With 189 square inches of grilling area (17 by 12½ inches), the Weber Q 1200 has enough space to grill a full dinner for two or the main course for a small party. We found that this Weber model is capable of grilling six large burger patties, a whole cut-up chicken, or 10 bratwurst links at a time. And the single-tube 8,500 Btu burner runs along three edges for better heat distribution, so all of that space is usable. In spring 2017, Tim and then Wirecutter writers Lesley Stockton and Michael Sullivan spent over 40 hours testing full-size gas and charcoal grills, as well asgrill accessories. With all this knowledge in hand, Lesley and Tim spent 16 hours, over the course of two days, testing nine portable grills. This portable grill has a compact design and handy carrying case—so it goes anywhere the party is!
Remarkably for a Weber – and one with such a complex mechanism – the Traveler is very reasonably priced, too. And that makes it a shoo-in as the best weber genesis 2 portable gas barbecue you can buy right now. The porcelain-enamelled lid, meanwhile, provides typically reliable indirect grilling without flare ups.
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. Cook six burgers at once on this portable charcoal grill from Weber. The legs on this grill flip over to become handles, making it compact and secure for traveling. Plus, with Weber Connect, you can turn this portable grill into a smart grill, which will let you know when your food is ready to flip or done cooking as well as offer recipes and tips.
Maybe you want to enjoy grilled meats or vegetables on your next camping trip or picnic, or you’re looking for that smoky flavor on your burgers at the next tailgate party. Or perhaps you live in the city and all you’ve got is a balcony or a small kitchen. If you can’t face the prospect of going without your Big Green Egg for a weekend, the MiniMax Big Green Egg is much smaller, but it still isn’t terribly portable. However, if you want to smoke, grill, and bake outdoors, this ceramic cooker is a strong choice. At 24 pounds and requiring electricity, the City Grill is not a good choice if you want something truly portable.
Plus, it’s heavy , and it doesn’t have a lid, making it impossible to turn it into a mini smoker without jerry-rigging it with aluminum foil. Finally, for those that enjoy the ease of use, precise control, and smokey flavor that cooking or smoking with a pellet grill can provide, we recommend the Traeger Ranger Pellet Grill . Without a lid is known as grilling or direct cooking, and you’ll need to keep an eye on the food as it’s hard and fast and there’s a danger of over cooking or burning the food very quickly. Indirect cooking under a lid is what purists call proper barbecuing – using convection currents and smoke to flavour and slow the cooking process. Gas and electric certainly have their place in terms of consistency and convenience when cooking outside, but they arguably also reduce the authenticity of the results to some degree.
If you’re looking for something simple and reliable to achieve a grill-like experience but while still using your stovetop as a heat source, I would recommend this cast iron griddle from Lodge. This griddle works wonders when you have steaks and burgers to grill but no outdoor space to fire up a traditional grill. Cast iron gets scorching hot and retains heat exceedingly well, so you’ll be able to mimic the grill marks and sear of an open-flame situation. While the Weber Original Kettle may have taken the top spot in CNET’s list ofbest charcoal grills, this newcomer is my pick for the best portable charcoal grill. A smart and solid build allows you to take this small grill anywhere, including on a long hike. Setup was a snap — you simply unhinge the sides and the entire thing opens up like a clamshell.
Regarding this gas grill’s performance, it gets hot quick, cooks food evenly, and is easy to clean when you’re done. It’s a little bit heavy for a portable option, weighing in at over 43 pounds, but most of the weight is actually its cast iron grates, which can be carried separately for easier transport. This propane grill has a 280-square-inch porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grate and delivers 12,000 BTUs of heat per hour when connected to a 14.1-ounce or 16.4-ounce liquid propane cylinder. It comes with a push-button starter and removable catch pan, and it’s even compatible with the 1000-series Weber griddle .
Weber ensures this small charcoal grill is compact and lightweight, secure with a lid-lock carrying handle to make moving worry-free. The diameter of this grill is 14 inches, and it is about 17 inches in height, so it’s perfect for a small patio and portable enough to be moved around whenever you need it. One reviewer on Weber’s site also praised the Smokey Joe grill for camping, picnics or grilling for two. If you want a more compact propane grill, the Char-Broil Portable Grill2Go X200 Gas Grill is designed for one-handed toting. This portable grill is slightly larger than a briefcase and keeps the lid, grate, and firebox tightly packed for transporting.