I tried to cover both the “portable” part and the “grill” part in my testing. For those grills with wheels, I walked them around a large, uneven lawn with plenty of divots to see how they rolled. Among the charcoal models, the Weber Go-Anywhere scores top marks for control. Thanks to a relatively deep basin, we were able to build and stoke a substantial volume of coals to achieve the exact heat we desired.
Speaking of grease, it has a slide-out grease trap that’s easy to empty. It also has a built-in thermometer that’s reasonably accurate, but I still suggest getting a separate instant-read thermometer. Portable grills cost anywhere from $50 for a simple Weber charcoal grill all the way up to $500 or more for fancier gas and propane grills with bells and whistles galore.
The Roadtrip 285 produced better results from our white bread heat mapping test than any other grill we’ve tested. Our ranking of heat output also considered each manufacturer’s BTU reporting, grill surface area, and lid sealing and construction. For the most part, the scoring of the heat output follows manufacturer claims, but we made some exceptions based on our observations.
The Professional Portable Grill utilizes all of the same commercial grade components of the Blaze Professional Series built-in grills. This portable powerhouse uses an 12,000 BTU cast stainless steel H-burner and 12 gauge stainless steel flame tamer to reach incredibly even heat. Pair that with a 12 mm stainless steel cooking grid and you have gorgeous sear marks on the go! The Blaze Professional Portable Grill is also offered in a Marine Grade model that features a 316L stainless steel body. As far as portability, this table-top grill doesn’t break down to take up less space—what you see is what you get, and it might be difficult to transport in smaller cars.
If you have the space for something bigger, check out our guide to full-size charcoal grills. For more backyard-grilling options, check out our guide to full-size gas grills. We rated the grills on ease of cleaning, including dumping any ash and unused charcoal for applicable models. After rating the grills’ overall performances in these areas, we looked at those scores and weighed them against their retail prices. Rating each area on a scale of one to five, we averaged the category scores to arrive at the final score for each grill. Setup took less than 20 minutes, but instructions are very detailed and require close attention to succeed on the first try.
The small fold-out side tables are convenient for keeping grill tools within reach. And its roomy handles make this 30-pound grill comfortable for one person to carry, too. I often start these lists with some variation of “when I was young,” and I don’t mean to — it makes me seem like a curmudgeon. It’s just that, as an elder of Gen X, it’s hard to believe the grilling technologies on the market that have replaced the often-life-threatening pieces of equipment that were commonplace in my youth. They just happen to also be easy to move, light, cool, clean, and repack on top of that performance.
But the position of the side handles helps to evenly distribute its 30-pound heft and lessens the burden of hoisting and moving the grill. Portable grills aren’t just for camping, picnicking, and tailgating; they’re also great for city and apartment dwellers weber charcoal grill with limited outdoor space. Grills in this category should be light, small, and comfortable enough to carry from a car into a park or campground. If you’re planning a beach BBQ, there are a few factors you’ll want to consider when choosing a grill.
Camp Chef’s Barbecue Grill Box add-on includes convenient features such as a built-in thermometer, hinged lid, and easy to clean cast iron grate. In our test, the grill ran hot and quickly cooked chicken and steaks. If you’re searching for a gas grill you can bring on all your adventures that also performs well enough to be used at home, look no further than the Weber Q 2200. This portable grill has everything you need to cook up delicious meals, including 280 square inches of cooking space and two folding work tables to make food prep quick and easy. We tried it out, at home and on the road, to grill hot dogs, steaks, and veggies and were impressed with the final results each time. The Q 1200 remains at the top of our list of tabletop gas grills because it packs the performance of larger grills into a small form.