In today’s busy culture, we must be able to bring as many comforts of home with us on all of our journeys. That’s why finding the perfect portable charcoal grill is essential to ensure your trips are enjoyable, no matter how long or short.
We have been grilling and smoking for over twenty years, so we have learned a thing or two about the importance of grilling, even on the go. To assist you in finding portable charcoal grills for camping or RV use, we have reviewed the highlights and features of the grills on the market and compiled a list of portable charcoal grills.
Best Portable Charcoal Grills:
1. Weber Smokey Joe 14-Inch Portable Grill
The Weber 10020 Smokey Joe 14-inch Portable Grill is simply grilling at its best. This grill provides you with a small stature for easy transport, with a large grilling capacity to accommodate all of your guests. Whether tailgating or camping, this grill is the perfect complement to any day out with friends.
We believe that this Weber Smokey Joe portable grill is the most portable charcoal barbecue you can purchase. It is lightweight and compact making it extremely easy to transport and store, particularly while on the move. The simplicity of the design allows for consistently well-grilled food with every use.
Size and Weight
- Weight: 9.5 pounds
- Dimensions: 14.2 x 14.5 x 17 inches
- Cooking Surface: 147 square inches
Features
- Plated Steel Cooking Grate allows for even cooking
- Porcelain-enameled lid and bowl help to prevent heat from escaping
- Dampers allow you to easily control the temperature inside your grill
Pros
- Can easily hold up to five burgers to accommodate several guests at once
- Steel cooking grate is easy to clean
- Quality construction will hold up well in any circumstance
Cons
- Some consumers have found this grill difficult to light
- Ventilation has been a problem for a couple of buyers
2. Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill
The Weber 121020 Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill features plated steel legs that swivel out and up, securing the lid and providing perfect compactness for storage and transport. This is an excellent grill to provide a taste of home while camping or tailgating.
The Go-Anywhere grill from Weber is a small and portable charcoal grill that is great for those individuals who are looking for easy setup and storage capability. It has a durable construction with ample cooking space, making it an excellent accessory for any camping trip or outdoor adventure.
Size and Weight
- Weight: 15 pounds
- Dimensions: 12.2 x 21 x 14.5 inches
- Cooking Surface: 160 square inches
Features
- Legs swivel out and up to secure the lid for easy transport and storage
- Nylon Handle is galls-reinforced to avoid becoming too hot to handle
- Dampers allow you to easily control the temperature inside your grill
Pros
- Cools down quite quickly allowing for a quick clean-up process
- Perfectly compact for easy setup, break down, storage, and transport
- The cooking space is more than adequate for most portable cooking uses
Cons
- The cooking grate sits low to the grill which may pose difficulty in regulating the
heat distribution - Consumers mentioned that vents are sometimes hard to manage once they get hot
3. Char-Griller Smoker Side Fire Box Portable Charcoal Grill
The Char-Griller Smoker Side Fire Box Portable Charcoal Grill can be used as a tabletop grill or as a horizontal Texas-style smoker. It features a removable ash pan, heavy steel construction, and cast iron cooking grates. This grill provides extreme versatility for the avid griller or smoker enthusiast.
This easy-to-assemble and use Char-Griller box charcoal grill is perfect for anyone who is looking for options with a portable griller. With features like the ability to use it as a smoker and an easy-to-clean ash/charcoal drawer, we believe this to be a great portable charcoal barbeque grill option.
