smaller, but it still isn’t terribly portable. However, if you want to smoke, grill, and bake outdoors, this ceramic cooker is a strong choice. Whether it’s the salty sweetness on that lightly charred corn or the rich smoothness of smoked meat, warm weather begs us to get outside and light a fire.
You already have yoursunscreen, swimsuits,beach chairs and umbrellas ready for a day at the beach or a camping trip. Still, there’s something about the long summer days and clear skies that makes us want to grill outdoors. 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.
Some of the grills we reviewed are best moved with a pickup truck, while others could fit in an SUV or in the corner of the trunk of a small car. If you’re going to be cooking for a larger group you might want to consider one of the larger capacity grills reviewed weber genesis 2 here. Also in the running is the Cowboy Cauldron Urban Cowboy Model, which is no less a statement piece than the other. Where the Sea Island design is a bowl that sits on a stand, the Cowboy Cauldron is a bowl suspended from a tripod system on a chain.