Portable Grills

Compact charcoal grills for camping, tailgating and picnics

All portable grills or small charcoal grills are intended to be easily movable and able to cook enough food for a small group (two to three people). Although many are designed for easy transport for tailgating and camping, the main purpose is simply a compact grilling space. It's easy to find unstable or poorly made portable grills, and experts say you should look to spend at least $30 on a dependable grill. Furthermore, if you do plan on traveling with your grill, make sure it has a locking lid.

Weber comes back to the front of the pack in this category with the Weber Smokey Joe Silver (*Est. $35) and Smokey Joe Gold (*Est. $45). These are basically versions of Weber's One-Touch models with smaller domes and shorter legs. The more expensive Weber Smokey Joe Gold comes with a lid that locks both to the top of grill and to the side, to act as a wind screen; the Silver version skips this feature. Slate.com's reviewer rates the Weber Smokey Joe as the top portable grill, even when compared to portable gas and electric grills, saying that it is stable, easy to use and cooks food properly every time. About.com's Derrick Riches says it's one of the most solidly built portable grills available.

Weber also offers the slightly more compact Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill (*Est. $45), which users on Amazon.com say is more fit for travel because of its smaller design and convenient top-mounted handle, though they add that the lack of space can be frustrating while grilling. Like all Weber grills, the Smokey Joe and Go-Anywhere charcoal grills are backed by a 10-year warranty on the bowl and lid and one year on the grates.

Although Weber receives the most attention for cheap portable grills, other similar grills exist, such as the Old Smokey Classic (*Est. $30 to $75, depending on size). This grill offers a slightly different design, with a portable grill shaped like a small keg. Old Smokey has been in business for more than 80 years. Although its grills aren't the most popular, it has built up a small but devoted following. This charcoal grill is made of rust-resistant aluminum and weighs about 10 pounds, making it good for traveling. It even persuaded Derrick Riches, usually a Weber fan, to call it his top grill under $50.

We also found reviews for the Tool Box Grill Pro (*Est. $50). Like Weber's Go-Anywhere Charcoal grill, this model makes itself more portable with a handle on the top and boasts 173 square inches of cooking space, which is not bad for grills in this category. Although users say it's a convenient grill to stow for car trips, its thin steel exterior makes it less durable than other portable grills and it costs more than some others.

If you're willing to spend a little extra money, more innovative portable charcoal grills exist. The Cobb Premier (*Est. $105) features a creative dome design that distributes heat so well that the grill can function on eight charcoal briquettes for up to eight hours, which can come in handy when camping. The stainless-steel exterior is durable and stays cool to the touch, while inside temperatures reach 500 degrees. Riches praises this grill for its versatility and ease of use, calling it "virtually fool-proof." The actual cooking surface is 12 inches wide, which makes it a bit more limited than the Weber Smokey Joe in terms of cooking space, but if price isn't an issue, it's an option for campers and tailgaters.

If you're not looking to lug your grill up a mountain but want a model that will fit in a compact space, a hibachi-style grill might be a good fit. Hibachis are traditionally small-but-heavy cast iron grills that feature a heavy grate over a bed of very hot coals. They were originally designed to quickly sear thin strips of meat, though today's models can easily handle thicker items such as burgers and steaks. Although small hibachi grills were once easy to find, today only a few models exist.

The best of these models is the Sportsman's Grill Hibachi (*Est. $100) by Lodge Manufacturers. This grill doesn't have many extra features aside from its iron coal basin and cooking grid, but it can reach very hot temperatures and cooks meats quickly. Its cooking grid has two adjustable heights, though at either height experts say you should be careful not to cook too long to prevent burning. About.com's Derrick Riches lists this model as the best "heavy but movable" portable grill available and says its iron grate cooks food perfectly. He adds that although this charcoal grill doesn't perform well in nasty weather, its durable materials mean it can withstand the outdoors, making it well-suited for tailgating.

Another hibachi-style charcoal grill is the BBQGuys.com's Hibachi Grill (*Est. $30), which, instead of one large grid like the Sportsman, features two smaller grids that can each be set to three heights. The adjustments make cooking on this model a little easier, though users on Amazon.com say the hooks used to keep the grids in place are flimsy and can sometimes cause food to fall off. There are also many reports of the dye on the handles of the grids coming off on user's hands, though later comments suggest that this problem has been fixed.

The Big Green Egg also offers a smaller grill with The Big Green Egg Mini (*Est. $250). This grill offers all the versatility and efficiency of the regular-sized Egg in a model compact enough to fit under a table. The grill itself offers a 9-inch cooking grid, which is roughly enough space to cook two chicken breasts. The only issue with this grill is its portability. As with its full-sized sibling, ceramic components are more fragile, making transportation risky -- plus the Mini weighs a full 30 pounds. Derrick Riches recommends this grill for a small apartment or patio with limited storage space, rather than for traveling.