Combination gas and charcoal grill reviews
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We think of grilling as a backyard pastime: Cooking up burgers and hot dogs out on a perfect sunny day surrounded by family and friends at home. The truth is, though, we love to grill everywhere. We love to grill at a tailgate before a football game. We love to grill on a camping trip. We love to grill on a chill day at the park. Show
Having a portable grill, whether it’s a miniature tabletop model that’s easy to carry or something a little bigger to cook for a crowd, gives you the freedom to grill whenever you want. You don’t have to compromise much when grilling away from home, either. While the smaller size of these models means you can’t cook for too many people, they run on charcoal or gas like most other grills, and they get more than hot enough to fire up whatever food you’re hungry for. We’ve tested and picked out the best portable grills for every type of cook just in time for some great Memorial Day deals. More Grilling Stories: Popular Mechanics Yard & Garden Awards ● Best BBQ Smokers ● Best Kamado Grills
After assembling and fueling each grill, and before cooking juicy hamburgers, marinated bone-in chicken, and veggie patties, I do a quick but thorough evaluation of cooking-surface temperature as recommended by cookbook author, chef, and barbecue expert Dave Joachim, who suggests spreading slices of white bread over the grilling surface to clearly see where cold spots can produce undercooked food—the areas that turn up black show hot spots, still-white areas are cold spots. Armed with all of this knowledge and a set of grilling tools, I set out to determine the best and most well-made portable grills you can buy right now.What to Consider When Selecting a Portable GrillType of FuelPortable grills are fueled by lump and briquette charcoal or propane, each with its own advantages. Lump charcoal is easier to ignite and burns hotter than charcoal briquettes. Because it’s charred wood, it consists of irregularly shaped pieces, and so requires a bit of experience to correctly build a fuel bed. Bagged charcoal is slightly more difficult to light but is easy to work with in that you ignite a pile of it in a charcoal chimney and pour the glowing coals onto the coal grate. You can easily move these regularly shaped pieces with a coal shovel to put the heat where you need it. Charcoal is dramatic and fun to work with; outdoor chefs generally like smoke and flames. Propane, both in a 16.4-ounce camper-size fuel bottle and the common 20-gallon size, is tame in comparison. It’s certainly cleaner and quick to set up and light: Open the fuel tank’s valve and light the burner with a match, butane lighter, or the igniter on the grill. Type of GrillAside from fuels, think about your other needs. Do you want to set up, cook, and cool down quickly? Then gas is your obvious choice. Just how compact does the grill need to be and how lightweight? These point you in the direction of a small, sheet-metal kettle or 16.4-ounce propane model. If durability is your sole criteria and not weight, look at the grill’s build and features that contribute to longevity. Perhaps a cast-iron hibachi is your best choice, or again, maybe it’s a simple, low-maintenance charcoal grill. How We Evaluated The Best Portable GrillsWe evaluated these grills based on their neatness of manufacturing, consistency of cooking surface, ease of use and assembly, and—for charcoal grills—how easy it is to place and manipulate the charcoal and whether the vents provide sufficient airflow. Trevor Raab We also monitored how much attention the food needed while cooking and used a professional-grade meat thermometer to ensure food safety. But perhaps the best test for these grills: We ate what we cooked. To keep up-to-date on supply-chain issues and availability, we also included a few grills that we didn’t test based on our experience with the brands, user reviews and ratings, and how closely they align with our criteria. These are our favorite portable grills in 2023. Best Overall Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal GrillBest Overall Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal GrillNow 11% Off Pros
