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We tested portable grills from Weber, Coleman, Camp Chef, Char-Broil, Cuisinart, and more to find the very best
Camp Chef, Weber, Cuisinart, and more to find the best products
For this update, we purchased seven new models. Pictured here are the new propane and pellet models.
Over the past seven years, our experts have purchased more than 30 of the best portable grills to test side-by-side. This review highlights 18 of the top models on the market to help you find the perfect one to cook up delicious meals, even while on the road. We design objective tests to evaluate important features like output power, temperature control, portability, and wind resistance. We then back up those assessments with real-world cooking experience. We've tested these grills at tailgate parties, backyard BBQs, picnics, and on camping trips, cooking hundreds of meals to date. The result? An experience-based, comprehensive review of the best portable grills on the market.
Super easy transport, excellent wind resistance, easy to clean, luxurious features, solid temperature control
Great 3 burner system, quick to assemble, even cooking area, rolls well
Tons of control, easy to light, digital thermometers
Excellent heat retention, convenient side tables, consistent ignition
Well insulated, gas efficient, sturdy
Cons
Expensive, large stand-up grill requires more space to store, heavy
Bulky, heavy, expensive
Cumbersome, slow to warm up, needs an electricity source
Less portable due to weight and lack of latching lid, hot even on lowest setting
Poor control of heat range, quick deterioration of grill surface
Bottom Line
Excellent cooking performance, temperature control, and easy transport made this stand-up grill an instant favorite of our testing team
This triple burner propane gas grill offers excellent cooking performance and a large cooking area that is on par with many grills that aren't meant to leave the back patio
This impressive outdoor cooker offers the performance of a digitally-controlled pellet grill but folds down and has wheels for transport
From folding side tables to easy to clean cooking grates, this thoughtfully designed model makes grilling on the go fun and easy
With a lot of heat output from a single burner, this compact powerhouse specializes in high-temperature grilling at a fair list price
The Weber Traveler is the Cadillac of the portable grills. The designers paid careful attention to every luxurious detail, from the piezoelectric ignitor that easily fires up the grill to the consistent temperature control that is easily monitored with a thermostat centrally located on the lid. The porcelain-enameled cast iron grate has a smooth finish that helps to prevent food from sticking, making for easy cleanup. But the most notable feature is the mechanized lift assist, designed to set up and break down this grill with just one hand.
Really, the only caveat with this top-of-the-line grill is that it is heavy, weighing 49 pounds, which limits the user group to those that can lift 50 pounds. If you'd rather opt for a slightly smaller, tabletop-friendly grill, the Weber Q 1200 is a solid alternative. The larger Traveler also requires more space to store, even though it packs into a compact size for transport and storage. This is also one of the most expensive grills that we tested. However, it quickly stood apart from the competition, offering outstanding performance, high-quality construction, and a thoughtful design that will satisfy the high standards of any backyard or campground chef.
For the size and price, it may be tough to find a compact grill more powerful than the Cuisinart Grillster. Not only is it incredibly fuel-efficient, but this portable powerhouse reaches peak temperature within a matter of minutes after clicking the piezo lighter. A lightweight steel lid and three insulating walls give it the ability to both block wind and retain heat, allowing you to cook in less-than-ideal weather. This model cools down almost as quickly as it heats up for a quick get-away, with a locking lid and enough space to store one-pound gas canisters. It also sports an easy-to-carry handle.
The Grillster is an excellent option for searing steaks and other high-temperature cooking, but controlling the overall range on this rip-roaring grill is challenging. Unless our goal was blackened chicken or blistered peppers, we rarely found ourselves using anything other than the lowest gas setting. While compact and portable, you must settle for a smaller grilling space. Petite and sure-footed, the Grillster is the perfect companion for a picnic for two, no matter the location. If you love the size and portability of this grill but would rather cook over charcoal, it's worth comparing the Grillster directly against the similarly-sized Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill.
In recent years, pellet grills have exploded in popularity. There is no mystery as to why – pellet grills offer the control of a household kitchen oven but produce the flavor and texture of charcoal grills and wood smokers. Traditionally, they are not the type of grill that you'd want to tote along with you on an RV trip or to tailgate the big game, but the Camp Chef Portable Pellet changes that. With a bit of clever design, this model collapses to a size that can be wheeled around and transported into spaces that are a fraction of the size of where most pellet grills can fit. The controls for this grill are digital, allowing you to select the exact temperature you need for the cut you're cooking. If the controls weren't precise enough, there are two digital thermometer probes so that you know exactly when your meat's internal temperature has reached the perfect point. There's no need for piezo buttons, a lighter, or starter fluid with this grill because the ignitor is electric.
