With special attention to whether you need to thoroughly clean it on the spot, or can you close it up and contain the mess until you get home. When it comes to portable grilling, you need enough room to make enough food before your fuel runs out. For each person, make sure to allot about 72 inches of cooking space for each serving.
Charcoal grills’ simple construction is what makes them budget friendly. Ssetting up this grill is failproof – place your pieces in position, and it’s ready to go. The stainless steel grate takes a little more work to clean than cast iron, but not a herculean effort by any means. The firebox pops out for easy emptying, but the handle bolts make removing it without tipping a little difficult.
The Cuisinart portable grill also runs on any small propane tank you can find at camping or hardware stores. The simple design on this Weber charcoal portable grill features a Tuck-N-Carry lid that double locks in place and duals as a lid holder. It’s important to keep in mind that, despite the flat surface, this griddle is heated by a single propane-fueled burner, which means it gets much hotter in the middle than it does on the sides. While that isn’t ideal if you want to cover the full surface with burgers, it does allow you to move foods around on the grill as you cook to keep them from burning. All in all, it’s a really fun alternative to the average grill if you’re looking to go beyond barbecue. Miniature grills might be easier to manage, but offset flames can still lead to lopsided sizzling.
The base comes off and features a flip-out propane bottle holder (we discourage you from using those; see why below) as well as serving as a place to cut. The integrated bamboo cutting board fits on top of the base, which gives you somewhere to prep your meal even if there’s no picnic table around. It’s only nine pounds — the lightest of any on this list — and with the fitted carrying case can be slung right over your shoulder and taken out for grilling on the go. This take-anywhere charcoal grill is probably the most portable of all the grills I tested and is perfect for campers or hikers who need a small, portable grill while on the move.
Since the whole grill was cast iron, it held an intense amount of heat. But the lidless design limited its ability to tackle slow-cooking tasks. Even though the Jumbo Joe isn’t the smallest or most compact charcoal grill we tested, it is lightweight and easy to carry. The lid-locking metal handle tightly holds the grill together for transport and pulls double duty as a convenient lid holder. And since the spacious firebox fits a full chimney starter’s worth of coals, you can get two or three rounds of grilling per load.
It’s a little bit heavy for a portable option, weighing in at over 43 pounds, but most of the weight is actually its cast-iron grates, which can be carried separately for easy transport. If you’re a fan of outdoor cooking, a portable grill is a must-have item. Whether you’re camping, tailgating, or enjoying weber genesis 2 a day on the boat, a portable grill makes it easy to enjoy delicious grilled food on the go. From compact tabletop models to our modular cooking system – the Crossover, we have something for everyone. Whether you need a portable charcoal grill or you prefer the convenience of gas, we have you covered.
Of all the grills I tested, the Traveler was the easiest to set up and use. Like most portable gas grills, it uses small propane canisters, but it can also use a full-size propane tank with an adapter, so it’s backyard ready if you want to use it as your primary grill. When closed, this portable grill is easy to carry one-handed (as easy as something that weighs almost 30 pounds can possibly be) thanks to a soft, grippable handle. When opened it has 212 square inches of cooking space—that’s enough for a whole chicken with room to spare, a rack of ribs, or close to a dozen turkey burgers. And the design of the grill surface—made of small hexagons instead of slim bars—is incredibly effective at keeping food from sliding down into the coals.
In my testing, the Mini Big Green Egg has excellent heat control and, like the larger version, is extremely fuel-efficient. That’s a lot of hype, and I was prepared to be underwhelmed, but the Takibi lives up to the hype and then some. It folds flat, leaving more room in your trunk; the grill top is a grid so small things won’t fall through, and when you’re done weber charcoal grill cooking it turns into a fire pit. There is an add-on cast iron coal bed ($26) that holds charcoal, but I don’t see it as necessary (nice to have perhaps, but not necessary). I wanted to love this model because the concept is great but it does have some flaws. For one, it feels a little bit cheap and I read in several reviews that it can rust and peel over time.
The shelves provided the biggest challenge, with little clearance for your hands to attach them easily. The components fit snuggly and stay put when transporting, and the grill is a good size for cooking for three or four people. Cleanup was simple, and as the grill comes with no specific cleaning instructions, dumping the spent ash was a simple task. We followed this with a quick wipe-down with soapy water to remove remnants.
Mr. Foreman’s portable gas-powered BBQ is a rugged little number, with raised legs to prevent any scorching if you’re cooking directly on the ground. This also provides better heat circulation, while a reasonably sized grill area means you can churn out a decent amount of chow in between drinks. At 7.5kg, it’s not too heavy either, though you wouldn’t want to go hiking with it. If the worst part of barbecuing is waiting for your food, then this is the portable grill for you. The LotusGrill has a built-in fan, which helps the charcoal get to temperature in around five minutes.