We also prefer an open grate design that allows ambient heat from the firebox to brown the areas in between the grill marks. But portable grills are generally not as versatile as a full-size grill. Our picks fit about half as much food as their full-size weber portable grill counterparts (six burgers versus 12) and aren’t ideal for large cuts of meat that require slow or indirect cooking, such as roasts or pork shoulder. If you have the space, you’ll probably be happier with one of our full-size gas or charcoal picks.
A removable grease catch pan is included to make clean-up easy. The Weber Traveler operates on a portable-sized 14.1 or 16.4 ounce propane cylinder (sold separately). This Stealth Edition Weber Traveler features a sleek, blacked-out finish. The Weber Q 1200 portable gas BBQ grill offers 189 square inches of cooking space to create the grilled foods you love anytime, anywhere. Weber Q gas grills are perfect for tailgating, camping or small spaces like apartment balconies.
The frame which consists of the legs, tool hooks, shelf, and igniter are all plastic, but the material is thick and meant to be durable to withstand the rigors of traveling. As we’ve come to expect from Weber, The Traveler is a very intentionally built grill that checks all the boxes in terms of quality. Or maybe you’re in the market for a new grill to take camping or tailgating. First, the setup was challenging as the legs were difficult to install properly. Next, the heat distribution was very uneven, where a uniform layer of coals still resulted in a hot spot in the center. The Dyna-Glo scored highly for performance but was edged out for Best Value by its weight (40 pounds) and a more complicated assembly process that could require a second person to accomplish easily.
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. 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.
The comfortable plastic handle allows you to lift the grill with one hand, while a heat shield keeps it cool to the touch during grilling. Unfortunately, the uncompromising high-heat cooking performance means there are tradeoffs. For instance, the small grill top only has enough space for one or two steaks at a time. Finally — and the most notable problem — the 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.
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, weber bbq the Coleman Roadtrip 285 is more of an investment but performs 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.
Most of the grill, including the frame and hood were pre-assembled. It was a really intuitive assembly so I didn’t need the instructions. The fee is determined at checkout.Handling Fee may be applied based on order quantity. Ace Rewards members are eligible to receive free delivery on orders of $50 or more. Greg Baker is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, and food writer with four decades of experience in the food industry. His written work appears in Food & Wine, Food Republic, and other publications.
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. 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.
For one, it can be broken down or tucked away in storage (and it should be when not in use, to minimize weather-induced corrosion). The Q 1200’s design caused the fewest flare-ups of any model we tried, weber bbq thanks to built-in channels in the porcelain-coated cast-iron grill grates. These helped keep grease and drippings away from the flames while still allowing ambient heat to brown between grill marks.