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Key SpecsFuelCharcoalCooking Surface Area194 sq. in. For its Portable Charcoal Grill, Masterbuilt employed a simple version of technology it developed for its larger 560 Digital Charcoal Grill. With the use of a fan and a separate charcoal firebox, you can have this grill hot enough to cook in about the same time it takes to heat up a portable propane grill. We loaded the firebox with charcoal from The Good Charcoal Company, which was a consistent medium size and perfect for the small, 1.5-pound-capacity firebox. We lit the charcoal with a torch for about 60 seconds, turned the fan to medium, closed the firebox, and in 15 minutes we were grilling burgers. The fan is electric, of course, but that doesn’t mean you have to be tied to an outlet—it can also be powered by four AA batteries. When we tested using battery power, with the fan set on medium speed, we were able to grill for about five hours. The grill features a porcelain-coated, cast-iron cooking grate that helps provide even heat—and which we found easy to clean. We were able to roll the grill around easily, with the collapsible cart, and with the dedicated firebox and locking grill lid, we didn’t spread ashes wherever we went with it. The Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal Grill makes grilling with charcoal easy, fast, and clean. Best Value Weber Smokey JoeBest Value Weber Smokey JoePros
Cons Key SpecsFuelCharcoalCooking Surface Area13.8 in. diameter This is a phenomenal small grill, a kettle-shaped classic. A bottom vent and an aluminum top damper allowed us to dial in the airflow. Despite the Smokey Joe’s small volume, there was enough room to manipulate the coal for precise cooking—we mounded charcoal on one side for indirect heating and rotated the lid so that the top damper drew smoke past the food. The grill’s setup and cooldown are simple, precise, and fast. Years of experience with it have convinced us of one thing: It’s a classic that would be almost impossible to improve upon. Most Instagram-Worthy Cuisinart CGG-750 Venture Portable Gas GrillMost Instagram-Worthy Cuisinart CGG-750 Venture Portable Gas GrillNow 25% Off Pros
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Key SpecsFuelPropaneCooking Surface Area11 x 14 in. Packed up, Cuisinart’s Venture resembles a picnic basket, making it about as portable as a table-top grill can get. And it took us less than a minute to set up its three pieces, including a wood top, grill body with handle, and base. The top and base combine to form an attractive prep surface that clips alongside the grill. The single 9,000-BTU burner is fueled by a 16-ounce propane canister that conveniently stores in the base. Being a single-burner grill, the Venture made it a little tricky to manage heat when cooking thicker meats like bone-in chicken, as it’s hard to get away from the heat for longer, indirect cooking. We set the burner on low for the 100-percent beef burgers we grilled, flipped them once, and then turned up the heat to imprint sear lines from the cast-iron grate. Generally, we found it relatively easy to grill thinner foods and, even better, convenient to turn on and off as needed over the course of an afternoon. One Popular Mechanics editor used it at her neighborhood block party to grill hot dogs and sausages. It was the hit of the day. Best Charcoal Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Tabletop GrillBest Charcoal Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Tabletop GrillNow 12% Off Key SpecsFuelCharcoalCooking Surface Area17 x 13 in. This somewhat simple, unassuming grill turned out to be the sleeper in our test. We were impressed by how easy it was to cook with either direct or indirect heat. The charcoal tray is adjustable, hanging from a ladder rack that can quickly raise or lower the coals as needed. The burgers came out with fantastic coloring and that “cooked over charcoal” taste. To cook chicken more slowly, we shuffled the coals to one side, put it in away from them, and closed the lid. The damper on top allows for fine management of the heat, and a large, easy-to-read thermometer made monitoring the temperature simple. As far as portability, this table-top grill doesn’t break down to take up less space—what you see is what you get, and it might be difficult to transport in smaller cars. We were surprised to find that the Rambler is nearly 50 pounds. That might seem a tad heavy, but it has cast iron grill grates and is fabricated from thick-gauge steel, instead of cheap stamped sheet metal. It’s built to last, though we wouldn’t suggest hiking into the woods with it. Best for Burgers and Dogs Weber Q1200 Liquid Propane GrillBest for Burgers and Dogs Weber Q1200 Liquid Propane GrillCons
