Grilling is an important part of life when the weather turns warm. Whether you’re tailgating at a sports event, camping on the weekend, or throwing a party at the neighborhood park, a portable barbecue grill can really come in handy. Want to be the most popular person wherever you go? Bring a portable grill along and cook up some appropriate fare – we recommend hot dogs and hamburgers – and you’ll make all sorts of friends.
There are a few different types of portable barbecue grills. You can go electric, charcoal, or gas. While any grill is better than none, we lean towards gas. It’s easily portable, works quickly, and you don’t have a mess afterward like you do with charcoal. Also, you don’t have to find somewhere to plug in, like with an electric barbecue grill. Here are our choices for the five best portable gas barbecue grills.
Napoleon Portable Propane Grill
Much like the great military leader Napoleon Bonaparte, the Napoleon Portable Propane Grill is small but mighty. This two-burner, 12,000 BTU grill has a total cooking area of 285 square inches and features a porcelain-enameled, cast iron construction that makes for consistent and even
Cuisinart Petit Gourmet Portable Gas Grill
A well-known name when it comes to the kitchen, Cuisinart offers one of the better portable gas grills out there. The single-burner 5,500 BTU grill isn’t as powerful as the Napoleon unit shown above, but it does offer a handy foldable stand that allows you to use it on a tabletop or as a freestanding grill. The 145-square inch porcelain-enameled cooking grate isn’t huge, but it should be enough to accommodate smaller parties. Its foldable design means it’ll fit in almost any trunk or cargo area for easy transportation, and like the Napoleon grill, you can carry it with one hand, if needed.
Coleman Road Trip Propane Portable Grill LXE
Coleman is a well-known outdoor brand, and it has been making outdoor and camping gear for decades. The Coleman Road Trip Propane Portable Grill LXE is one of its better products. The two-burner grill delivers an impressive 20,000 BTUs and 285 square inches of grilling surface. It offers two little prep tables to either side of the grilling surface as well. If you want, you can swap out the grill grates for a griddle or stove grate for even more versatility. Like with the Cuisinart grill, the Coleman comes with a foldable base. It operates a little differently from the Cuisinart product and isn't quite as compact. Still, the Coleman should fit in most trunks and vehicle cargo areas.
Weber Q2200 Propane Grill
For some Weber is the king of grills, so it’s only fitting that the company puts out one of the best portable grills. The Q2200 is a single burner grill that makes 12,000 BTUs and has a 280-inch cooking area. The porcelain-enameled cast-iron grates help you cook food evenly and the lightweight aluminum lid and body help keep overall weight down. While the Q2200 is designed as a table-top grill, Weber also sells a portable cart that the grill can easily attach to. This comes in handy if you don’t happen to have a table on site and don’t want to put the grill directly on the ground.
Char-Broil Portable Propane Gas Grill
If you’re looking for something with a low price, a good brand name, and a small overall size, the Char-Broil Portable Propane Gas Grill is the way to go. This single-burner grill makes 9,500 BTUs and features a 240-inch cooking area and a sturdy design. It has a lid-mounted temperature gauge so you can easily monitor heat. The painted porcelain body isn’t as lightweight as some of the other grills on this list, but it heats evenly, allowing you to have an excellent cooking experience. With its compact overall size, you should have no issues fitting this small unit into any trunk or vehicle cargo area.
