We enlisted fresh bratwurst links to gauge each grill’s ability to handle a grate full of fatty meat. You have the added chore of snuffing out hot coals and emptying ashes after grilling. You need to return them to designated locations, such as big-box hardware stores, for disposal and recycling. Another excellent grill from Weber that will please both the veteran cooks and the novices with its top-notch performance. A grill should never be kept unattended, especially when there are kids or pets around. Do keep in mind that a grill remains hot for quite sometime after use.
Unlike a standard grill that’s open on at least three sides, the Davy Crockett has a single panel that grants access to the cooking surface, which is hard to access with a spatula or tongs. It was especially awkward to flip a burger patty or adjust our kabobs while crouching down. Green Mountain Grills does suggest removing the legs and using the Davy Crockett as a tabletop grill. While we didn’t have a chance to test it as a tabletop, raising it to table height would certainly make using it for grilling much easier. With our burgers just inches away from the burning coals, we were able to achieve the Maillard reaction that produces that sought-after tasty brown crust much more easily than on any gas grill.
I suggest keeping a backup gas lighter during outdoor trips as the ignition may not work well in windy conditions. Lastly, I have to say that the unit is very well balanced and is very stable once you place it on a flat surface. Cast-iron grates are durable but require frequent cleaning and oiling.
Often, we grill after hours on a Friday while we’re also trying to set up a tent, inflate a mattress, and wrangle hungry children. The Coleman Roadtrip 285 just felt flimsier than the Weber Traveler. And though it was on wheels, folding and unfolding the legs of the grill weren’t intuitive. The grates were also mostly closed, making it more like a grill pan than a grill. I tried to cover both the “portable” part and the “grill” part in my testing. For those grills with wheels, I walked them around a large, uneven lawn with plenty of divots to see how they rolled.
This solar oven requires no charcoal, propane or any fuel source (hooray for the environment!) and is super light and transportable. It’s a perfect camping cooker except you do need sunlight for this to function so I wouldn’t rely solely on this for eating if you’re heading into the woods for an extended period. That’s a lot of hype, and I was prepared to be underwhelmed, but the Takibi lives up to the hype and then some.
Finally — and this is the most significant issue — the low-heat performance is virtually nonexistent. The heat options are adjustable, but they would best be described as “High” to “Extremely High.” Further, the lid is only for portability; portable bbq you cannot close it while cooking. Steaks are prepared very, very nicely, but other foods are nearly impossible to cook well. Most grills performed about as well as advertised, with some topping out at as much as 100 F hotter than others.
Since the Grill2Go comes almost completely assembled, setup was easy. Its box shape, large handles, and manageable weight make it easy to move into position on a tabletop, and it fit easily into the trunk of our vehicle. We also liked the clips that hold the lid securely closed for transport.
After grilling 65 burgers, 30 pounds of chicken, and 25 pounds of bratwurst on nine portable grills, we found the best ones for both small backyards and outdoor adventures. The Weber Q 1200 Gas Grill is our pick for the best portable gas grill because of its no-fuss convenience and stellar grilling performance. For charcoal purists, we recommend the Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill 18″.
This design allowed us to create three possible heat zones, which is impossible to do on most other portable grills. This capability allowed us to grill a burger at sear temperatures on one side while cooking our chicken and vegetable kabobs at a lower temperature on the other side. The Coleman roasted well with the lid closed, although we found the lid’s latch a bit hard to operate. If you prefer that smoky charcoal flavor, the lightweight Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill 18″ matches the searing and grilling abilities of a full-size kettle. In our tests, the well-placed vents in both the lid and the firebox provided precise temperature control that no other portable charcoal grill we tried—including two other Webers—could match.
Between the main grill and the upper deck, the Camp Chef Portable Pellet has tons of cooking space. If you’re looking for a larger model, the best way to get the weight off your back is by going with a wheeled model. The Coleman Roadtrip 285 has large wheels that handle fairly weber charcoal grill rough terrain and a long handle, so you don’t have to hunch over while hauling it. The Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 is unique in that, for transport, you can carry fuel cans inside the lid. When you think of three burners, this is not the configuration that comes to mind.