In addition to our research, we tested a few top models in our own backyards to help you find the best portable grill. In terms of its cooking performance, the HitchFire runs on two small propane canisters, and it has two burners that can be controlled individually. There’s 335 square inches of cooking space, as well as two spacious fold-out prep tables, and the grill arm can be locked at either 90 or 180 degrees, allowing you to access your trunk or tailgate as you’re cooking. Plus, we found the grill easily reached high temperatures with both burners running, delivering plenty of heat for cooking all types of food, such as steaks, fish, and grilled fruit. We sent various portable grills to the homes of our expert reviewers in addition to testing in our Lab. Our Lab testers grilled, seared, baked, and smoked to thoroughly analyze the features and performance.
We were skeptical, but tests found it stayed within 10 degrees of the set temperature all the way from 250 to 500 degrees, where we were able to get nice char on both burgers and ears of corn. 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 cooking it turns into a fire pit.
That flexibility allows you to build different heat zones, which broaden the scope of the foods you can cook on the grill. The grills with the highest scores moved on to our next round of testing. To assess the grill’s nonstick properties, we cooked skin-on center-cut fish filets, a delicate protein. We then cooked strip steaks to assess how each model handled indirect heat grilling and searing at high heat. As with our previous tests, we looked for sticking and flare-ups, as well as how well easily we could regulate the temperature of the grills and clean them after cooking. Most portable grills are designed to be used with small 14- or 16-ounce propane tanks, which simply screw onto the side or bottom of the grill.
If you need or want a standalone model, the Nexgrill 4-Burner Propane Gas Grill with Side Burner is a close second choice. Eddie van Aken has run his own full-service restaurant for many years. Before that, he worked as a grill and buffet weber portable grill cook in some of the mainstream restaurants. With his experience using professional kitchen equipment, he is able to write expert reviews. Like always I recommend the use of a quality grill cover for a grill and the Q3200 is no exception.
This could be caused by the safety feature in the regulator and you can check how to fix that in our post about how to solve gas grill regulator problems. The grill still comes with split grates that will give the opportunity to replace one of them with a griddle for breakfast cooking. The extra weber gas grill grate or griddle can be stored in the grill with the gas tank. And because electricity is a much cleaner form of energy than charcoal or gas, electric BBQs are much better for the environment. If you’re planning a beach BBQ, there are a few factors you’ll want to consider when choosing a grill.
Whether you’re an avid tailgater or off-roading enthusiast, the HitchFire Forge 15 is a worthwhile splurge for those who are always grilling on the go. This heavy-duty propane grill can be used on a table, but what makes it special is its included mount, which attaches to a 2-inch vehicle hitch. weber charcoal grill Once installed, you can drive, off-road, and cook with the grill mounted to the rear of your car. We were truly impressed at how secure the HitchFire felt when mounted to a truck, and it never budged on a 350-mile drive. Ever wish you could get your grill on outside of your backyard?
Our home reviewers spent weeks assessing how these grills stood up to everyday cooking and cleaning. They were also able to offer additional insights to using these during typical weather conditions. The grills are all rated on heat control and retention, size, features, performance, ease of cleaning, and overall value. This propane grill has a 280-square-inch porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grate and delivers 12,000 BTUs of heat per hour when connected to a 14.1-ounce or 16.4-ounce liquid propane cylinder. It comes with a push-button starter and removable catch pan, and it’s even compatible with the 1000-series Weber griddle.