When you are close to done, leave the lid closed and shut off the gas. At its highest temperature, this heating element glows red hot and draws 2.2kW of power which is about the same as an average kettle. You can probably find charcoal en route to your destination, but you’ll have to factor in lighting the fire and any tools needed, plus waiting to deal with the cooled ashes after. Propane might take a special trip to the home improvement or camping store weber charcoal grill to get enough canisters, but it means lighting the grill at the touch of a button and not having to dispose of ashes post-barbecue. Electric grills don’t require you to make space for a heavy bag of charcoal or to have enough fuel on hand, but, depending on your final destination, it might be hard to find a working outlet when it’s time to eat. It’s big enough to roast a chicken, sear a couple of large steaks at a time, or fit about six 12-inch skewers.
While researching portable grills for this article, she spoke with Jess Pryles, grilling expert and author of “Hardcore Carnivore” for tips on grilling on the go. Finally, we tested the portable grills for portability, including how easily they could collapse for storage and return to their grilling position. I am a big weber charcoal grill fan of the porcelain-enameled, cast iron grill grates. The cast iron retains the heat very well and the enamel makes it easy to clean. “Cooks fantastic, easy folding shelves, easy assembly is not rocket science. Cooks anything great so far and if you use the drip tray for wood chips, dry, it will smoke fantastic.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that heat will be used, but it can be. In general, the hotter a grill burns, the better the results for searing and even cooking. Still, a portable grill with about 8,000 BTUs (the equivalent of a larger stove burner) can get hot enough heat to produce nice grill marks.
For this list, we selected the top-performing grills under $300. Starting with assembly, we rated the difficulty of assembly and the clarity of the instructions on a scale of one to five. We then judged the sturdiness, evenness of heat distribution, and overall subjective impression on the same scale. Aside from the aforementioned grates, the Lumin Compact ships with two stainless steel trays – one for containing water for steaming or wood chips for smoking, the other for placing the ingredients.
First, it will be difficult to wheel or drag a grill through sand, so opt for a compact model that’s light enough to carry. A grill with telescoping legs is ideal in this situation, but if you have a tabletop grill, consider whether there will be a picnic table or other suitable surface to place it on. Finally, the beach is often windy, so you may want to look for a grill that has a wind guard—otherwise, the grill may struggle to maintain its temperature. Additionally, these grills are all portable, but that doesn’t mean they’ll all fit your transportation needs. If you’ll be tossing the grill in the back of a pickup truck, any of these models will work. But if you’ve got a conventional car, make sure the grill will fit your trunk’s unique size and shape.
Simply place the water over the grill’s burner and turn it on high—if you’re able to shut the grill’s lid over it, you’ll be able to speed up the process. If you can’t shut the lid, it will take significantly longer, but the water will eventually reach its boiling point. She’s an expert on all things home, including kitchen appliances, grills, and other cooking gadgets. If you can’t face the prospect of going without your Big Green Egg for a weekend, the MiniMax Big Green Egg is much smaller, but it still isn’t terribly portable.