A portable grill is essential for a great tailgate before the next game or concert. While we don’t want to get ahead of summer so fast, football season will be on ya before ‘you can say “blue 42.” With a body made from two powder-coated sheets of carbon steel, it turns from a closed form to a grill in seconds.UNA Grill comes with a leather strap handle for easy carrying. Available in five colors, built to last and made with eco-friendly materials. The Everdure Cube looks like a cooler, but it’s actually a portable and compact charcoal grill.
When it was time to clean up, the drip pan was incredibly easy to remove and wipe down. One downside was it was difficult to read the temperature controller in bright daytime light. We were skeptical, but tests found it stayed within 10 degrees of the set temperature all the way from 250 to 500 degrees, where we were able to get nice char on both burgers and ears of corn. Scores in this metric were determined by the size of the cooking surface, the surface material, and any coatings, whether the grill has any side tables or any other added features. Additional features and functions include a grill grate that can be turned over and made into a skillet or bonus features like a warming rack or smoker tray.
Charcoal, with its inherent messiness, may not be ideal depending on your portable grill needs but this is a workhorse that will get the job done and last you a good while. Plus, it clocks in at a budget-friendly $48 (for the black model), making it my pick for the best cheap portable charcoal grill. Offering ample grilling space, this Coleman grill folds up to the size of a carry-on suitcase for compact storage. It offers up to 20,000 BTUs of grilling power, and has three adjustable burners so you can customize your cooking.
But, crucially, the GoBQ also performed quite well during the cooking tests. The grill is bigger than it seems, with 196 square inches of grilling area. It was actually bigger than several other grills I tested that didn’t fold up nearly as compactly. 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.
Swivel the lid to shield from windy weather, or lock the top when it’s time to travel. From basic (but capable) budget charcoal affairs, to fully-loaded gas grills, we’ve rounded up some of the best compact BBQs to help make your buying decision easier. This George Foreman single burner barbecue is a great choice for three people, or up to four people at a push. This reached temperature in just five minutes, plus the knob to the side of the barbecue made it easy to control.
The controls for this grill are digital, allowing you to select the exact temperature you need for the cut you’re cooking. If the controls weren’t precise enough, there are two digital thermometer probes so that you know exactly when your meat’s internal temperature has reached the perfect point. There’s no need for piezo buttons, a lighter, portable bbq or starter fluid with this grill because the ignitor is electric. This portable gas grill from trusty kitchen brand Cuisinart has foldable legs and a twist start ignition. It has a decently sized 145 square inches of grilling surface with an easy-to-clean porcelain grilling grate (which is a lot handier than having to buy new grates).
Models like this are easy to carry into the park to find your ideal picnic spot. With any grill, cleaning them before transporting them will lead to less mess. portable bbq To determine scores in this metric, we loaded each product into vehicles, took them to picnics and campsites, and grilled gratifying culinary concoctions.
The Jumbo Joe handle doubles as a lid lock, making transport a lot safer. The PKTX offers more temperature control than any other grill we tested with four air vents. At 37 pounds it does weigh quite a lot more than the Weber Jumbo Joe or Go-Anywhere, but the two handles make it easy to move.
It uses natural gas tanks and ignites quickly with a steady and consistent flame. However, it was ultimately less powerful than the Weber (just 5,500 BTUs), topping out around 400 F. It didn’t maintain its heat quite as well but wasn’t terrible in that weber charcoal grill regard either. 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.