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.
Like the Traveler, the Weber Q2200 can also accommodate a full-size propane cylinder with an adapter. The push-button ignition is battery powered, which I actually found slightly easier to use. The Everdure Cube by Heston Blumenthal is a cute little charcoal grill that’s easy to carry and comes in a number of color options. It’s Grills Portable Grills easy to handle the grill even when lit because of the cool-touch handles. Ultimately, I found food fell in between the bars of the grate too easily and the grill itself was too small to be useful. The temperature is easily controlled with the knob, which makes for more even cooking, and fewer headaches (and burned pizzas).
Obviously, you need to be able to carry the grill regardless of its size. You don’t want anything to be so heavy that carrying it is impossible even if it can fit into your arms. The grill is relatively portable with ringed handles that reach all around its egg shape. It’s relatively stable, but it is a little thin, so it isn’t suitable for uneven surfaces.
The Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 Portable Gas Grill is a solid compact grill for remote cookouts because it’s rugged, lightweight, and easy to carry. It’s not as good as our Weber picks at searing food, but it heats evenly and is easy to use. Then we grilled bone-in chicken to test for flare-ups and how well the gas and charcoal grills could sustain a medium-low cooking temperature over 45 minutes.
Our lone soldier pellet grill, the Camp Chef Portable Pellet, took a bit longer than expected to heat up. However, once it reached the desired temperature, we were very impressed by how even and steady the temperature remained. The flame from the pellet fire heats a large plate that simultaneously distributes heat and directs grease to the grease bucket. There’s no need to worry about having to add Flat Top Grills Gas Grills Pellet coals or switch out propane canisters with the Camp Chef Portable Pellet – you can simply top the pellet hopper off while the grill is in operation. Char-Broil covers the Grill2Go X200’s lid, firebox, and burner for five years and everything else for one year. Weber covers more parts on its gas grills for five years and nothing for less than two years, but those grills also cost significantly more.
Though some things are inherently inconvenient about a charcoal-fueled portable grill, the Jumbo Joe has some design features that make it easier to travel with. The larger Q 2200 is a great choice for car camping and tailgating, or even for folks with very limited outdoor space that won’t accommodate a full-size grill. Charcoal Grills Combo Grills But it weighs 40 pounds and is quite bulky for one person to carry—we wouldn’t want to lug it very far on foot. We started by loading the grates of each with 6-ounce burger patties (without crowding, of course) and assessed the evenness of the heat, the temperature control, the searing performance, and any flare-ups.
A vent at the bottom of the grill further helps you to control the temperature of the cooking space. The cooking grate is 240 in.², too, so there’s plenty of space for food, and the grates are made from coated porcelain. Kamado style grills promote even heating across their cooking surfaces, and this model is no exception. We’ve tested a range of grills capable of packing up and grilling hot dogs, burgers and much more at the campground, park, or tailgate. Loaded with upgraded features, it’s built to deliver superior flavor every time. Your mileage may vary depending on what you cook, but you shouldn’t notice a huge difference between a portable and a full-size grill if you’re just cooking the basics for a few people.