This is a great option for anyone camping at an established campsite with a power source, people with 12-volt outlets in their cars, or those traveling with a generator or power station. Since we’re living on the road full-time and cooking virtually every meal, and since we have a few different power options, including a small generator, the Traeger has become our new go-to. On an off-grid testing mission, we ran it for an hour using our fully charged Jackery Explorer 500 power station, and it still had 82 percent of the total juice remaining when we were done.
Stainless steel grates tend to be easier to clean, but they don’t transfer heat as well as cast-iron grates, which create more pronounced grill marks. For the gas grills, we also placed slices of white bread over the entire surface to map out the heating pattern. Grills with even heating really shined here, creating predictable patterns without noticeable hot or cold spots. Pellet grills tend to cost more than gas or charcoal grills because they use onboard computers with expensive components to fuel the fire.
It’s just so easy to use and so reliably good at grilling without burning everything to a crisp. The performance of the George Foreman’s electric grill plate is basically impervious to wind, and all of the food is protected beneath a gigantic lid. The 31-pound Weber Q 1200 is still surprisingly portable due to useful handles. Special mention should be given to the fact that it can be purchased as a tabletop model , or can easily be integrated into a separate wheelable, folding stand for enhanced parking lot convenience. The compact design is easy to bring to a sporting event or out camping, as it converts into a tabletop model in seconds.
Its 20,000 BTUs and ease when transporting make the Coleman RoadTrip 285 Portable Stand-Up Propane Grill my favorite pick for a portable grill. Being able to fit everything you need in one package makes the Everdure Cube Grill another great choice. Made of quality materials from a brand that weber charcoal grill knows how to make a grill, it’s pretty hard to beat this affordable Weber model. While it’s small, you can cook up to eight burgers on this mighty grill. Luckily, there are a ton of small grills out there with plenty of fire in their eyes, maximizing your square-foot-to-grilling-power ratio.
If you’re looking for a convenient and portable barbecue for summer cooking, check out some of these models to get the grilling season started. The Cuisinart All-Foods Tabletop is powered by 12,000 BTUs and reaches 500°F with ease, plus it has a twist-start ignition for easy start up. The grill lid and handle are stainless steel, as is the burner, while the grill with its modular, interchangeable surface is porcelain-coated cast iron.
To determine scores in this metric, we loaded each product into vehicles, took them to picnics and campsites, and grilled gratifying culinary concoctions. When on these excursions, we took into account things like overall size, weight, construction materials, and availability of wheels, stands, or lid latches. We also evaluated how secure or not secure they were, noisiness during transport, and cleanliness on the ride home. Higher BTUs produce more heat, but it is challenging to determine the heat output from the BTU rating alone. Grill size, construction materials, and design all contribute to how much heat will be produced on the actual grilling surface. Cook your favorite meals over wood with one of the lightest tabletop grills on the market.
I also think it’s great for traveling because sometimes you don’t have access to an oven and microwave food is never a choice really, so a small one can be a good investment. Satisfied customers like the solid construction, convenience and pre-assembly, fast heating and the size, which is good for 1-4 people. Those that needed replacement parts also commented favorably on Weber’s high level of customer service.
It also weighs just 12 pounds, making it the best truly portable gas grill I tested. Measuring 14.5 x 27.1 x 15.1 inches, this powerful grill cooks with 12,000 BTUs over its 201 square inches of cooking space. The heavy-duty hexagon cooking rods ensure great sears on your meat, while the push-and-turn flame-thrower ignition ensures that this grill will always light, as long as it has gas.
If you’re not keen on using lighter fluid, which can impact the taste slightly, you can buy a chimney starter to get your charcoal hot and ready. Grill size isn’t necessarily tied to value — in fact, the smallest grills in our review are among some of the most expensive. When considering carrying dimensions, grilling surface, and overall performance, the more average-sized grills tend to fall into a more reasonable price bracket.