Some of the attributes we loved most tie directly to the weaknesses of the Camp Chef Portable Pellet. Not only is the ignitor electric but so is the auger that feeds pellets from the hopper into the grill. That means you need an AC outlet to operate this grill. If you're at home, in an RV, or have a decent power bank, you won't find this much of an issue. Yet, for folks who like to go completely off-grid, this option is a no-go. Similar to charcoal grills, pellet grills take some time before they're ready for cooking, and this model takes a while to warm up. Lastly, the Camp Chef Portable Pellet is very heavy compared to the majority of portable grills we tested. Although the wheels are helpful, it's not super fun to drag this grill very far from your vehicle – other top options like the Weber Traveler are much more portable. Despite that, we loved cooking with the Camp Chef Portable Pellet grill – it is the perfect addition to an RV setup.
Weber has a reputation for building grills that gracefully blend cooking performance and reliability, and that tradition is rolled into a portable package with the impressive Weber Q 1200. Although it is not the most powerful when measured in output power alone, the design of this grill allows it to efficiently and effectively reach ideal searing temperatures within just minutes of preheating. The highlight of this top-quality construction is the porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates, which comfortably retain the heat evenly distributed by the U-shaped stainless steel burner underneath. Simply put, this model let us grill with more precision, predictability, and control than most of the other models we bought and tested.
Although this portable powerhouse reaches top temperatures with ease, it is more difficult to learn how to harness the heat of the grill surface for foods that require more low-and-slow cooking. Though this model excels in the tabletop or tailgate setting, its relatively heavy weight and bulky packed size — combined with the lack of a latching lid — make it less than ideal for cooking far away from the car or campsite. If portability is paramount to your decision, the Cuisinart Petite Gourmet is about half the size and weight of this grill and features extendable legs. The tradeoff is decreased power output at a higher price point. That said, if you hope to regularly grill up delicious meals while on the road, the Weber Q 1200 is an accessible portable grill that is sure to appeal to both novice cooks and professional chefs alike.
For the fans of pit-cooking out there, we offer up the Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill. This well-built barbeque is an innovative take on the manufacturer's classic design, incorporating their enameled, cast-iron construction into a convenient, compact package. The rectangular basin can hold a coal bed that is both deep and evenly spread. A plated steel top grate settles securely into place thanks to deep-seated insets cast into the grill frame, so you can easily adjust heat zones without fear of dropping your whole meal into the coals.
We cannot guarantee that the Go-Anywhere will boast the same heat output as its gas-powered competitors — that's up to you and your coal-stoking abilities. There is certainly a learning curve to mastering different heat zones, but cooking over charcoal potentially offers an accuracy that cannot be matched when cooking with gas. The tightly fitting vents are tough to adjust without gloves, and it takes time to manage these adjustments skillfully for perfect airflow. But we can assure you that with practice, this portable grill can allow you to master the art of cooking over an open flame and produce delicious food in the process, even on the go. If you're intimidated by charcoal grilling, consider the gas-powered Cuisinart Grillster, which only costs a touch more than the Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill.
The Solaire Everywhere infrared grill is a unique product on our roster and performs very well in a few categories. First, it is very small and compact, and its construction is tight and carries quietly. Most importantly, the high-powered ceramic “flameless” burner that sits below a carefully designed grate of v-shaped bars cooks steaks better than anything else in our review. Heat can be very high and is delivered rapidly. For those excellent cuts of red meat that require nothing more than a touch of flame, this is the best portable grill on the market.
Unfortunately, the uncompromising high-heat cooking performance means there are tradeoffs. The Solaire Everywhere is rather specialized. For instance, the small grill top only has enough space for one or two steaks at a time. Next, it is extremely pricey. In fact, it is on par with the price point of our favorite full-sized grill, the Weber Traveler. Finally, the most notable problem is that low-heat performance is practically nonexistent. Although the heat is adjustable, we would describe the settings as “High” to “Extremely High.” Furthermore, the only purpose of the lid is portability; you cannot close it while cooking. While the Solaire Everywhere does a great job of cooking steaks, it is nearly impossible to cook other foods well. While substantially larger than the Solaire, the Coleman Roadtrip 285 is another option for those who need more low heat control when grilling. Additionally, the Roadtrip offers a large cooking area ideal for multiple items at once.
