Buying a portable grill is an acquisition for many years. Whether you are an experienced chef or a newbie at a barbecue, choosing the right grill from a huge selection can be quite difficult. In this review, we will tell you which charcoal grills are worth buying to make you happy for a long time.
Thus, we have reviewed the 9 best portable charcoal grills, which have excellent characteristics and positive reviews.
This item has the best price and quality:
The other high-quality portable charcoal grills and their comparison of the main characteristics:
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In this short but interesting video, you will find out the basics of using a charcoal grill:
Cuisinart CCG190
A flap for grill openings is also provided with a handy lever to prevent the grill from sliding.
A thermometer is into the lid to let you know the temperature inside the grill. The scale is in degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit.
At the bottom, you can see the blowholes and the metal rim through which the lever to adjust the bottom blow is passing.
An ash bowl is on the metal rim. The fixing mechanism is elementary, the grooves are perfect.
Looking at the lower hemisphere of the grill, you will see the blades. You can adjust this position by a special lever. They can close and open the holes for blowing. When turned back and forth, it is easy to clean the bottom surface of the grill from ash and ashes. The lower grate is on top, and the coals will lie on it.
You can place the coals in different ways, forming zones of direct and indirect heat. Besides, there are trays for separating the coals. You can pour coal into them, leaving in the middle of the indirect heat zone when frying on the top folding grid.
The grill comes with accessories, each of which looks very attractive. The pins and spatula of the grill have a comfortable shape with long handles. They do not let you get burned and do not slide in your hands.
Raptor Grilling
This is a compact, lightweight, yet high quality and reliable model of the charcoal grill.
The brand known for its grill manufacturing is also trusted. It shows a good performance. It perfectly bakes meat, fish, vegetables, and other products.
Smooth porcelain enamel of deep black color covers the lid of the grill. The handle comes with an aluminum heat cutter to protect your hands from hot air.
Its gripping part with finger notches on the bottom is of nice rough material. The color of the pen is grey and the name of the company is on it in the corporate font.
Two groups of three air vents are symmetrically on the sides of the handle. Two aluminum circular dampers with upwardly bent handles close them.
By gripping them, you can rotate the dampers to cover or open the holes. In this way, you can regulate the outflow of hot air from under the lid and the intensity of the combustion of coals. If you want to smoke the product instead of the oven, close these lids should for 1/2 and 2/3.
On the outside of the vent holes on the lid, there are protrusions-stops for fixing the legs in the assembled form. There are also stops with which you can hang it on the grill in a half-open position. For example, to avoid putting it on the ground or to protect the food from side wind.
AmazonBasics Charcoal Grill
This charcoal grill, designed for barbecues, will make cooking a real pleasure. The producing company patented the exclusive oval shape. It allows you to significantly increase your working area.
The oval body has several other advantages. It is the possibility of dividing into two temperature zones and the uniform distribution of heat.
The body of the charcoal grill is of durable, quality ceramics. Not only does it contribute to good heating and long-term temperature retention.
It also prevents moisture from evaporating from the prepared products.
This model has not only the best quality but also increased functionality. It combines the grill, smokehouse, barbecue, and oven. You can adjust the temperature and cooking mode at the necessary discretion.
The economical use of coal is another of its features. All this can be complemented by a well-thought-out construction and the presence of a thermometer.
High-quality workmanship, many interesting accessories, thoughtful details of the grill itself. All this strongly encourages you to buy and fall in love with this device. By buying accessories, the number of cooked dishes can be endless. But the basic version also allows you to master a large variety of dishes.
There are hinges on the instruments that allow you to hang them on special plumb lines located at the sides of the grill handles.
Among the accessories, there are also grill thermometers. Their probes can withstand the temperature inside the grill.
The charcoal briquettes are of pressed coal from deciduous trees and starch. They have the same shape, which ensures a uniform heat. They are well kindled and give off heat for a long time.
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Royal Gourmet CD1824A
The roominess is enough to cook dishes for a small company at the same time. The user can adjust the temperature with the help of special flap valves.
The design is not only for quality cooking but also for user convenience. On the sides, there are retractable tables. They will fit all the necessary accessories and spices.
Moving is facilitated by the cart on wheels. The quality is impeccable, so if the grill is careful, it will last more than 20 years.
You must keep the grill must clean. First, before using it, make sure you remove the remaining ash and ash from the bottom of the bowl.
To do this, just move the handle a little, and the moving blades will throw excess down into the ash trap. You should also remember to shake and clean it. To clean the grate, use the brush with stainless steel bristles. Also in a warm condition, wipe the lid with a paper towel.
Abrasive cleaners, as well as sharp objects, should not be used to clean the grill. You can wash the outside with soap and water and then rinsed and thoroughly dried.
Char-Griller E06614
This is an inexpensive but not a bad grill for picnic use. The case is of thick stainless steel covered with porcelain enamel.
The roaster handles and lid are of glass fiber reinforced nylon. This material is resistant to high temperatures and heat.
The lid has an adjustable flap to help change the temperature. The heat cutter prevents the lid handle from heating up.
In this model, you can cook various popular dishes – barbecue, steaks, vegetables, baked fish.
Besides, users have the opportunity to observe the temperature on the thermometer and adjust it with a ventilation flap.
The steel here is quite thick, the lid closes tightly. So you can not only cook a barbecue but also bury meat or fish in the grill.
