Having and enjoying the aroma and taste of food prepared over charcoal is the wish of almost all of us. Now, how about going to camp with a charcoal grill? I am sure you will have an enjoyable camping trip compared to any other outdoor adventure.

Therefore, you are advised to look for the best portable charcoal grill for camping to be on the safer side. With such items, you can either use them for tailgating, camping, traveling, beach parties, road trips, picnicking, etc. This implies that some of these grills are highly versatile. Have a look at our decorated list!

In order to come true, such a camping experience, along with having the food prepared over charcoal, you need to buy the best grill for camping. If you want to get the best one, then you should read the whole article.

Hamilton Beach (25360) – Best Electric Grill

Let’s start by this portable grill which falls among top-rated models out there. Hamilton Beach (25360) Electric Portable Grill grabs the first position because it deserves, especially with its elegant features.

Features and benefits

• Highly versatile: You can use it both indoors and outdoors because it is a smokeless gas grill.
• Great results: It provides excellent results wherever you are, and you’ll be eating tasty food in no time at all.
• Adjustable temperature feature: The grill comes with high heat searing ability, but with adjustable temperature control, so you can get the perfect cooking heat for whatever it is you try to cook.
• Huge drip tray: It comes with the feature of a non-stick plate and has indicator lights on it as well for convenience purposes. It comprises an extra-large drip tray, which makes the clean-up process very easy, and it also includes the feature of a removable hood too.
• Easy to clean: Those features, with the plate, are all dishwasher safe, which adds to its convenience.

Pros

• Can be used in or outdoors
• Extra-large drip tray
• Adjustable temperature control

Cons

• The drip tray is a bit small

I would recommend you to buy this product because it is a high-quality grill in many respects.

Blackstone 17 Inch – Best Outdoor Portable Grill

If you are not satisfied with the above option, don’t worry because Blackstone 17 Inch Outdoor Portable Grill is the best alternative. It is a rugged and easy-to-use grill from Blackstone, which can give you a significant amount of performance, but is also very durable and easy to carry.

Features and benefits

• Lightweight: The manufacturers generally made it highly portable, and you will be able to see why with its rectangle design and take the handle. It weighs 20 pounds, so it’s easy enough to carry and will run off a propane tank.
• Robust construction: It has a cast-aluminum firebox and a lid that has stainless steel latches as well as a temperature gauge.
• Spacious enough: It comes with a 200 sq inch grilling grate, so you’re going to be able to fit a lot of food onto it so that it will accommodate many people.

Pros

• Compatible size
• Multi heat zones
• Griddle cooking
• Highly durable grill
• Cast aluminum firebox
• 200 square inch grilling surface
• Easy to assemble
• Life of your party

Cons

• A bit difficult to clean

The main burner has a powerful output, which will increase your cooking times and an ignition that is protected from any damage, so it’ll work time and time again.

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George Foreman 15-Serving– Best Electric Portable Grill

Ever since George Foreman brought his grills to the market, they have proved popular for their efficiency and quick cooking times. Here is one of their products that is very well-reviewed from those who have used it.

Features and benefits

• Spacious enough: It includes 240 square inches of cooking space. This means that is can cook a high quantity of food and all with that non-stick coating, which is famous for these products.
• Robust construction: It is durable and easy to clean and can remove the need to add any oil. I
• Highly versatile: t’s a grill that you can use indoors or outdoors, which provides it a lot over versatility.
• Easy to use: The grill comes with five heat settings so that you can find the perfect temperature for your food.

Pros

• Large looking space
• Easy to clean and use
• Powered by electric
• Affordably priced
• Easy to store
• Fast cooking time
• No removable grill plates

Cons

• Not so easy to clean as the models

Though this grill requires an electrical connection, it’s great for tailgating or for more advanced camps where you have access to a generator.

Weber 10020 – Best Smokey Portable Grill

This brilliant grill comes with a classic look and produces terrific results. You can ensure that you will buy a quality product, as this must have a long list of great reviews from many satisfied customers.

Features and benefits

• Spacious enough: It is 14 inches wide and is also small enough to be portable but must still have the ability to cook a lot of great food.
• Handy handle: With these types of grills, sometimes removing the lid can be tricky, but with the nylon handle of this product, you won’t face any of those problems.
• Triple nickel-plated: The cooking grate is equipped with such a feature so that it will give you a very high level of performance.
• Robust construction: The manufacturers coat the product in a porcelain enamel, which will prevent any rusting. This one is a product that is going to last you for a very long time. The charcoal that you need will assist you, providing great tasting food time and time again.