The Elite Gourmet 12" electric grill is perfect for those with limited space who still want to prioritize grilling indoors or on the road. Our testing team loved the limited assembly and user-friendly design that features a temperature control dial ranging from 200 °F to 450 °F. Truth be told, testing revealed that this grill runs hotter than advertised on the dial, even hotter when sealed with the tempered glass lid – we measured surface temperatures closer to 550 °F. Weighing only five pounds, this grill is highly portable and easily stored on your countertop or in the drawer of your camper. The non-stick cooking surface is dishwasher safe and easy to clean, thanks in large part to a removable pan that catches any unwanted grease.
This niche design is not without its setbacks. Besides the grilling plate measuring hotter than advertised, the grilling area of this compact model is limited, making it difficult to prepare an entire meal for a small group all at once. The 1200-watt electric power is also tricky, as you'll need a generator or electric campsite if you want to grill on the road. But if you have a power converter in your vehicle, the ease of use, portability, and cooking performance – especially in the wind – make the electric Elite Gourmet grill stand apart from the rest. For price-conscious grillers, another option with easy-to-use features in a lightweight package is the Char-Broil 240 Portable.
The Elite Gourmet is super easy to transport, offers solid cooking performance, on a non-stick grill plate that is fully wind resistant, thanks to a high quality, tempered glass lid.
Credit: Trish Matheny
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The Weber Traveler is so user-friendly, even Sam (our lead taste tester), could confidently crank up the temperature dial.
Credit: Trish Matheny
How We Test Portable Grills
Our thorough testing process began with scouring the internet for the latest and greatest products across the portable grill market. Next, we narrowed our selection to create a manageable yet comprehensive list of the top models. We bought all these products at retail cost to allow us to conduct an extended, objectively honest, and comparative review. These review editors rigorously assessed these grills and distributed them to friends to gather a fresh perspective. Throughout the intensive testing phase — which lasted months — we grilled piles of food, measured temperatures, grilled out in heavy winds, and burned through gallons of propane and piles of coal, all in the pursuit of an authoritative review of the market's best portable grills. Learn more about how we test portable grills.
Measuring temperature using an infrared thermometer helps gauge the true capabilities of these grills.
Credit: Trish Matheny
We break down the overall score into five key metrics:
Output Power (25% of overall score weighting)
Control (25% weighting)
Portability (20% weighting)
Cooking Area (20% weighting)
Wind Resistance (10% weighting)
Why Trust GearLab
We tasked long-time OGL review editor Jed Porter with heading up our analysis of portable grills. When you ask Jed's friends what his favorite food is, they'll likely answer either “chips and salsa” or “meat.” Jed regularly cooks 1-2 meals a day outside over an open flame, near and far, rain or shine. At various times throughout his career as a mountain guide, he has catered for groups of up to 20 hungry, adventurous clients. Adding more expertise in this category are Aaron Rice, Ross Patton, and Trish Matheny. Aaron has worked in and around kitchens for the better portion of a decade. As an outdoor educator, he has also taught many a hungry teenager the art of creating delicious meals with small stoves. A long time ago, Ross's dad was the head chef at the Steak Pit, arguably the best place to get a perfectly seared filet mignon the state of Utah. After learning how to grill from his dad and following his footsteps, Ross worked in the kitchens of several restaurants in the Lake Tahoe area. While living in the Tetons, Trish split her time between split-boarding remote peaks in the Greater Yellowstone and managing a small bakery in Driggs, Idaho. After relocating to the Eastern Sierra, she now works as a private chef, often preparing gourmet meals for large groups in remote locations. All four reviewers tapped into a network of friends and family who also happen to be culinary experts, from culinary arts professors to professional chefs to BBQ business owners.
Firing up some charcoal for side-by-side testing.
In addition to the grill BTU rating specs, we used an infrared thermometer to track temperature increases over time.
For obvious reasons, this is one of our favorite product categories to test.
How to Pick the Best Portable Grill
We've selected five different considerations to help simply your next grill purchase.
What Fuel Type is Best?
Deciding on the type of fuel for your next grill comes down to a few different factors, such as convenience, flavor, and price. A gas grill will offer a more convenient setup and easier cleaning. On the other hand, a charcoal grill provides a more pronounced flavor and can often reach hotter temperatures for searing. Another option that has exploded in popularity in recent years is the use of pellets. A pellet-fueled grill will offer flavor characteristics similar to a propane grill but provide more control over temperature. It is best when used for slow-cooked foods. Ultimately, each fuel type provides a different purpose, and the entry point for grills can vary significantly based on fuel type.
