The Traveler performed well in all our tests, boasting even heat throughout its 320 square inches of cooking space. That’s almost double the cooking space offered by the Weber Q 1200, which only has 189 square inches. With the Traveler’s large cooking surface, you could easily grill 14 to 15 burgers, at the same time.
Our top pick is the Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill because of its quick and even heating and easy assembly. For an even lighter portable option, our tester loved the weber q Cuisinart Petit Gourmet Gas Grill—and it’s cheaper than the Weber. She’s an expert on all things home, including kitchen appliances, grills, and other cooking gadgets.
The fact that the carrying handle doubles as a lid holder is also useful for keeping an eye on the food when cooking. Weber’s portable charcoal and gas grills offer the same grilling standard you get from your home models at a fraction of the size. This makes them easy to load into the car on game day, take backcountry camping or just change up your grilling spot at home. While slow-cooking on the Takibi would be challenging, you can at least adjust the grill height to control temperature. It is designed to let heat out the sides, as well as up to the cooking surface, so it’s slightly less efficient than a covered grill, but this is only really a factor when cooking large cuts of meat . The GoBQ did an admirable job of cooking our burgers and chicken drumsticks.
From Weber camping grills to tabletop grills, shop a variety of grill sizes and styles to find your perfect portable gas grill at Ace Hardware today. The fan did indeed cut down on smoke blowing in my eyes and both the charcoal and wood burned nicely giving me both food and then warmth after dinner as I sipped a nightcap. It also functioned well as a grill with good ventilation to keep the coals hot — although the cooking capacity is on the small side. The Cuisinart gas grill is definitely lighter and a bit more portable than the Weber. It also feels slightly less sturdy while grilling, but is not flimsy by any means. At just over $100, it is the best portable grill on a budget — especially if you don’t plan to use it more than a handful of times per summer.
The base and lid structure is made from durable yet flexible silicone-coated fiberglass fabric, which can withstand very high temperatures. This type of fabric is already used in the food and restaurant industry for oven conveyor belts and grilling mats, so it’s safe for cooking. The GoBQ® Grill is the world’s first and only portable grill made from fire/heat resistant fabric. No longer must you be confined to grilling within the boundaries of your backyard, or steps from your SUV. Gas and electric certainly have their place in terms of consistency and convenience when cooking outside, but they arguably also reduce the authenticity of the results to some degree. That said, if camping or barbecuing in the wilderness, then gas is far and away the safest option.
The auger made a high-pitched screeching noise when in use, and it kicked on every two to three minutes when used at high-heat searing temperatures. When the time came to clean up, we found the ashes were hard to remove from the GoBQ. There’s no ash basket, so you have to wait for the grill to cool down, remove the grill grate, and turn the whole grill over to remove any ashes. The Traveler comes built into a rolling cart that stands at the perfect height for most grillers. It has one large, sturdy side table that had no problem holding a plate full of food.
We tested it at both high and medium temperature ranges, and it maintained consistent temperatures without wavering more than 10°F from the setting. Pricewise, the Ranger is one of the more expensive portable grills we’ve tested, but it excelled when it came to performance. Unlike a full-sized grill, portable grills take up very little space and are easy to move around. They’re also a great option for anyone who only wants to grill occasionally, while camping or in the middle of a tailgate party. Cast-aluminum fireboxes are durable, corrosion resistant, and excellent at evenly absorbing and reflecting heat, so you have fewer hotspots.
We also ensured our winning portable grills could be transported easily by one person. We love the lid, which has two vents that stay cool enough to adjust during cooking, stays put on the grill in the open position and has a large, oversized handle for easy check-ins. Best of all, the lid can be inverted onto an included base and used as a second grill.