Key SpecsFuelPropane, 16.4 ozCooking Surface Area12.5 x 16.5 in. The Weber Q1200 is compact and light, the most convenient portable grill we tested. It gets the job done almost entirely through conduction—its single burner provides heat to a porcelain-coated cast-iron cooking grid that functions much like a 189-square-inch pan. Narrow slots in the grid provide a path for drippings. With the lid down, you get reliable cooking as hot air circulates over the grid. The bread test confirmed that the Weber has good middle-of-the-pack heat distribution. But because you can’t control that heat as well, you’ll need to either carefully monitor your food or save this one for burgers and dogs: It will dry out or burn chicken and more substantial cuts of meat. For added convenience, Weber makes a collapsible rolling stand—sold separately–which will be nice to have when you don’t have a picnic table on which to set the grill. Best Flat Top Blackstone 17-inch GriddleBest Flat Top Blackstone 17-inch GriddleNow 15% Off Pros
Key SpecsFuelPropaneCooking Surface Area267 sq. in. While most traditional grills have grates that the food is placed on, flat top grills offer a uniform griddle to cook your food. That’s perfect for situations like camping, where you may want to cook a wider array of foods than burgers, hot dogs, chicken, and steaks. I love cooking pancakes, french toast, eggs, and bacon on my flat top while sleeping out in the woods of New Hampshire. Blackstone’s 17-inch flat top cooked a fine breakfast, but can also sear a steak if you’re looking for more conventional grilling fare. While the cooking surface is fairly small–267 square inches–I had enough space to cook burgers and dogs for a family of four. I also love that it features a removable hood, which you can use to block the wind on a gusty day or to trap steam to accelerate cooking. The walled sides are also very helpful: They keep your food on the grill, and I used them to easily flip scrambled eggs with a spatula. It’s important to keep in mind that, despite the flat surface, this griddle is heated by a single propane-fueled burner, which means it gets much hotter in the middle than it does on the sides. While that isn’t ideal if you want to cover the full surface with burgers, it does allow you to move foods around on the grill as you cook to keep them from burning. All in all, it’s a fun alternative to the average grill if you’re looking to go beyond barbecue. Best for Tailgating Coleman RoadTrip 285 Portable Stand-Up Propane GrillBest for Tailgating Coleman RoadTrip 285 Portable Stand-Up Propane GrillCons
Key SpecsFuelPropane, 16-oz.Cooking Surface Area25 x 12 in. For tailgating, camping, or a barbecue in the park, the RoadTrip 285 is easy to haul and set up. It runs on 16-ounce propane canisters—bring spares if you’re cooking for a crew or making multiple meals. The two-piece grates are made of cast iron and coated with porcelain, covering three burners that yield 20,000 BTUs. The burners all sit under the solid center sections of the grates, which our bread test revealed to be the hottest area on the grill. You will need to carefully manage indirect heat when cooking thicker things like chicken on the bone—we kept it over the open grates around the edges of the grill. The 25- by 12-inch cooking surface will hold a lot of burgers, dogs, or whatever your preference. And, if you want to mix things up, the grill grates swap out for griddle or stove grates (available separately). Best Collapsible Grill GoBQ Portable Charcoal GrillBest Collapsible Grill GoBQ Portable Charcoal GrillCons
Key SpecsFuelCharcoalCooking Surface Area13.5 x 13.5 in. This folding GoBQ is a novel, innovative portable grill unlike any other. It packs up in a tube 8-inches in diameter and 14 inches in length, and carries easily by the handle on top or with the included shoulder strap. Made of silicone-coated fiberglass fabric with a collapsible metal frame, it can withstand temperatures up to 2,200 degrees. We enjoyed the ease of setup, and once we were familiar with the grill, we could open it up in seconds. A flexible metal basket holds the charcoal, and we tested both with it full and with about 12 briquettes for a quick meal. Once open, the outside carrying case becomes a hood to cover the grill and contain heat. In our testing, we grilled burgers, hot dogs, and bone-in chicken on the GoBQ, all of which culminated with the expected, delicious results. While the standard fare was quite easy, the chicken cooked over indirect heat required a little more manipulation of the charcoal, which wanted to settle to the middle of the basket. Nevertheless, once we sorted out how to strategically set the charcoal, we could reliably create an indirect heat zone. Post-grilling, cleaning and packing up was a breeze. After we dumped the charcoal and ash, the fabric cooled enough to touch within about 30 seconds—placing the cooking grate inside the cover with tongs, we then folded the grill, latched the cover, and packed it all away. The GoBQ grill is a great option for traveling, tailgating, or even for folks with small apartments, given its ease of packing, stowing, and carrying. Modern And Stylish BergHOFF Leo Portable Tabletop Barbecue GrillModern And Stylish BergHOFF Leo Portable Tabletop Barbecue GrillNow 49% Off Pros