How to Choose The Right Size?
If you plan on taking your grill camping or for tailgating on the weekends a smaller form grill will be ideal. If you need a grill capable of cooking for groups and events or simply just want a backyard grill with the ability to move it around the house, a larger grill will be a better fit. A portable grill can range from just a few pounds all the way up to over eighty pounds. When deciding on your next portable grill, consider your transportation and storage capabilities along with your desired use.
How Many People Do You Cook For?
While portable grills are meant to be traveled with and used away from home, they come with a wide range of cooking abilities. Some may offer cooking that is ideal for just 1-2 individuals, while others can accommodate all your friends. The easiest way to determine how much you can cook at a time is to look at the cooking/grilling area. This will help to understand how much food can fit at a given time.
A larger grill area can accommodate more food at once and provide more room for other dishes.
Credit: Ross Patton
What Features are Important to You?
The wide range of portable grills on the market all offer useful features such as folding side tables, digital thermometers, and folding legs, to name a few. While some features may simply be for convenience, others, such as a digital thermometer, are essential if you plan on slow-cooking BBQ with precision. When deciding on your next portable grill, these considerations will help improve your overall grilling experience.
How Much Cooking Control do You Need?
The ability to regulate and control how much heat is being produced can be critical for the type of cooking you plan on doing. If utilizing a gas or electric grill, identifying how many burners, along with how many temperature adjustments are available, is important. Certain foods, such as fish and vegetables, can be overcooked if the temperature is too hot. Alternatively, certain foods benefit from high-temperature searing and need high heat to achieve the desired taste. When looking for your next grill, keep these considerations in mind to achieve delicious-tasting food.
Temperature controls offer more precision when grilling and help avoid under or over-cooking your food.
Credit: Ross Patton
Analysis and Test Results
A portable grill could be just mobile enough to load it in and out of your truck bed with a friend, or it might be compact enough to fit inside a large backpack. Such a wide range of sizes and shapes of “portable grills” presents a real challenge to our testers, but that's why we take time to analyze the entire marketplace and select the best options available today. We then put ourselves in your shoes and put each model through an array of creative real-life cooking scenarios. This helped us evaluate each product's overall performance and function, as well as the finer details and relative strengths and weaknesses, to help you pick out the best possible portable grill to meet your needs.
Value
The value of your portable grill depends on your cooking needs and your intended usage. A basic, more affordable grill might get you through a backyard bash, but a more expensive product will tend to last longer, even under more rigorous or extensive use. Simple grilling, like burgers and dogs, can be done on any portable grill. But if you would like the option to sear a steak and slow-cook chicken on the same grate, you'll likely only find such features on higher-quality models. Similarly, the least expensive grills don't offer the maximum heat output nor the control to cook more complicated foods.
The Economics of Coal vs. Propane vs. Pellets
While the all-natural allure of charcoal might be viewed as a more sustainable option than propane, these grills tend to burn through coals pretty quickly. This is an important factor to consider when choosing a grill, particularly considering the cost of replacement fuel. Classic charcoal briquettes are the most common, but we recommend all-natural lump charcoal, which may be harder to start but burns hotter and offers a higher-quality flavor without any additives or chemicals. Pellets are generally sold in 20-pound bags and cost a bit more than a similar-sized bag of charcoal, but they are dense and efficient. In our testing, we found that we can cook at least five times as long with a standard bag of pellets, including an all-day smoke or two. The cost of all three options can depend on your geographic location, fuel prices, and supply chain issues.
Grill size isn't necessarily tied to value — in fact, some of the smallest grills in our review are among some of the most expensive. When considering carrying dimensions, grilling surface, and overall performance, the more average-sized grills tend to fall into a more reasonable price bracket. There is a broad range of prices in this category, but a few of the lower-priced models stand out. The Elite Gourmet 12" Electric is one of the most affordable options we tested. It easily sears meat, offers a ton of wind resistance, and its compact size makes it perfect for the countertop or picnic table (when electricity is available), and is easy to store inside your camper. The Cuisinart Grillster has the power you need to sear steaks, but due to its lower-end price point, it lacks the overall control of better grills. The Char-Broil Grill2Go is slightly more expensive but cooks with the quality of an infrared burner and includes additional features like a thermometer built into the lid. If you're looking for a larger propane grill, the Weber Traveler is a greater investment but offers a luxurious grilling experience that's on par with many non-portable patio grills. If you're ready to jump into the pellet world, it's going to cost you – these types of cookers are not cheap. That said, the Camp Chef Portable Pellet's price is fairly reasonable considering its top-notch performance.
