The small fold-out side tables are convenient for keeping grill tools within reach. And its roomy handles make this 30-pound grill comfortable for one person to carry, too. I often start these lists with some variation of “when I was young,” and I don’t mean to — it makes me seem like a curmudgeon. It’s just that, as an elder of Gen X, it’s hard to believe the grilling technologies on the market that have replaced the often-life-threatening pieces of equipment that were commonplace in my youth. They just happen to also be easy to move, light, cool, clean, and repack on top of that performance.
All in all, the GoBQ really shined for something in such a small package. The Cuisinart All Foods Roll-Away scored the lowest in wind resistance. We grew frustrated at the number of times we had to re-light this model in high winds. The Weber Q 1200 comes with a disposable aluminum drip tray insert that you can place in the more permanent drip tray. This is nice for aiding with cleanup, but it’s not very wind-resistant, so it usually ended up on the ground after flying away in windy conditions.
But the position of the side handles helps to evenly distribute its 30-pound heft and lessens the burden of hoisting and moving the grill. Portable grills aren’t just for camping, picnicking, and tailgating; they’re also great for city and apartment dwellers with limited outdoor space. Grills in this category should be light, small, and comfortable enough to carry from a car into a park or campground. If you’re planning a beach BBQ, there are a few factors you’ll want to consider when choosing a grill.
Often, we grill after hours on a Friday while we’re also trying to set up a tent, inflate a mattress, and wrangle hungry children. I also took into account ease of assembly and how sturdy a grill felt once it was assembled (for those that required assembly). I also dug through verified purchase reviews to determine if any had any consistent or glaring weber genesis 2 wear-and-tear issues to be concerned about. Surely you’ve seen — and possibly owned — one of these little guys in the past. The Weber Smokey Joe is a staple at park cookouts and on camping trips and that’s for good reason. You will need a proper hitch to attach it, however, and I’d suggest taking a short test drive to ensure it’s properly installed.
There are more types of small grills now using every fuel source imaginable, including the sun. Portable grills are perfect for campers, city folks living in apartments and anyone without a big backyard or who finds themselves often on the move. This multifunctional charcoal grill doubles as a wood-burning fire pit, and it even features a small fan attachment to blow smoke out of your face for comfort. You can also use the lower fan setting to help get charcoal going or kindling lit and save yourself some excessive fanning and blowing. This is the best option on this list for transitioning from a barbecue dinner to a post-meal fire pit session. And if your home or apartment features a small outdoor space, there are small grills made for city dwellers and small balcony havers.
If you have the space for something bigger, check out our guide to full-size charcoal grills. For more backyard-grilling options, check out our guide to full-size gas grills. We rated the grills on ease of cleaning, including dumping any ash and unused charcoal for applicable models. After rating the grills’ overall performances in portable bbq these areas, we looked at those scores and weighed them against their retail prices. Rating each area on a scale of one to five, we averaged the category scores to arrive at the final score for each grill. Setup took less than 20 minutes, but instructions are very detailed and require close attention to succeed on the first try.