At 27 pounds and measuring 23 inches wide, it was manageable to lift and carry for short distances, and it fit easily into the trunk of our SUV. With our burgers just inches away from the burning coals, we were able to achieve the Maillard reaction that produces weber q that sought-after tasty brown crust much more easily than on any gas grill. As a result, our burger had a nice crispy crust while remaining juicy on the inside. With all of the above considerations in mind, we chose and tested the following grills.
There’s also the potential for it to come apart in transit, dumping leftover charcoal bits and ash into the trunk. Weber does make a premium version of the Smokey Joe that has a lid-locking mechanism, but you’ll pay more for it. The Smokey Joe comes with a loose lid that doesn’t attach to the weber genesis 2 base, which is a little inconvenient if you’re looking for a place to put it when it’s blazing hot. The three-hole vents located on the top and bottom of the grill provide ample airflow through the kettle, giving us a surprising amount of control over the Smokey Joe’s internal temperature.
Or you might want something you can tote to a campground, park, or tailgate. After grilling 65 burgers, 30 pounds of chicken, and 25 pounds of bratwurst on nine portable grills, we found the best ones for both small backyards and outdoor adventures. The Weber Q 1200 Gas Grill is our pick for the best portable gas grill because of its no-fuss convenience and stellar grilling performance. For charcoal purists, we recommend the Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill 18″. It’s just as capable as a full-size kettle at searing and grilling food to perfection.
We learned that the coal bed can be adjusted for better temperature control — a useful feature that we find highly important in charcoal grill tests. The grill grate is narrow, especially compared to other portable grills we tested, but can still fit about four to five chicken thighs side-by-side, or two large steaks. We tried this grill out along with the brand’s grilling kit , and found the accessories to be good quality and useful. However, it isn’t a weber genesis 2 grill that you can travel with because it must be connected to a gas line. Charcoal grills are more suited for people who enjoy the grilled flavor of food. The smoky aroma comes from charcoal, so it takes a while to heat the grill.
Greg Baker is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, and food writer with decades of experience in the food industry. For this piece, he interviewed chef Cory Bahr and pitmasters Jake weber charcoal grill Wood and Tank Jackson to find out what the pros look for in a portable grill. He then used their insights and his own expertise combined with market research to curate this list.