Lining up grills side-by-side to test the backyard ultra-classics, hamburgers and portabella-burgers.
Credit: Aaron Rice
Output Power
For this metric, we had to consider how different methods of heat production compared among different grills across the board. For gas, we looked at the number of BTUs (British thermal units) each product generates. For charcoal, electric, and pellet options that cannot be measured the same way, we drew upon evidence from testing and an infrared thermometer to measure internal grill temperatures along with advertised wattage. We also factored in the number of burners of each product, how well the grill body insulated heat, and the volume of the coal bed.
In the realm of larger portable propane grills, the Coleman Roadtrip 285 is a cut above the rest when it comes to output power. At 20,000 BTU, this model puts most of the others to shame. U-shaped burners are fairly common with this grill type, but the Roadtrip 285's burner configuration evenly distributes the heat around the entire oval-shaped grill surface. The Weber Traveler is a great example of how BTU output doesn't always correlate to better cooking performance. With only 13,000 BTUs, the oval-shaped design heats up relatively quickly while maintaining a steady and consistent temperature across the entire grilling surface. Ultimately, we found it to be superior to the Roadtrip 285 in terms of overall cooking performance.
The Weber Traveler combines a U-shape burner and 13,000 BTUs for substantial and consistent output power.
Credit: Trish Matheny
For smaller gas-powered grills, the Weber Q 1200 puts out a rather modest 8,500 BTU — not the most in our review, but with an efficient U-shaped burner and an insulating lid, this grill offers top cooking performance. The least powerful model is the Cuisinart Petit Gourmet that manages only 5,500 BTUs, but keep in mind that it only weighs 15 lbs and has half the cooking area of the bigger units. Even with its lower output, the Petit Gourmet didn't have a problem grilling anything we wanted, it didn't take any longer to cook than the other contenders, and it used the least amount of fuel. This points to an issue in assessing just the raw BTU score: a certain amount of heat over a smaller surface area will be hotter than the same amount of heat spread across a larger surface area.
U-shaped burners, as found on the Weber Q 1200, are the design of choice to efficiently deliver heat across the extent of a grill surface.
Credit: Aaron Rice
On the charcoal side, insulation plays a much more important role in output power and efficiency. The Cuisinart Portable Charcoal and Weber Go-Anywhere are very similar in terms of coal bed volume, but the Go-Anywhere scores much higher thanks to its cast iron construction.
While we couldn't rely on BTU-ratings for charcoal grills, our reviewers utilized an infrared thermometer to accurately test the temperature of these grill surfaces.
Credit: Aaron Rice
Our lone soldier pellet grill, the Camp Chef Portable Pellet, took a bit longer than expected to heat up. However, once it reached the desired temperature, we were very impressed by how even and steady the temperature remained. The flame from the pellet fire heats a large plate that simultaneously distributes heat and directs grease to the grease bucket. As a result, this model retains heat very well. There's no need to worry about having to add coals or switch out propane canisters with the Camp Chef Portable Pellet – you can simply top the pellet hopper off while the grill is in operation.
The Camp Chef Portable Pellet grill ignites faster than charcoal and generates greater heat than numerous propane counterparts.
Credit: Ross Patton
Effective Heating
Higher BTUs produce more heat, but it is challenging to determine the heat output from the BTU rating alone. Grill size, construction materials, and design all contribute to how much heat will be produced on the actual grilling surface.
Our ranking of heat output also considered each manufacturer's BTU reporting, grill surface area, and lid sealing and construction. For the most part, the scoring of the heat output follows manufacturer claims, but we made some exceptions based on our observations. For instance, while the Weber Q 1200 only claims 8,500 BTUs, in practice, it operates at hotter temperatures and maintains that heat over a larger cook surface compared to other similar models. The infrared-cooking capability of the Solaire Everywhere puts out 14,000 BTUs and confidently sears a steak faster than anything else.
We enlisted professional BBQ caterers Liz Bazzano and Ryan Weidenbach from Dubbs BBQ to help assess these compact wonders. Their input was illuminating and helpful.
