For the purpose of this review, we’ll be discussing gas grills exclusively, although we did review portable charcoal grills here. We learned that the coal bed can be adjusted for better temperature control — a useful feature that we find highly important in charcoal grill tests. The grill grate is narrow, especially compared to other portable grills we tested, but can still fit about four to five chicken thighs side-by-side, or two large steaks. We tried this grill out along with the brand’s grilling kit (available for purchase separately), and found the accessories to be good quality and useful. Grill size isn’t necessarily tied to value — in fact, some of the smallest grills in our review are among some of the most expensive. When considering carrying dimensions, grilling surface, and overall performance, the more average-sized grills tend to fall into a more reasonable price bracket.
And the design of the grill surface—made of small hexagons instead of slim bars—is incredibly effective at keeping food from sliding down into the coals. Flipping and turning food on the Nomad was easier than on some grills I’ve used that had twice the space to maneuver. The sturdy Weber Q 2200 has a number of high-end features usually reserved for full-size grills, such as a built-in lid thermometer, electronic ignition, and infinite control burner valve. When it came to the gas grill’s performance, it gets hot quickly, cooks food evenly, and is easy to clean when you’re done.
The design features an anodized aluminum suitcase, small enough that it might be able to fit in an overhead compartment; within it you’ll find a cast-aluminum cooking box and heavy-duty stainless steel grate. When closed, this portable grill is easy to carry one-handed (as easy as something that weighs almost 30 pounds can possibly be) thanks to a soft, grippable handle. When opened it has 212 square inches of cooking space—that’s enough for a whole chicken with room to spare, a rack of ribs, or close to a dozen turkey burgers.
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 Expert Grill Combo Grills 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.
If your grill doesn’t come with a grill case, consider purchasing one (or a grill cover for in-between). The Cuisinart Chef has two burners that can heat at different temperatures, allowing you to cook steak and vegetables at the same time. You can cook up all sorts of tasty food before the big game with the Expert Grill Premium Portable Charcoal Grill. The one major downside of the PKGO is that it’s quite heavy, weighing almost 40 pounds. It’s definitely not the type of grill you’ll want to carry out to a remote campsite, but you can’t beat it for tailgating or grilling by the beach. If you want to really get into this age-old debate, we have a full guide to the differences between charcoal and gas grills.
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.
It’s big enough to roast a chicken, sear a couple of large steaks at a time, or fit about six 12-inch skewers. But if you’re doing meat and veggies for a family of four, you’re going to be cooking in batches. Most meats need to rest when they’re done cooking anyway, giving you time to do your veggies.
We were impressed by how easy it was to cook with either direct or indirect heat. The charcoal tray is adjustable, hanging from a ladder rack that can quickly raise or lower the coals as needed. If durability is your sole criteria and not weight, look at the grill’s build and features that contribute to longevity.
If you’re firmly on Team Charcoal, the good news is that there are lots of great charcoal grills out there today, including many portable options to take on the go. In our tests, the side shelf proved to be useful, as did the tool holders located on the front of the grill. Beneath the shelf, we found that the one-pound propane tank attached easily. Weber claims that the grill is designed to optimize gas usage, which we didn’t actively test but we did notice anecdotally that it lasted longer than the other portable grills we tested. In our tests, its built-in thermometer confirmed it reached 600ºF in less than 10 minutes. It made great steak quickly and nicely browned chicken thighs in under 20 minutes with no noticeable flareups.
The bamboo lid doubles as a cutting board that rests on top of a plastic container where you can store grilling accessories. From game days to getaways, Charcoal Grills Combo Grills bring wood-fired flavor everywhere with our portable grills. Featuring compact, portable designs, they’re primed for balconies, tailgates, and more.