The 6 Best Portable Grills of 2022 Tested by GearLab

Petite and sure-footed, the Grillster is the perfect companion for a picnic for two, no matter the location. Smaller charcoal grills like the Weber Smokey Joe 14 can run out of heat if you don’t time your cooking just right. Among the charcoal models, the Weber Go-Anywhere scores top marks for control. Thanks to a relatively deep basin, we were able to build and stoke a substantial volume of coals to achieve the exact heat we desired. Since the area of the basin exactly matches the surface area of the grill, we were then able to spread out those coals to create targeted heat zones. Building an intensely hot coal bed, that can later be spread out to create individual heat zones, is a critical skill in mastering the art of charcoal grilling.

Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. The design of the Camp Chef Portable Pellet is practically unaffected by wind.

The COBB is a compact, portable, versatile, energy-efficient cooker that perfectly complements the lifestyle of an outdoor enthusiast or a home entertainer. Easy, convenient and efficient grilling without the hassle of gas or charcoal. All that now stands between you and mobile grilling is your final choice and a big pile of grillable grub. Crack that weber genesis 2 first tailgate can, ponder our comparative assessments, and pull the trigger on an excellent portable delicious-making machine. None of our choices are poor options, and all can facilitate memorable dining experiences. We are proud of the work we’ve done to hash out all the options and are honored to be a small part of your transient culinary journey.

portable bbq

We also took into account how simple or challenging each contender was to clean. To illustrate this, we cooked plain white bread and photographed the result to help visualize the distribution of heat across these grill tops. We also took into consideration whether the lid was big enough for closed grilling, how easy the grease trap was to use, remove, and clean, and if the regulator provided a snug or loose fit.

Barbeques Galore stocks up on portable grills from a barrage of trusted brands such as Weber, Turbo, Green Mountain, American Muscle, Broil King, Blaze, and Twin Eagle. If you’re looking to cook a whole lot of food at once, you can’t top the Camp Chef Portable Pellet. Between the main grill and the upper shelf, this model offers 500 square inches of cooking space. If you like the idea of grilling large hunks of meat on one shelf while roasting veggies on the other, this is the grill for you.

One of the most popular uses for portable barbeques grills and portable barbe grilles are some of the most versatile ways to cook food. Portable barbeques and outdoor cooking have become a popular trend among people around the world. The digital controller on the Camp Chef Portable Pellet grill is more akin to a kitchen oven than most portable grills. The clear champion of this section of our assessment is the Camp Chef Portable Pellet. The digital controller goes far beyond the accuracy of any mechanical knob. If you can operate the controls of a modern kitchen oven, then this model is a no-brainer.

The flame from the pellet fire heats a large plate that simultaneously distributes heat and directs grease to the grease bucket. There’s no need to worry about having to add coals or switch out propane canisters with the Camp Chef Portable Pellet – you can simply top the pellet hopper off while the grill is in operation. Portable charcoal stoves and barcoal stoves are the perfect choice for those who want to use them in a variety of ways.

The Roadtrip 285 produced better results from our white bread heat mapping test than any other grill we’ve tested. Our ranking of heat output also considered each manufacturer’s BTU reporting, grill surface area, and lid sealing and construction. For the most part, the scoring of the heat weber charcoal grill output follows manufacturer claims, but we made some exceptions based on our observations. For instance, while the Weber Q 1200 only claims 8,500 BTUs, in practice, it operates at hotter temperatures and maintains that heat over a larger cook surface compared to other similar models.

Charcoal grills and barbecues can also be used as a barbeque in the garden to keep friends and family warm. Time Magazine called the COBB portable BBQ grill one of the best inventions of the year. 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.

This configuration is specifically designed so that the heat zones overlap. The result is top-notch control coupled with incredibly even heat distribution. The Roadtrip 285’s instructions are clearly written and all tools required for assembly are included, making this model a breeze to put together. It’s easy to convert between travel and cooking mode, and the large wheels and long handle make it our favorite wheeled model to move around. A portable grill could be just mobile enough to load it in and out of your truck bed with a friend, or it might be compact enough to fit inside a large backpack. We then put ourselves in your shoes and put each model through an array of creative real-life cooking scenarios.