Lesley Stockton is a senior staff writer reporting on all things cooking and entertaining for Wirecutter. Her expertise builds on a lifelong career in the culinary world—from a restaurant cook and caterer weber genesis 2 to a food editor at Martha Stewart. She is perfectly happy to leave all that behind to be a full-time kitchen-gear nerd. Keeping coals lit in the Weber Smokey Joe Charcoal Grill 14″ was a challenge for us.
At above 40 pounds, this is not a grill that you will carry around a campsite, but it is perfect for tailgating on game day. Keep in mind that you will need a power source to operate this grill in the wilderness. A power inverter and a sealed lead acid battery will be necessary for such scenarios. There is also a drip tray to collect all the grease and clean the unit easily. This is another feature-rich grill from the popular “Q” series of Weber that is a highly versatile option. This is a grill that is all about top-class convenience and ease of transportation.
However, once it reached the desired temperature, we were very impressed by how even and steady the temperature remained. The flame from the pellet fire heats a large plate that simultaneously distributes heat and directs grease to the grease bucket. There’s no need to worry about having to add coals or switch out propane canisters with the Camp Chef Portable Pellet – you can simply top the pellet hopper off while the grill is in operation.
This grill can be set from “low smoke” to “high smoke”, and for temperatures ranging up to 550 degrees. The George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor 15+ may offer a huge grilling surface, but can only be operated on a single heat-setting. Notice that while the onions were just beginning to nicely char, our burgers were over-browning to a crisp. Higher BTUs produce more heat, but it is challenging to determine the heat output from the BTU rating alone. Grill size, construction materials, and design all contribute to how much heat will be produced on the actual grilling surface. U-shaped burners, as found on the Weber Q 1200, are the design of choice to efficiently deliver heat across the extent of a grill surface.
We loved the novelty of George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor grill for its ability to cook an entire meal outside, and then move onto the table for a Hibachi-style fajita night. The Coleman Roadtrip 285 is not the easiest grill to move, but the large wheels and long handle certainly help. The Camp Chef Portable Pellet has two digital meat probes that display a live view of your food’s internal temperature. The heat distribution of the Char-Broil 240 grill is not particularly even, likely because the distribution cap does not extend to the farthest reaches at either the front or back. BBQGuys does more than test and sell grills — we show you how to use them, too.
Flattop grills operate like traditional portable gas grills without lids, but their stainless steel tops act like griddles. They don’t provide the flame-kissed flavor of a charcoal grill, but temperature adjustments are pinpoint. It’s even possible to use some electric grills indoors, but of course they need to be plugged into an outlet, weber genesis 2 generator, or vehicle’s 12V outlet. Those who host frequent backyard cookouts tend to have firm opinions about what kind of grill keeps mouths watering. Picking the right portable grill to satisfy taste buds on the go—like for a camping trip or in a parking lot before the big game—means considering the same variables and then some.
Great for camping and super convenient, bigger than what I thought it was gonna be but still compact enough to fit everywhere I love it. We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. Even though the Weber Q 1200 neatly folds up (albeit into a not-so-compact package), the lack of a lid latch is perhaps more annoying than anything when considering the portability of this grill.
Portable grills come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including barrel-shaped and flat and rectangular. I bought this for use in our travel trailer trips, but when I did a trial grilling on our deck I was so pleased with the performance that I have used it for grilling almost all our meals since. It lights up immediately and maintains the grilling temperature very well. We have grilled Italian sausages, halibut fillets, London broil, chicken thighs, chicken breasts and tri tip, all done perfectly.
Our team found that this is plenty enough room to cook for a good-sized backyard BBQ or backcountry base camp. Smaller charcoal grills like the Weber Smokey Joe 14 can run out of heat if you don’t time your cooking just right. The Coleman Roadtrip 285 tops the list of our favorite propane models when it comes to grill control and temperature regulation. There are three dials that control the different zones, but all of those heat zones overlap.