Performance-wise, it cooks consistently across the grates without hot or cool spots. While it is one of the heavier grills we tested, the wheels make moving the grill around a simple task. Cleanup is easy using a top-down approach of wiping the inside of the lid with soapy water, cleaning the grates with a grill brush, and emptying the grease collector.
I’ll run through some of the main features of this grill, before listing what I liked and what I didn’t like, and then get into the nitty-gritty of what it was like cooking on this grill. Although a bit too large to be considered seriously for camping, the Napoleon also scored high in packability and transport—it collapses “like a stroller,” and has large, hefty weber gas grill wheels. A clip on the lid keeps everything in place in this beach- and apartment-friendly grill. After testing models for their portability, ease of use, safety, and (of course) ability to grill great food, we have favorites from Cuisinart, Weber, and more. Lesley Stockton is a senior staff writer reporting on all things cooking and entertaining for Wirecutter.
Then, we rated them on how easy they were to light, add charcoal (if applicable), and how long they took to reach a cooking temperature. 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. Like the PKGO, the NOMAD can function as a closed grill, or you can use each side independently as a hibachi-style cooker, doubling the cooking space. The magnetic grates stay in place when transported, are slightly domed for strength, and can invert for use as a vegetable cooker basket.
We’ve tested an older version of the Lodge Sportsman’s Pro Cast Iron Grill, a hibachi-style grill that generates an intense amount of heat and excels at searing, making it ideal for steaks. But the lidless design limits its ability to tackle slow-cooking tasks. At 30 pounds and with a long cool-down time (again, cast iron), it’s also not going to be very portable. But if you’re not likely to grill frequently, a portable grill is a fine option. For one, it can be broken down or tucked away in storage (and it should be when not in use, to minimize weather-induced corrosion).
Portable gas grills are also usually easier and more intuitive to set up, use, and keep clean, so they’re great for beginners, or anyone who doesn’t want to invest too much effort into cooking a few burgers. That aside, foods cooked fairly evenly and sported aesthetically pleasing grill marks in our tests. And with generally good cooking results, it’s an easy model for weber portable grill someone to get started with gas grilling. More space between the coal bed and the grilling grate also lessens your chances of ending up with charred food and allows you to create hot and cold spots for searing and indirect cooking. There are plenty of older portable gas grills on the market, but in my opinion, they’ve either been too small or inconvenient to transport.
These helped keep grease and drippings away from the flames while still allowing ambient heat to brown between grill marks. In our tests, burgers from the Q 1200 had the most seared surface area of all the burgers we grilled, and more browning means better flavor. It also has a very generously-sized usable cooking area, making it ideal for grilling for a crowd (we’re thinking it will be popular with tailgators). It earned points for usability, with testers commenting on the ease of setup, propane tank attachment, and lighting.
The NOMAD is sleek but has few frills and is all about functionality. The design that keeps heat in and dissipates what heat does transfer to the exterior justifies much of the cost while making it a safer grill all around. It has side dampers to adjust airflow and regulate the temperature when it’s closed. The built-in thermometer skewed about 30 degrees lower than our test probes, but the heat retention was very good overall. Keeping coals lit in the Weber Smokey Joe Charcoal Grill 14″ was a challenge. This smaller Weber kettle comes equipped with only one vent, located in the lid.
It weighs about 30 pounds, and you need two hands to carry it, because it doesn’t have a latch to hold the lid securely to the firebox. 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. Wirecutter staff who have used the Q 1200 at home have found it easy to clean both the grates and the grease tray under the grill. You don’t need to buy Weber’s specialty tins for the grease tray either—instead, just line the catch pan with aluminum foil and pull it off when you’re done. Portable grills aren’t just for camping, picnicking, and tailgating; they’re also great for city and apartment dwellers with limited outdoor space. And they can be a good option if you don’t have the budget for a full-size grill.