Easy to clean; the porcelain-coated grates lift right out, and the burner area can be thoroughly cleaned without removing the burner. I bought an accessory griddle that replaces one of the two grates, which makes it a snap to cook eggs, pancakes, and other stuff when you don’t want dripping into the burner. I typically cook easy dishes and only for me, so the single burner is adequate and keeps things simple. But if you’re not likely to grill frequently, a portable grill is a fine option. For one, it can be broken down or tucked away in storage (and it should be when not in use, to minimize weather-induced corrosion). Portable gas grills are also usually easier and more intuitive to set up, use, and keep clean, so they’re great for beginners, or anyone who doesn’t want to invest too much effort into cooking a few burgers.
We were impressed with the high-heat grilling performance of the Weber Go Anywhere Charcoal Grill. But when the firebox got hot, the side vents that regulated airflow stuck in place, rendering us unable to control the temperature—critical for slow-cooking things like chicken and sausages. Weber’s warranty covers most of the hardware—including the lid, firebox, burners, cooking grates, and plastic components—for five years.
Our highly trained team is always prepared to help you with any questions you may have about grills and accessories. The Traveler has the same burner and grate configuration as the Q2200 so it isn’t perfect. However the Traveler, which is just a little bigger than the Q2200 is absolutely portable and has a much improved cart and side table. I end up bringing the grates inside the kitchen and scrubbing them in the sink as a scraping them with a grill brush isn’t very effective. At 1,300 BTUs, the Weber has a good punch of power for a portable grill. In December of 2006, they purchased an additional property along Rt. 33 in Easton, PA, to meet the growing demand for their products, as well as facilitating significantly larger indoor and outdoor showroom.
But portable grills are generally not as versatile as a full-size grill. Our picks fit about half as much food as their full-size counterparts (six burgers versus 12) and aren’t ideal for large cuts of meat that require slow or indirect cooking, such as roasts or pork shoulder. If you have weber kettle bbq the space, you’ll probably be happier with one of our full-size gas or charcoal picks. Portable grills aren’t just great for toting to a campground, park, or tailgate. If you don’t have the space or budget for a full-size grill, they might also be the best option for your backyard.
Senior staff writers Tim Heffernan and Lesley Stockton spent 16 hours testing portable grills for this guide. They did so on the heels of testing full-size gas and charcoal grills, as well as grill accessories. Lesley built on her decade of experience in professional kitchens (much of it spent on the grill station) to design and run all of these tests. In our tests, the well-placed vents in both the lid and the firebox provided precise temperature control that no other portable charcoal grill we tried—including two other Webers—could match. Weber’s portable charcoal and gas grills offer the same grilling standard you get from your home models at a fraction of the size. This makes them easy to load into the car on game day, take backcountry camping or just change up your grilling spot at home.
In our tests, the Grill2Go X200 produced intense heat that was ideal for searing steaks but had us battling some flare-ups when cooking chicken pieces. Although we wouldn’t want to use it as a primary patio grill, it’s a decent dedicated portable grill for camping and tailgating. If you want a lighter, more compact propane grill, the Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 Portable Gas Grill is designed for one-handed toting. It’s slightly larger than a briefcase and weighs 10 pounds less than our top pick, but it holds the same amount of food—about six burgers. The Weber Traveler grill is specially designed for an easy, one-handed setup and fold down. The grill is also attached to the cart so that you’re up and grilling in no time.
The cart will do perfectly fine while you are grilling your burgers but has quite a bit of wobble once you grab a brush and try to scrape it clean. Please keep in mind that while the body of the grill will never rust, the grates and burner tubes will if you do not keep the grill properly cleaned between uses. My experience with Weber Q grills is that they get hot enough weber portable gas grill to grill steaks properly, have even heat distribution and are highly reliable. I do not own a Q2200 but do have the Q1200 and Q3200, and I enjoy both of them very much. It’s portable in the sense that it’s easy to move from one semi-permanent location to another but, at that weight, it’s not the right grill for a beach day or to take on a wander in the woods.
Weber LP gas grills make portable grilling easy and without a mess. If you want the great taste of charcoal grilling, count on the Smokey Joe® portable charcoal grills. They boast the same design elements that made their big brother famous, but in a lightweight, compact shape that makes them perfect for grilling on the go. The grill runs a little hotter with the lid down than the temperature indicated on the built-in thermometer, and there were minimal flare-ups in cooking. Cleanup is easy; using a grill brush on the grates and wiping down the inside of the lid to prevent grease buildup did the job. It’s ultimately a reliable compact grill that does double-duty as an indoor or outdoor workhorse.
You don’t need to buy Weber’s specialty tins for the grease tray either—instead, just line the catch pan with aluminum foil and pull it off when you’re done. Grilling with charcoal does have some downsides that make it less convenient, especially with a portable grill. Briquettes are bulky and messy, staining anything they touch with weber portable gas grill soot and ash. Plus you have the added chore of snuffing out hot coals and emptying ashes after grilling. Portable grills aren’t just for camping, picnicking, and tailgating; they’re also great for city and apartment dwellers with limited outdoor space. And they can be a good option if you don’t have the budget for a full-size grill.
Setup took less than 20 minutes, but instructions are very detailed and require close attention to succeed on the first try. The shelves provided the biggest challenge, with little clearance for your hands to attach them easily. The components fit snugly and stay put when transporting, and the grill is a good size for cooking for three or four people. The fact that it pulls double duty as a smoker is an added bonus. Weber also makes the Q series that features foldable side shelves. There are a few models to choose from and we’ve got a guide that looks at the most popular Weber Q1200 vs the Q2200.