1. European Outdoor Chef Grill

The First Grill to make the list is the European Outdoor Chef Grill. This is actually a portable gas grill but we loved it so much that we included it anyways. What makes the European Outdoor Chef Grill so great is its features and functions. It is almost like having a full sized grill. It has a very high heat output and a large cooking area for such a small unit.

2. Old Smokey Classic

The Old Smokey Classic is not the greatest looking portable charcoal grill you will see but it is still a great one to own nonetheless. The Old Smokey Classic is available in three different sizes, 14, 18 and 22 diameter inches. This portable charcoal grill is easy to carry around and it is also easy to use. One Downside of the Old Smokey Classic is its height. You will need to purchase leg extensions if you do not want to hunch all the time while cooking.

3. Weber 616002 Char Q Portable Charcoal Grill

The Weber Char Q is a well designed portable charcoal Grill. The Weber brand alone gives you a good indication of its durability and versatility. The Weber Char Q Portable Charcoal Grill measures 32.5 x 18.1 x 14.8 inches and it has a total cooking area of 280 square inches. A customer of the Weber Char Q Portable Charcoal Grill commented that you have to pay extra close attention while cooking because the distance between the fire and the grill is pretty short. Therefore, the food might burn easily if you do not flip it at an appropriate interval.

4. Weber Smokey Joe

The Weber Smokey Joe is probably the least portable charcoal grill out of the five listed but it is still a great grill to own. It is the perfect portable charcoal grill for tailgating parties and camping trips. It has a 14 1/2 inch diameter grate. This means you can easily cook three steaks at a time. The porcelain-enameled bowl of the Weber Smokey Joe reduces the chances of rust and it enables even heat. You also get a limited 10 year warranty and a 31 page Owner’s guide with great tips on cooking.

5. Uniflame Premium Portable Charcoal Grill

The Uniflame Premium is a great small charcoal grill. Most customers found it compact, clean and easy to use. One problem most customers had however was the set-up. They found it took some time to figure out the instructions but they stopped complaining once this portable charcoal grill was on full flow. One customer was able to easily cook five hamburgers and about fifteen hotdogs with the Uniflame Premium Portable Charcoal Grill.

The Bayou Classic Fold-And-Go Portable Charcoal Grill is the perfect grill for tailgating parties. It is a portable charcoal grill which you can take around with no heavy burden and it is also extremely easy to set up, taking only a few seconds. This portable charcoal grill also comes with a strapped tote bag to help you carry it around.

With a cooking surface of 266 square inches, you can easily cook up to 15 burgers in one go. One customer who bought the Bayou Classic Fold-And-Go Portable Charcoal Grill said he has been satisfied with this Portable Charcoal Grill ever since it arrived on his doorsteps.

One minor downside of the Bayou Classic Fold-And-Go Portable Charcoal Grill is the lack of cover. As a temporary solution, you can cover this portable charcoal grill with tin foil. Many also recommended that purchasing a Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter would help start a fire immediately.

For a price of $36.68, The Bayou Classic Fold-And-Go Portable Charcoal Grill is quite a steal if you consider its ease in set up and great portability. You may be able to find cheaper models on Amazon for as low as $20. If you are not sure on whether to buy The bayou Classic Fold-And-Go Portable Charcoal grill then I recommend you read more customer opinions on the Amazon Review page. Here are some reviews we have come across for the Bayou Classic Portable Charcoal Grill.

By Robert Dito

We have been going to the ny jets football games for over 30 years. The problem since I don`t care for trucks or suvs is space in my honda accord trunk. Well I don`t have that problem any more. With the Bayou it folds up and fits easily. But besides that you can use match light charcoal so in a matter of minutes the food is already cooking. No propane to buy and carry around. When we are finished just clean up and put back in the trunk. I would recomend this grill to anyone who has limited trunk space and loves to tailgate. PS it is cheaper then all the other grills at this size.

