There’s also the potential for it to come apart in transit, dumping leftover charcoal bits and ash into the trunk. Weber does make a premium version of the Smokey Joe that has a lid-locking mechanism, but you’ll pay more for it. The Smokey Joe comes with a loose lid that doesn’t attach to the weber genesis 2 base, which is a little inconvenient if you’re looking for a place to put it when it’s blazing hot. The three-hole vents located on the top and bottom of the grill provide ample airflow through the kettle, giving us a surprising amount of control over the Smokey Joe’s internal temperature.
With a top-notch portable grill, you can fill your tailgating zone with the irresistible aroma of low and slow ribs, grilled steak, or smoked chicken. Charcoal grills can be a good choice for wide-open spaces, but in any confined space charcoal isn’t ideal. For one thing, when charcoal is lit it gives off an unpleasant odor and smoke that can’t be easily controlled. And charcoal briquettes are prone to flare-ups that could cause a dangerous situation whether you’re in the woods or on a friend’s small deck. A good portable grill gives you the flexibility to cook in confined spaces like balconies or small patios, and also brings your grill to outdoor parties, tailgates, and camping trips.
David lives in Brooklyn where he’s logged more than a decade writing about all things edible, including meal kits and meal delivery subscriptions, cooking, kitchen tech and commerce. These days, he’s likely somewhere trying the latest this or tasting the latest that – and reporting back, of course. Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Kitchen Appliance and Culinary Innovation Lab where she oversees all kitchen appliance content and testing. This is her third season testing grills for Good Housekeeping and has had her hands on at least 35 grills and counting. She’s a professional, trained cook, recipe developer and grill aficionado.
Weber makes affordable covers for both the Q 1200 and Q 2200 , and we strongly recommend the investment. 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. A swiveling metal handle tightly holds the grill together for easy transporting. The propane coupling juts out the side, and attaching 1-pound liquid-propane canisters is easy. An adapter for the Char-Broil Grill2Go allows you to use a Type 1 tank connection for 20-pound propane tanks. Foods such as bone-in chicken pieces and thick steaks require surround heat to cook thoroughly.
Camping trips, road trips, tailgates, closet-size outdoor spaces—there are a lot of scenarios that call for a portable grill. But unfortunately, many of the factors that make a grill portable can also keep it from working well. For more details on how we tested and what we looked for, scroll down to the bottom. With its all-stainless steel body and cooking grates, the Pit Boss Grills Stainless Steel Portable Grill is certainly one of the most handsome portable grills on the market. While it doesn’t heat as well as other gas grills, it differentiates itself with a vast cooking surface and the ability to create multiple cooking zones. To kick off testing, we unboxed each grill, assembled it if required, and examined its workmanship and build quality.
Read on for answers to some of the most common queries about portable grills. Despite these issues, the Cuisinart produced flavorful food and is a great budget-priced option for those looking for a super-light grill to tote to a park or stadium parking lot. At 21 pounds, the George Foreman is fairly light and fit easily into the trunk of our SUV, though toting along the stand, which breaks down into three pieces, was a bit more cumbersome. We’d certainly prefer using it on a tabletop if we’re traveling with it.
This convenient feature can send a near-constant spark until the grill lights, unlike striker-style ignitions that take repeated pressing. Use these shopping tips and recommendations to pick the best portable grill for your next on-the-go weber q barbecue. No matter how gorgeous or secluded your camping spot, a terrific meal will make the experience that much more memorable. You want the wood-fired flavor of food hot off the grill — not a bag of trail mix or freeze-dried eggs.
But when the firebox got hot, the side vents that regulated airflow stuck in place, rendering us powerless when it came to heat control—critical for slow-cooking things like chicken and sausages. Despite its 12,000 Btu output, it ran the coldest of all the propane portables we tested, yielding pallid burgers and flabby, undercooked chicken. The Weber Q series may be the best of the portable grills we’ve tested, but they also cost the most. But Weber’s warranty covers most of the unit for five years, so we think the price is justified. Cook juicy and delicious food every time with the convenience of our gas grills.
They’re commonly constructed from thin porcelainized steel with thin wire-rod grilling grates. Charcoal grills’ simple construction is what makes them budget friendly. British thermal units are a measure of maximum heat output over the course of an hour. The output on portable gas grills ranges from 4,000 to over 13,000 Btu.