In our testing, we found that we can cook at least five times as long with a standard bag of pellets, including an all-day smoke or two. The cost of all three options can depend on your geographic location, fuel prices, and supply chain issues. If you’re looking for a compact model to fit in the trunk of a smaller car or one that’ll take up minimal space while it’s not in use, the Coleman Roadtrip 285 is not the grill for you.
Not only is it incredibly fuel-efficient, but this portable powerhouse reaches peak temperature within a matter of minutes after clicking the piezo lighter. A lightweight steel lid and three insulating walls give it the ability to both block wind and retain heat, allowing you to cook in less-than-ideal weather. This model cools down almost as quickly as it heats up for a quick get-away, with a locking lid and enough space to store one-pound gas canisters. Although this portable powerhouse reaches top temperatures with ease, it is more difficult to learn how to harness the heat of the grill surface for foods that require more low-and-slow cooking. Portable grills are also great for smaller outdoor spaces that simply can’t fit normal grills. For instance, apartments that don’t allow gas grills may still accommodate portable electric grills.
The Coleman Roadtrip 285 tops the list of our favorite propane models when it comes to grill control and temperature regulation. There are three dials that control the different zones, weber genesis 2 but all of those heat zones overlap. The middle dial controls a burner that spans the length of the whole grill, while the other two dials control an additional burner on each side.
An experience-based, comprehensive review of the best portable grills on the market. For this metric, we had to consider how different methods of heat production compared among different grills across the board. For charcoal, electric, and pellet options that cannot be measured the same way, we drew upon evidence from testing and an infrared thermometer to measure internal grill temperatures. We also factored in the number of burners of each product, how well the grill body insulated heat and the volume of the coal bed. For the size and price, it may be tough to find a compact grill more powerful than the Cuisinart Grillster.
Of the one-burner grills, the mid-sized models offer a wide range of control options. On all that we currently include in the review, the knob and regulators allow a clearer and wider range of burner output. Control, then, is mostly a function of burner shape, grill shape, and the relative interaction of these two features. Large burners, relative to the grill size, distribute heat more evenly to the grill top. We found the u-shaped burner of the Camp Chef Portable BBQ to be one of the best single burners in our review.
Our products, such as the Weber Premium 14-Inch Smokey Joe, which is a powerhouse despite its compact nature, is ideal for smaller outdoor spaces that can’t accommodate the larger counterparts. With porcelain-enameled layering and triple nickel plating, it’s backed by a 10-year warranty and designed to thrive in nearly all outdoor environments. We used the Camp Chef Portable Pellet to grill this rack of ribs in high desert winds for 10 hours — the ribs were perfect, and the winds had no effect on cooking performance.