The 8 Best Portable Grills of 2023

Lining up grills side-by-side to test the backyard ultra-classics, hamburgers and portabella-burgers. Beneath those head-sized ribeyes you can see portable bbq the glowing orange Solaire heating element. Some folks mentioned having trouble with assembly and misaligned parts in verified purchase reviews.

Next, we narrowed our selection to create a manageable yet comprehensive list of the best products available. We bought all these products at retail cost to allow us to conduct an extended, objectively honest, and comparative review. These review editors rigorously assessed these weber q grills and distributed them to friends to gather a fresh perspective. In terms of cooking, it performed almost identically to the Traveler. But the Q2200 is a tabletop grill and it is so wide, even with the two side tables folded, that I wouldn’t want to carry it too far.

We also had a few more flare-ups with the Grill2Go than with our other picks. We put all nine portable grills, gas and charcoal, through the same tests. We loaded the grates with 6-ounce burger patties and assessed the evenness of the heat, the temperature control, the searing performance, and any flare-ups. British thermal units are a measure of maximum heat output over the course of an hour. The output on portable gas grills ranges from 4,000 to over 13,000 Btu. But more heat alone doesn’t equate to better grilling performance, as a grill’s performance is based on a combination of output, design, and quality of materials.

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The Weber Go-Anywhere grill has a porcelain-enameled steel cooking grate, as well as a push-button ignition and glass-reinforced nylon handles. One of the grill’s coolest features is its plated steel legs, which can be pivoted up to lock the lid in place during transportation. The compact form and affordable price make this grill an unbeatable option for the beach, camping, and more.

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. Petite and sure-footed, the Grillster is the perfect companion for a picnic for two, no matter the location.

It also has enough space to cook three or four burgers, sausages, dogs, veggies or chicken. At under 10,000 BTUs, it didn’t get quite as screaming hot as my top pick — the Weber Q — but it is decidedly more compact and easier to transport. Setup was a snap — you simply unhinge the sides and the entire thing opens up like a clamshell.

This roundup was written by Camryn Rabideau, product tester and grill expert for The Spruce Eats. She’s done firsthand testing of the Weber Q2200, which took the overall spot on this list, as well as the Masterbuilt Bluetooth Digital Electric Smoker and more. These grills require open air for proper ventilation, as they can give off carbon monoxide. If you want to cook inside, you’ll want to look for an indoor grill, which are typically electric. Luckily, with the Coleman Roadtrip 285 Stand-Up Propane Grill, you don’t have to choose. This versatile portable grill has a large number of features, allowing it to be used in a wide variety of situations.

It should be easy to get underneath those burgers and flip them over. All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.