Once erected, you have a large cooking space–320 square inches–and a prep table. It also features some nice bells and whistles, including a removable grease tray, built-in thermometer, and removable cooking grates, which were easy to clean between uses. You don’t have to compromise much when grilling away Grills Portable Grills from home, either. We’ve tested and picked out the best portable grills for every type of cook just in time for some great Memorial Day deals. Cuisinart is better known for kitchen appliances than grills, so it makes sense this petite model is designed with an eye toward food prep, not just grilling.
The UCO Flatpack Stainless Steel Grill may not fit the stereotype of your tried-and-true charcoal grill. (Although hats off to our best affordable pick, which fits that stereotype well.) But stereotypes are meant to be challenged, and this ultra-packable, ultra-portable grill does just that. Thanks to two 10,000 BTU burners, you can grill up to eight ¼ pound burger patties simultaneously in under 6 minutes. However, if you want to cook two separate items (say, a vegetable alongside your steak), then two independently controlled burners allow you to set different temperatures.
If you’re looking for a heavy-duty charcoal grill that you can take camping, tailgating, and more, the PK Grills PKGO is our top recommendation. The top and bottom of the grill are crafted from cast aluminum, making it extremely Flat Top Grills Gas Grills Pellet durable and sturdy to use. Portable grills will inevitably be smaller than typical backyard grills, but they still come with enough space for a cookout (though you might need to do a couple rounds of cooking).
We got good results with both delicate fish and medium-rare steak, though the stainless-steel grate doesn’t hold heat quite as well as the cast-iron most similar models use. We got some pretty wild swings in temperature when opening the lid and adding food. The grill runs a little hotter with the lid down than the temperature indicated on the built-in thermometer, and there were minimal flare-ups in cooking. Cleanup is easy; using a grill brush on the grates and wiping down the inside of the lid to prevent grease buildup did the job. It’s ultimately a reliable compact grill that does double-duty as an indoor or outdoor workhorse.
For this metric, we had to consider how different methods of heat production compared among different grills across the board. For gas, we looked at the number of BTUs (British thermal units) each product generates. For charcoal, electric, and pellet options that cannot be measured the same way, we drew upon evidence from testing and an infrared thermometer to measure internal grill temperatures. We also factored in the number of burners of each product, how well the grill body insulated heat and the volume of the coal bed. Unfortunately, the uncompromising high-heat cooking performance means there are tradeoffs.
We also have reviews highlighting the best camping stoves and much more. At 20 pounds, the Grill2Go X200 is also 10 pounds lighter than the Weber Q 1200, even though it fits the same amount of food (six burgers, or a whole cut-up chicken). Unlike Weber’s gas grills, the Grill2Go X200 latches tightly shut with two clips on the front. This allows you to effortlessly carry the whole thing with one hand (convenient if you need to lug it a few hundred yards). The Weber Q series grills are the most expensive portables we’ve tested. But the price is justified by the grill’s build-quality and Weber’s warranty and overall reputation for longevity.
Remember that a larger cooking space also (usually) correlates to a larger grill body to store when it’s not in use. Propane grills are lightweight (although the containers add some weight), easy to transport, and (generally) easy to light. However, trouble Flat Top Grills Gas Grills Pellet with fuel lines can add a level of intricacy to cooking while camping, so be sure to read up on your owner’s manual. Gas grills are easy to regulate and adjust for direct heat and indirect heat, so most folks prefer it for their cooking options.
Portable gas grills work with 1-pound liquid-propane canisters that are small, packable, and available at most hardware stores. When you’re done cooking, the grill cools quickly, and you don’t have to worry about dumping out ashes. If you want a lighter, more compact propane grill, the Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 Portable Gas Grill is designed for one-handed toting. It’s slightly larger than a briefcase and weighs 10 pounds less than our top pick, but it holds the same amount of food—about six burgers. The cast-aluminum firebox evenly distributes heat across a grilling grate big enough to fit six large burgers or a whole cut-up chicken.
This lets you carry the grill from the lid handle and prevents you from having to place the lid on the ground or on another table when you need to get at the cooking area. Thanks to some clever design touch from Weber, the Jumbo Joe manages to pack a lot of the quality and features you expect from a full size Weber Kettle into a portable package. (Camp Chef claims the heat diffuser plates vaporize grease drippings.) I didn’t experience an overload of grease in my testing, but I could see it being an issue cooking a large number of fatty burgers. This somewhat simple, unassuming grill turned out to be the sleeper in our test.
With this grill, barring some sort of unexpected mishap, you will likely never overcook a tri-tip again. To illustrate this, we cooked plain white bread and photographed the result to help visualize the distribution of heat across these grill tops. We also took into consideration whether the lid was big enough for closed grilling, how easy the grease trap was to use, remove, and clean, and if the regulator provided a snug or loose fit. In our tests, the Jumbo Joe charcoal grill made the best seared burgers, barbecued chicken, and grilled bratwurst. Plus, cooking with charcoal gives your food that smoky flavor that you can’t get from a gas flame.