The Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman’s Grill L410 was a longtime favorite of Wirecutter senior staff writer Lesley Stockton for its intense heat. The new design, the Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman’s Pro Grill, maintains the all-cast-iron build, but it features a new manual sliding ventilation mechanism. We haven’t tested this new version, but in her experience with the previous Lodge, Lesley found that the hibachi-style grill excelled at high-heat searing, making it ideal for steaks. Since the whole grill was cast iron, it held an intense amount of heat. But the lidless design limited its ability to tackle slow-cooking tasks. 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.
We give the Jumbo Joe points for having an ash catcher, even though it’s just a flimsy aluminum pan. But at least there’s a barrier to keep hot embers from falling on your patio or deck. The Char-Broil Grill2Go can handle up to six large burger patties at a time without crowding. Charcoal is smokier than gas, a possible issue for smaller, fenced-in spaces.
We analyzed how well each grill produced grill marks and was able to create the Maillard reaction that produces the tasty dark-brown crust on meat. For our kabobs, we looked at how evenly the grill roasted when the lid was closed, checking for even cooking in the meat. Like other charcoal portable grills, the Cuisinart reached well above the required heat needed to sear meat.
For a given temperature setting on each, the Gonzo grill top presents a more uniform temperature than the Petite Gourmet. You have more options to move your food around to different temperature zones on the rectangular grates, but you have greater uniformity of cooking conditions across the top of the Gonzo. For this metric, we had to consider how different methods of heat production compared among different grills across the board. For gas, we looked at the number of BTUs each product generates. For charcoal and electric 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 of each product, how well the grill body insulated heat, and the volume of the coal bed.
Many HOA or other property regulations prohibit the use of open flame grills which can cause dangerous flare-ups and spread to other units on the property. Portable charcoal and gas grills are both open-flame cooking methods. Most are designed for use on a tabletop, though some have foldout legs so the grill can rest above the ground. Nevertheless, once we sorted out how to strategically set the charcoal, we could reliably create an indirect heat zone. Venture to new places this summer and relax with a freshly grilled meal thanks to this portable gas grill by Cuisinart. Otherwise, carry it to the park to grill some hotdogs this Fourth of July weekend.
The 31-pound Weber Q 1200 is still surprisingly portable due to useful handles. Special mention should be given to the fact that it can be purchased as a tabletop model , or can easily be integrated into a separate wheelable, folding stand for enhanced parking lot convenience. Single-burner options, like the Cuisinart Grillster, often don’t afford the same amount of control over temperature zones as other multi-burner grills.
Since the area of the basin exactly matches the surface area of the grill, we were then able to spread out those coals to create targeted heat zones. I consulted three experts, combined with my own expertise, to get their thoughts on what makes a great portable grill, then scoured the market for the best options. After combing the market for volumes of online reviews for these products, I weighed them against several criteria, including value, ease of use, consistency, and quality of construction. The weight of a grill brings the question of how much effort you want to put into moving your portable grill. The grills weighing in at over 50 pounds will require some assistance for you to move, unload, and stow safely, while the smaller models can be shuttled about with relative ease. The variety of portable grills on the market may seem daunting, but we’ve enlisted the help of three experts in the field to help you find the right grill for your needs.
Two clips in the front hold the whole unit tightly together, and you can effortlessly carry the whole thing with one hand . Weighing over 40 pounds portable bbq , the Weber Q 2200 stretches the meaning of “portable” to its limits. However, the Q 2200 is still an excellent grill for small backyard spaces.
In fact, in our tests the grill surface got so hot that we needed to keep close tabs on our burger and kabobs to avoid overcooking the outside. This intense heat allowed us to achieve a thick char on the surface of our burger, which turned out juicy and flavor packed. portable bbq At less than 10 pounds and under 15 inches in diameter, the Smokey Joe was easy to carry and took up little space in the trunk of our car. However, it lacks any sort of mechanism to lock the lid to the base, which forced us to carry it in our arms, which gets messy.