The 11 Best Portable Grills of 2023 Gas and Charcoal Grill Reviews

It comes with a cork lid that doubles as a base on which the grill rotates to allow for airflow adjustment. Inside the heat-resistant cylinder you’ll find an enameled fire basket and grill and charcoal grates, plus a small tool to lift the grill grate. The GoBQ grill is a great option for traveling, tailgating, or even for folks with small apartments, given its ease of packing, stowing, and carrying. The 25- by 12-inch cooking surface will hold a lot of burgers, dogs, or whatever your preference.

Grills Portable Grills

If you’re looking for a heavy-duty charcoal grill that you can take camping, tailgating, and more, the PK Grills PKGO is our top recommendation. The top and bottom of the grill are crafted from cast aluminum, making it extremely durable and sturdy to use. Portable grills will inevitably be smaller than typical backyard grills, but they still come with enough space for a cookout (though you might need to do a couple rounds of cooking).

Remember that a larger cooking space also (usually) correlates to a larger grill body to store when it’s not in use. Propane grills are lightweight (although the containers add some weight), easy to transport, and (generally) easy to light. However, trouble Grills Portable Grills with fuel lines can add a level of intricacy to cooking while camping, so be sure to read up on your owner’s manual. Gas grills are easy to regulate and adjust for direct heat and indirect heat, so most folks prefer it for their cooking options.

This lets you carry the grill from the lid handle and prevents you from having to place the lid on the ground or on another table when you need to get at the cooking area. Thanks to some clever design touch from Weber, the Jumbo Joe manages to pack a lot of the quality and features you expect from a full size Weber Kettle into a portable package. (Camp Chef claims the heat diffuser plates vaporize grease drippings.) I didn’t experience an overload of grease in my testing, but I could see it being an issue cooking a large number of fatty burgers. This somewhat simple, unassuming grill turned out to be the sleeper in our test.

The UCO Flatpack Stainless Steel Grill may not fit the stereotype of your tried-and-true charcoal grill. (Although hats off to our best affordable pick, which fits that stereotype well.) But stereotypes are meant to be challenged, and this ultra-packable, ultra-portable grill does just that. Thanks to two 10,000 BTU burners, you can grill up to eight ¼ pound burger patties simultaneously in under 6 minutes. However, if you want to cook two separate items (say, a vegetable alongside your steak), then two independently controlled burners allow you to set different temperatures.