By Leeanne Frascona

I love this grill and would recommend it when space is an issue. I’ve used it for two tailgating seasons and it’s holding up better than I would have imagined. At [...] bucks, how could you go wrong? You could buy a new one every season for a lot less than the meat you put on it. Cooking is adequate for an open top charcoal grill, grilling surface area is pretty large considering and construction quality is decent. Design is great. The grill is reasonably stable after being assembled. I would recommend having some paper towels for cleanup in case any grease has run down the side of the grill. Setup and packing is easy. Only negative is the sides tend to warp a little after several uses due to the metal being exposed to the hot coals.

The only downside most customers reported was the assembling process. Firstly, you have to make sure you have an area to assemble the Char Griller Patio Pro 1515 because the pieces are coated in oil (it can get very messy). Most customers reported that the assembling manual was totally worthless as some pieces had wrong measurements. Despite this problem, many customers were extremely satisfied once they got their Char Griller Patio Pro under way.

The air ventilation system of the Char Griller Patio Pro 1515 allows for even heating. You are recommended to coat the cooking grate with vegetable oil and leave it to heat up for around 2 hours to remove the oil and stink which usually comes with any new product. The Char Griller Patio pro 1515 is available for a price of $95.70. This is slightly higher than the prices of other similar charcoal grills but many customers claimed the investment was well worth it in the long run. Here are some other reviews we have come across for the Char Griller Patio Pro 1515.

By Matthew Walker

Great small grill- if you don’t have a lot of room, this is the grill for you. The iron grates are great (pun intended) for even heat distribution. It is too small to use charcoal baskets, but if you scrape the coals to both ends you can do some indirect grilling. It’s just big enough for a 5-6 pound beer can chicken. The assembly instructions are terrible, but as a guy that’s half the fun. Be sure to properly season it before use- coat all surfaces with vegetable oil and fire up enough coals to burn for a few hours. It’ll burn off all the excess grease, paint, etc. used in manufacturing.

By Phillip Leggette

this is a great little grill. assembly was not at all difficult. if missing lockwashers are an issue, reserve them for the vents. rated 4 instead of 5 only because the lid is misaligned. this is more cosmetic than functional. when the time comes, i will get another.

The Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal grill is manufactured without nuts and bolts, which means it is so much easier and faster to set up than other portable charcoal grills you may find in the market. It also comes with short legs which pivot and lock into place. I would recommend the Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill for anyone who requires a versatile companion while camping or in tailgate parties.

With the Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill, you can easily cook two to three meals from a single load of charcoal. Another positive aspect of the Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill is the easiness of setting and dissembling the charcoal grill. Many of the customers commented that they were easily able to pack and touch the charcoal grill after 15 minutes (time after fire was put out). Unfortunately, if you want a portable charcoal grill which can cook large meals like turkey then this is not the grill for you. It is capable of supporting up to six and eight persons but no more.

The Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill is also suitable for beginners because you will rarely experience flare-ups and it is also easy to set up. The air dampers which come with the charcoal grill are also easy to operate. One downside some customers reported was the stands which support the grill. They commented that some of them became faulty and had to be replaced after using the grill a few times. Other than that, The Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill is the perfect companion for outdoor lovers. Price for the Weber Go-Anywhere stars at $44.70. You can get it shipped for free using Amazon’s Super Saver Shipping. If you are still not sure about this Weber Charcoal Grill then feel free to read more opinions from customers at the Amazon Marketplace.

Lyndon Hinton

Simply and easy to put together. Easy to clean up and store. I use it when I pull my camping trailer. It will not hold a lot of food, but that is not a problem for me.

Ellen Beeman

A good charcoal grill for when you need portability. I recently bought a Smokey Joe Silver and cooked side-by-side with my Go-Anywhere, and this grill is definitely more convenient for camping trips and other excursions. Both are good quality, as you’d expect with a Weber, but the Go-Anywhere has a lot more control for vents and packs up better for travel. It also has the prongs so I can hang the hot grill cover off the side, and the Smokey Joe Silver does not. Capacity on this grill is about six burgers, or three to four steaks (depending on size).

