The 7 Best Portable Grills of 2023 Tested

Whether you’re an avid tailgater or off-roading enthusiast, the HitchFire Forge 15 is a worthwhile splurge for those who are always grilling on the go. This heavy-duty propane grill can be used on a table, but what makes it special is its included mount, which attaches to a 2-inch vehicle hitch. Once installed, you can drive, off-road, and cook with the grill mounted to the rear of your car. We were truly impressed at how secure the HitchFire felt when mounted to a truck, and it never budged on a 350-mile drive. Ever wish you could get your grill on outside of your backyard?

This grill is excellent for camping, picnics, or home use, especially for people with limited space who want a grill that performs well. The only real drawbacks are its weight and size, but the performance for the price makes up for those in our eyes. 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. With special attention to whether you need to thoroughly clean it on the spot, or can you close it up and contain the mess until you get home.

Put the chips in the drip tray ear the side where the vent is formed in the lid to give it oxygen. Crank the heat to get weber gas grill the grill to full temp and get the chips burning. Once the chips are smoking good, add your meat and adjust the temp.

weber portable grill

Good job I checked a minute later because the extraordinarily high heat seared the skin of the wings so quickly I had to immediately drop the temperature to a more manageable level. Impressively, the temperature reduced as quickly as a gas grill and the wings came off the grate just the right side of edible – my bad for not reducing the heat fast enough. If you love barbecuing but you live in an area where the use of gas or charcoal is restricted, the new Weber Lumin Compact might just be the answer to your dilemma. This little titan – along with its larger sibling – uses the power of electricity to bring searing, grilling, steaming and smoking to your balcony, patio, caravan or boat with effortless swagger. The Masterbuilt is also set up to control temperature precisely thanks to a charcoal hopper that sits off to the side, next to a (battery- or outlet-powered) fan to blows hot air into the main cooking area.

Do yourself a favor, throw away your lighter fluid and get a charcoal chimney starter ($27). It weighs 22 pounds and has a handle with a bar that fits over the top to keep the kettle and lid together for easy carrying. I tossed mine in the back of the car for trips to the lake and the park and it never tipped over. The ash catcher at the bottom makes cleaning less of a hassle by allowing you to dump the excess without removing the grill grates. After that, we grilled 12 thick onion slices, 12 burgers, and 12 accompanying buns per grill. We cooked each for a prescribed amount of time at a specified temperature setting and observed how the grill behaved, noting any variations of doneness on varying spots of the grill, flare-ups, or sticking.

There was one person who asked if he could hook the propane version to his large propane tank for his house. I personally see no problem because the grill comes with its own regulator, but I advise you to call Weber or a local installer to make sure this is possible. Cast aluminum is also better at retaining heat than pressed aluminum because it is thicker. This lid is not welded but made out of one piece of aluminum.The light on the grill handle was mentioned as very handy. As I mentioned I am not a big fan of a battery-operated ignition, but the one on this Q3200 seems to work pretty well. 1 or 2 of the almost 150 reviews I read mention the grill not getting hot enough.

This could be caused by the safety feature in the regulator and you can check how to fix that in our post about how to solve gas grill regulator problems. The grill still comes with split grates that will give the opportunity to replace one of them with a griddle for breakfast cooking. The extra grate or griddle can be stored in the grill with the gas tank. And because electricity is a much cleaner form of energy than charcoal or gas, electric BBQs are much better for the environment. If you’re planning a beach BBQ, there are a few factors you’ll want to consider when choosing a grill.

When you are close to done, leave the lid closed and shut off the gas. At its highest temperature, this heating element glows red hot and draws 2.2kW of power which is about the same as an average kettle. You can probably find charcoal en route to your destination, but you’ll have to factor in lighting the fire and any tools needed, plus waiting to deal with the cooled ashes after. Propane might take a special trip to the home improvement or camping store to get enough canisters, but it means lighting the grill at the touch of a button and not having to dispose of ashes post-barbecue. Electric grills don’t require you to make space for a heavy bag of charcoal or to have enough fuel on hand, but, depending on your final destination, it might be hard to find a working outlet when it’s time to eat. It’s big enough to roast a chicken, sear a couple of large steaks at a time, or fit about six 12-inch skewers.

Simply place the water over the grill’s burner and turn it on high—if you’re able to shut the grill’s lid over it, you’ll be able to speed up the process. If you can’t shut the lid, it will take significantly longer, but the water will eventually reach its boiling point. She’s an expert on all things home, including kitchen appliances, grills, and other cooking gadgets. If you can’t face the prospect of going without your Big Green Egg for a weekend, the MiniMax Big Green Egg is much smaller, but it still isn’t terribly portable.