Portable Charcoal Grills

After giving the Grill2Go about 20 minutes to heat up, we recorded a surface temperature of 550 degrees Fahrenheit. Though not the extreme heat that’s advertised with infrared technology, 550 degrees Fahrenheit was more than enough to create a sear on our burger patty. The Grill2Go’s clamshell lid was easy to operate and created even heating when closed. Though the Grill2Go reached a good heat level and cooked well, we found that the food was not as flavorful as that which came off the other gas grills we tested. Choosing a portable grill can often come down to ease of use and the amount of heat produced.

If all you want is a rugged, well-built grill to sear some dogs and frozen burgers at tailgates and picnics, though, this one is an all-star. This single-burner grill is built to handle the rugged conditions of travel cooking, with steel-rod fold-out legs and two substantial clasps securing its stainless-steel lid. With the lid down, you get reliable cooking as hot air circulates over the grid.

Cory Bahr is the chef and owner of Parish restaurant in Monroe, Louisiana, a finalist on The Next Food Network Star, and a Food & Wine Best New Chef. Jake Wood is the owner and pitmaster of Lawrence BBQ in Durham, North Carolina. Finally, Tank Jackson is the pitmaster and hog farmer of Holy City Hogs in Charleston, South Carolina. We paired their input with combing retail and review sites to research the best portable grills, dubbing the Weber Q1200 the winner. Read on to see why and view the rest of our picks in several key categories. We were impressed with the high-heat grilling performance of the Weber Go Anywhere Charcoal Grill.

In such event, your total payments will equal the amount of the promotional purchase amount. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Scott Gilbertson is a senior writer and reviewer for WIRED, specializing in portable technology. He was previously a writer and editor for WIRED’s Webmonkey.com, covering the browser wars, web standards, the independent web, and all aspects of internet culture. Seven tips and 28 products for making at least one household chore less miserable. This tool can take your home pizza game to the next level—we tried top-rated models to find the best in each category.

portable bbq

That will undoubtedly extend the life of the material, but is something to be aware of before use. All in all, the GoBQ really shined for something in such a small package. Is there a portable grill that works as well as a full-size weber q one? Portable grills with frames that unfold or stands that extend make transport easy while still allowing the user to grill from a comfortable height. Some models are designed to sit on top of a picnic table or bench.

You can also take your pick from modern options that range from infrared grills to pizza ovens, all of which come in a myriad of sizes and shapes. The Big Green Egg is a Kamado-style cooker (Kamado is a Japanese word that roughly means “stove”), which makes it much more than a grill. The ceramic construction retains heat and turns it into a portable oven as well. The MiniMax Big Green Egg is identical to its larger cousin in nearly every way, but smaller. It weighs 75 pounds, making it by the far the heaviest grill I tested, but the double-handle carrying system makes it easy for two people to carry it.