If you’re looking for a budget pick, go for the Weber Smokey Joe 14-Inch Portable Charcoal Grill, which is lightweight, sturdy, and offers a nice-sized cooking space. After you connect the propane and have checked for leaks, turn on the burner. Some grills, such as the Weber Q 2200, have electronic ignition, in which case you simply push the button to ignite the gas. For grills that lack this feature, you’ll need to use extra-long matches or a match holder to ignite the propane and get the burner started.
Preventing grease and fire contact is especially important since the cooking grates on portable gas grills sit very close to the heating element (usually a 1- to 1½-inch clearance). Steel inserts that sit over the flame ports can help, as can a cleverly designed grilling grate that channels grease away from the fire. After testing five weber genesis 2 propane models, we’re confident that the Weber Q 1200 Gas Grill is the best portable gas grill. In our tests, the Q 1200 outperformed the competition at both high-heat searing and low-and-slow grilling, with the fewest flare-ups. It has a cast-aluminum firebox that evenly distributes heat across its 189-square-inch grilling grate.
Pellets are generally sold in 20-pound bags and cost a bit more than a similar-sized bag of charcoal, but they are dense and efficient. In our testing, we found that we can cook at least five times as long with a standard bag of pellets, including an all-day smoke or two. The cost of all three options can depend on your geographic location, fuel prices, and supply chain issues. Although this portable powerhouse reaches top temperatures with ease, it is more difficult to learn how to harness the heat of the grill surface for foods that require more low-and-slow cooking. But if you hope to regularly grill up delicious meals while on the road, the Weber Q 1200 is an accessible portable grill that is sure to appeal to both novice cooks and professional chefs alike.
The legs on the Portable Pellet fold up, but the process is not as easy as some of the other wheeled models we’ve tested. Note, that you should remove as much grease as possible before burying the grill. If you like the look of this and need a fire pit on top of a charcoal grill, I say go for it.
This section will outline some of the most common fuel sources and grill types, highlighting the pros and cons of each type as well as important considerations of each fuel source. Read on to determine what to expect from the best portable grill models, and check out specifics that just may suit your preferred fuel source, travel style, and budget. The Weber Traveler grill is specially designed for an easy, one-handed setup and fold down. The grill is also attached to the cart so that you’re up and grilling in no time. The compact fold and overall design makes traveling and storing as seamless as possible.
For charcoal, electric, and pellet options that cannot be measured the same way, we drew upon evidence from testing and an infrared thermometer to measure internal grill temperatures. We also factored in the number of burners portable bbq of each product, how well the grill body insulated heat and the volume of the coal bed. Our thorough testing process began with scouring the internet for the latest and greatest products across the portable grill market.