Cleanup is easy using a top-down approach of wiping the inside of the lid with soapy water, cleaning the grates with a grill brush, and emptying the grease collector. No thermometer is included, and Weber does not make a storage cover for the Jumbo Joe. If you want to do any indirect-heat cooking, you’ll want to buy the hinged grill grate for $35 so you can feed in fresh fuel without removing the top grill, and the $23 charcoal basket is also useful.
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. But if you hope to regularly grill up delicious meals while on the road, the Weber Q 1200 is an accessible portable grill that is sure to appeal to both novice cooks and professional chefs alike. Over the past seven years, our experts have bought more than 25 of the best portable grills to test side-by-side. This updated review highlights 15 of the top options to help you cook up delicious meals, even while on the road.
Similar to charcoal grills, pellet grills take some time before they’re ready for cooking, and this model takes a while to warm up. Lastly, the Camp Chef Portable Pellet is very heavy compared to the majority of portable grills we tested. Although the wheels are helpful, it’s not super fun to drag this grill very far from your vehicle.
This well-built barbeque is an innovative take on the manufacturer’s classic design, incorporating their enameled, cast-iron construction into a convenient, compact package. The rectangular basin can hold a coal bed that is both deep and evenly spread. A plated steel top grate settles securely into place thanks to deep-seated insets cast into the grill frame, so you can easily adjust heat zones without fear of dropping your whole meal into the coals.
The Coleman Roadtrip 285 has large wheels that handle fairly rough terrain and a long handle, so you don’t have to hunch over while hauling it. We appreciate the stable tripod base, which keeps the grill steady on uneven ground. And we give the Jumbo Joe points for having an ash catcher, even though it’s just a flimsy aluminum pan.
And it took us less than a minute to set up its three pieces, including a wood top, grill body with handle, and base. The top and base combine to form an attractive prep surface that clips alongside the grill. After testing models for their portability, ease of use, safety, and (of course) ability to grill great food, we have favorites from Cuisinart, Weber, and more.
Greg Baker is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, and food writer with four decades of experience in the food industry. His written work appears in Food & Wine, Food Republic, and other publications. If you live in California, Charcoal Grills Combo Grills you may also be able to bring in 1-pound canisters for free refills or exchange empty canisters for full ones. The ubiquitous disposable, green propane bottle is convenient, but it’s a huge source of pollution.
In her 6+ years of experience as a product tester, she’s reviewed hundreds of items firsthand, and her work appears in publications such as PEOPLE, The Spruce, Homes & Gardens, and more. Camryn is also the proud owner of a small homestead in Rhode Island, where she spends her spare time gardening, tending her many animals, and working through a never-ending list of home improvement projects. Having a foldable cart means you won’t have to worry about finding a safe and stable spot to place your grill at your destination. Then you should look at what portability features the manufacturer has included. Along with the larger size, this is the main difference compared to the Smokey Joe. Included meat probe lets you check on your food without lifting the lid.
Make sure you have a stable tabletop to put this on, and don’t try to move it until it’s fully cooled. There’s a wooden cutting board/serving tray that sits on top of the grate when the grill’s not in use, but it’s completely open to the elements while cooking. It might interfere with perfect-looking grill marks, but we’d recommend rotating and moving larger items around during cooking to achieve even doneness. Whether it’s hiking, kayaking, or cross-country skiing, the Cuisinart Venture is perfect for any adventure. It’s not the biggest or most powerful grill in the world, but it’s small enough to carry in your pack, and it managed to reach searing temperatures in our Lab testing. During high-temperature cooking, neither delicate fish nor strip steak stuck to the grate, and we also didn’t get any flare-ups despite the grate sitting quite close to the burner.