The Best Portable Charcoal Grill: Grill on the Go

#1. Weber 121020 Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill – The Top-Rated Portable Charcoal Grill

First off on our list is a product from Weber. If you need a high-quality charcoal grill, you have to check this out.

Weber 12102 prides itself on the sleek design. With porcelain enameled coating, not only is Weber 121020 rust-resistant, but it also looks neat and pleasant for cookware.

Another feature that you will love about Weber 121020 is its Tuck-N-Carry lid lock and handles. This mechanism allows for better protection of your grill, while still being perfectly handy.

However, the plated steel legs are reported to be a bit frail. If you want to make sure your grill stands sturdily, do not forget to lock the legs using the attached clips.

VERDICT: With its modern design, Weber 121020 is an ideal choice for customers seeking a charcoal grill not only for its efficiency but also for its appearance.

#2. Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill – The Charcoal Grill with a Large Cooking Area

If you are a fan of Weber, but you dislike the rectangular shape of model 121020, we suggest that you take a look at Weber Jumbo Joe.

At first glance, Weber Jumbo Joe stands out thanks to its porcelain-enameled bowl. The bowl is designed to retain as much heat as possible to ensure your food can be properly cooked and ready as soon as possible.

Another interesting feature of Weber Jumbo Joe is its aluminum ash catcher. By placing an aluminum tray right under the cooking area, the manufacturers make it easier for you to clean things up after your party is over. Yay!

Still, while the handle comes with a heat shield, it is advised that you wear gloves when dealing with Weber Jumbo Joe. The round surface tends to heat up rather quickly during the cooking process, so be careful!

VERDICT: If you are about to feed four to six people, Weber Jumbo Joe is your best bet.

#3. Char-Griller E22424 Table Top Charcoal Grill – The Best Charcoal Grill for Texas-Style Smoking

The unit provides an effortless cleanup process. As you will observe, there's a removable ash pan for the most straightforward coal cleanup and the quickest maintenance.

Moreover, the Char-Griller E22424 grill is exceptional for its system that allows Texas-style smoking. Therefore, your food will retain its flavor, total juiciness, and taste and remind quality as it is before the cooking process.

As you might notice, the unit is an excellent attachment to various grilling models and provides the ultimate versatility. Thus, you could connect it to the #5050 double gas and charcoal grill, #2137, #2828, #2123, and other various Char-Griller barrel grills. Therefore, you can select multiple options and find the best one for your needs.

Due to the dual system technology, the Char-Griller E22424 unit is excellent both as a horizontal Texas-style smoker or as a tabletop grill. You can go from the grill to a side firebox and grill that way. However, it's critical to bear in mind that you cannot go back to the grill once you set up this form.

With the heavy-duty stainless steel construction, 250 square inches of the cooking area, and cast-iron cooking grates, the unit offers the best performance for you and your food. Thus, it will suit various cooking and grilling styles and options.

You can effortlessly clean the unit due to the sliding drawer for ashes and coals, and the cool handles will remain perfect for effortless moving around and portability.

VERDICT: Char-Griller E22424 is a sturdy grill, but it is not highly portable. It will fit you best in case you are looking for a home yard cookware that can perform some Texas-style smoking.

#4. Weber 741001 Original Kettle 22-Inch Charcoal Grill - Best Material

Why do we love this grill so much?

Firstly, it provides an excellent design. As you might see, the unit includes a porcelain-enameled construction, with the bowl and lid to retain heat and emit its even and uniform distribution. Besides, temperature control is also possible due to the adjustable device and construction, in general.

As the Weber 741001 Original Kettle grill provides a one-touch cleaning system, the cleanup process will be a piece of cake. Namely, you could clean and maintain it clean and ready for the more excessive use without any problems, so there won't be any hardships. Moreover, the unit also includes a removable ash tray pan for a more convenient cleaning process.

But, that's not all since you will observe the porcelain-coated grates, lid, and bowl that won't peel or rust and will serve you well for an extended period. Thus, the product is a very durable and strong one.

You can use a lid hook to hang it or place it at a suitable place while grilling and avoid placing it on the ground. Therefore, you can prevent more dirt and unnecessary complications.

Finally, you can install a BILT app on your phone, get the latest 3D assembly instructions, and assemble the product effortlessly. If you follow everything regularly, you won't need more than a couple of minutes.

