Do yourself a favor, throw away your lighter fluid and get a charcoal chimney starter ($27). Most grills performed about as well as advertised, with some topping weber charcoal grill out at as much as 100 F hotter than others. The better grills also generally ended up reading out a more consistent temperature throughout cooking.
You can grill fish, meat, and veggies to perfection anywhere, anytime. Full sized grilling capabilities in a portable package – cook anything from roasts to burgers. Shop Ace Hardware today to get the portable grill that’s right for you. Stop by your local Ace Hardware store and talk to a friendly staff member. Whether you’re an avid tailgater or off-roading enthusiast, the HitchFire Forge 15 is a worthwhile splurge for those who are always grilling on the go.
As there are two burners, you can cook at two different heat settings. When you’re making fajitas, you can sear the skirt steak on high at the same time that you’re sautéing the onions and peppers over low. Control is the criteria that most distinctly separates the highest performers from the rest of the contenders. For gas and electric, this metric was scored based on weber q how many burners each product has and whether they can be adjusted to high, medium, and low temperatures. For charcoal, we assessed how easy it was to maneuver the coal bed to create heat zones. We also considered if the grilling surface presents a consistent temperature throughout, whether it includes a thermometer or push-button ignition, and how well both perform.
A temperature dial lets you control the heat easily and quickly, just as on a kitchen range. This control helps to mitigate flare-ups, excessive charring, or undercooking. In our tests, steak and chicken cooked quickly and got nice char marks without any flare-ups. Ash falls through the coal holder holes onto the bottom of the grill for a neat grilling experience, and the stainless grill grate is small and easy to wash in your sink once you get home. All you need to do is take the lid off and use it as the base of your grill.
This barbie in a stainless steel tube is just the ticket for the picnicker, beach bum, hiker, climber, Bear Grylls wannabe or anyone with very little room in the backpack. The LotusGrill works by creating a bellows effect that forces cool air over the charcoal, turning it into a raging inferno, albeit a safe one. Available in a range of cheerful colours, the LotusGrill is ideal for small patios, balconies, campsites, picnics and boats – its 12-inch grill is good for up to four hungry gannets. At just 4kgs, it’s also easy to carry a fair old distance without your arms falling off. This award-winning barbie uses a built-in battery-powered fan to get the whole thing up to cooking temperature in three and a half minutes flat, and with no choking smoke in the process. What’s more, it’ll go on grilling for up to an hour on only a small handful of charcoal.
The Q2000 doubles the cooking area of the 1000 and 1200 with the same folding side tables. This portable gas grill has been a Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab favorite for years. It’s small and compact, which makes it quite portable, yet sturdy and powerful for good, fast cooks. We’ve tested both this model and the larger stand-up model with shelves, and were impressed with the sear marks we got on chicken, steak, burgers and hot dogs. The portable bbq Grill is perfect for grilling just about anywhere. A 12,000 BTU tube burner under the grill is perfect to grill up some burgers, steaks, or whatever is on the menu.
We also had a few more flare-ups with the Grill2Go than with our other picks. British thermal units are a measure of maximum heat output over the course of an hour. The output on portable gas grills ranges from 4,000 to over 13,000 Btu. But more heat alone doesn’t equate to better grilling performance, as a grill’s performance is based on a combination of output, design, and quality of materials. In our tests, the side shelf proved to be useful, as did the tool holders located on the front of the grill. Beneath the shelf, we found that the one-pound propane tank attached easily.
The Cuisinart Petit Gourmet Portable Gas Grill is ideal for camping thanks to its unique design, which converts from a freestanding model into a tabletop model in seconds with telescoping legs. To help you find the perfect option to take on the go, here are the best portable gas grills. If you have access to an electrical outlet, you can also opt for an electric grill, like the Weber Q 2400 Portable Grill. This grill offers 280 square inches of cooking space and a 6-foot grounded cord, letting you cook for a crowd wherever you go. The Everdure Cube by Heston Blumenthal is a cute little charcoal grill that’s easy to carry and comes in a number of color options.
You don’t get this uncompromising high-heat cooking performance without some drawbacks. First, the grill top is small, with space for only one or two steaks on it at a time. Finally — and this is the most significant issue — the low-heat performance is virtually nonexistent. The heat options are adjustable, but they would best be described as “High” to “Extremely High.” Further, the lid is only for portability; you cannot close it while cooking.
If you want portable charcoal grilling in a truly portable package, this is the best small grill to buy. It’s only nine pounds — the lightest of any on this list — and with the fitted carrying case can be slung right over your shoulder and taken out for grilling on the go. This take-anywhere charcoal grill is probably the most portable of all the grills I tested and is perfect for campers or hikers who need a small, portable grill while on the move. While camping, you want to be able to make bacon and eggs for breakfast as easily as steaks and pork chops for dinner. This grill has a flat griddle cooking surface that’s good for grilling just about anything. You won’t get grill marks, but you will get even browning whether you’re making flapjacks or burgers.