The Grillster is great at searing steaks and other high-temperature cooking, but it is tough to control the overall range on this rip-roaring grill. Unless we were aiming for blackened chicken or blistered peppers, we rarely found ourselves using anything more than the lowest gas setting. Although it is compact and portable, there is a tradeoff with its smaller grilling space. Petite and sure-footed, the Grillster is the perfect companion for a picnic for two, no matter the location.
You don’t need to worry about dangerous sparks or flare-ups that could spread fire. Look for ones that have an ash drawer or a similar receptacle to make cleaning after the cookout easier than ever. The cooking grates lift with the lid, giving you easy clearance to both the charcoal bed and the meat that you’re currently cooking. This is an excellent design and allows you to add more charcoal if you want to boost the cooking temperature in the middle of the cookout.
All in all, the GoBQ really shined for something in such a small package. The Cuisinart All Foods Roll-Away scored the lowest in wind resistance. We grew frustrated at the number of times we had to re-light this model in high winds. The Weber Q 1200 weber charcoal grill comes with a disposable aluminum drip tray insert that you can place in the more permanent drip tray. This is nice for aiding with cleanup, but it’s not very wind-resistant, so it usually ended up on the ground after flying away in windy conditions.
Cooking tests showed good caramelization and even cooking of meats and vegetables, with the heat concentrated at the center of the grill. You can read more about how we evaluate portable grills in our Lab and consumer tests — plus everything you need to know to shop for your perfect grill — at the end of this guide. Check out our guide to best grilling accessories and how to clean your grill to get it ready for grilling. You can probably find charcoal en route to your destination, but you’ll have to factor in lighting the fire and any tools needed, plus waiting to deal with the cooled ashes after. During our tests, we discovered the Q 1400 performed better on zucchini strips and flank steak, leaving both with intense sear marks. This is because it’s able to achieve reach over 600 degrees when left on high for a few minutes.
Speaking of grease, it has a slide-out grease trap that’s easy to empty. It also has a built-in thermometer that’s reasonably accurate, but I still suggest getting a separate instant-read thermometer. Portable grills cost anywhere from $50 for a simple Weber charcoal grill all the way up to $500 or more for fancier gas and propane grills with bells and whistles galore.
The side and top handles are made from custom molded heat resistant glass reinforced nylon. The ergonomic design provides easy handling, and special holes added to hang GoBQ portable grilling tools (which are in development!). If you want portable charcoal grilling in a truly portable package, this is the best grill to buy. Give your picnic pals the same experience with Heston’s natty BBQ box. Neat and tidy by design, the bamboo lid doubles up as a prep board, with a storage tray beneath.
The Professional Portable Grill utilizes all of the same commercial grade components of the Blaze Professional Series built-in grills. This portable powerhouse uses an 12,000 BTU cast stainless steel H-burner and 12 gauge stainless steel flame tamer to reach incredibly even heat. Pair that with a 12 mm stainless steel cooking grid and you have gorgeous sear marks on the go! The Blaze Professional Portable Grill is also offered in a Marine Grade model that features a 316L stainless steel body. As far as portability, this table-top grill doesn’t break down to take up less space—what you see is what you get, and it might be difficult to transport in smaller cars.
If you have the space for something bigger, check out our guide to full-size charcoal grills. For more backyard-grilling options, check out our guide to full-size gas grills. We rated the grills on ease of cleaning, including dumping any ash and unused charcoal for applicable models. After rating the grills’ overall performances in these areas, we looked at those scores and weighed them against their retail prices. Rating each area on a scale of one to five, we averaged the category scores to arrive at the final score for each grill. Setup took less than 20 minutes, but instructions are very detailed and require close attention to succeed on the first try.
The beauty of this pick is it functions as a portable fire pit and charcoal grill, which makes it great for camping. It has two oversized handles for carrying and its legs fold up to make moving it even easier. It can be used with firewood or charcoal – just slide on the included grill grate to use as a grill. The sides of the fire pit are perforated so you can see the flames, and it comes with an app-controlled fan to control the size of the flames. A 16.4-ounce propane tank attaches to the back of the grill with a sturdy, easy-to-secure attachment. It has two plastic temperature knobs on the front of the grill; one knob controls in the inner flame ring and the other controls the outer.
That means you can, say grill chicken at lower heat on one side while you char asparagus on high on the other, or leave one side off completely for successful indirect grilling. weber genesis 2 The single-rack model with the largest grilling area is the Coleman Roadtrip 285. As the name describes, it has an impressive 285 square inches of cooking space.