The extra room also allows for more coals, so you have the option of longer cooking time. You can also create hot and cold spots for searing and indirect weber charcoal grill cooking. We immediately ruled out collapsible models because they’re made from thin steel and probably not durable enough for regular use.
It puts out a tremendous amount of heat, doesn’t require a huge amount of charcoal to load (given its 18-inch cooking surface), and remains lightweight. At just 18 pounds, the Jumbo Joe is easy to carry from garage to car to campsite. The bar clip creates a handy holder for the lid when it’s not in use. Choosing a portable grill can often come down to ease of use and the amount of heat produced. Many of the best portable gas grills make adjusting the temperature incredibly easy with dials that clearly indicate low, medium, and high temperatures. For pellet-fueled grills, temperature adjustment is related to the speed at which pellets are fed into the grill.
We are proud of the work we’ve done to hash out all the options and are honored to be a small part of your transient culinary journey. The performance of the George Foreman’s electric grill plate is basically impervious to wind, and all of the food is protected beneath a gigantic lid. The design of the Camp Chef Portable Pellet is practically unaffected by wind. The burner is deep within the tub of the grill body so it’s protected by the walls of the grill, the heat distributor, and the lid. We smoked a rack of ribs on a pretty nasty fall day at an elevation of 7,000 feet in central Utah and had absolutely no issues with wind.
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. 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.
We also ensured our winning portable grills could be transported easily by one person. The beauty of this pick is it functions as a portable fire pit and charcoal grill, which makes it great for camping. It has two oversized handles for carrying and its legs fold up to make moving it even easier.
It performed just as well in the indirect cooking test as the Nomad. But the things that made the Rambler a great grill are also the things that made it harder to move. Carrying it two blocks was not impossible but it required more exertion than any of the other charcoal grills. It also required more assembly of the wrench and screwdriver type, though it still only took about 30 minutes.
There’s also electronic ignition and a built-in dome thermometer for knowing exactly how hot the grate is. The NOMADIQ Grill offers 226 square inches of cooking space across its two nonstick grates, which are heated by individually controlled stainless steel burners that deliver 9,200 BTUs per hour. This means you can only turn on one burner if you are cooking for a smaller crowd or you can cook burgers on one side and warm up the buns on the other. 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. The igniter works well and, once lit, the grill got hot, reaching its advertised 500 degrees Fahrenheit after just 15 minutes with the lid closed.
Discover delicious recipes and new grilling techniques to take your grill game to the next level. After testing more than 90 tools from spatulas to tongs to grill gloves and more, we have recommendations for everything you need to have an amazing barbecue. Before putting the grill away for the season, give the inside a good scrubbing with lots of hot soapy water and rinse well. Weber’s segmented warranty covers the bowl and lid for 10 years, the “one-touch cleaning system” and plastic components for five years, and all other parts for two years. We give the Jumbo Joe points for having an ash catcher, even though it’s just a flimsy aluminum pan.
To find the grill that best suits these demands, we tested a variety of different portable grills, including gas, charcoal and electric-powered models. This portable gas grill has been a Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab favorite for years. It’s small and compact, which makes it quite portable, yet sturdy and powerful for good, fast cooks. We’ve tested both this model and the larger stand-up model with shelves, and were impressed with the sear marks we got on chicken, steak, burgers and hot dogs. The Smokey Joe Portable Charcoal Grill is 14 inches wide and has 147 square inches of grilling surface on its steel grate.
The GoBQ also performed well, cultivating a steady and hot fire, and has a robust 185 square inches of grilling space. It’s a little more expensive than some on the market, but it’s built to last. If you want portable charcoal grilling in a truly portable package, this is the best small grill to buy.