When the weather starts getting nice, it’s time to break out the grill. But if you’re trying to take the best grill on the road, to the beach or at least to the backyard, you’re going to want one of the best portable grills.
The best portable grill will be compact, easy to transport to your desired location and work well on the go or outside of smaller homes and apartments where less space is available.
Obviously, portable grills were designed from the bottom up to be easily transportable and typically easily cleaned and used too. Though that does mean some compromising on size and grilling surface, the best portable grills are still extremely well-made and can rely on your standard fuel sources, whether charcoal, propane firewood or electricity.
We rounded up some of the best portable grills below for your consideration. We made sure to grab at least one great option for each fuel source as well as some overall great portable grills and one totally strange but brilliant portable grill designed with vehicles in mind.
1. NOMAD Grill & Smoker
BEST OVERALL
For the ultimate portable grill, you have to check out the NOMAD Grill & Smoker. It’s what you get when you set out to design a portable grill from scratch, ignoring what came before. There are too many details to dive into to make our case for this portable grill as the best overall, but here are the main takeaways: It’s made from cast aluminum that’s been treated to survive the long term, the outside of the box stays cool enough to safely put on any surface, even when cooking, and it features built-in convection airflow. It also boasts 425 square inches of cooking space and basically folds up into a briefcase for easy portability.
Yes, you will have to pay through the nose for the awesomeness that is the NOMAD portable grill, but it’s definitely one of the best portable grills for just about any person.
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2. Weber Q1000 Liquid Propane Grill
BEST VALUE
It should come as no surprise that Weber will pop up several times on this list. The brand has been in the grilling game for a very long time, and they consistently deliver quality at an attainable price. The Q1000 portable grill relies on liquid propane to deliver consistent and convenient heat. The cooking grates can support up to six burgers, and they’re porcelain-enameled cast-iron for added durability.
3. Everdure Cube Portable Charcoal Grill
BEST DESIGN
Everdure’s portable grill is one of the most beautifully designed grills we’ve seen. But it’s not just a pretty face. The Everdure’s stacking design makes it very convenient for park BBQs or trips to the beach. The food storage tray and bamboo tray make it easy to prepare and serve meat and veggies. The compact grill weighs a modest 20 pounds, and its cool touch handles make it relatively easy to carry.
Read More: The Best Grills
4. Cuisinart Petite Portable Tabletop Gas Grill
CONTENDER
In terms of value, it’s hard to go wrong with Cuisinart. The brand isn’t cheap, but it’s not expensive, either, and you can feel reasonably confident that you’re paying for a quality piece of cookware. This simple gas grill has legs that kick out for easier tabletop grilling. The grill grate is enamel-coated for durability and ease of cleaning. This grill is compact, but not so small that it’s impractical — the surface can support eight hamburgers.
5. Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 Portable Grill
ALSO GREAT
Char-Broil doesn’t have quite the name recognition of Weber, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that they’ve been in the grilling game for generations. If you’re looking for a portable propane gas grill, this is a solid option. It has a 200-square-inch grilling surface that’s designed to heat evenly for better results. It weighs a modest 20 pounds and has ergonomic handles for easy carrying.
6. Coleman RoadTrip LX Propane Grill
MOST COMFORTABLE TO USE
The Coleman RoadTrip LX Propane Grill delivers what its name promises: It’s a great road trip grill. It’s ultrabasic in a good way because, at the end of the day, all you really need out of the best portable grill is a good amount of grilling surface without losing easy transportability and usability. It comes with a collapsible stand if you’re outdoors but the grill can also go on any flat surface that can stand up to the heat, like, a rock or a truck bed.
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7. HitchFire Forge Grill
BUILT FOR VEHICLES
The strange but brilliant HitchFire Forge Grill is unlike any other portable grill we’ve encountered. It’s actually designed to be hitched to a trailer of a car, meaning it goes wherever your car can go and it doesn’t even take up cargo space. The swingarm helps you position the grill wherever you’d like it and all you need is a standard propane can to get grilling.
