If the cord, electric heating element, or controls are damaged or worn, do not attempt to repair them yourself. Use heat resistant gloves or mitts or a hot pad to remove or replace the cover during cooking. Lesley Stockton is a senior staff writer reporting on all things cooking and entertaining for Wirecutter. Her expertise builds on a lifelong career in the culinary world—from a restaurant cook and caterer to a food editor at Martha Stewart.
Being a single-burner grill, the Venture made it a little tricky to manage heat when cooking thicker meats like bone-in chicken, as it’s hard to get away from the heat for longer, indirect cooking. We set the burner on low for the 100 percent beef burgers we grilled, flipped them once, and then turned up the heat to imprint sear lines from the cast-iron grate. Since you’ve come here looking for a portable grill, we thought it made sense to recommend one for those of you who prize portability above all other features. Everything but the grill grate on the GoBQ is made of flame-retardant fabric, and the whole thing weighs nine pounds and packs easily into something about the size of a knife roll. It would probably even fit in a purse, if you had a big purse. Like the Q above, Weber’s Traveler uses a single burner that wraps around the entire bottom of the grill.
There is an add-on cast iron coal bed ($26) that holds charcoal, but I don’t see it as necessary . 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 allows you to take this small grill anywhere, including on a long hike. Setup was a snap — you simply unhinge the sides and the entire thing opens up like a clamshell.
These review editors rigorously assessed these grills, distributing them to friends to offer a fresh perspective. We cannot guarantee that the Go-Anywhere will boast the same heat output as its gas-powered competitors — that’s up to you and your coal-stoking abilities. There is certainly a learning curve to mastering different heat zones, but cooking over charcoal potentially offers an accuracy that cannot be matched when cooking with gas. The tightly fitting portable bbq vents are tough to adjust without gloves, and it takes time to skillfully manage these adjustments for perfect airflow. But we can assure you that with practice, this portable grill can allow you to master the art of cooking over an open flame and produce delicious food in the process, even on the go. The Grillster is great at searing steaks and other high-temperature cooking, but it is tough to control the overall range on this rip-roaring grill.
To determine scores in this metric, we loaded each product into vehicles, took them to picnics and campsites, and grilled gratifying culinary concoctions. When on these excursions, we took into account things like overall size, weight, construction materials, and availability of wheels, stands, or lid latches. We also evaluated how secure or not secure they were, noisiness during transport, and cleanliness on the ride home. Building an intensely hot coal bed, that can later be spread out to create individual heat zones, is a critical skill in mastering the art of charcoal grilling.
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.
You can pull the grills out for easy cleaning, there’s a drip pan to catch all the grease, and if you’re not in the grilling mood, it doubles as a Panini press. weber q If flavor is your only criterion, I would argue that charcoal is superior to propane gas. We don’t grill in beautiful meadows under a rainbow every day.
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