The Coleman Roadtrip 285 offers the cooking performance of your typical backyard grill in a portable package. There are three individual burners – a main burner that reaches across the entire grill from side to side, and two additional burners on each side. The result is top-notch control coupled with incredibly weber charcoal grill even heat distribution. The Roadtrip 285’s instructions are clearly written and all tools required for assembly are included, making this model a breeze to put together. It’s easy to convert between travel and cooking mode, and the large wheels and long handle make it our favorite wheeled model to move around.
Unless our goal was blackened chicken or blistered peppers, we rarely found ourselves using anything other than the lowest gas setting. While it is compact and portable, you must settle for a smaller grilling space. Petite and sure-footed, the Grillster is the perfect companion for a picnic for two, no matter the location. First, assembly weber q 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. The cast aluminum body, top, and cast iron grates are built to last, and the included Flipkit turns the two-piece top and bottom into two hibachi grills that double your cooking area.
The lid, cook box and cast iron grates are all porcelain enameled for added non-stickability, easier cleanup and good heat retention. A 16.4-ounce propane tank attaches to the back of the grill with a sturdy, easy-to-secure attachment. It has two plastic temperature knobs on the front of the grill; one knob controls in the inner flame ring and the other controls the outer.
The infrared-cooking capability of the Solaire Everywhere puts out 14,000 BTUs and confidently sears a steak faster than anything else. In our tests, the side shelf proved to be useful, as did the tool holders located on the front of the grill. 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.
Crack that first tailgate can, ponder our comparative assessments, and pull the trigger on an excellent portable delicious-making machine. None of our choices are poor options, and all can facilitate memorable dining experiences. We are proud of the work we’ve done to hash out all the options and are honored to be a small part of your transient culinary journey. The 31-pound Weber Q 1200 is still surprisingly portable due to its useful handles. The Petit Gourmet has telescoping legs that fold up neatly, and it’s easy to carry in one hand. Models like this are easy to carry into the park to find your ideal picnic spot.
Then, we rated them on how easy they were to light, add charcoal (if applicable), and how long they took to reach a cooking temperature. 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.
We also update our tests as needed to ensure they’re still relevant and we’re keeping up with the trends and latest innovations. 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. 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.
This well-built barbeque is an innovative take on the manufacturer’s classic design, incorporating their enameled, cast-iron construction into a convenient, compact package. The rectangular basin can hold a coal bed that is both deep and evenly spread. A plated steel top grate settles securely into place thanks to deep-seated insets cast into the grill frame, so you can easily adjust heat zones without fear of dropping your whole meal into the coals. Smaller grills in the 100- to 150-square-inch range are suitable for one or two people, maybe three in a stretch. The Coleman’s portability is both a pro and con since it’s made from thin metal and doesn’t have big hulking cast iron grill grates as some of the less portable models on our list do.