The 10 Best Portable Grills for Outdoor Cooking in 2023 Entertainment Tonight

Though cast iron adds an extra 5 to 10 pounds to the total weight of a grill, we think the flavorful dark crust on burgers and steaks makes it worthwhile. We also prefer an open grate design that allows ambient heat from the firebox to brown the areas in between the grill marks. We found that stainless steel solid grates with small perforations don’t let enough ambient heat through to brown the food properly. Summers are meant for grilling, but you may not have the space or budget for a full-size grill. Or you might want something you can tote to a campground, park, or tailgate.

If you’re lucky enough to have an apartment, condo, or townhouse with outdoor space or balcony, a portable grill is one purchase that will really help you enjoy it. Obviously, you need to be able to carry the grill regardless of its size. You don’t want anything to be so heavy that carrying it is impossible even if it can fit into your arms. While most of these factors are still important, obviously for a portable grill you need to consider size and weight most of all. This is another Kamado Joe grill that’s smaller than the previous model. It boasts a temperature gauge right on its top lid to allow you to easily see the temperature at any stage of your cookout.

Portable gas grills will always be fueled by a portable propane gas hookup. Propane will need to be procured separately at your favorite home improvement or outdoor store. Many of these grills will work off the very small 1-pound propane cylinders, with a different attachment needed for larger propane tanks. The difference between the two kinds is weight—larger tanks are heavier and need to be carried separately from the grill—and amount. The smaller tanks are easier to carry in a backpack, but will run out of fuel within a couple of hours. The Weber Q 1200 is another solid model in this category due to the adjustability of its control knob and a sound electronic ignition system.

portable bbq

We were able to roll the grill around easily, with the collapsible cart, and with the dedicated firebox and locking grill lid, we didn’t spread ashes wherever we went with it. The Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal Grill makes grilling with charcoal easy, fast, and clean. Most portable charcoal grills have a very small cooking area, so they are only good for direct grilling of items like steak or burgers. To do any smoking, you’d need a 2-zone fire with the briquettes on one side and food on the other. In general, you’ll find portable charcoal grills with 300 square inches or less of cooking surface. The Char-Broil Portable Grill2Go X200 Gas Grill is a solid compact grill for remote cookouts because it’s rugged, lightweight, and easy to carry.

It made great steak quickly and nicely browned chicken thighs in under 20 minutes with no noticeable flareups. The lid, cook box and cast iron grates are all porcelain enameled for added non-stickability, easier cleanup and good heat retention. It’s weber charcoal grill less common for portable grills to use charcoal as fuel, but this one can deliver that distinctive flavor in an easy-to-transport format. In testing, we found this unit especially stable and tough to knock over with light jostles and bumps.

In addition, there’s an ash collection been beneath the charcoal bed to help keep cleaning simpler than it already is, given the small size of the model as a whole. There aren’t any events or dampers, however, so controlling the temperature is a little trickier than with competing models. In addition, there’s no easy clean-up ash catcher or similar function. While the Jumbo Joe has more cooking space, the Go-Anywhere gets runner-up honors thanks to its excellent searing capability and portable design.

Forget manually adjusting the coals to get your BBQ to the right temperature – easily adjust the SteadyTemp™ dial to maintain desired temperature for up to 4 hours. This BBQ also includes weber q a removable QuickCollapse™ cart to make folding quick and easy. Plus, with the two side shelves, you will have extra preparation space along with drink holders for convenience.