6 Best Portable Grills of 2024, According to Experts

For on-the-go barbecues, the Weber Q is the best portable grill. It gives the same great, even cooking without flareups that you get from full-size Weber grills. For fuel, it uses a one-pound propane cylinder, which will let you cook for a couple hours — that’s more than enough time for several rounds of burgers, just-caught trout or even chicken. Though, this wouldn’t be enough time for smoking a turkey breast or pork butt, unless you want to bring along a second tank to connect while cooking. On the porcelain enameled cast iron grates, there’s enough room for about six hamburgers.

This grill has two side tables, which give you a place to rest your tongs or a package of buns; they fold up so the grill fits neatly in your trunk. There’s also a thermometer in the lid and an exceptionally easy-to-remove drip pan. You can choose your Q with a hood in titanium, black, blue, green, orange or red. If you want to use a 20-pound tank, you can buy an adapter hose. An optional cart is also available. The grill itself weighs about 23 pounds.

Call this the little grill that could. In spite of its low price, compact size and light weight (it’s less than 20 pounds!), this grill has a steel wire grate that’s big enough to handle about 14 hamburgers, which makes it perfect for large-family camping trips or away-from-home entertaining. And, you can rely on it to preheat quickly and cook evenly, so you won’t need to move all those patties around to have them all ready and nicely browned at the same time. For power, it uses a 16-ounce propane tank.

The legs fold up, and the lid locks for carrying, but you won’t find any special features on this basic black model. To use it, you’ll need a table or a tailgate, otherwise you’ll have to squat down to flip your steaks.

This is a mini version of the classic Weber kettle. It has many of that iconic grill’s great features, most notably the ability to control heat and avoid flareups. The lid handle stays cool enough to lift without a mitt, and the lid rests on the bowl while you’re flipping the kabobs or serving fish.

The grate is large enough to cook a half dozen burgers or twice that many frankfurters. At less than 10 pounds, this grill easy to tote. If you’re tired of boring black, the Smokey Joe is also available in red, ivory, gray, blue or green.

While camping, you want to be able to make bacon and eggs for breakfast as easily as steaks and pork chops for dinner. This grill has a flat griddle cooking surface that’s good for grilling just about anything. You won’t get grill marks, but you will get even browning whether you’re making flapjacks or burgers. As there are two burners, you can cook at two different heat settings. When you’re making fajitas, you can sear the skirt steak on high at the same time that you’re sautéing the onions and peppers over low. The griddle lets you cook a dozen patties or 24 brats.

The thirty-two-pound Blackstone is designed to be used on a tabletop with a one-pound LP tank (with an adapter hose it can be hooked up to a larger tank). Before your first use, you have to season the carbon steel griddle. Over time the griddle will turn black and develop a nonstick patina.

Smaller than a briefcase and just over 10 pounds, this foldable grill more closely resembles a waffle or panini maker rather than a grill. You can carry it by its handle or stash it in a backpack to transport it to the beach or picnic site. Of course, you also have to bring along a one-pound propane tank. With its four-burger capacity, this is a model for feeding up to four people but not for a large family or entertaining a crowd.

With this Coleman, you won’t have to worry about where to set up the grill or crouching down to cook. It sits sturdily on an integrated stand, making it ideal for tailgaters or campers who want to do some serious cooking. When it’s time to pack up and go, the cart folds up; it has two wheels that make it easy to pull. Three independent burners mean you can cook your ribs, sausages and veggies on three different settings simultaneously. On the grates, there’s space for about a dozen hamburgers.

You get a lot of convenient features with this portable grill — there are two side tables to rest your spatula and beverage of choice, and, just like the stand, they fold up for traveling. For an additional cost, you can purchase griddle surfaces or stove-top burners to switch out for the grill grates, meaning you can make pancakes and a pot of coffee on your grill. The RoadTrip only works with a one-pound tank. It comes in black, red, orange, blue or green.