Though cast iron adds an extra 5 to 10 pounds to the total weight of a grill, we think the flavorful dark crust on burgers and steaks makes it worthwhile. We also prefer an open grate design that allows ambient heat from the firebox to brown the areas in between the grill marks. We found that stainless steel solid grates with small perforations don’t let enough ambient heat through to brown the food properly. Summers are meant for grilling, but you may not have the space or budget for a full-size grill.
For charcoal purists, we recommend the Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill 18″. It’s just as capable as a full-size kettle at searing and grilling food to perfection. Get better food for better cookouts every time you grill on the Char-Broil® Performance Series™ TRU-Infrared™ 4-Burner Gas Grill. TRU-Infrared™ cooking technology gives you the confidence to grill your entire meal with no flare-ups and even heat for juicier food.
Some people report that the handle gets a bit hot to the touch, but most users say the handle stays nice and cool. Assembly of this 4 burner gas grill is relatively simple and easy, though some users have expressed that the instructions can be confusing. The grill is maneuverable and features two wheels and two stationary legs. If you’re planning a cookout in another location, a portable grill that’s easy to maneuver can make things a lot more convenient. The burners feature stainless steel heat tents above them as well for safe grilling and to prevent juices from dripping onto the burners and causing flare-ups. A well-made and sturdy grill, the Char-Broil Performance series holds its own against the more expensive Weber.
E tested three top-rated gas grills and chose Char-Broil – Performance as the best gas grill for the price. The five-burner Char-Broil performed identically to the excellent Weber Spirit II – E-310, which is twice as expensive. The Char-Broil gave us perfectly seared and evenly cooked steaks and juicy burgers and chicken. But if you want to upgrade, then the Weber’s superb build quality and impressive ignition and grease-management technology are worth the increased cost.
The carrying case for the Char-Broil Grill2Go isn’t weatherproof, but you can use a heavy-duty contractor-style garbage bag or a tarp for protection. The firebox cools quickly, and you can pack away your grill without having to smolder embers or dump ashes. This grill folds up like a suitcase, and you can carry it with one hand. Here’s our complete guide on how to use a charcoal chimney starter, why you should use it, and how to make sure you’re safe doing so. Thanks to the openings on the Performance Burner lid, you can also attach an electric rotisserie to the grill. If these surfaces have baked-on deposits, then you can use an abrasive plastic pad to clean them.
A great portable grill offers consistent heat, minimal flare-ups, a generous cooking area, and an easily totable design. We think the ideal capacity on a portable grill is enough to accommodate a full meal for two or a main course for a small crowd. Grills that evenly distribute the heat Blackstone Adventure 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 Performance burner grill works on liquid propane and has a cabinet for its tank.
We asked Q 1200 owners on staff if they had this issue, and they confirmed that attaching the propane was easy on their grills. We’re chalking this char broil performance up as a one-off problem unique to our test unit. Grills equipped with an accessible coupling for 1-pound liquid-propane canisters are a must.
He created About.com’s Meat and Wild Game Cooking website and published hundreds of recipes, interviews, cookbook reviews and blog posts about food trends. Gene is also a professional magician, and when he’s not writing for Your Best Digs, he’s performing at the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. At half the price of the Weber we tested, the Char-Broil – Performance is a fantastic value for this well-made and sturdy grill that we believe will last you several grilling seasons. A couple of minor design flaws — a misplaced temperature gauge, for one — aren’t deal-breakers. The Char-Broil – Performance seared steak and burgers to perfection and slow-cooked chicken so it had juicy meat and crispy skin.
Before or after each use, crank it up to high for five or 10 minutes to incinerate all the drippings and stuck-on food. Scrape the hot grates with a grill brush, wipe them with a wet rag to remove the soot, and brush them with vegetable oil. Of weber spirit 2 all the portable propane grills we tested, the Weber Q 1200 grilled foods the most consistently. Portable grills aren’t just for camping, picnicking, and tailgating; they’re also great for city and apartment dwellers with limited outdoor space.