Charcoal, with its inherent messiness, may not be ideal depending on your portable grill needs but this is a workhorse that will get the job done and last you a good while. Plus, it clocks in at a budget-friendly $48 (for the black model), making it my pick for the best cheap portable charcoal grill. The Cuisinart Petite Gourmet is one of the smallest grills in our tests, and the size does affect control. It has a fairly uniform temperature, but the shape of the grate and burner gives you the option to move your food around to different temperature zones in case you are needing some range for different foods.
Of the one-burner grills, the mid-sized models offer a wide range of control options. On all that we currently include in the review, the knob and regulators allow a clearer and wider range of burner output. Control, then, is mostly a function of burner shape, grill shape, and the relative interaction of these two features. Large burners, relative to the grill size, distribute heat more evenly to the grill top. We found the u-shaped burner of the Camp Chef Portable BBQ to be one of the best single burners in our review.
It’s also nice-looking with flare-out trays to hold your plates and grilling tools, plus an ergonomic design. Despite its sturdy build, the Q-1200 is still light and limber enough for a camping grill to take on a camping trip or for one person to carry with relative ease. This grill, like all on the list, can use any small propane tank sold at most camping or hardware stores. In the end, Weber still makes our favorite portable grill overall, but there are other models that may be a better fit depending on your grilling wants and needs. For the size and price, it may be tough to find a compact grill more powerful than the Cuisinart Grillster. Not only is it incredibly fuel-efficient, but this portable powerhouse reaches peak temperature within a matter of minutes after clicking the piezo lighter.
The Cuisinart Grillster has the power you need to sear steaks, but due to its lower-end price point, it lacks the overall control of better grills. The Char-Broil Grill2Go is slightly more expensive but cooks with the quality of an infrared burner and includes additional features like a thermometer built into the lid. If you’re looking for a larger weber charcoal grill propane grill, the Coleman Roadtrip 285 is more of an investment but performs on par with many non-portable patio grills. If you’re ready to jump into the pellet world, it’s going to cost you – these types of cookers are not cheap. That said, the Camp Chef Portable Pellet’s price is fairly reasonable considering its top-notch performance.
For those excellent cuts of red meat that require nothing more than a touch of flame, this is the best portable grill on the market. In addition to performance, we test ease of use and score each grills on the types of features they have like shelves, storage space, amount of wheels, etc. We also ensured our winning portable grills could be transported easily by one person. The NOMAD portable grill sports a modern design, folding together like a briefcase for carrying, with heat dissipation in mind to keep the exterior cool while cooking.