The highlight of this top-quality construction is the porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates, which comfortably retain the heat evenly distributed by the U-shaped stainless steel burner underneath. Simply put, this model let us grill with more precision, predictability, and control than most of the other models we bought and tested. 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 have replaced the often life-threatening pieces of equipment that were commonplace in my youth. They also happen to be easy to move, light, cool, clean, and repack on top of that performance.
Take your culinary skills to the next level on the trail, at the campsite, or on your next weekend BBQ with a portable grill. In addition, pay attention to the cooking grate material composition; some are made from stainless steel or plain cast-iron. The PKTX offers more temperature control than any other grill we tested with four air vents.
However, the Coleman Roadtrip 285 makes up for the portability deficiencies with top-tier grilling performance, easily earning our recommendation for a large-sized portable grill. Senior staff writers Tim Heffernan and Lesley Stockton spent 16 hours testing portable grills for this guide. They did so on the heels of testing full-size gas and charcoal grills, as well as grill accessories.
This folding GoBQ is a novel, innovative portable grill unlike any other. It packs up in a tube 8-inches in diameter and 14 inches in length, and carries easily by the handle on top or with the included shoulder strap. We set the burner on low for the 100-percent beef burgers we grilled, flipped them once, and then turned up the heat to imprint sear lines from the cast-iron grate. Generally, we Expert Grill Combo Grills found it relatively easy to grill thinner foods and, even better, convenient to turn on and off as needed over the course of an afternoon. A bottom vent and an aluminum top damper allowed us to dial in the airflow. Bagged charcoal is slightly more difficult to light but is easy to work with in that you ignite a pile of it in a charcoal chimney and pour the glowing coals onto the coal grate.
If you can operate the controls of a modern kitchen oven, then this model is a no-brainer. This grill can be set from “low smoke” to “high smoke”, and for temperatures ranging up to 550 degrees. We were impressed with the high-heat grilling performance Flat Top Grills Gas Grills Pellet of the Weber Go Anywhere Charcoal Grill. But when the firebox got hot, the side vents that regulated airflow stuck in place, rendering us unable to control the temperature—critical for slow-cooking things like chicken and sausages.
It also has a built-in thermometer that’s reasonably accurate, but I still suggest getting a separate instant-read thermometer. The author having a tailgate party with the local volunteer fire department she serves on. They’re using the Weber Q1200 portable gas grill, which can fit a lot of burgers. Admittedly, this isn’t the easiest camping grill to hike a few miles down the trail to your campsite simply because of its rotund design — or to fit in a compact car. And at only $40, you won’t feel guilty if it gets a little dented by enthusiastic grillers in the process. Overall, the bang for your buck can’t be overstated with this tiny powerhouse of a grill.
These helped keep grease and drippings away from the flames while still allowing ambient heat to brown between grill marks. In our tests, burgers from the Q 1200 had the most seared surface area of all the burgers we grilled, and more browning means better flavor. They’re commonly constructed from thin porcelainized steel with thin wire-rod grilling grates. This simple construction is what makes them budget friendly and lighter weight. And with proper care, a charcoal grill should still last for many years. First, assembly is a non-issue, as it consists of lining up the grates after taking the grill out of the box, and it took longer to unpack than to make it ready to cook.