The 6 Best Portable Grills of 2022 Tested by GearLab

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.

In addition to the grill BTU rating specs, we used an infrared thermometer to track temperature increases over time. Our R&D department develops high-quality, fairly priced grilling equipment. When you click on links to buy products we may earn money to support our work.

Our experts provide the recipes and skills you need to be a grill master. Our outdoor kitchen design experts have helped thousands of customers transform their backyards at no extra cost. Our customer service reps are real people offering great service, backed by 8 weeks of hands-on training with all of our products. Join others to get access to the tastiest recipes, latest product notifications, and exclusive promotions conveniently in your inbox for free. Enjoy a traditional grilling experience complete with smoky, chargrilled flavor.

portable bbq

The performance of the George Foreman’s electric grill plate is basically impervious to wind, and all of the food is protected beneath a gigantic lid. To determine scores in this metric, we loaded each product into vehicles, took them to picnics and campsites, and grilled gratifying culinary concoctions. When on these excursions, we took into account things like the overall size, weight, construction materials, and availability of wheels, stands, or lid latches. We also evaluated how secure or not secure they were, noisiness during transport, and cleanliness on the ride home. When you think of three burners, this is not the configuration that comes to mind. The burner design on the Coleman Roadtrip 285 distributes heat very evenly, even in strong winds.

We loved the novelty of George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor grill for its ability to cook an entire meal outside, and then move onto the table for a Hibachi-style fajita night. The Coleman Roadtrip 285 is not the easiest grill to move, but the large wheels and long handle certainly help. The Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 is unique in that, for transport, you can carry fuel cans inside the lid.

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, 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.

The single-rack model with the largest grilling area is the Coleman Roadtrip 285. As the name describes, it has an impressive 285 square inches of cooking space. Our team found that this is plenty portable bbq enough room to cook for a good-sized backyard BBQ or backcountry base camp. Charcoal grills are the top choice for many grill enthusiasts, but this type of cooking can take years to master.