We Tested 14 Portable Charcoal Grills to Find the Best Ones at Every Price

If you’ve spent even five minutes researching grills, you know there’s a lot to choose from. Between gas grills, charcoal grills, pellet grills, and smokers—each with price points that can vary from a couple of hundred bucks to thousands of dollars—making a choice can feel pretty daunting.

To complicate things even further—just kidding, we’re only here to help!—we tested 14 portable charcoal grills. These are the kind of grills you'd want to take camping or for a picnic when smoky, blistered sausages sound like just the ticket. After days of testing, we’ve found great sets of grates to fit every budget.

The Tests

• Assembly Test: We assembled each portable charcoal grill, timing how long it took to do so.
• Temperature Control Test: We used a probe thermometer to monitor the temperature of the grill as we fired it up and attempted to adjust the temperature. We also looked at how accurate any built-in thermometers were, compared to the probe thermometer.
• Corn, Burgers, and Brats Test: We grilled two corn cobs, two burgers, and two brats on each grill, evaluating how well and evenly each grilled.
• Cleanup Test: We cleaned each grill per the manufacturer's instructions, looking at how easy it was to do so.
• Usability Tests: Throughout testing, we evaluated how easy each grill was to set up, use, and move.
  

What We Learned

What’s a Portable Charcoal Grill?

As the name suggests, portable charcoal grills are portable. While most grills can be moved around to some extent, these are smaller, lighter, purpose-built grills meant for mobility. This means they also tend to be among the most budget-friendly grills, and they’re convenient for smaller spaces like patios or balconies. They're often around the same size as indoor grills and you can buy gas-powered versions, too.

Should You Buy a Portable or Regular Charcoal Grill?

We know it’s annoying to be told “it depends,” but, well, it depends. If you’re only planning to grill at home and you have the extra space for a standard-size charcoal grill, you might as well give yourself the additional cooking surface and opt for the full-size version.

If you’re tight on space or like the idea of being able to bring a small grill along on road trips or weekend outings with friends, a portable charcoal grill might be just the thing.

The Best Portable Grills Were Portable

This might seem obvious, but we wanted to make sure each portable grill was actually portable. We’re less likely to use a grill that needs a complete tear-down and reassembly each time we want to take it somewhere. And, ideally, a portable grill should be lightweight enough to be manageable by just one person—though we do have a few in our list that are best transported with a helping hand. Many of our top picks are about 40 pounds, but we do have some favorites—like the Weber Smokey Joe—that clock in around 10 pounds.

A Stable Grill Was a Must

We’re not expecting perfect stability on a sandy beach or rocky campsite, but if a portable grill is sitting on a tabletop and wobbling with each burger flip? Not ideal. We looked for portable charcoal grills with sturdy legs for this reason. Some of our favorite grills had no legs, sitting flush with the ground or tabletop.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Portable Charcoal Grill

Charcoal grills tend to be pretty straightforward in design anyway, so portable models aren’t the place to expect bells and whistles. When we let our testers loose on over a dozen portable charcoal grills, we wanted their feedback on factors like assembly and clean-up, heating speed and retention, ease of flipping food, and whether they dealt with problems like sticking or flare-ups.

The portable charcoal grills that scored highest in our tests excelled in some key areas: even cooking, portability, stability, ease of use, and simple cleanup.

Our Favorite Portable Charcoal Grills

The Best Portable Charcoal Grill

PK Grills PKGo Camp & Tailgate Grilling System

$400 $340 at Amazon $400 at Walmart $400 at Home Depot

What we liked: This grill scored high right out of the box—literally, thanks to the fact it arrived mostly assembled. This was also where we became very aware of the PKGO’s heft; its cast iron construction means this portable grill clocks in at 39.5 pounds. It won’t be the easiest for everyone to move around, but this also means it’s nice and stable. 

We appreciated how easy it was to add charcoal without making a mess, and noted how the food had plenty of room on the grates. Burgers and sausages came away with defined grill marks and optimal browning. The PKGO was equally easy to clean—pretty much a dump-and-go situation—though it did take a long time to cool down enough to handle. We also liked the clips on the sides that ensured the lid stayed closed during transport or storage.

What we didn't like: Its weight may be a detriment to its portability, but we think its performance and durability make up for this.

