A great portable grill offers consistent heat, minimal flare-ups, a generous cooking area, and an easily totable design. We think the ideal capacity on a portable grill is enough to accommodate a full meal for two or a main course for a small crowd. Grills that evenly distribute the heat weber spirit 2 across the entire grate cook food more consistently. Extreme hotspots cause patchy charring and require you to babysit your dinner, and flare-ups are annoying and can make food taste like burnt oil. The Performance burner grill works on liquid propane and has a cabinet for its tank.
The 4 burner char broil gas grill is a well-built gas grill with four stainless steel burners that deliver 36,000 BTUs of heating power. From there, twin knobs let you control flame height to give you access to precise temperature control. Cooking Hamburgers, ribs, hot dogs, or even fish (if you’re into that) should be easy on this model. Although, for more even cooking, check out our review of the Camp Chef flat-top grill.
The carrying case for the Char-Broil Grill2Go isn’t weatherproof, but you can use a heavy-duty contractor-style garbage bag or a tarp for protection. The firebox cools quickly, and you can pack away your grill without having to smolder embers or dump ashes. This grill folds up like a suitcase, and you can carry it with one hand. Here’s our complete guide on how to use a charcoal chimney starter, why you should use it, and how to make sure you’re safe doing so. Thanks to the openings on the Performance Burner lid, you can also attach an electric rotisserie to the grill. If these surfaces have baked-on deposits, then you can use an abrasive plastic pad to clean them.
Before or after each use, crank it up to high for five or 10 minutes to incinerate all the drippings and stuck-on food. Scrape the hot grates with a grill brush, wipe them with a wet rag to remove the soot, and brush them with vegetable oil. Of all the portable propane grills we tested, the Weber Q 1200 grilled foods the most consistently. Portable grills aren’t just for camping, picnicking, and tailgating; they’re also great for city and apartment dwellers with limited outdoor space.
Some people report that the handle gets a bit hot to the touch, but most users say the handle stays nice and cool. Assembly of this 4 burner gas grill is relatively simple and easy, though some users have expressed that the instructions can be confusing. The grill is maneuverable and features two wheels and two stationary legs. If you’re planning a cookout in another location, a portable grill that’s easy to maneuver can make things a lot more convenient. The burners feature stainless steel heat tents above them as well for safe grilling and to prevent juices from dripping onto the burners and causing flare-ups. A well-made and sturdy grill, the Char-Broil Performance series holds its own against the more expensive Weber.
Grills in this category should be light, small, and comfortable enough to carry from a car into a park or campground. While a 5-year warranty backs the stainless-steel burner, a 2-year warranty covers the firebox and lid. All other parts have a 1-year warranty from the time you buy the grill. Therefore, it will light when you push and hold the electronic ignitor button while turning the burner knobs. The grill can take a bit of time to heat up, but it’s good to go once it does.
Though cast iron adds an extra 5 to 10 pounds to the total weight of a grill, we think the flavorful dark crust on burgers and steaks makes it worthwhile. We also prefer an open grate design that allows ambient heat from the firebox to brown the areas in between the grill marks. We found that stainless steel solid grates with small perforations don’t let enough ambient heat through to brown the food properly. Summers are meant for grilling, but you may not have the space or budget for a full-size grill.
E tested three top-rated gas grills and chose Char-Broil – Performance as the best gas grill for the price. The five-burner Char-Broil performed identically to the excellent Weber Spirit II – E-310, which is twice as expensive. The Char-Broil gave us perfectly seared and evenly cooked steaks and juicy burgers and chicken. But if you want to upgrade, then the Weber’s superb build quality and impressive ignition and grease-management technology are worth the increased cost.
The Jumbo Joe’s 18-inch-diameter cooking surface is enough to grill a complete meal for two or the main course for a small party . We also like the Jumbo Joe’s tripod base, which automatically stabilizes on uneven terrain. The simple ash catcher is a nice touch and keeps hot embers from falling on the ground. And the heat-resistant lid handle stays cool enough to grasp without a towel or oven mitt.