True grilling enthusiasts are outdoors checking the temp on their smokers even when the wind chill is in the single digits. For most of us though, the grilling season starts on Memorial Day. Luckily for you, grill testing goes all winter long. I’ve smoked ribs in the snow, even when it was so cold I could barely feel my fingers, all to learn which grills are worthy of your money and time. Also, I learned you should wait for the summer to start grilling.
We’ve looked at full-size gas and charcoal grills, but we wanted to find the best ways to get your grill on wherever you are, whatever your living situation might be. We researched and tested a dozen new portable grills to see which can brat the best. Check out our other buying guides, like our Best Grilling Accessories picks, to get the most out of your purchase.
Updated for May 2020: We’ve added a new apartment-friendly option, the Kenyon City Grill, and updated pricing on the rest.
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1. Best Portable Charcoal Grill
Of all the charcoal grills I tested, the Weber Jumbo Joe strikes the best balance of affordability, features, and ease of use. It’s big enough (18.5 inches in diameter) to smoke two racks of ribs or to fit burgers and corn for six people (admittedly, this was crowded), but small enough that you’ll still have room in the trunk for a cooler and camping supplies.
It’s one of the most versatile grills I tested—grilling, barbecuing, and smoking, you can do it all with ease. Thanks to its dual-vent system (one at the bottom, one at the top), you get the same fine-grained level of temperature control you’ll find in Weber’s full-size kettles.
It weighs 22 pounds and has a handle with a bar that fits over the top that keeps the kettle and lid together for easy carrying. I tossed mine in the back of my car for trips to the lake and the park and it never tipped over. The ash catcher at the bottom makes cleaning less of a hassle by allowing you to dump the excess without removing the grill grates.
The Jumbo Joe has a considerable following on the internet. Fans have added thermometers, fastened knobs to make it easier to open and close vents, attached hanging ash cans, and come up with creative ways to cook taller items, like beer-can chicken.
It’s not perfect, though. If you want to do any indirect-heat cooking, you’ll want to buy the hinged grill grate for $30 so you can feed in fresh fuel without removing the top grill. The $20 charcoal basket is also useful, and the Kettle Pizza Kit for $95 is fun but more expensive than the grill itself. No thermometer is included, and Weber does not make a storage cover for the Jumbo Joe.
Weber Jumbo Joe costs $70 at Amazon, Weber, The Home Depot, and Walmart
Smaller Alternative: The Weber Smokey Joe Premium costs $45 at Amazon and Weber. This is our top pick for anyone who doesn’t need the larger Jumbo Joe. The downside is you lose the lower vent of the Jumbo Joe, which means less temperature control. That’s not a huge deal unless you’re slow cooking. The Smokey Joe was also more difficult to clean out. But if you want a smaller kettle, this is a good option.
2. Best Portable Propane Grill
If flavor is your only criteria, I would argue that charcoal is superior to propane gas. But flavor is rarely the only factor. We don’t grill in beautiful meadows under a rainbow every day. Often, we grill after-hours on a Friday while we’re also trying to set up a tent, inflate a mattress, and wrangle hungry children. And that’s when the convenience of propane trumps charcoal.
For those times, your best bet is the Weber Q 1200. It’s big enough for a family of four and strikes the best balance between ease of use and cooking performance. It has a thermometer and some side tables to hold your plates and tongs. It’s also a champ at keeping a constant, even heat in pretty much any conditions. A storm blew in one afternoon, but I kept grilling despite the high wind and rain. It just kept on cooking.
It’s also good at minimizing flare-ups. To test this I marinated some chicken in lemon juice and olive oil and laid it on the grills. Every grill flared somewhat, but the Q 1200 (and the Coleman below) have heavy enameled cast-iron grates that are closed over the burners, which helps keep the flaring under control.
The main downside is its weight. It may be totally unfazed by weather, but it’s heavy at 30 pounds. The $90 wheeled stand is worth a look if you plan to transport it a lot. Other nice accessories include the griddle for $49 and a storage cover for $17.
Weber Q 1200 costs $209 at Amazon, Weber, and Walmart
Smaller Alternative: The Weber Q 1,000 costs $179 at Amazon, Weber, and The Home Depot. It’s nearly identical to Weber’s Q 1200 but loses the thermometer and side tables. The result is a more compact, though still heavy, grill. If you don’t need the tables and want to save a few dollars, this is a good option.
3. Best for Apartment Dwellers
Not everyone has a yard, and it’s increasingly common for apartments to ban open flame grills on balconies. This is where electric grills come in. They’re grilling (sort of), but without the flames. The problem is most of them are terrible. I’ve tried a few, including a notable celebrity brand, but this is the first to perform well enough that I can highly recommend it. It’s not cheap, but if you’re limited by your living situation, the City Grill is as close as you’ll get to flame grilling.
Kenyon has been making electric grills and cookers for some time (its grills are popular on boats, which is partly why this one is made of marine-grade stainless steel), but this is its first portable grill. I’m happy to report it delivers where others fail. It cooks evenly and at consistent temperatures (I was able to get up to 592 degrees off a digital thermometer). There’s very little smoke, though I do su