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Key SpecsFuelCharcoal, woodCooking Surface Area13.78 in. diameter The stylish, carbon-steel BergHOFF Leo Portable Tabletop Barbecue Grill is a piece of modern art. It comes with a cork lid that doubles as a base on which the grill rotates to allow for airflow adjustment. Inside the heat-resistant cylinder you’ll find an enameled fire basket and grill and charcoal grates, plus a small tool to lift the grill grate. At 11 pounds and a little under 14 inches in diameter, the Leo is a breeze to transport to where the fun is; it has a handy strap that attaches to two silicone handles and pulls double duty as an over-the-shoulder strap that also secures the lid. One thing to keep in mind: This grill is fueled by charcoal. So, as portable as it is on the way to the barbecue, you’ll have to leave yourself with enough time for it to cool off before it’s portable for the trip home. It comes in black or white and will blend in on even the tiniest of terraces. Best for Camping Camp Chef Pro 60X Stove with Barbecue Grill BoxBest for Camping Camp Chef Pro 60X Stove with Barbecue Grill BoxPros
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Key SpecsFuelPropaneCooking Surface Area14 x 16 in. (per burner) The Camp Chef Pro 60x is a modular two-burner camp stove “system.” By default, you get simple (but powerful) gas fires for pots and pans, but the company sells a variety of attachments that allow you to transform it into a grill, a griddle, a pizza oven and more. (The attachments are sold separately, but Camp Chef also offers a solid bundle.) The standalone stove is quite large, but features collapsible legs and two fold-out prep tables, so it packs down to a modest 36- by 15- by 10-inch package that tucks easily into your car’s trunk. With the attachments and propane tank, we’re talking about a lot of gear, but you have a portable kitchen at your disposal, so it’s great to have for long camping excursions. Given the topic at hand, we should talk about the grill, too. Camp Chef’s Barbecue Grill Box add-on includes convenient features such as a built-in thermometer, hinged lid, and easy to clean cast iron grate. In our test, the grill ran hot and quickly cooked chicken and steaks. It’s worth noting that the grill box doesn’t feature a grease trap. (Camp Chef claims the heat diffuser plates vaporize grease drippings.) I didn’t experience an overload of grease in my testing, but I could see it being an issue cooking a large number of fatty burgers. The Camp Chef P60X is more than a grill. It’s an extremely versatile cooking appliance for anyone who plans to spend a long stretch in the great outdoors. You can grill, make a pizza, or use pots and pans. The only downside, aside from having to buy multiple components, is its size. While the stove folds up and transports fairly easily, it’s much larger than your average tabletop grill. If you have the room and want a grill that makes you feel like you’re cooking in the backyard, it’s worth making room for in your car. Best With Wheels Weber TravelerBest With Wheels Weber TravelerPros
Key SpecsFuelPropaneCooking Surface Area320 sq in. The collapsible Weber Traveler is basically a full-size propane grill on wheels, making it a perfect choice for small patios and times when you need to bring a grill to a cookout or a party. It’s easy to set up - it pops up and collapses on hydraulics with the flip of a lever. Once erected, you have a large cooking space–320 square inches–and a prep table. It also features some nice bells and whistles, including a removable grease tray, built-in thermometer, and removable cooking grates, which were easy to clean between uses. We took the Traveler to cook some lakeside brats on an ice fishing adventure. It performed well, even in this extra cold setting. As with other “full-size” options, the Traveler’s biggest flaw is… Traveling. Weighing nearly 50 pounds, you’ll want to keep it pretty close to your car or wherever you plan to store it. The