When we surveyed over 1,000 Wirecutter readers about their grills, a large majority said they owned a Weber. And of those Weber owners, 69% said they were extremely satisfied with their grill. Finally, we enlisted fresh bratwurst links to gauge each grill’s ability to handle a grate full of fatty meat. Not everyone has a yard, and it’s increasingly common for apartments to ban open flame grills on balconies. Fans have added thermometers, fastened knobs to make it easier to open and close vents, attached hanging ashcans, and come up with creative ways to cook taller items, like beer-can chicken.
Both Weber gas grills I tested were effective and easy to cook on, but the nod goes to the Traveler here for its passionate embrace of portability. The Traveler has wheels, which is helpful because it is large enough—thanks not only to its 320 square inches of cooking area, but also to a very helpful built-in shelf—that it might be hard to move otherwise. When folded up, the legs become a handle that you can pull behind you as if you’re walking with a nice roller bag. The legs on one side of the grill become a sort of handle when the grill is folded up; you can walk with it, kind of as if you’re pulling a nice roller bag. It has some other nice design touches, like the ability to transition the grill from folded to cook-ready with one hand, and a lid that locks automatically for transport and storage.
Made of silicone-coated fiberglass fabric with a collapsible metal frame, it can withstand temperatures up to 2,200 degrees. We enjoyed the ease of setup, and once we were familiar with the grill, we could open it up in seconds. A flexible Flat Top Grills Gas Grills Pellet metal basket holds the charcoal, and we tested both with it full and with about 12 briquettes for a quick meal. Packed up, Cuisinart’s Venture resembles a picnic basket, making it about as portable as a table-top grill can get.
The pellet stove adapter on the Solo Stove Bonfire Pit allows you to use logs, charcoals, or pellets to get a great searing temperature. The height is perfect for setting up a few camping chairs and roasting marshmallows. In addition, certain grills will be easier to clean as a result of their shape or the depth of their charcoal bin. This is a good resource if you want to find out more about the different types of cooking grate material.
The Weber Q 1200 Gas Grill is the best of the portable propane models we’ve tested. It outperformed the competition at both high-heat searing and low-and-slow grilling, with the fewest flare-ups. And it’s well-built, with a push-button ignition and temperature control dial that are easy to use.
The infrared burner of the Solaire Everywhere heats the entire grill surface to about the same temperature. This is good for cooking lots of one type of food, but Expert Grill Combo Grills not so good if you’re hoping to cook different foods at different rates. The value of your portable grill depends on your cooking needs and your intended usage.