First, the grill top is small, with space for only one or two steaks on it at a time. Finally — and this is the most significant issue — the low-heat performance is virtually nonexistent. The heat options are adjustable, but they would best be described as “High” to “Extremely High.” Further, the lid is only for portability; you cannot close it while cooking. Steaks are prepared very, very nicely, but other foods are nearly impossible to cook well. If you need some help rounding out your camp kitchen, we’ve tested hundreds of products. We’ve tested everything from camping cookware and tables to the ideal coffee making devices for your outdoor forays.
Perhaps the best thing about the FirePit is that when dinner’s over, you can lower the fuel rack and turn it into, well, a fire pit. And of course it can recharge your devices, but there’s something vaguely sacrilege about sitting around the fire charging your phone. Fans have added thermometers, fastened knobs to make it easier to open and close vents, attached hanging ashcans, and come up with creative ways to cook taller items, like beer-can chicken. We scrubbed the two nonstick plates in a kitchen sink and removed the large oval shape to wipe out the grease trap.
Grilling with wood pellets has become quite popular, and smaller portable pellet grills are now available. Some might argue that pellet grills offer the best flavor, and they also have easy temperature adjustments. However, pellet grills are often much more expensive than charcoal, propane, or electric grills. Plus, some models are modular, meaning setup could be time-consuming and complicated. The three main types of fuel sources for grilling are wood pellets, propane gas, and charcoal briquettes.
The problem is that the 13-inch grilling surface of the MiniMax can only grill for about four people. 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 portable bbq 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. There is an add-on cast iron coal bed ($26) that holds charcoal, but I don’t see it as necessary .
If you’ve decided you want a portable charcoal grill, there is nothing like the Nomad—it’s expensive but worth it. Not only is it easy to pack and carry, it excelled at every cooking task I gave it. If you prefer a portable propane grill, Weber’s Traveler combines the quality Weber grills are generally known for with a smart design that is ready to take on the road. In a world where the Nomad didn’t exist, the Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler would be the top charcoal choice here. This grill feels like Oklahoma Joe’s just hit one of their full-size grills with a shrink ray.
We found that this Weber model is capable of grilling six large burger patties, a whole cut-up chicken, or 10 bratwurst links at a time. And the single-tube 8,500 Btu burner runs along three edges for better heat distribution, so all of that space is usable. Charcoal grills give food a distinct smoky flavor that so many people love, which is why the Weber Smokey Joe Portable Grill is such a popular product. This compact grill is basically a miniature version of Weber’s cult-favorite charcoal grill, and it’s the perfect cooking device to take on the road with you. From lightweight grills that are ideal for camping to larger models perfect for a tailgate, we list our picks for the best portable grills to help you decide.
In addition to performance, we test ease of use and score each grills on the types of features they have like shelves, storage space, amount of wheels, etc. We also ensured our winning portable grills could be transported easily by one person. Like most of Weber’s grills, the Q1200 has a disposable drip tray below the grill, which makes clean-up much easier than some portable grills with drip trays that need to be washed out periodically.
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.
Every grill flared somewhat, but the Q have heavy enameled cast-iron grates that are closed over the burners, which helps keep the flaring under control. Warm weather is still a ways off for many of us, but this is time of year when, like a groundhog, the weber genesis 2 grill starts to poke out of the snow and show its rusty, neglected self. If you’re in need of a new grill this year, here’s our guide to the very best portable grills. We’ve researched and tested dozens of portable grills to see which can brat the best.
The fuel source can make a big difference in determining which type of portable grill you buy. Of the one-burner grills, the mid-sized models offer a wide range of control options. On all that we currently include in the review, the knob and regulators allow a clearer and wider range of burner output. Control, then, is mostly a function of burner shape, grill shape, and the relative interaction of these two features. Large burners, relative to the grill size, distribute heat more evenly to the grill top. We found the u-shaped burner of the Camp Chef Portable BBQ to be one of the best single burners in our review.