Key Specs

• Cooking area: 204 square inches
• Dimensions: 13.03 x 20.9 x 15.3 inches
• Weight: 39.5 pounds
• Warranty: 20 years (bowl and lid), 3 years (grates and plastic components), 2 years (metal parts and accessories), 1 year (temperature gauge)
  

The Best Portable Charcoal Grill with a Cart

Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal Grill and Smoker with Cart

$330 $250 at Amazon $250 at Home Depot View on Sportsmansguide.com

What we liked: With its useful rolling cart, we found this grill easy to move and store. It was also stable, thanks to its wide base, and featured a hopper for easily adding charcoal. Food came off of the Masterbuilt with a nice sear and the grill retained heat well. Ash was easy to clean up, too. It even has two built-in drink holders and can purportedly double as a smoker, though we haven't tested this.

What we didn't like: The hopper door gets quite hot and you’ll want to use BBQ gloves if you’re planning to add coals while cooking.

Key Specs

• Cooking area: 200 square inches
• Dimensions: 18.8 x 27 x 36 inches
• Weight: 52 pounds
• Warranty: 1 year
  

The Nicest-Looking Portable Charcoal Grill

Everdure Cube Portable Charcoal Grill

$199 $158 at Amazon $160 at Food52 View on Bbqguys.com

What we liked: The Everdure CUBE is small, easy to move, and simple to use. That said, it's best suited for one or two people, due to its compact size. Well-balanced thanks to rubber feet on all four corners, the CUBE also delivered with good performance. The brats had definitive grill marks, there was charring on the corncobs, and the burgers achieved a nice sear.

While its small size may limit how efficiently you can feed multiple people, this is a portable grill you’ll actually want to use. It's also available in a handful of fun colors.

What we didn't like: Again, this is a small grill and its size may be limiting for some.

Key Specs

• Cooking area: 103.9 square inches
• Dimensions: 9.1 x 16.7 x 13.7 inches
• Weight: 15.43 pounds
• Warranty: Not specified

The Best Budget-Friendly Tabletop Portable Charcoal Grill

Dyna-Glo Portable Tabletop Charcoal Grill

$84 at Amazon $89 at Walmart $84 at Home Depot

What we liked: At 44 pounds, this grill might require a second set of hands to help assemble and move, but it’s sturdy once you get it in place. We liked its expansive cooking area and while we did notice some hot spots while cooking, food came off the grates nicely cooked and with pleasing grill marks. 

Due to the Dyna-Glo’s heft, this probably isn’t the grill you’ll carry along to the park, but it’s a great option for small outdoor spaces. It has sectioned grates that allow for the easy addition of charcoal, as well as conveniently placed vent dampers and an ash catcher.

What we didn't like: Again, this isn't a grill for moving any sort of distance.

Key Specs

• Cooking area: 287 square inches
• Dimensions: 24.17 x 18.35 x 21 inches
• Weight: 40.7 pounds
• Warranty: 1 year

A Very Durable Portable Charcoal Grill

Oklahoma Joe's Rambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill

$199 $179 at Amazon $218 at Walmart $179 at Home Depot

What we liked: This heavy-duty grill cooked food really, really well. It was also simple to clean, thanks to its pull-out ashtray.

This grill is perhaps more of a small-format grill than a truly portable unit—a lack of wheels adds to the difficulty of moving it around—but the durable construction means the Rambler retains heat like a champ. The charcoal tray is also height-adjustable, meaning you can easily achieve either high heat, or keep things low and slow.

What we didn't like: At 48.5 pounds, you'd likely need two people to move this grill around.

Key Specs

• Cooking area: 218 square inches
• Dimensions: 19.5 x 21.8 x 26.8 inches
• Weight: 48.5 pounds
• Warranty: 2 years

The Best Splurge-Worthy Portable Charcoal Grill

Nomad Grill & Smoker

View on Bespokepost.com $695 at Lowe's

What we liked: The NOMAD portable grill definitely carries the highest price tag on our list, but our tests proved it’s worth the splurge if you’re serious about grilling on the go. 

Not only does the NOMAD come fully assembled, the suitcase-style design means it’s about as portable as a portable grill can get. There are no legs, so you’ll need to find a flat surface, but it’s a sturdy piece of equipment with its rubber feet and magnetic grates. Because the NOMAD unfolds, you’re provided with a generous cooking surface—212 square inches as-is, or you can purchase the optional second grate and enjoy 425 square inches of grilling space. During our single-grate test, two corn cobs, two burgers, and two brats fit with ease, though only the brats came off with visible grill marks. The corn was warmed through while the burgers had more of a sear. It also as an interesting, honeycomb-shaped grate pattern.

What we didn't like: Of course, its price tag is *very* high compared to the other grills in this review.