Credit: Rosie De Lise
Control
Control is the criteria that most distinctly separates the highest performers from the rest of the contenders. For gas and electric, this metric was scored based on how many burners each product has and whether they can be adjusted to high, medium, and low temperatures. For charcoal, we assessed how easy it was to maneuver the coal bed to create heat zones. For pellet grills, we studied the user interface and considered the details of the startup and shutdown process. We also considered whether the grilling surface presents a consistent temperature throughout, whether it includes a thermometer or push-button ignition, and how well both perform. There are advantages and disadvantages to a grill surface that naturally creates different temperature zones.
If you're cooking only one type of food that covers the entire grilling surface, then you will want to have consistent heat throughout. If you are cooking a variety of foods all at once, you might prefer different temperature zones. To test the distribution of heat across a grill, we grilled different food types in different corners of the grill.
The heat distribution of the Char-Broil 240 grill is not particularly even, likely because the distribution cap does not extend to the farthest reaches at either the front or back.
Credit: Aaron Rice
To illustrate this, we cooked plain white bread and photographed the result to help visualize the distribution of heat across these grill tops. We also took into consideration whether the lid was big enough for closed grilling, how easy the grease trap was to use, remove, and clean, and if the regulator provided a snug or loose fit.
The George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor 12+ can only be operated on a single heat-setting. Notice that while the onions were just beginning to nicely char, our burgers were over-browning to a crisp.
Credit: Aaron Rice
The clear champion of this section of our assessment is the Camp Chef Portable Pellet. The digital controller goes far beyond the accuracy of any mechanical knob. If you can operate the controls of a modern kitchen oven, then this model is a no-brainer. This grill can be set from “low smoke” to “high smoke”, and for temperatures ranging up to 550 degrees. When you've chosen your desired cook temperature, all you have to do is confirm a start sequence, and a timer pops up on the digital display, letting you know exactly how many seconds you have until the grill is ready to be loaded with food.
A digital display on the Camp Chef provides an intuitive way to control temperature settings and allows for more precision than traditional grills.
Credit: Ross Patton
Once the grill is going, the Camp Chef Portable Pellet's internal thermometer and the computer then take over to regulate the flow of pellets into the burner. This process keeps the grill temperature remarkably close to the chosen setting. If all this tech hasn't impressed you yet, this model also has two digital meat thermometers so that you can watch temperatures in real-time. With this grill, barring some sort of unexpected mishap, you will likely never overcook a tri-tip again.
Two meat probes provide real-time temperature readings on the digital display.
Credit: Ross Patton
The Coleman Roadtrip 285 tops the list of our favorite propane models when it comes to grill control and temperature regulation. There are three dials that control the different zones, but all of those heat zones overlap. The middle dial controls a burner that spans the length of the whole grill, while the other two dials control an additional burner on each side. With all of them on, it evenly heats the entire cooking area. The Roadtrip 285 produced better results from our white bread heat mapping test than any other grill we've tested. Though the Weber Traveler does not feature a triple burner configuration, it does feature an accurate thermometer on the lid and a single adjustable dial that offers a wide range of settings.
It would be very difficult to beat the white bread heat distribution test results produced by the Coleman Roadtrip 285.
Credit: Ross Patton
The Weber Q 1200 is another solid model in this category due to the adjustability of its control knob and a sound electronic ignition system. We appreciate the naturally non-stick porcelain-enameled grilling surface and that the cast iron grates distribute a consistent temperature across the entire cook surface. The domed lid of the Q 1200 has plenty of clearance for closed grilling, the grease trap is easy to remove and clean, and the integrated thermometer helps regulate internal air temperatures with impressive accuracy.
Single-burner options, like the Cuisinart Grillster, often don't afford the same amount of control over temperature zones as other multi-burner grills.
Credit: Aaron Rice
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. We found the u-shaped burner of the Camp Chef Portable BBQ to be one of the best single burners in our review. The large surface of the Cuisinart All Foods Roll-Away gives the cook multiple heat zones to work with while grilling. The infrared burner of the Solaire Everywhere heats the entire grill surface to about the same temperature. This is good for cooking lots of one type of food, but not so good if you're hoping to cook different foods at different rates.
Building an intensely hot coal bed, that can later be spread out to create individual heat zones, is a critical skill in mastering the art of charcoal grilling.
Credit: Aaron Rice
It is important to mention here that cooking with charcoal is very different from cooking over a gas burner. Charcoal is an active heat source, meaning that it can be adjusted — stoked to increase heat or smothered to decrease it — but requires constant care to regulate temperature. The upside is that the potential for control is very high because charcoal gives you virtually unlimited ability to manage various heat zones across the grilling surface. The downside is that this control is not guaranteed: there is a significant learning curve to master this technique, and it's more difficult than adjusting the dial of a gas grill.