grill has wheels, so it’s easy to move around, but it’s not great on unpaved roads or situations where you might need to carry it for a long stretch. Q+A with Grilling Expert Lindsey LapointePM: What’s your favorite thing to cook on a portable grill? LL: Burgers and brats are a staple meal on my large home grill, but I prefer to get creative and grill meals that are flavorful and low-mess. Grilled corn on the cob, for example, is easy and nearly mess-free. First, I thin the husks and place them directly on the hot grill. The husk will blacken, but don’t worry–that’s part of the process. Fresh corn cooks in about 15 minutes with a couple turns, which is perfect on a portable grill with limited fuel. Chicken-vegetable kabobs is another of my favorite recipes. I alternate some of my favorite chopped veggies (peppers, mushrooms, onion, zucchini) with 1 inch chicken pieces. After soaking them in my favorite marinade for an hour, I lay the kabobs on a hot grill. They cook quickly–5 to 7 minutes on each side–and you get a mouth-watering meal with little clean up! PM: Can you leave a portable grill outside? LL: Most portable grills are sturdy enough to withstand the elements, so you can leave them outside. That said, while portable grills are weather resistant, extended exposure to rain and snow may lead to rust, which may reduce the lifespan of your grill. Since these grills are all easy to move, we’d recommend storing them somewhere covered between uses, if not in a shed or garage. (But make sure to let it cool down before moving it.) If you do leave it out in the open, consider using a weatherproof cover to protect it. PM: How large a group can you cook for on a portable grill? LL: Most of the portable grills we tested have a cooking surface of 100 to 300 square inches. I find that I can usually cook four 4-inch burgers on a 100-inch grill top. Depending on what model you choose, you should technically be able to cook anywhere from four to 12 burgers at a time. Realistically, larger grills may not heat evenly in every spot, and you shouldn’t crowd your grill, so I’d probably recommend limiting it to six to eight, even on a larger grill. Your mileage may vary depending on what you cook, but you shouldn’t notice a huge difference between a portable and a full-size grill if you’re just cooking the basics for a few people. Test Editor Brad Ford has spent most of his life using tools to fix, build, or make things. Growing up he worked on a farm, where he learned to weld, repair, and paint equipment. From the farm he went to work at a classic car dealer, repairing and servicing Rolls Royces, Bentleys, and Jaguars. Today, when he's not testing tools or writing for Popular Mechanics, he's busy keeping up with the projects at his old farmhouse in eastern Pennsylvania. Lindsey Lapointe is a freelance writer and has tested gear professionally since 2020. Her careers have included working as a biological oceanographer for NOAA, outdoor wilderness instructor for Appalachian Mountain Club, and science teacher. Lindsey currently writes and edits on the subjects outdoor recreation, science education, and motherhood - as well as being the author of Seacoast Hikes and Nature Walks. She resides in New Hampshire where she can be found hiking, camping, and paddling in the mountains, lakes, and seas of New England. Contact her through her instagram @FreelanceAdventurer. Are combo grills worth it?While there are many great benefits to being able to cook with both gas and charcoal, combo grills are not without their drawbacks. Quality and price: as a rule, combo grills tend to fall into one of two camps, poor quality or very expensive. Can a grill be both gas and charcoal?Dual fuel grills, sometimes called combo grills or dual-function grills or multifuel grills, are a newer style of grill that combines the best of charcoal grilling along with the convenience of a gas grill in one. What is the best dual fuel BBQ?John Lewis Grillstream 4 Burner Hybrid Gas and Charcoal BBQ. ... . Argos Home 2 Burner Gas And Charcoal BBQ. ... . John Lewis Grillstream 6 Burner Hybrid Gas + Charcoal BBQ. ... . Outback Jupiter 4 Burner Hybrid Gas BBQ Grill. ... . John Lewis Grillstream Dual Hood 5 Burner Hybrid Gas + Charcoal BBQ. ... . Char-Broil Gas2Coal Hybrid Grill.. Does food taste better with charcoal or propane?Pros– In terms of smoke and flavor, charcoal grills not only smoke meats better than gas, they also release a chemical called guaiacol. Guaiacol is an aroma compound that gives meat a smoky, bacon-like flavor, and it only comes from wood and charcoal. |