Key Specs

• Cooking area:  212 or 425 square inches
• Dimensions: 20.5 x 4.75 x 27.25 inches
• Weight: 28 pounds
• Warranty: Limited lifetime

A Beginner-Friendly Portable Charcoal Grill

Char-Griller 2-in-1 Portable Charcoal Grill

$117 at Amazon $79 at Home Depot $100 at Tractor Supply Co.

What we liked: Here we have another budget-friendly portable charcoal grill, this one from Char-Griller. It’s quite stout, which adds to its stability. The Char-Griller has a spacious cooking surface and evenly cooked food, resulting in nice grill marks and flavor.

Overall, this is another portable grill best suited to beginners, but for the price, we’ll back it as a pick for anyone in the market for a small charcoal grill.

What we didn't like: The Char-Griller can be troublesome when it comes to adding charcoal, which must be done from the side of the barrel with a small charcoal chimney.

Key Specs

• Cooking area: 250 square inches
• Dimensions: 19 x 18.7 x 21.1 inches
• Weight: 37 pounds
• Warranty: 1 year

A Portable Charcoal Grill Pick from Weber

Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill

$78 $71 at Amazon $95 at Walmart $71 at Home Depot

What we liked: With one of the most respected names in the grill game, it should come as no surprise that there’s a Weber on our list. The Go-Anywhere is a portable charcoal grill at a favorable price that’s easy to assemble and lightweight enough to transport. We had no issues with grilling burgers and corn cobs, but the bratwursts did cook unevenly in comparison. That said, the Go-Anywhere is still a solid choice if you’re looking for a well-constructed grill under $100.

What we didn't like: Again, uneven cooking plagued this pick a bit.

Key Specs

• Cooking area: 160 square inches
• Dimensions: 11.5 x 19.5 x 15 inches
• Weight: 13.45 pounds
• Warranty: 10 years
  

The Best Budget-Friendly Weber Portable Charcoal Grill

Weber Smokey Joe Charcoal Grill

$45 at Amazon $46 at Walmart $46 at Target

What we liked: The Smokey Joe is certainly budget-friendly at less than $50. It’s quite small and lightweight, and therefore exceptionally easy to move around. Though the Smokey Joe doesn’t get as rip-roaring hot as other grills, it's affordable, practical, and otherwise solid.

What we didn't like: As you can probably assume from the 14-inch diameter, there’s not a lot of room to work while cooking.

Key Specs

• Cooking area: 14-inch diameter
• Dimensions: 17 x 14.2 x 14.5 inches
• Weight: 9.5 pounds
• Warranty: 10 years

The Competition

• Americana Walk-A-Bout Portable Charcoal Grill: This grill was able to cook food satisfactorily, but we thought it just felt too cheaply constructed, even for its low price.
• Napoleon 14" Portable Charcoal Kettle Grill: This is an average grill, but just didn't stand out in any way.
• Char-Broil Portable Kettle Charcoal Grill: Poor cooking plagued this model.
• Expert Grill Premium Portable Charcoal Grill: This was a top pick, but it appears to be discontinued.
• SnS Grills Slow 'N Sear Travel Kettle Grill: This also was a top pick, but it seems to have availability issues.

FAQs

How light is a portable charcoal grill?

It varies! Depending on their size and construction, the portable charcoal grills we tested ranged from just under 10 pounds to over 50 pounds. 

How do you start a portable charcoal grill?

It’s helpful to use a charcoal chimney when lighting a charcoal grill. Instead of squirting lighter fluid all over the charcoal, you pile charcoal into the chimney, stuff the bottom with newspaper, and light with a match. When the coals are hot, simply transfer them to your grill.

How do you dispose of charcoal after grilling?

Before anything, let it cool completely in the grill. Once the ash and spent charcoal are cool, you can worry about cleaning it up. Lump charcoal (with no additives) can be composted. However, spent briquettes should go in the landfill. You can wrap them in aluminum foil before adding them to your outdoor trash can. Some cooks even have a dedicated metal trash, kept near their grill, for collecting old charcoal and ash.

Can a portable charcoal grill fit in a car?

Yes, it can. However, you may need to account for the space required if you have a grill without collapsible legs, a very small car, or both. And don't make us remind you that the grill should be 100% cool before transporting it.

Why We're the Experts

• Summer Rylander is a food and travel journalist based in Nuremberg, Germany.
• She has written numerous stories for Serious Eats, including a review of pasta drying racks and a piece about how to choose between ceramic and nonstick skillets. 
• For this article, we put 14 portable charcoal grills through numerous tests, designed to evaluate their quality, performance, value, and (of course) portability.