Notice the three different heat zones possible with the Weber Go-Anywhere charcoal grill. From the left: medium heat to evenly brown the steak; high heat to blister peppers; low heat on to caramelize the onion.
Credit: Aaron Rice
Among the charcoal models, the Weber Go-Anywhere scores top marks for control. Thanks to a relatively deep basin, we were able to build and stoke a substantial volume of coals to achieve the exact heat we desired. Since the area of the basin exactly matches the surface area of the grill, we were then able to spread out those coals to create targeted heat zones.
Charcoal grills are the top choice for many grill enthusiasts, but this type of cooking can take years to master. Pictured here are two Weber models -- the Go-Anywhere and the Smokey Joe 14.
Smaller charcoal grills like the Weber Smokey Joe 14 can run out of heat if you don't time your cooking just right.
The Cuisinart Petite Gourmet is one of the smallest grills in our tests, and the size does affect control. This model has an elongated burner beneath a rectangular grate. It has a fairly uniform temperature, but the shape of the grate and burner gives you the option to move your food around to different temperature zones in case you need some range for different foods.
The Camp Chef Portable BBQ grill in action.
Credit: Rosie De Lise
Of the electric models we tested, the 1200-watt Elite Gourmet gave a solid performance, featuring a single temperature dial ranging from 200 °F to 450 °F. Though testing with an infrared thermometer revealed that this grill runs hotter than the temperature on the control dial – up to 100 °F hotter on the high end – especially with the tempered glass lid on, we were impressed with how evenly the heat distributed across the non-stick cooking surface.
The Elite Gourmet is an electronic option for grilling that is complete with an easy-to-use temperature dial ranging from 200F to 450F.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Portability
To determine scores in this metric, we loaded each product into vehicles, took them to picnics and campsites, and grilled gratifying culinary concoctions. 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, the noise during transport, and the cleanliness on the ride home.
The Petit Gourmet has telescoping legs that fold up neatly, and it's easy to carry in one hand. The Solaire and the Grillster both carry cleanly and easily, kind of like a small suitcase. Models like this are easy to carry into the park to find your ideal picnic spot. With any grill, cleaning them before transporting them will lead to less mess.
Even though the Weber Q 1200 neatly folds up (albeit into a not-so-compact package), the lack of a lid latch is perhaps more annoying than anything when considering the portability of this grill.
Credit: Aaron Rice
The 31-pound Weber Q 1200 is still surprisingly portable due to its useful handles. Special mention should be given to the fact that it can be purchased as a tabletop model (like we did) or can easily be integrated into a separate wheelable, folding stand for enhanced parking lot convenience.
During a long-distance drive that included mountain passes and washboard dirt roads, most grills stayed in place, but the Cuisinart Portable ended up upside-down.
Credit: Aaron Rice
The most notable portability attribute of the Char-Broil Grill2Go is that one can fit three propane canisters inside its closed lid during transport. None of the other top-rated grills have space beneath their lids for even one canister. This is nice when space is tight, and it's just convenient. And who would be using a portable grill if space weren't limited?
The Char-Broil Grill2Go is unique in that, for transport, you can carry fuel cans inside the lid. We like this. Surprisingly few others allow this.
Credit: Jediah Porter
Of the wheeled options that we tested, we want to give a special shout-out to the Weber Traveler, which is so easy to use and transport that you can do it with only one hand (and foot). The grill also features a lock that securely fastens it into its compact and portable position, while the long handle and durable wheels make upright portability a breeze. When it's time to load it into your vehicle, another large handle on the other side of the grill makes it much easier to pick it up and place it into your pickup. But we also recognize that this 49-pound grill is large, and we understand that this alone might be a limiting factor for some people. But when directly compared to the cumbersome and awkward portability of the top-heavy Coleman 285, the Traveler is clearly superior thanks to a more thoughtful and user-friendly design.
Though one of the heaviest models that we tested, the portability of the Weber Traveler is difficult to beat.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Rounding out the bottom of the list for this metric is the Camp Chef Portable Pellet. This model is really heavy compared to the others, and it has a short handle. You also have to lay it on its back to convert it from travel to cooking mode, which is not ideal. But if you want a pellet grill for tailgating or base camping, this is still your best option.
