Similarly, the least expensive grills don’t offer the maximum heat output nor the control to cook more complicated foods. For the size and price, it may be tough to find a compact grill more powerful than the Cuisinart Grillster. Not only is it incredibly fuel-efficient, but this portable powerhouse reaches peak temperature within a matter of minutes after clicking the piezo lighter. A lightweight steel lid and three insulating walls give it the ability to both block wind and retain heat, allowing you to cook in less-than-ideal weather.
Finally — and this is the most significant issue — the low-heat performance is virtually nonexistent. The heat options are adjustable, but they would best be described as “High” to “Extremely High.” Further, the lid is only for portability; you cannot close it while cooking. Steaks are prepared very, very nicely, but other foods are nearly impossible to cook well. Most grills performed about as well as advertised, with some topping out at as much as 100 F hotter than others.
After grilling 65 burgers, 30 pounds of chicken, and 25 pounds of bratwurst on nine portable grills, we found the best ones for both small backyards and outdoor adventures. The Weber Q 1200 Gas Grill is our pick for the best portable gas grill because of its no-fuss convenience and stellar grilling performance. For charcoal purists, we recommend the Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill 18″.
Of the one-burner grills, the mid-sized models offer a wide range of control options. On all that we currently include in the review, the knob and regulators allow a clearer and wider range of burner output. Control, then, is mostly a function of burner shape, grill shape, and the relative interaction of these two features. Large burners, relative to the grill size, distribute heat more evenly to the grill top.
There’s no need for piezo buttons, a lighter, or starter fluid with this grill because the ignitor is electric. Summers are meant for grilling, but you may not have the space or budget for a full-size grill. Or you might want something you can tote to a campground, park, or tailgate.
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 unit has a cast aluminum body and ergonomic side handles to make it easy to move from one place to another. It’s a little bit heavy for a portable option, weighing in at over 43 pounds, but most of the weight is actually its cast-iron grates, which can be carried separately for easy transport. Plus, our tester appreciated how solid and sturdy it felt for a portable grill. When closed, this portable grill is easy to carry one-handed thanks to a soft, grippable handle.
Unlike a standard grill that’s open on at least three sides, the Davy Crockett has a single panel that grants access to the cooking surface, which is hard to access with a spatula or tongs. It was especially awkward to flip a burger patty or adjust our kabobs while crouching down. Green Mountain Grills does suggest removing the legs and using the Davy Crockett as a tabletop grill. While we didn’t have a chance to test it as a tabletop, raising it to table height would certainly make using it for grilling much easier. With our burgers just inches away from the burning coals, we were able to achieve the Maillard reaction that produces that sought-after tasty brown crust much more easily than on any gas grill.
There is an aluminum ash catcher at the bottom to make the process of cleaning easy. The lid handle is heat resistant and stays cool even at the highest temperature settings. On top of that, you also get a 10-year warranty on the lid and bowl. These grills come with an electric heating element that is operated by plugging the device into a socket.
Despite being light and very portable, the Venture features a heavy-duty cast iron grilling surface that cooks evenly and sears well. In fact, I rarely turned this one up past medium, because it gets plenty hot on low. Conversely, don’t plan on cooking slow and low with this; it’s a “sear things and weber genesis 2 be done” sort of grill. Wirecutter’s Michael J Kennelly used the Weber Q 1200 we tested to grill on his roof in Brooklyn from 2019 to 2020. They said the two-part grate was a little more annoying to deal with than the one-part grate on older Weber Q models, but it made up for it in ease of cleaning.
For charcoal-style grills, control amounts to how much charcoal is burning. In terms of its cooking performance, the HitchFire runs on two small propane canisters, and it has two burners that can be controlled individually. Plus, our tester found the grill easily reached high temperatures with both burners running, delivering plenty of heat for cooking all types of food, such as steaks, fish, and grilled fruit. But, crucially, the GoBQ also performed quite well during the cooking tests.