The Best Portable Grills, According to Food Network Kitchen After all, just because you’re away from home doesn’t mean you have to settle for charred pork chops or undercooked chicken. However, we also reviewed how convenient the grills were to use on the go. Our picks contain a selection of models for everyone from a hiker to a multiday camper. The grill grates are porcelain enamel, which aids in longevity and heat retention. It can be used with firewood or charcoal – just slide on the included grill grate to use as a grill. The sides of the fire pit are perforated so you can see the flames, and it comes with an app-controlled fan to control the size of the flames. You should clean your portable grill the same way you would clean a full-size gas grill. Once you're finished cooking, allow the grill to cool down slightly, then brush grease and food pieces off the grates with a grill brush. You may also need to wipe down the interior of the grill and empty or dispose of the grease tray at the bottom. You can cook bacon, vegetables, eggs, bread, and more right alongside your grilling meat with this portable gas grill from Camp Chef. Smaller grills can manage with 8,000 BTUs , while larger models might need 20,000 BTUs per burner. As a guideline, consider that heat output should be between 80 and 100 BTUs per square inch of cooking surface. Portable grills pack the basic functionalities of their standard counterparts into a more compact design, but reduced size and price tag don’t necessarily indicate reduced quality. Whether you’re craving juicy burgers, hot dogs, seasoned vegetables, or some other barbecue favorite, there’s a portable grill to meet your needs. To get the best flavor from your first grilling and remove any manufacturing oils, “break-in” your grill before cooking for the first time. Break in the electric heating element to remove the new-appliance smell before cooking for the first time. There are quite a few different ways to power a portable grill. This section will outline some of the most common fuel sources and grill types, highlighting the pros and cons of each type as well as important considerations of each fuel source. Use these shopping tips and recommendations to pick the best portable grill for your next on-the-go barbecue. 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. The George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor 15+ may offer a huge grilling surface, but 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. Always use your grill—gas or charcoal—outside, in a well-ventilated spot. Combustion produces odorless carbon monoxide, which can kill in minutes without warning. Regularly cleaning your grill will ensure great-tasting food. 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. If it’s hard to move, it isn’t actually a portable grill; it’s just a grill that’s smaller than you’d like it to be. Is there a portable grill that works as well as a full-size one? After assembling the grill, which took about 20 minutes, we loaded it up.