We like the spacious dome lid with a built-in thermometer that lets you know when it’s hot and ready to grill. The small fold-out side tables are convenient for keeping grill tools within reach. And its roomy handles make this 30-pound grill comfortable for one person to carry, too.
Weber is highly regarded for the quality and performance of its products, and its grills come at a premium price, so we had high expectations for the Q1200. The best portable grills are all about utility, and they come in a variety of different styles to suit user preferences. It’s essential to consider how heavy a grill you’re willing to carry from the house to the car, the car to the grilling location, and back again. portable bbq Portable grills tend to weigh anywhere from 2 pounds to a whopping 50 pounds, and that weight can affect portability. A Traeger wood pellet grill offers the best combination of portability, versatility, safety, and ease of use for car camping and RV-ing. If you’re lucky enough to have an apartment, condo, or townhouse with outdoor space or balcony, a portable grill is one purchase that will really help you enjoy it.
We immediately ruled out collapsible models because they’re made from thin steel and probably not durable enough for regular use. Portable kamado grills are gaining popularity, but we think their 12- to 14-inch grilling surfaces are too small to justify the high price. We didn’t focus heavily on hibachis because they’re lidless, primarily for high-heat grilling, and weber genesis 2 limited in performance. Portable gas grills come equipped with a coupling that fits 1-pound liquid-propane canisters . These mini propane cylinders are lightweight and packable, and they’re available at most hardware stores. 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.
It’s small and compact, which makes it quite portable, yet sturdy and powerful for good, fast cooks. We’ve tested both this model and the larger stand-up model with shelves, and were impressed with the sear marks we got on chicken, steak, burgers and hot dogs. Despite being light and very portable, the Venture features a heavy-duty cast iron grilling surface that cooks evenly and sears well. In fact, I rarely turned this one up past medium, because it gets plenty hot on low. Conversely, don’t plan on cooking slow and low with this; it’s a “sear things and be done” sort of grill. Of all the charcoal grills I tested, the Weber Jumbo Joe strikes the best balance of affordability, features, and ease of use.
The Grill2Go’s cooking grate can grill up to six large burger patties at a time. The propane coupling sat a couple of millimeters too close to the body, and we had to flex the assembly away from the grill to get the canister to fit. We asked Q 1200 owners on staff if they had this issue, and they confirmed that attaching the propane was easy on their grills. We’re chalking this up as a one-off problem unique to our test unit. When the side tables are tucked inside the grill for transport, the Weber Q 1200 is about the size of a small carry-on suitcase. You need two hands to carry the Q 1200, because it doesn’t have a latch to hold the lid securely to the firebox.
All you need to do is add wood to the tray above the burner to start smokin’. The Good-One Open Range is dramatically different from a traditional offset smoker, placing the heat source behind and under the smokebox instead of off to the side. These are not paid placements, they are a curated selection of reviewed products. Also, when you buy with links on our site we may earn a finder’s fee. With summer adventures and weekend getaways getting started, you’re busy finalizing your packing list.