In my testing, the Mini Big Green Egg has excellent heat control and, like the larger version, is extremely fuel-efficient. I wanted a charcoal grill that did not rapidly lose heat because Charcoal Grills Combo Grills its materials were too thin. I wanted a gas grill that kept a nice even temperature once it was set. I tried to cover both the “portable” part and the “grill” part in my testing.
This propane grill is sturdy, easy to use, and big enough to grill burgers for a small crowd. We rated the grills on ease of cleaning, including dumping any ash and unused charcoal for applicable models. After rating the grills’ overall performances in these areas, we looked at those scores and weighed them against their retail prices. Rating each area on a scale of Flat Top Grills Gas Grills Pellet one to five, we averaged the category scores to arrive at the final score for each grill. That’s a lot of hype, and I was prepared to be underwhelmed, but the Takibi lives up to the hype and then some. It folds flat, leaving more room in your trunk; the grill top is a grid so small things won’t fall through, and when you’re done cooking it turns into a fire pit.
This roundup was put together by The Spruce Eats commerce writer Jason Horn, who’s been writing about food and drinks for almost 20 years, and grilling for a lot longer than that. He chooses gas over charcoal for control and ease of use, plus he’s come up with a pretty solid method of smoking on a gas grill. Single-use grills exist, and while they may not be the most practical option for everyday use, if you have one long hike planned and want to do some grilling, this is a good option.
It’s easy to set up – it pops up and collapses on hydraulics with the flip of a lever. The single 9,000-BTU burner is fueled by a 16-ounce propane canister that conveniently stores in the base. 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 were able to roll the grill around easily, with the collapsible cart, and with the dedicated firebox and locking grill lid, we didn’t spread ashes wherever we went with it. The Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal Grill makes grilling with charcoal easy, fast, and clean.
Sturdiness is a big factor for safety and sanity when considering a tabletop or pop-up model. A grill that rocks and wobbles will provide significant challenges when you attempt to cook on it. As a rule of thumb, a grill with thicker construction will retain and spread heat better than one with thin walls and bottoms, with some exceptions. The Everdure CUBE, Expert Grill Combo Grills for example, has thinner construction but is specifically designed to distribute heat evenly. One of the only problems encountered was correctly positioning the grates. Still, we found it heated quickly and was ready to cook in 10 minutes after adding lit charcoal from a chimney, while side vents gave us greater control over lower-temperature cooking.
She’s done firsthand testing of the Weber Q2200, which took the overall spot on this list, as well as the Masterbuilt Bluetooth Digital Electric Smoker and more. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions.