Best Portable Grills Available in 2026, as Tested and Reviewed by CNET’s Experts

This sleek portable gas grill from Weber is superior in almost every category and was a fairly clear winner as not only the best portable gas grill, but also the best portable grill overall. This Weber model is easy to assemble, with just a few parts, and once completed feels solid and sturdy, even when given a few vigorous shakes. The igniter works well and, once lit, the grill gets hot, reaching its advertised 500 degrees Fahrenheit after just 15 minutes with the lid closed. The flame is easy to control and keeps a consistent temperature throughout cooking with the cast iron grates, even when grilling with the flame turned low. 

With 189 square inches of cooking surface, this grill was not the biggest on the list, but it's plenty big enough to cook burgers, chicken, fish and veggies for a group of six hungry people. It's also nice-looking with flare-out trays to hold your plates and grilling tools, plus an ergonomic design. It comes in a bunch of fun colors, or jet black if you prefer. Despite its sturdy build, the Q-1200 is still light and limber enough for a grill to take on a camping trip or for one person to carry with relative ease. This grill, like all on the list, can use any small propane tank sold at most camping or hardware stores.

This grill is for serious tailgaters and is specifically designed to ride on the back of a car attached to a hitch. The monster Forge 15 has 355 square inches of cooking space, so you can feed the whole gang. Two powerful 7,500-BTU burners (15,000 total) will ensure that your steaks, dogs and sausages get a proper sear. 

The best part about this Hitchfire grill is that it won't take up any precious space in your trunk or hatch because it rides outside the car. That means more room for chairs and coolers. There's even a built-in bottle opener because Hitchfire clearly knows its audience. 

You will need a proper hitch to attach it, and I suggest taking a short test drive to ensure it's properly installed. It's worth noting that you'll also want two small propane tanks to get the whole grill lit. If you prefer, you can use an adapter sold separately to rig it up to a full-size tank.

This portable gas grill from the trusty kitchen brand Cuisinart has foldable legs and a twist-start ignition. It has a decently sized 145 square inches of grilling surface with an easy-to-clean porcelain grilling grate (which is a lot handier than having to buy new grates). It uses natural gas tanks and ignites quickly with a steady and consistent flame. It was ultimately less powerful than the Weber (just 5,500 BTUs), topping out at around 400 degrees F. It didn't maintain its heat quite as well but wasn't terrible in that regard either.

The Cuisinart gas grill is definitely lighter and a bit more portable than the Weber. It also feels slightly less sturdy while grilling but is not flimsy by any means. It was equally easy to assemble. At less than $200, it is the best portable grill on a budget -- especially if you don't plan to use it more than a handful of times per summer. The Cuisinart portable grill also runs on any small propane tank you can find at camping or hardware stores.

Surely you've seen -- and possibly owned -- one of these little guys in the past. The Weber Smokey Joe is a staple at park cookouts and on camping trips and that's for good reason. It's simple yet very soundly designed. It doesn't take much skill to operate, and it works great. 

The Smokey Joe doesn't have fancy features, but it has what you need, including ventilation dampers that allow you to control the temperature with ease and a body made from enameled porcelain that keeps it from rusting. This Premium model has a built-in lid rack so you don't have to put the grill cover on the ground while you're flipping burgers and chicken.

Charcoal, with its inherent messiness, may not be ideal depending on your portable grill needs, but this is a workhorse that will get the job done and last you a good while. Plus, it clocks in at a budget-friendly $46 (for the black model), making it my pick for the best cheap portable charcoal grill.

While the Weber Original Kettle may have taken the top spot in CNET's list of best charcoal grills, this newcomer is my pick for the best portable charcoal grill. A smart and solid build allows you to take this small grill anywhere, including on a long hike. 

Carrying a dusty, dirty charcoal grill around isn't usually an attractive proposition, but the creators of the GoBQ have mostly solved the issue through intelligent design. The entire unit folds out and up in about 20 seconds and then wraps up again after you're done, securing all the nasty cooked charcoal. 

It's only 9 pounds -- the lightest of any on this list -- and with the fitted carrying case can be slung right over your shoulder and taken out for grilling on the go. This take-anywhere charcoal grill is probably the most portable of all the grills I tested and is perfect for campers or hikers who need a small, portable grill while on the move. 

The GoBQ also performed well, cultivating a steady and hot fire, and has a robust 185 square inches of grilling space. There are no bells and whistles on this grill, so you'll have to adjust and maintain the fire as you would most charcoal fires or campfires: with a careful flow of oxygen and good charcoal management. It's a little more expensive than some on the market, but it's built to last. If you want portable charcoal grilling in a truly portable package, this is the best small grill to buy. 

Perhaps you didn't even know this was a category. Well, it is, and these GoSun solar-powered grills actually work pretty well. When I tested it, it got scorching hot and cooked chicken thighs, sausage, fish and veggies all in 25 minutes or less. 

This solar oven requires no charcoal, propane canister or any fuel source (hooray for the environment!) and is super light and transportable. It's a perfect camping cooker except you do need sunlight for this to function so I wouldn't rely solely on this for eating if you're heading into the woods for an extended period. 

The big drawback of this nifty portable oven is its cooking capacity. Because food has to be loaded into a tube, you can't really cook many of the traditional barbecue meats such as ribs. Some foods, such as burgers, need to be formed into a more cylindrical or elongated shape to fit inside. The slender device is perfect for cooking hot dogs, most veggies, fish and chicken pieces, which slide in with ease.

It's also worth noting that you'll get more of a broiled result versus a traditional grill because there is no actual flame, so don't expect char marks on your oblong burgers. There are a few sizes, including the larger GoSun Survival, if you're planning on cooking for a group.

Single-use grills exist and while they may not be the most practical option for everyday use, if you have one long hike planned and want to do some grilling, this is a good option. The Casus grill can only be used once, of course, but it actually gets fairly hot in about five minutes and stays lit for more than an hour. It also has enough space to cook three or four burgers, sausages, dogs, veggies or chicken. 

If you're worried about the garbage pile factor, this grill is 100% biodegradable and made with bamboo charcoal cakes on a bamboo grate. You could technically bury it after use without harming the earth or the creatures around. Note that you should remove as much grease as possible before burying the grill.