8. Weber 40020 Smokey Joe 14-Inch Portable Grill
BEST SMALL CHARCOAL GRILL
For a small, standard portable charcoal grill, you can’t go wrong with anything from Weber, including the Weber 40020 Smokey Joe 14-Inch Portable Grill. With a 14-inch diameter, you’ve got enough room to cook for a few people, perfect for a small camping trip or a backyard afternoon with a couple of the boys. It features porcelain-enameling on the lid and bowl for heat retention and durability, and the built-in handles make moving from A to B a cinch.
9. Weber Jumbo Joe 18-Inch Charcoal Grill
BEST MEDIUM CHARCOAL GRILL
We swear we’re not being lazy when we recommend the Weber Jumbo Joe 18-Inch Charcoal Grill. We checked out a lot of medium-sized portable grills but in the end, we just kept coming back to this Weber grill. It’s basically identical to the above pick, only larger, and excellent for the same reasons. It offers a decent amount of cooking space for its size and price and it’s well-made enough that it’ll last a long time, as long as you don’t leave it in rain and adverse weather for days at a time.
10. Cuisinart Propane Grillster
BEST SMALL PROPANE GRILL
For the best small propane grill, we like the Cuisinart Propane Grillster. It really is quite compact, weighing only 10 pounds, but it still manages to offer 146 square inches of cooking surface. Enameled steel grates are also dishwasher safe, so you can toss them in there instead of scrubbing for hours after a days-long trip. One reviewer who worked as a trucker said it was perfect for his work, but this grill could easily work on a backyard patio or a balcony, which is great for apartment dwellers. Truly, this portable grill is ready to go out of the box. The only thing you need is the propane can.
11. Char-Broil Portable Propane Gas Grill
BEST MEDIUM PROPANE GRILL
For a portable propane grill with some more cooking surface to work with, the Char-Broil Portable Propane Gas Grill will get the job done. It offers a substantial 240 square inches of cooking surface for all your burgers, steaks and hot dogs, and sturdy legs make sure there are no accidental fires wherever you place the grill. Handles on the grill make it easy to transport and, like any self-respecting grill, it uses porcelain on the body for heat retention and durability. Use it at the campsite or even on the beach.
12. George Foreman 12-Serving Rectangular Electric Grill
BEST ELECTRIC GRILL
If you’ve never used a George Foreman grill before, they work great and are, for lack of a better term, idiot-proof. The George Foreman 12-Serving Rectangular Electric Grill is no different.
It offers 200 square inches of cooking space and you’ll never have to worry about a flammable fuel source since it plugs into a standard AC outlet. Nonstick coating makes cooking and clean-up a breeze, and if you don’t need the included stand, it’s removable.
Of course, the downside for electric grills is the fact they’re significantly less portable than charcoal or propane grills because you need a source of electricity. But lots of outdoor spaces these days include spaces with electricity and with the right vehicle or specialized plugs, you could use a car as the energy source.
13. Snow Peak Takibi Fire & Grill
BEST GRILL & FIREPIT HYBRID
Use this fire pit and grill to stay warm and cook while in your backyard, at a campground or by beach. Made of stainless steel it is streamlined, foldable, and simple to set up and use. Compact, yet large enough to store lots of firewood, it offers an extended burn time and packs up into a convenient nylon bag when not in use.
14. Weber Traveler Portable Grill
HONORBALE MENTION
This portable gas grill takes up little space and easily fits into the trunk of your car for transport. For added convenience, it features a one-handed setup and breakdown and there’s a large grilling area that can accommodate up to 15 burgers at once. All you have to do is attach a 16 oz. gas canister or larger tank with an adapter hose and you’re ready to go.
15. Cuisinart Venture Portable Grill
ALSO CONSIDER
How cute is this tiny little grill? Take it on the road with you and grill while camping, tailgating or chilling on the beach. It features a porcelain enameled cooling grate that’s large enough to prepare your favorite foods and a high-grade stainless steel 9,000 BTU burner with an easy-start electric ignition. The base offers 1-pound propane tank storage and a flip-out rack to hold it securely while in use. As an added bonus, this portable grill’s wooden lid can be used as a cutting board while the large carrying handle with a rubber grip handle provides comfort and portability.
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