This will let you get used to the short space between the charcoal and grates. The corners of rectangular grills have a tendency to collect ash and other residue, so you’ll probably have to spend a little more time than you like thoroughly cleaning this grill after each use. Carrying this grill to various different cookout sites is easier than ever thanks to the Tuck-N-Carry lid lock. With a name like “Jumbo Joe” at first glance this doesn’t exactly scream portable grill. Our team of barbecue experts has put these grills to the test to see how well they perform, and how portable they really are.
Grills that evenly distribute the heat across the entire grate cook food more consistently. Extreme hotspots cause patchy charring and require you to babysit your dinner, and flare-ups are annoying and can make food taste like burnt oil. The Weber Q 2200 Gas Grill offers the same high-quality build and stellar grilling performance as our top pick, the Weber Q 1200, but with a 48% bigger grilling grate and 41% higher Btu output. However, this 40-pound portable grill isn’t lightweight by any stretch of the imagination. We conducted two sets of tests for scoring, depending on whether the grill was gas-fueled or charcoal.
You’ll need to safely dispose of grease and wipe down the grill grates to avoid any mishaps (yes, dirty grills and grease traps can attract bears). Make sure to have the proper grill brush for your grates, since warm grates are easier to clean. If you’re going to be carrying your grill with you, take into account how easy it is to pack up.
Although we wouldn’t want the Grill2Go as a primary patio grill, it’s a decent dedicated portable for camping and tailgating. Char-Broil’s five-year warranty covers the burners, lid, and firebox. It would be difficult to get a full-size grill to work comfortably in these scenarios, but luckily, there are plenty of portable electric, charcoal, and gas grills available.
The strong carrying strap is more than fit for purpose, then the cork lid cleverly doubles as a heatproof mat when using the grill on grass. When alight, the lid also acts as the vent to allow or prevent too much air coming into the firebox from the bottom. A Traeger wood pellet grill is the best choice for tailgating because it will give you superior cooking results and is safer than gas or charcoal. Portable charcoal grills are, for the most part, just smaller versions of backyard charcoal grills. Most are designed for use on a tabletop, though some have foldout legs so the grill can rest above the ground. Portable charcoal grills are a great way to bring the joy of outdoor cooking to a campsite or sporting event.
It takes several minutes to regain heat after this, especially once the grill is covered with food. We put all nine portable grills, gas and charcoal, through the same tests. We loaded the grates with 6-ounce burger patties (without weber q crowding, of course) and assessed the evenness of the heat, the temperature control, the searing performance, and any flare-ups. They’re commonly constructed from thin porcelainized steel with thin wire-rod grilling grates.
And worth noting you’ll also want two small propane tanks to get the whole grill lit. There’s also an adapter sold separately to rig it up to a full-sized tank if you prefer. Grill yourself silly no matter where summer takes you with a high-performance and highly portable grill. Folds down to 17% of it’s volume, unfolds to become a complete grilling system WITH a lid. The GoBQ grill is the best gift you can give a foodie camper who loves all things grilled outdoors. It’s ideal for social distancing when you want to “Grill Away From it All” far from crowds.
This wallet-friendly offering from Oilzz won’t win any design awards. But if you’re after something that’s cheaper than the food you’ll be cooking on it, then look no further. Essentially a charcoal grill tray with folding legs, it’s about as basic a BBQ as you can get. It’s quick to reach temperature, hitting the top temp in just five minutes. The 44cm x 28cm cooking area is generous and the entire unit is compact enough to take camping, too.
The Char-Broil Grill2Go’s best features are its compactness and its easy-to-carry design. Two clips in the front hold the whole unit tightly together, and you can effortlessly carry the whole thing with one hand (super convenient if you need to lug it a few hundred yards). The Q 1200’s small fold-out side tables are handy for keeping grill tools within reach, though we wouldn’t feel confident resting a large tray brimming with meat or other heavy things on them. The thermometer in the dome lid is nice, but it isn’t necessary other than for letting you know when the grill is hot and ready.
For this reason, wood pellet grills are often permitted on patios or balconies — while gas and charcoal grills, which do use open flame for cooking, are prohibited. Cast-aluminum fireboxes are durable, corrosion resistant, and excellent at evenly absorbing and reflecting heat, so you have fewer hotspots. This means you don’t have to obsessively babysit your barbecued chicken to prevent excessive charring.