Pros

One common advantage of getting any Weber Charcoal grill is its guaranteed quality. Like any other Weber Products, the One-Touch Silver has great durability and many customers who purchased this product reported they had not encountered a single problem after using it for over four years. If you consider that the price is only $90, it is pretty much a steal for a long term investment. Another advantage you will benefit from is the ease in lighting and maintaining the fire. The Weber One-Touch comes with a chimney starter therefore you do not need to use lighter fluid to try and light your charcoal (note the chimney starter is only available now with the gold version of the One-Touch).

Cons

Design-wise, the Weber One-Touch may look great on first impression. However, this Weber Charcoal grill is layered with paint and is not powder coated. So you may find the paint layer peeling off as you continue using the grill (it seems the latest manufactured One-Touch Charcoal grills are now powder coated so you will not encounter the paint peeling problem anymore). Owners of this charcoal grill also had complaints about the stability of the legs and wheels which you can see from the image above.

Verdict

If you are looking for a cheap and versatile charcoal grill then have no hesitation and purchase the Weber One-touch Silver Charcoal Grill as soon as you can. It is easy to use and it can also generate high heating capacity. One thing I also forgot to mention is that you can also use this Weber Charcoal Grill as a a smoker which adds to its excellent capabilities. When you are using this grill, always take care with the legs and wheels so that you do not destabilize them. If you are ready to buy the Weber One-Touch Silver Kettle Grill then consider purchasing it from Amazon for a discount price of $84.95.

#1 Weber Q-100 Portable Grill

This small propane grill is developed by Weber, one of the leaders in the grill manufacturing industry. It burns propane gas cleanly and has a cooking surface area of around 189 square inches, which is big enough to fit six burgers. After eight to ten minutes of preheating, you are ready to slap some meat onto your grilling pan. What makes this small propane grill unique compared to others is its U shaped burner which allows for even cooking.

#2 Outdoor Chef – City Grill with Cradle

Coming second is the European Outdoor Chef City Grill. What I like about this model is that it pretty much contains all the features and functions you would find in a full sized grill, albeit smaller. Benefits include a high heat output, large cooking area for a small unit and there is also a wide range of accessories available for this grill.

#3 Weber Q-140 Electric Grill

In third place is another Weber Grill, this time in the form of the Q-140. This small U shaped grill uses reflective surfaces to allow an electric coil to generate heat temperatures matching those of a gas grill. However, steak lovers should look for a small charcoal grill because users have reported that it does not get hot enough to be able to cook steak to its full potential.

#4 Big Green Egg Mini

The Big Green Egg Mini smoker and grill is one of the most unique grills I have come across. One of the best things about this grill is its ability to retain heat capacity. This grill is large enough to support two people and also has wheels attached to improve its portability.

#5 Weber Smokey Joe Charcoal Grill

Coming last place is yet again another Weber Grill. This time, the Smokey Joe. The Weber Smokey Joe is a classic portable and small charcoal grill which is available for a price under $50. It may not be able to cook a lot in one go yet it is still a great grill if you want a delicious end meal. Make sure it is over a stable surface when cooking.

How did I know that their is a return in popularity for portable charcoal grills? It is appearing frequently in grilling magazines and there are a lot of online reviews were people are more appealed to challenging themselves by using charcoal to cook their meal.

So what exactly are the benefits of using a portable charcoal grill? Here are a few factors which has convinced many barbecue enthusiasts to change sides. The first benefit is its versatility. It is easy to carry around so you do not have to worry about heavy lifting and stuck wheels. If you are going to take it around by car then all you need to do is open your car trunk and fit it in without too much of a hassle.

If you are still not into the charcoal thing then portable gas grills are available too. If you like to visit the countryside and enjoy a nice slab of steak in the wild then consider purchasing a portable charcoal grill. Mastering the art of barbaque cooking through charcoal is an experience itself. Also note that it is important to consider the supplementary barbaque tools in order to cook to perfection.