Best Portable Grill of 2022 Tested by GearLab Everything we cooked on this grill had a dark, sooty film and tasted like torched fat. The Char-Broil Grill2Go’s best features are its compactness and its easy-to-carry design. Two clips in the front hold the whole unit tightly together, and you can effortlessly carry the whole thing with one hand . The Q 1200’s small fold-out side tables are handy for keeping grill tools within reach, though we wouldn’t feel confident resting a large tray brimming with meat or other heavy things on them. The ceramic construction retains heat and turns it into a portable oven as well. The MiniMax Big Green Egg is identical to its larger cousin in nearly every way, but smaller. It weighs 75 pounds, making it by the far the heaviest grill I tested, but the double-handle carrying system makes it easy for two people to carry it. Like the Traveler, the Weber Q2200 can also accommodate a full-size propane cylinder with an adapter. The push-button ignition is battery powered, which I actually found slightly easier to use. The Q1200 arrives mostly assembled—we were able to get it ready for testing in less than 10 minutes. Lighting it was easy thanks to its battery-powered electric ignition that’s a welcome upgrade over the less reliable piezo ignitions found on many portable gas grills. Like the Weber models, this Char-Broil grill has a thick cast-aluminum body for even heat distribution. But unlike its Weber competitors, the Grill2Go is incapable of searing food beyond grill marks, because its perforated grate blocks a lot of ambient heat from the firebox. We also had a few more flare-ups with the Grill2Go than with our other picks. In spring 2017, Tim and Wirecutter writers Lesley Stockton and Michael Sullivan spent over 40 hours testing full-size gas and charcoal grills, as well asgrill accessories. With all this knowledge in hand, Lesley and Tim spent 16 hours, over the course of two days, testing nine portable grills. Most portable charcoal grills have a very small cooking area, so they are only good for direct grilling of items like steak or burgers. To do any smoking, you'd need a 2-zone fire with the briquettes on one side and food on the other. This is an important factor to consider when choosing a grill, particularly considering the cost of replacement fuel. You don't get this uncompromising high-heat cooking performance without some drawbacks. First, the grill top is small, with space for only one or two steaks on it at a time. Finally — and this is the most significant issue — the low-heat performance is virtually nonexistent. The heat options are adjustable, but they would best be described as "High" to "Extremely High." Further, the lid is only for portability; you cannot close it while cooking. If your need for portability is limited to moving your grill from storage to the patio, a larger option might be best since you’ll have more grilling capacity. If you’re planning on taking your grill on a camping trip, though, a smaller, super lightweight model might make the most sense. Also, look at the grilling surface area specifically to see how much you will be able to cook at one time. The Weber Go-Anywhere grill has a porcelain-enameled steel cooking grate, as well as a push-button ignition and glass-reinforced nylon handles. One of the grill’s coolest features is its plated steel legs, which can be pivoted up to lock the lid in place during transportation. We loved that we could light it by simply turning each burner’s knob to the ignition setting—there was no need to fiddle with an ignition button. With 276 square inches of cooking surface and two burners, it has more capacity than most portable grills. We liked the consistent heating and thoughtful features on the Q1200. At 189 square inches, the Q1200’s cooking surface isn’t the largest, but it is certainly above average. Beneath those head-sized ribeyes you can see the glowing orange Solaire heating element. Keeping coals lit in the Weber Smokey Joe Charcoal Grill 14? was a challenge for us. This smaller Weber kettle comes equipped with only one vent, located in the lid. The lack of airflow meant we couldn’t keep the coal bed lit throughout a single cook, leaving us with pale burgers and undercooked chicken. The tiny Cuisinart CGG-180T Petit Gourmet Portable Tabletop Gas Grill suffered major flare-ups when cooking burgers, and turned into a raging grease fire when cooking chicken pieces. Barbeques Galore stocks up on portable grills from a barrage of trusted brands such as Weber, Turbo, Green Mountain, American Muscle, Broil King, Blaze, and Twin Eagle. So, you can rest easy knowing you’re getting value for your money. That's a lot of hype, and I was prepared to be underwhelmed, but the Takibi lives up to the hype and then some. It folds flat, leaving more room in your trunk; the grill top is a grid so small things won't fall through, and when you're done cooking it turns into a fire pit. There is an add-on cast iron coal bed ($26) that holds charcoal, but I don't see it as necessary . No thermometer is included, and Weber does not make a storage cover for the Jumbo Joe.