If you already live in paradise, then you probably want to grill your meal in peace and tranquility as far away as you can from those annoying tourists. If you ARE an annoying tourist, follow that local who’s trying to get away from you and chances are you’ll find an amazing spot with a spectacular view. If you live in California, you may also be able to bring in 1-pound canisters for free refills or exchange empty canisters for full ones.
You also want to consider how easy or difficult it is to assemble once you reach your destination. That last thing you want to deal with is a difficult task after a long day on the road. Greg Baker is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, portable bbq and food writer with four decades of experience in the food industry. His written work appears in Food & Wine, Food Republic, and other publications. It has a double-walled base which keeps the coals away from sudden drafts.
Portable grills cost anywhere from $50 for a simple Weber charcoal grill all the way up to $500 or more for fancier gas and propane grills with bells and whistles galore. My favorite portable grill, the Weber Q-1200, sits at about $259 but you can find it for less on sale. Most sturdy small grills should last you several years to a decade if the unit is cleaned, covered and cared for properly.
Lastly, the Camp Chef Portable Pellet is very heavy compared to the majority of portable grills we tested. Although the wheels are helpful, it’s not super fun to drag this grill very far from your portable bbq vehicle – other top options like the Weber Traveler are much more portable. Despite that, we loved cooking with the Camp Chef Portable Pellet grill – it is the perfect addition to an RV setup.
The value of your portable grill depends on your cooking needs and your intended usage. A basic, more affordable grill might get you through a backyard bash, but a more expensive product will tend to last longer, even under more rigorous or extensive use. Simple grilling, like burgers and dogs, can be done on any portable grill. But if you would like the option to sear a steak and slow-cook chicken on the same grate, you’ll likely only find such features on higher-quality models. Similarly, the least expensive grills don’t offer the maximum heat output nor the control to cook more complicated foods.
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. 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.
We tried it out at home and on the road to grill hot dogs, steaks, and veggies and were impressed with the final results each time. The Weber Q 1200 is another solid model in this category due to the adjustability of its control knob and a sound electronic ignition system. We appreciate the naturally non-stick porcelain-enameled grilling surface and that the cast iron grates distribute a consistent temperature across weber q the entire cook surface. 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. If portability is paramount to your decision, the Cuisinart Grillster is about half the size and weight of this grill, features a lid latch, and still packs a punch in terms of output power.