Size and Weight
- Weight: 40 pounds
- Dimensions: 18.5 x 17 x 16 inches
- Cooking Surface: 250 square inches
Features
- Removable ash pan provides a simple clean-up of coals
- Heavy steel construction provides longevity and durability
- Cast iron cooking grates
- 2 Sliding drawer for easy access to coals and ashes
- Stay Cool hood handle to prevent burning your hands while in use
Pros
- Offset allows the ability to be used for Texas-style smoking
- Holds heat well and heats evenly so you will get the best meal with every
grill - Only a small amount of charcoal is required for each use
Cons
- Consumers reported problems with the door sticking shut while cooking
- While portable, this grill is quite heavy and may pose difficulty during
transporting from point A to B
4. Cuisinart CCG-190RB Portable Charcoal Grill
There is no mistake that the Cuisinart CCG -190RB was made to be transported. With its three-lock hood and lightweight construction, this grill is a must-include in our tabletop charcoal grill reviews list and should be a top contender for those individuals who are looking for a simple, portable tabletop grill.
Size and Weight
- Weight: 2 pounds
- Dimensions: 14.5 x 14.5 x 15 inches
- Cooking Surface: 150 square inches
Features
- The cooking rack is chrome plated providing evenly and efficiently distributed
heat throughout the cooking surface - Dual venting system which allows optimal management of temperature and
charcoal - Contains three secure lid locks for safe transport between locations
- The firebox is coated with durable enamel for added safety
- The Ash catcher feature enables easy and mess-free clean-up
Pros
- Extremely lightweight and allows for very simple transport
- Extra lid locks allow you to pick the grill up as one whole unit
- Easy to assemble and clean
Cons
- May be prone to burning food, so close attention should be paid during the entire time the grill is cooking
- Some consumers have mentioned that the grill grates may move while in use
5. Char-Broil GRILL T/T CHAR BLK
The Char-Broil Portable Tabletop Charcoal Grill is an excellent choice for those grillers who are looking for a quick and easy set-up portable grill. This grill features heat-resistant handles, and quality steel construction and works with lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes.
This compact portable charcoal grill is a great purchase for the griller who is looking for an easy option to take along on a camping trip, in an RV, or to the beach.
Size and Weight
- Weight: 7.5 pounds
- Dimensions: 17.5 x 11 x 12.6 inches
- Cooking Surface: 187 square inches
Features
- Works will charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal
- Chrome-plated steel wire cooking grates
- Extremely compactable with simple set up and clean up
- Heat-resistant handles for added safety while cooking
- Constructed of quality steel for extended durability
- High-temperature finish assisting in rust prevention
Pros
- Large cooking area allowing you to grill for all of your friends
- The Cooktop grill portion can fit easily in the dishwasher
- Consumers love how compact, portable, and easy to use this grill is
Cons
- Vents on the grill are permanently open taking away control of the heat from the
griller - There is nothing underneath the bottom vent to catch hot ash or drippings
6. Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Portable Charcoal Grill
The Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Portable Charcoal Grill features heavy-duty steel construction along with thick cast-iron grates. The tray is height-adjustable providing versatility for all of your grilling wants and desires. The side handles are very sturdy, making this grill an easy and durable option for camping, trips to the beach, or tailgating.
The Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler portable tabletop grill is a large portable charcoal grill. We believe that the sturdy design and heavy-duty construction will provide an excellent option for grillers who need a larger cooking capacity but still want the ability to move their grill from place to place.
Size and Weight
- Weight: 53 pounds
- Dimensions: 26.7 x 19.5 x 21.8 inches
- Cooking Surface: 218 square inches
Features
- Heavy-duty Steel construction ensures durability you can trust
- Thick cast-iron grates produce a perfect sear
- The height-adjustable charcoal tray lets you grill with high heat or cook Low and
slow - Large air dampers allow for accurate airflow control
- Full-size, removable ash pan makes clean-up easy
- The lid handle has a rubber grip for easy handling
Pros
- Extremely sturdy design will keep you grilling for a long time
- Very easy to assemble
- The temperature gauge features glow-in-the-dark accents for use in lower
light scenarios
Cons
- The back wall of the grill may flex, according to consumers
- Its heavy construction may hinder transport for some users
7. BESPORTBLE Charcoal Grill Folding BBQ Grill
The Besportble Grill works with charcoal and contains a large grilling surface. It is extremely portable, with the ability to fold flat into an included travel bag. Extremely lightweight and constructed of food contact grade stainless steel, the Wayfarer grill is an outstanding option for the avid outdoorsman.