So, if you like our Weber 741001 Original Kettle portable charcoal grill, order it now! You will achieve the best results!

#5. Oklahoma Joe's 19402088 Rambler Portable Charcoal Grill - Excellent Performance

When you think of the best portable charcoal grill, Oklahoma Joe is an ideal choice for you!

Namely, the product is perfect due to the flawless design. As you will find, the frame and construction provide heavy-duty stainless steel. Therefore, the unit will last for an extended period, endure the external and internal pressure, heat resistance and serve you well. Nothing will destroy it.

Of course, it's crucial to remember that your food will have a full taste, flavor, quality, and perfect sear. How so? Well, the Oklahoma Joe's 19402088 Rambler grill has thick cast-iron grates to overcome the problem of undercooked, burnt, or overcooked food. Thus, your food will be perfect and tasty.

Don't worry about the cleaning and maintenance. You will observe, the grill contains a full-size, removable ash pan for a better and more convenient cleaning process. It will significantly help you clean everything effortlessly and without hassle. Thus, your grill will be ready for more excessive use.

Thanks to the height-adjustable charcoal tray, you could easily switch from low and slow to a hot and fast cooking process and finish the grilling task quickly. But, of course, the food will retain the primary qualities, and you could enjoy the most delicious meals once you spend everything properly.

Additionally, you might notice the massive air vents for accurate airflow control and better ventilation. Therefore, the cooking process will be instant and flawless, and you can adjust the temperature according to your needs.

#6. CUSIMAX Charcoal BBQ Grill Kettle Portable Grill - Best Ventilation System

The following grill will wow you due to the apple design. This way, it retains the heat inside the frame, distributes it evenly and uniformly, and you can adjust the temperature to suit your grilling needs. Besides, you could prepare larger meals with full flavor and juiciness.

Moreover, the CUSIMAX unit is fantastic for the two-in-one design - grill and smoker. Thus, the unit is versatile and offers multiple grilling options - meat, fish, seafood, vegetables, and many other food types, suitable for a perfect BBQ adventure.

The food won't be over or undercooked, and you could easily adjust the heat and temperature to your needs due to the perfect ventilation system. As you'll see, the unit has large air vents and a built-in thermometer for a better temperature control process. 

In addition, due to the super-durable enamel materials, it will resist even the highest temperatures, prevent rust, and exceed its life.

As you can use a lid as a hanging tool while you're grilling, you will get a perfect storage solution while in working mode. Furthermore, as the unit has a removable ash collector, it is effortless to clean with the one-touch cleaning system. Just sweep the charcoal ash and keep it clean and ready for more robust use. You'll also find two enormous wheels for better transport and storage.

Thanks to the 286 square inches of cooking area, the unit includes a massive space for cooking more food at once, and the durable chrome-plated steel cooking grates retain food's quality and flavor.

#7. Samdray Charcoal Grill Kabob Grill - The Most Compact

When you find a proper position and put the grill's legs on the right spot, it will remain stable and secure for more excessive use. Thus, it won't move around or rock, and you will get the ultimate cooking process.

Furthermore, the cleanup process is an effortless one and the most convenient, as the grill includes a mess-free ash catcher and a charcoal mesh for the most accessible use and maintenance. Thus, the unit is perfect for more extended use as well.

Additionally, you will see the Samdray grill is lightweight, compact, and has portable handles; therefore, it moves and carries easily, so it's a versatile option. Hence, you could use it in your garden, backyard, camping, backpacking, picnic, or small places. Awesome, right?

Moreover, the Samdray unit is perfect for its cooking area with 181 square inches; hence, you could place massive piles of food there at once. Finally, thanks to the ventilation system, the unit is perfect for delivering and distributing heat evenly, uniformly, and efficiently.

Even if you use it more excessively, the unit will be durable and sturdy enough to withstand and endure the highest temperatures, external and internal pressure, and various extreme conditions due to the design made of stainless steel. Thus, it will remain rust and abrase-resistant and won't lose any of its qualities.

However, you could always contact customer support for additional issues, questions, and dilemmas. They will try their best to help you solve the problems.

#8. Aiglam Portable Charcoal Grill - The Most Durable and Sturdy

Due to the specific design, portability, and foldability, you can maneuver the Aiglam grill as you like.

