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. All three of these testers 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. The grill’s porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates split into two pieces down the middle. They were easy to remove and clean, however I did let mine soak in the sink overnight with some Dawn Powerwash to later scrape off the burned bits of food. I liked that the Traveler has a removable disposable grease trap (sold in a set of 10) to make cleanup less of a burden. Travel with taste, or grill up a quick meal on your patio with the Jumbo Joe® portable charcoal grill.
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 weber portable grill 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.
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. The Roadtrip is a bulky grill compared to many of its rivals in this review, and it relies heavily on wheels for transport. Weighing in at 47 pounds, it’s not very fun to transport it much further than in and out of a truck bed. The weight and bulk definitely detract from its overall portability.
Weber thought of everything — even the smallest of details — while designing the Weber Traveler. The grill has an automatically locking lid, gas spring lifters, and locks that prevent the cart from folding down when the propane tank is attached. You can quickly raise and lower the grill one-handed, and since it’s on two wheels, it can easily be dragged around with little effort on your part. Next, I wanted to see how well I could control the temperature for lower-slower grilling candidates.
Cuisinart is better known for kitchen appliances than grills, so it makes sense this petite model is designed with an eye toward food prep, not just grilling. It packs up neatly, with a wooden lid that doubles as a cutting board. It’s made for use with a small propane tank (and does not come with an adapter for larger tanks), which can be stored underneath the firebox when packed up. One tester noted that the cast iron grates produced enviably golden-brown sear on a steak, although the surface of the grill did not produce consistent heat, which resulted in burning in some places. Unlike most of the charcoal models reviewed here, the Masterbuilt features a charcoal hopper and fan to regulate its temperature, similar to a pellet grill. While it’s 52 pounds, it’s easy to move for such a heavy grill, thanks to its stand and wheels.
The stainless steel grates take a little more work to clean than cast iron, but not a herculean effort by any means. The firebox pops out for easy emptying, but the handle bolts make removing it without tipping a little difficult. The grill has no lid for cooking, as the top consists of a storage compartment and cutting board. As such, you’re grilling with direct heat and should keep that in mind when meal planning. We’ve tested an older version of the Lodge Sportsman’s Pro Cast Iron Grill, a hibachi-style grill that generates an intense amount of heat and excels at searing, making it ideal for steaks. But the lidless design limits its ability to tackle slow-cooking tasks.
The Traveler’s single 13,000 BTU burner — which wraps around the entirety of the grill — gives off some serious heat. The grill is powered by small 1-pound liquid-propane tanks, which can be purchased for around $6 at stores that carry sporting goods and camping gear. It can also be hooked up to a larger-sized propane tank with the purchase of a separate adapter.
We were impressed with not only how easy it is to move around but also how simple this grill is to assemble and operate. The porcelain-coated cast-iron grill grate is quite non-stick, with even delicate fish filets releasing pretty easily. 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.