Pros

• Nylon handle
• Well reviewed
• Ten-year warranty

Cons

• Flimsy legs
• The bottom vent can become clogged

All these features make this one of the best portable charcoal grills for camping.

Weber 51010001 Q1200 – Best Propane Portable Grill

Here is another portable charcoal grill for camping that can still work for you if the above options fail to meet your expectations. Weber 51010001 Q1200 Liquid Propane Portable Grill, comes exceptionally highly rated, so you know what you will get a great product.

Features and benefits

• Highly versatile: Whereas the last grill ran off charcoal, this is a grill that can run off liquid propane.
• Varying colors: One additional helpful fact about this product is that it comes in a nice variety of different colors so that you can add a bit of personality to your cooking experience.
• Robust construction: The stainless steel burner produces a lot of heat, and the manufacturers make the cooking grates of porcelain-enameled cast-iron. The manufacturers make the body out of casting aluminum for longevity and portability.
• Easy to operate: The product has an easy to start electronic ignition system and also gives you a significant amount of control over the heat coming from the burner.

Pros

• A range of color options
• Made from high-quality materials
• Electronic ignition system

Cons

• Very heavy for a portable grill

You can realize that this is a great product that is straightforward to use and convenient to clean and allow you to cook delicious food.

Weber 121020 – Best Charcoal Portable Grill

Maybe you should give a trial to this option because it is also the best for camping in our list. Weber 121020 Go-Anywhere Charcoal Portable Grill, which is a great little grill. It is very well designed to provide you a great grilling area but also to go back into a minimal size once you have used it.

Features and benefits

• Highly portable: The rectangular box with the carry handle on top creates it straightforward to carry and also to store away as well.
• Large cooking space: Its plated steel legs will offer you a vast area from which to cook, and the nylon handle will make sure that it stays cold, so there are plenty of features that make this grill safe to use.
• Convenient: It also comes with the function of two adjustable dampeners and three air vents for maximum performance.
• Robust construction: The grills porcelain enameled coating can prevent any rust and fading of the product, but it will also make it straightforward to clean as well.  

Pros

• Clever design for transportation
• Nylon handle
• Porcelain-enameled coating
• High-quality materials
• Simple yet versatile
• Locking lid & legs

Cons

• A little on the small side
• Fire safety while cleaning it

Overall, the portability of this product ranks very high, but that doesn’t mean that it fails in other areas as it’s a tremendous all-around grill.

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Coleman Road – Best Trip Propane Portable Grill

Coleman is well known for producing high-quality camping products, and so we can see once again with this grill, which will produce great results. Its innovative design means that it’s portable but also can stand tall to provide you with a high cooking position.

Features and benefits

• Impressive design: You will have different colors, which all look great, and it’s a very well-designed product.
• Highly versatile: It runs off propane and is perfect for many situations. The grill does have a very high heat output so that it will have that food cooked in no time.
• Powerful heat production: The cooking power on the grill, though, is highly adjustable for whatever you need to cook.

Pros

• Collapsible design
• High power output
• A range of color options

Cons

• Wheels should be locked

This model is made even much more comfortable because it comes with an instant start button, which will keep your gas grill fired up all the time.

Cuisinart CGG-180T – Best Tabletop Gas Portable Grill

You can go with this classic and compact portable grill to take anywhere along and still produce terrific results time and time again. It can either be bought as a tabletop version or with a full stand relying on whichever style you require.

Features and benefits

• Minimalists design: Despite its compact size, it can deliver a high level of cooking performance and can cook a vast amount of food in a short space of time.
• Highly versatile: You will have this grill in colors of either red, stainless steel, or black, which will all look great wherever you want to use them.
• Lid lock: It is integrated with such a feature, giving it great safety and a carry handle that will make its transportation from one place to another extremely easy.

Pros

• Can be bought as a tabletop
• Lightweight
• Easy to carry
• Lid safety latch
• Foldable legs
• Nice lid color

Cons

• Inferior igniter switch
• Low amount of BTUs

The whole product weighs 13.5 pounds, so it ranks very highly in portability.

Cuisinart 12,000-BTU – Top Tabletop Gas Portable Grill

This is a more traditional looking product from Cuisinart as well as one that runs off-gas. You will have found it both available as a free-standing model, which has the ability to extend to your standing height and as a tabletop model.