You can adjust what happens in the grill with the flaps of the upper and lower blower. When open, there will be more heat, and when closed, less heat. You can use the bottom flaps to regulate the heat even when the lid of the grill is folded back. It is recommended to keep the bottom flaps half-closed to get started.
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BEAU JARDIN Portable Charcoal Grill
The grill is really handy in every way. It is on a tripod, wheels for travel, a collection of ash, which makes it easy to clean after use.
The enclosure with rounded corners, like the lid, is covered with black porcelain enamel on the outside and inside.
It is heat-resistant and does not burn out even when heated for the longest time, and does not crack or crumble.
On each of the long sides of the rectangular body, there are two rows of three holes. They are needed to supply air to the coals.
You can close these holes with two aluminum flaps attached to the housing. By raising or lowering them on the guide slots of the housing, you can adjust the blowing. On bent at an angle of 90 degrees shelves of slats can support the lid or hang something.
Steel legs of complex shape threaded into the holes in the body through the hole in the strips and connecting washers. They allow the legs to rotate silently without unnecessary friction. This is important because when the feet are closed, they turn into lid locks.
Kuuma Premium Stainless Steel Mountable Charcoal Grill
An optimal heating temperature is achieved thanks to the fan. You can adjust its rotation speed at your discretion. Charcoal is in a special mesh compartment in the center of the grill.
It is securely closed, so even when it is turned over the possibility of fire of foreign objects is minimized.
Double walls prevent the external surface from being heated up too much. So you can carry the grill even during the cooking process. Users refer to the features they’ve noticed during operation. Meat always turns out to be very tasty and juicy. Thus, you can wash the disassembled appliance in the dishwasher.
Besides, the set includes a steel clip that connects the legs in a working position for structural stability. Inside the case, there is an aluminum pallet and two chrome steel grilles. One is for coals and the other for cooking.
When decomposed, the grill also looks very small. On the surface it is stable, the design of the legs is to compensate for small irregularities on soft soil. But it is better to place the grill on a flat, hard-coated BBQ area.
The grill comes with a special bowl for adding extra portions of coal. You can also use it to measure the right amount of coal for this or that dish.
Moss & Stone Premium
It is an excellent solution for a small family picnic in the countryside, gathering friends on hunting or fishing.
The special grilling technique allows using it as a smokehouse. For this purpose, the coal on the bottom grill is not on the whole area, but only on one side.
So that you can place the food on the upper grate for cooking not over coal. Then, you soak the chips for 30-40 minutes in water and put them on the coal in a foil envelope with holes or directly on the coal.
Then open the ventilation opening above the product and cook. The grill requires cleanliness. Before each use, shake off the tray and the ash and charcoal particles that were there after the last picnic.
To keep the grill clean, you need a special brush with stainless steel bristles. The remaining food from the grate can be burned off, leaving the coals to burn under an empty grate. But it is much easier and more convenient to clean it with a brush.
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Cuisinart CCG-100
This is a unique charcoal grill barbecue. The heating element of the grill is under the grill for cooking.
This is why the dishes are juicy and fragrant. This model has a higher lid. It allows cooking large size food with uniform air circulation in the boiler.
This is an ideal choice for a trip to nature, hunting, or fishing. The small size of the grill allows you to carry it in the trunk of any car.
There is no control in the form of buttons. The controls include levers to adjust the upper and lower blow. They control the movement of air inside the grill. There is more heat when open and less heat when closed.
The standard and most common flap position on the grill during operation is the fully open bottom flap. There are the closed lid and the half-open top ventilation grille.
As written in the manual, flakes that look like paint may appear on the inside of the lid. The reason for this is that fat and evaporation slowly oxidize into carbon and settle from inside the lid. You can clean these contaminants with a stainless steel bristle brush.
Then, you can wipe the inside of the lid with a paper towel. Wash the outside of the grill with warm soapy water, then rinse and dry thoroughly.
Do not use abrasive cleaners or sharp objects on the grill. And put none of its parts in the dishwasher, too.
FAQ for portable charcoal grills buyers:
How long do you let the charcoal burn before grilling?
Let the charcoal or briquettes burn until they’re covered with white-gray ash (it takes about 5-10 minutes for the coals to get to high heat and 25-30 minutes to get to medium heat).
How much charcoal do I need for a small grill?
When working with charcoal, the basic rule is the more coal, the hotter your fire. You do not need much if you are just cooking easy stuff like burgers, dogs, brats. Maybe 15 – 20 coals will do the trick. If you want a blazing hot fire for searing steak, for instance, then you’re going to need a lot more.
Why does my charcoal grill not get hot enough?
If your grill is full of ashes from previous grilling sessions it can impede the proper flow of air inside of the kettle, which makes the coals burn cooler. If enough ash builds up it can make it next to impossible to get the coals to stay lit.
How far should coals be from meat?
Grills usually have a fixed distance at 5” between the grill and the top of the charcoal. At a distance of 5″, the temperature of a “normal” charcoal fire will be between about 370°.
Why does my charcoal burn out so fast?
If you keep the lid closed, heat will remain trapped inside your grill. In turn, all that heat will make your charcoal burn faster. But if you open the lid, some of the heat will escape, thereby causing your charcoal to burn slower and for longer.
When should I cover my grill?
If a flare-up does happen, just move the steak over to a cooler side of the grill until the flames die down—then keep on grilling. Use the lid when flames get really intense or you don’t have a cool side in a two-zone heat situation.