The Besportble is a lightweight, foldable option that can be used as a fire pit or a grill. Its stainless steel construction folds up flat and fits perfectly into the supplied travel bag for easy storage and transport. The large capacity grill surface is ample enough to allow you to grill for all of your friends, family, and neighbors.
Size and Weight
- Weight: 10 pounds
- Dimensions: 22.4 x 19.7 x 2.8 inches
- Cooking Surface: 370 square inches
Pros
- Purchase includes a travel bag for easy transportability
- Consumers are saying that this grill is incredibly durable
- Can be used with either charcoal or wood, as a grill or firepit
Cons
- A bit more expensive than the other grills on our list
Factors to Keep in Mind While Charcoal Grilling
Just like with any type of cooking, it is imperative to keep several factors in mind to help ensure the best results possible. Here are a few factors that you need to keep in mind when charcoal grilling to help ensure that you can properly control the grill’s temperature.
Don’t Get Trigger Happy with Vent Adjusting
Although adjusting your grill’s vents is an important aspect of properly grilling, you do not want to overdo it. Before you start fiddling with the air vents to help control the temperature, you want to aim for the grill to have a stable temperature for at least twenty to thirty minutes.
After all, you cannot adjust the temperature properly if you do not have an accurate read on the temperature you are starting at.
Once you have adjusted the airflow, you want to wait for around twenty minutes to see the temperature change that you have adjusted.
However, it is important to know your grill and once you do, adjusting the airflow of your vents will be easier for different situations.
Indirect Cooking vs Direct Cooking
Many people do not realize that it is possible to indirectly and directly cook on a charcoal grill, but they need to be approached differently. It is all based on preference, but you should know the differences between these two forms of cooking to know which one will best fit your methods.
Although it is possible to slow-cook something over direct heat, it is still recommended to use indirect cooking for slower meals.
It is important to understand that charcoal grills can cook more than just burgers and steaks. However, you must know your grill and its limitations. Regardless of your techniques knowing how to control the temperature of your charcoal grill might be different than your friend’s grill.
We hope that the information provided above can help you to get a better understanding of how to control the temperature of your charcoal grill, but we are not perfect.
If you have any secret techniques that you use, please let us know because we are always looking for new and helpful information and grilling techniques.
Grilling with charcoal is the purest form of cooking out there. Food grilled with charcoal is tender and has an authentic flavor and aroma. Once you have finished grilling your food, the charcoal lit in the grill will continue burning unless you extinguish it yourself.
Therefore, knowing how to put out a charcoal grill is vital in preventing a fire disaster. This is because a hot charcoal grill will cause severe burns to children or people who touch it. Suppose you left your grill burning, and an animal knocks the grill over spilling hot charcoal on your backyard. Avoid damaging your property or harming your family by following these steps on putting off the charcoal grill.
Things to Consider When Buying
Cost
While more expensive grills may come with all the bells and whistles, you may not necessarily need them to achieve your desired results
Size
Do you want a compact or larger travel-size charcoal grill? Will it satisfy all of your cooking needs, large or small?
Temperature Controls
Determine if the control regarding temperature is easy for you, as your cooking could be affected if you are having trouble in this area.
Safety
Be sure that you understand how the grill works to ensure optimal safety while in use. Look for a grill that makes you feel confident in its sturdiness. Also, keep your exhaust damper open any time the grill is in use, and do not dump the ashes until they are fully extinguished.
Other
Is it easy to use and assemble? Are there any accessories that help set
up or clean up? How long with this grill last?
Conclusion
We believe the Weber Smokey Joe portable grill is the portable charcoal grill on the list. It has a small footprint with a large cooking capacity, making it easy to transport while being able to accommodate all of your cooking needs. As always, Happy Grilling!
