The Cube is the cheapest and smallest model in a tranche of Heston Blumenthal-branded charcoal and gas barbecues that screams style and sophistication. We spent over 85 hours researching and testing—and selected our favorite tools and gadgets from past guides—to bring you the best gear for picnics and cookouts. We give the Jumbo Joe points for having an ash catcher, even though it’s just a flimsy aluminum pan.
In this guide we’re looking at portable gas, charcoal, pellet and electric barbecues in a variety of sizes and price ranges, so chances are there’s a model just for you. Controlling the temperature in a charcoal grill is all about vent placement, since you can’t turn coal heat down. But vents are also important for the airflow required to keep your coals lit. We found that a vent in the top of the lid and another in the belly of the firebox created the best air circulation. Vents should remain easily accessible and swivel freely for fast temperature adjustments.
In our tests, burgers from the Q 1200 had the most seared surface area of all the burgers we grilled, and more browning means better flavor. This superior grate is one of the big differences between the Q 1200 and our runner-up pick, the Char-Broil Grill2Go, whose perforated stainless-steel grate produced mostly lackluster browning. Of all the portable propane grills we tested, the Weber Q 1200 grilled foods the most consistently. If you have the space for a bigger model, check out our guide to full-size charcoal grills. For more backyard-grilling options, check out our guide to full-size gas grills. We love how compact it is and how it can be used nearly anywhere.
Thanks to its dual-vent system , you get the same fine-grained level of temperature control you’ll find in Weber’s full-size kettles. We rarely recommend products we haven’t weber charcoal grill tested and we never recommend products that we don’t love. Often, but not always, if you purchase a product after clicking a link on our site we get a finder’s fee.
The grates were also exceptionally difficult to clean, even with the included scraping tool. Gas grills are more convenient than charcoal grills, especially when it comes to portability. It’s much easier to lug around a one-pound propane canister instead of a huge bag of charcoal or pellets! They’re also significantly easier to clean (no ash!), and they heat up more quickly. Gas grills come equipped with electric starters or a spark wheel to ignite their gas burners, helping you get cooking faster than charcoal users can manage.
Grate rest brackets keep the grilling grate in position within the base so it doesn’t slide around while you’re flipping burgers. Vent holes in the base and lid provide ample air flow to keep the fire hot. Bottom vents are positioned on the sides so embers and ash don’t spill out of the grill while cooking.
There are many s on the market – some more transportable than others – but this one is in a different league when it comes to functionality, practicality and efficiency. Remarkably for a Weber – and one with such a complex mechanism – the Traveler is very reasonably priced, too. And that makes it one of the very best portable gas barbecues you can buy right now.
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. You can probably find charcoal en route to your destination, while propane might take slightly longer to locate. Electric grills don’t require you to make space for a heavy bag of charcoal, but you’re not likely to find an electric outlet at the beach.
It takes a little practice to get the hang of it, but it’s all about controlling the airflow, the coal patterns, and the food’s proximity to the hot coals. You’ll learn to allow oxygen in by opening up the bottom vents, fueling the coals, and creating intense heat. Portable grills with a lid also have top vents to give you some control of the heat, but they also change the flavor of the food by venting the hot exhaust or keeping the smoke inside the dome. You can also control the heat by managing your coal bed and rearranging its placement inside the grill. If your portable grill is large enough to make a two-zone fire, you can move the food off of the flames to a cooler area where they’ll cook over indirect heat. In our tests, the Weber Q 1200 topped the competition in grilling performance.
We’ve also tested a slew of portable grills as part of our typical grill testing over the years. Each time we test, we use the same testing methodology and ingredients to make sure our results are comparable. We also update our tests as needed to ensure they’re still relevant and we’re keeping up with the trends and latest innovations. We learned that the coal bed can be adjusted for better temperature control — a useful feature that we find highly important in charcoal grill tests. The grill grate is narrow, especially compared to other portable grills we tested, but can still fit about four to five chicken thighs side-by-side, or two large steaks.