Not everyone has a yard, and it’s increasingly common for apartments to ban open flame grills on balconies. It’s big enough for a family of four and strikes the best balance between ease of use and cooking performance. It has a thermometer and some side tables to hold your plates and tongs. It’s also a champ at keeping a constant, even heat in pretty much any weather conditions. A storm blew in one afternoon, but it just kept on cooking despite the high wind and rain.
It’s just so easy to use and so reliably good at grilling without burning everything to a crisp. This exquisite folding model from Weber is one of the best folding portable barbecues on the market. Yes, it’s large when folded and, at 28.141kgs, it’s extremely heavy too – at least for a portable. But on the plus side it can be transported like a shopping trolley on its large wheels with the whole barbecue section locked into place.
When it comes to features, the Q 1200 was one of the few portable grills we tested that had side tables that were sturdy enough to hold a plate full of food. The grill’s plastic side tables fold in to keep the grill compact for portability, although you will want to let the grill cool down before stowing them away to keep them from melting. It’s a good idea to stow the tables when the grill isn’t in use; these grills are light enough that weber genesis 2 the wind can catch the tables and blow the whole thing over! That lightweight came in handy when it came to carrying the grill, and its handles were cool enough to hold even after cooking over high heat. In our tests, the Jumbo Joe produced the best seared burgers, barbecued chicken, and grilled bratwurst. The two adjustable vents, in the lid and firebox, allowed the quickest and easiest temperature control of all the grills we tested.
The damper on top allows for fine management of the heat, and a large, easy-to-read thermometer made monitoring the temperature simple. As far as portability, this table-top grill doesn’t break down to take up less space—what you see is what you get, and it might be difficult to transport in smaller cars. That might seem a tad heavy, but it has cast iron grill grates and is fabricated from thick-gauge steel, instead of cheap stamped sheet metal. It’s built to last, though we wouldn’t suggest hiking into the woods with it. With 189 square inches of cooking surface, this grill was not the biggest on the list, but it’s plenty big enough to cook burgers, chicken, fish, and veggies for a group of six hungry people.
But at least there’s a barrier to keep hot embers from falling on your patio or deck. You have the added chore of snuffing out hot coals and emptying ashes after grilling. You need to return them to designated locations, such as big-box hardware stores, for disposal and recycling. Gas grills are better for people who want to grill more than once a week and can sacrifice heat and the classic taste of charcoal for convenience. A great grill for camping and tailgating, and for apartment dwellers with limited outdoor space.
Combustion produces odorless carbon monoxide, which can kill in minutes without warning. Shield your grill from the elements to keep it from rusting or prematurely aging. If you lack an indoor storage option, keeping the grill covered and off the ground is the best line of defense against harsh weather. Weber makes affordable covers for both the Q 1200 and Q 2200 , and we strongly recommend the investment. The carrying case for the Char-Broil Grill2Go isn’t weatherproof, but you can use a heavy-duty contractor-style garbage bag or a tarp for protection. The Char-Broil Grill2Go’s best features are its compactness and its easy-to-carry design.
In my testing, the Mini Big Green Egg has excellent heat control and, like the larger version, is extremely fuel-efficient. To test this I marinated some chicken in lemon juice and olive weber charcoal grill oil and laid it on the grills. Every grill flared somewhat, but the Q have heavy enameled cast-iron grates that are closed over the burners, which helps keep the flaring under control.
Its heavy-duty cast-aluminum firebox was the best at evenly absorbing and reflecting heat, providing the most consistent grilling of all the portables we tested. The Q 1200’s design caused the fewest flare-ups of any model we tried, thanks to porcelain-coated cast-iron grates with built-in channels that helped keep grease and drippings away from the flames. An electric push-button ignition and easy-to-read heat-control dial make the Q 1200 simple to start and adjust. Though the grill weighs a hefty 30 pounds, the comfortable side handles make it easy to carry. We’ve been testing grills for decades in the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Kitchen Appliance and Culinary Innovation Lab. We’ve tested more than 60 grills, including gas grills, charcoal grills, pellet grills and smokers and more.