The legs on the Portable Pellet fold up, but the process is not as easy as some of the other wheeled models we've tested.
Credit: Ross Patton
The Elite Gourmet measures only 17 inches at its widest point, and weighs only five pounds, making it one of the most compact options we tested. However, as an electric grill, it is still tethered to a power outlet (of some sort.) But if you have limited indoor space and still want to grill, this petite grill top is well worth your consideration.
At only five pounds, The Elite Gourmet is one of the lightest grill options that we tested.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Cooking Area
Scores in this metric were determined by the size of the cooking surface, the surface material, and any coatings, whether the grill has any side tables or any other added features. Additional features and functions include a grill grate that can be turned over and made into a skillet or bonus features like a warming rack or smoker tray. We also took into account how simple or challenging each contender was to clean.
If you're looking to cook a whole lot of food at once, you can't top the Camp Chef Portable Pellet. Between the main grill and the upper shelf, this model offers 500 square inches of cooking space. If you like the idea of grilling large hunks of meat on one shelf while roasting veggies on the other, this is the grill for you.
Between the main grill and the upper deck, the Camp Chef Portable Pellet has tons of cooking space.
Credit: Ross Patton
The single-rack model with the largest grilling area is the Weber Traveler. This grill features an impressive 390 square inches of cooking space across its porcelain-enameled cast iron grate. This is plenty of room to cook for a good-sized backyard BBQ or while car camping with a group of your closest friends. We especially appreciated the easy cleanup afterward thanks to the smooth cooking surface.
A substantial amount of cooking area along with cast iron grates made grilling and cleanup on the Weber Traveler a breeze. The porcelain-enameled cast iron made a fantastic cooking surface that was easy to clean.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Another standout model in this category is the Coleman Roadtrip 285 that features – as the name suggests – 285 square inches of grilling surface. Though the cast iron grate is not as smooth as the Traveler and therefore causes food to stick even when preheated, the bottom of the grill's interior is easy to wipe clean thanks to an even surface.
The Coleman Roadtrip 285 was lots of room for lots of tasty food.
Credit: Ross Patton
Wind Resistance
Does the burner blow out in the wind? Does the lid get easily slammed shut? Does the grease trap fly away? Is the whole system sturdy? These are all things that were taken into consideration when scoring all the contenders for this metric.
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.
We used the Camp Chef Portable Pellet to grill this rack of ribs in high desert winds for 10 hours -- the ribs were perfect, and the winds had no effect on cooking performance.
Credit: Ross Patton
If you're in the market for a propane grill and you don't want to worry about your flame getting blown out, our top recommendation is the Weber Traveler. We found that between the multi-hole design of the burners and the way that they are recessed into the tub of the grill body, this model's flames are very hard to extinguish. The low-profile lid of this grill is also vented with down-turned covers to release pressure inside the lid without allowing wind to have any effect on the flame.
The Weber Traveler is a perfect example of high performance (even when grilling on windy days in exposed locations) thanks to the fully enclosed grilling area and hooded vents on the back of the lid.
Credit: Trish Matheny
We were also impressed by the Camp Chef Portable. This Camp Chef model has a stable cooking surface that prevents any wind from getting through to the grilling grate. Wind resistance was another particularly strong aspect of the George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor 12+ and the Elite Gourmet that both feature electrically heated cooking surfaces with lids that cover their entirety. Both of these electric grills appeared to be completely unfazed by convective heat loss, as far as we can tell.
The Elite Gourmet is a great choice for grilling in high winds thanks to the tempered glass lid that fully encloses the non-stick grill plate.
Credit: Trish Matheny
The Cuisinart All Foods Roll-Away scored the lowest in wind resistance. We grew frustrated at the number of times we had to re-light this model in high winds. The Weber Q 1200 comes with a disposable aluminum drip tray insert that you can place in the more permanent drip tray. This is nice for aiding with cleanup, but it's not very wind-resistant, so it usually ended up on the ground after flying away in windy conditions. This can be remedied by doing away with this disposable part or just by putting a rock in it.
The deep set walls of the Cuisinart Grillster do a great job of blocking the wind.
Credit: Aaron Rice
Conclusion
All that now stands between you and mobile grilling is your final choice and a big pile of grillable grub. Crack that first tailgate can, ponder our comparative assessments, and pull the trigger on an excellent portable grill. We are proud of the work we put in to hash out all the options and are honored to be a small part of your transient culinary journey.
We hope our testing perspectives and recommendations help you to find the best portable grills based on your specific needs.
