The Akorn Jr. charcoal grill got hotter than any other grill I tested, which is not surprising since charcoal grills often do. The shape and style of this grill make it very good for heat retention, heat distribution and evenness of grilling. In the end, Weber still makes our favorite portable grill overall, but there are other models that may be a better fit depending on your grilling wants and needs. The Blaze Professional “Take It or Leave It” Portable Grill allows people to bring the power and quality of Blaze Grills on the road.
When on these excursions, we took into account things like the overall size, weight, construction materials, and availability of wheels, stands, or lid latches. We also evaluated how secure or not secure they were, noisiness during transport, and cleanliness on the ride home. Thanks to its dual-vent system (one at the bottom, one at the top), you get the same fine-grained level of temperature control you’ll find in Weber’s full-size kettles.
Whether you’re going to be using the grill for camping, tailgating, hiking, boating, biking, hunting, the beach or traveling, the GoBQ Portable Charcoal Grill is a great choice. One Popular Mechanics editor used it at her neighborhood block party to grill hot dogs and sausages. Adjust your cooking temperature with precision by simply turning the SteadyTemp™ dial. Redefine charcoal cooking on the go with the Charcoal MiniHopper™ that holds 700 g of charcoal for up to 4 hours of use. Weber’s aptly-named Traveler is one of the largest offerings on this list, and you won’t be carting it around for long distances.
Whether you’re an avid tailgater or off-roading enthusiast, the HitchFire Forge 15 is a worthwhile splurge for those who are always grilling on the go. This heavy-duty propane grill can be used on a table, but what makes it special is its included mount, which attaches to a 2-inch vehicle hitch. Once installed, you can drive, off-road, and cook with the grill mounted to the rear of your car. We were truly impressed at how secure the HitchFire felt when mounted to a truck, and it never budged on a 350-mile drive. These grills require open air for proper ventilation, as they can give off carbon monoxide.
Seasoned backyard chefs can discern temperature by eyeball alone, but you don’t need sorcery to assess the heat. When you make rubs at home we recommend you add salt first then the herbs and spices because salt penetrates deep and the other stuff remains on the surface. We put salt in these bottled rubs because all commercial rubs have salt and consumers expect it. You can still use these as a dry brine, just sprinkle the rub on well in advance to give the salt time to penetrate. Salt appears first in the ingredients list because the law says the order is by weight, not volume, and salt is a heavy rock.
Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product tester for The Spruce Eats who’s an expert on all things grilling. She’s personally tested several grills and smokers, including our top pick for a portable grill, the Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill, and the splurge-worthy HitchFire Forge 15. 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. With its built-in wheeled cart that easily folds flat to fit in your trunk or truck bed, the Weber Traveler is, well, made for travel. We were impressed with not only how easy it is to move around but also how simple this grill is to assemble and operate.
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. It’s also nice-looking with flare-out trays to hold your plates and grilling tools, plus an ergonomic design. Despite its sturdy build, the Q-1200 is still light and limber enough for a camping grill to take on a camping trip or for one person to carry with relative ease. This grill, like all on the list, can use any small propane tank sold at most camping or hardware stores. This sleek portable gas grill from Weber is superior in almost every category and was a fairly clear winner as the best portable grill overall. It’s easy to assemble, with just a few parts, and once completed feels solid and sturdy, even when given a few vigorous shakes.
If you prefer a portable propane grill, Weber’s Traveler combines the quality Weber grills are generally known for with a smart design that is ready to take on the road. 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.
Overall, it’s a barebones but effective charcoal grill that will appeal to those who need a lot of cooking space. While the grill is hot, scrape the debris and stuck-on food from the hot grates with a wire grill brush. We prefer to do this when the weber charcoal grill grill is preheating and the embers are their hottest. Wipe the grates with a wet rag to remove the soot, and then brush them with vegetable oil. Of all the portable propane grills we tested, the Weber Q 1200 grilled foods the most consistently.