However, if you are looking for a better price to quality ratio, you should look elsewhere. Considering the smoky flavor that the pellet grill delivers at a very affordable price point, I have to say that it offers great value for money from all aspects. Wear the right kind of clothing while grilling and ensure that loose ends of the dress or shirt do not come in contact with the flame. In addition, use long-handled tools that are specially designed for grilling food items.
Preventing grease and fire contact is especially important since the cooking grates on portable gas grills sit very close to the heating element (usually a 1- to 1½-inch clearance). Steel inserts that sit over the flame ports can help, as can a cleverly designed grilling grate that channels grease away from the fire. After testing five propane models, we’re confident that the Weber Q 1200 Gas Grill is the best portable gas grill. In our tests, the Q 1200 outperformed the competition at both high-heat searing and low-and-slow grilling, with the fewest flare-ups. It has a cast-aluminum firebox that evenly distributes heat across its 189-square-inch grilling grate.
For charcoal, electric, and pellet options that cannot be measured the same way, we drew upon evidence from testing and an infrared thermometer to measure internal grill temperatures. We also factored in the number of burners weber charcoal grill of each product, how well the grill body insulated heat and the volume of the coal bed. Our thorough testing process began with scouring the internet for the latest and greatest products across the portable grill market.
Portable grills tend to weigh anywhere from 2 pounds to a whopping 50 pounds, and that weight can affect portability. 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. It has two large carrying candles and latches on either side to hold all of the pieces in place. The bamboo lid doubles as a cutting board that rests on top of a plastic container where you can store grilling accessories.
It weighs 22 pounds and has a handle with a bar that fits over the top to keep the kettle and lid together for easy carrying. I tossed mine in the back of the car for trips to the weber charcoal grill lake and the park and it never tipped over. The ash catcher at the bottom makes cleaning less of a hassle by allowing you to dump the excess without removing the grill grates.
The porcelain-coated cast-iron grates reduce flare-ups by shielding the flames and channeling grease and drippings around them 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. This superior grate is one of the big differences between the Q 1200 and our runner-up pick, the Char-Broil Grill2Go, whose perforated stainless-steel grate produced mostly lackluster browning. With 189 square inches of grilling area (17 by 12½ inches), the Weber Q 1200 has enough space to grill a full dinner for two or the main course for a small gathering.
Pellets are generally sold in 20-pound bags and cost a bit more than a similar-sized bag of charcoal, but they are dense and efficient. In our testing, we found that we can cook at least five times as long with a standard bag of pellets, including an all-day smoke or two. The cost of all three options can depend on your geographic location, fuel prices, and supply chain issues. Although this portable powerhouse reaches top temperatures with ease, it is more difficult to learn how to harness the heat of the grill surface for foods that require more low-and-slow cooking. But if you hope to regularly grill up delicious meals while on the road, the Weber Q 1200 is an accessible portable grill that is sure to appeal to both novice cooks and professional chefs alike.
If you don’t have space for a freestanding grill, you can still enjoy it with a tabletop version, like the Pit Boss Portable Gas Grill. This offers a cooking area of 275 square inches and two independently-controlled burners that give off 20,000 BTUs of heat . That’s enough power to reach temperatures over 550 degrees so you can definitely a good sear.
Lining up grills side-by-side to test the backyard ultra-classics, hamburgers and portabella-burgers. Beneath those head-sized ribeyes you can see the glowing orange Solaire heating element. Some folks mentioned having trouble with assembly and misaligned parts in verified purchase reviews.