Features and benefits

• Large cooking space: It has a 200 square inch surface, which is a lot more than other products, and the burner can produce a very high power output as well.
• Easy to use: The grill does have an easy-to-use ignition system, so you’ll be cooking in no time and has adjustable burners.
• Robust construction: The product also comes with stainless steel folding side tables as well, which is a handy feature, as are the large wheels on the bottom, which make it very easy to transport.

Pros

• Large grilling area
• Quick start ignition system
• Folding side tables
• Propane tank compatibility
• Temperature gauge

Cons

• Propane valve may be a bit fragile
• Weak grill hinges

This is an excellent grill for when you need to cook a lot of food in a static camping environment.

Lodge Cast Iron – Best Sportsman’s Portable Grill

If you’re seeking a portable grill that looks fantastic, adds a bit of style, and will get people talking, then this Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman’s Portable Grill is the grill for you.

Features and benefits

• Robust construction: The manufacturers make it with cast iron, making it extremely durable and are fueled by charcoal, which is then regulated by a draft door.
• Healthy food: Owing to having its quality of food that you actually desire to get, then this one is extremely high rank. It will also help to provide you more flavor than many available other products.

Pros

• Made from cast iron
• Great for quality food
• Extremely durable
• Well-built & sturdy
• Fantastic heat retention & heat control
• Very affordable
• Can last a lifetime

Cons

• Cooking area rather small

One of the most noticeable downsides to this, though, is the weight, like the cast-iron weights over 30 pounds. This isn’t exactly something that will go in your backpack, though, but it is perfect for those more permanent camping trips or short distances from the car.

 

Buying guide

When buying a new grill, you are advised to consider some parameters so that to bag home a reliable item. During the selection, you will meet several options in the market that can easily confuse you due to close features and dimensions. Our guide will provide you with some of the useful features to consider before buying a certain portable grill for your upcoming camping.

Since you are going out for camping, size and weight plays a vital role in determining the portability of a particular camping grill. For this reason, these should be the two major factors to consider. Then you should look at what portability features the manufacturer has included.

Cooking surface

Generally, you will meet portable charcoal grills with up to 300 sq inches cooking space or less than that. Most experts claim that models with larger space should not be considered portable despite offering large cooking space. you might have a wider surface to prepare your meals, but now when transferring the grill from one place to another becomes a problem.

However, if your group is big, owning a grill with 300 Square inches of cooking space is necessary. With such an item, you can feed up to four heads at once. On the other hand, smaller surfaced-portable grills are considered the best for portability and for feeding few people.

Weight

Lightweight design is what you need to be very keen about. What is the wait for the grill you wish to buy? Of course you should consider buying a grill that you can easily carry from one place to another. Though, this factor might be determined by the materials used to manufacturer a certain product, the size has it all.

Grills made from iron materials are considered the best, but they are expensive as well as heavy. This means that they are not suitable for backpacking; hence not portable. Thank God almost all of the above options are lightweight and make them ideal for camping.

Portability Features

Despite being portable, manufacturers try to make their grills with essential features to help you comfortably prepare your meals just like traditional ones. You should therefore be keen to confirm whether whatever model you want to buy boasts features like fitting the lid. Such a feature is essential in helping you to control the airflow comfortably.

On the other hand, check if they are equipped with dampers or vents to help you control temperature and air flow even easily. It then offers you excellent control over the quality and status of your food. With the ability to lock the lid allows you to transport the grill easily from one place to another.

Ease of clean

We have some grills that come with clean up features which allow you to easily clean your portable grill, leaving it ready for the next task. Yes, you don’t have to spend much of your time cleaning the equipment instead of enjoying the prepared meal. For this reason, you should consider buying those models with features like ash drawers to ease cleaning.

On the other hand, the shape of the grill plays a critical role in making the entire cleaning process a breeze. I would therefore recommend buying shallow charcoal bins because they’re easier to clean compared to deeper ones.

Wrap it up!

Owning the best portable charcoal grill for camping can be a suitable way to enjoy impressive outdoor cooking, bringing the experience to a campsite. All the hassles that you could have incurred while selecting the best solution are curbed through the above provided information.

With all these reviews, it’s not easy to miss a suitable option. You can also rely on our buying guide for more information if you are unsatisfied with the review section.