In addition, due to the comfortable, cool handles, it offers the most effortless transport and moving around, so it's very versatile and perfect for camping, car travel, longer or shorter trips, picnics, etc.

If you like the smoky taste, flavor, and perfect food quality, the unit is an excellent choice for you since it includes the charcoal smoke design. Moreover, it's ideal for supplying five to ten people at once, and everyone can enjoy the original quality, juiciness, full flavor, and taste of the food you smoke or grill.

When you follow the instructions manual, you don't need additional tools or devices for the proper setup process. Hence, you could open it, put the feet down, and fold the legs to make it ready to go with comfortable and relaxed handles for more convenient moving and transport.

Thanks to the air ventilation system on both sides of the grill, you can effortlessly control the heat and distribute it throughout the grill. Thus, you don't need to worry about the food's quality, full taste, and flavor.

Moreover, the Aiglam grill contains a charcoal-holding grid at the bottom part of the unit; therefore, the charcoal stays intact, and it won't be extinguished by the ashes it generates.

Built with premium 430 stainless steel grade, it shows rust resistance and anti-deformation qualities and features. Therefore, you could notice the resistance of the lowest and highest temperatures.

#9. ISUMER Charcoal Grill Barbecue Portable BBQ – The Detachable Charcoal Grill

The next up on our list of the best portable charcoal grills is ISUMER.

This grill is made from stainless steel, and it is portable in every sense. The legs of this grill are detachable for easy storage or convenient caring anywhere you go. Pack light, and bring your grill with you! It’s perfect for camping, picnics, tailgate get-together and everywhere you are allowed to grill.

Besides its unique design, ISUMER’s attraction lies in its construction details. You will be surprised that this grill has amazing abrasive resistance - it won’t rust or twist and will last you for many seasons. It also features air ventilation, convenient handles, and double air vents and ash catcher.

You can adjust the height and balance. The ISUMER grill comes with 4 legs and a plastic floor mat that makes it more stable. If you are going somewhere where the terrain is uneven, just adjust one leg to be shorter or longer and balance it.

If you don’t like spending much time while cleaning, this is the perfect grill for you, because it’s a piece of cake cleaning it. In addition to the regular meals on this grill you can prepare shish and lamb kebab, skewers, Japanese yakitori, shashlik, Malaysian satay, and many others.

This ISUMER grill is smaller, so it’s best to be used for small gatherings.

VERDICT: If you want to invest in high quality, long-lasting cookware, you cannot go wrong with ISUMER Charcoal Grill.

#10. EVOLAND BBQ Charcoal Grill – The Most Affordable Charcoal Grill

If your budget does not allow a fancy charcoal grill with lots of cooking space, you can try out EVOLAND BBQ Charcoal Grill. This is an extremely affordable alternative compared to the previously introduced products.

What strikes us most about EVOLAND BBQ Charcoal Grill is its portability. The grates are removable, so when needed, you can move them out, and then fold the whole grill into a 1-inch flat surface.

Another advantage of EVOLAND is its straightforward setup. The design of the grill is relatively simple, which makes it effortless for customers to assemble everything. No screws needed!

This grill has mess-free ash catcher and 5 vents on both sides to make the airflow better so that the charcoal can burn more efficiently and grill food faster.

But still, there is one drawback to this seemingly perfect product. The paint can start peeling off because of the heat. Not very convenient.

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VERDICT: Compact and portable, EVOLAND BBQ Charcoal Grill is the ideal charcoal grill for a short trip of one to two people!

#11. ISUMER Portable Charcoal Grill - Most Effective and Efficient

Finally, the last unit will wow you due to the on-the-go advantages. Thanks to the rectangular design, it will fit all car trunks and backs. Moreover, the two cool handles will help you moderate and transport it easily from place to place, without any hassle.

Additionally, the ISUMER product has 180 square inches of cooking area, and the chrome-plated cooking grates make the unit excellent for massive piles of food at once and servings for more people. Thus, the food will preserve the most delicious dishes and meals' quality, taste, and flavor.

Of course, you can use a lid hook to hang it and avoid putting it on the ground while grilling. Thanks to the thick stainless steel that makes both the charcoal pan and ash catcher, the unit provides a convenient and effortless cleaning after cooking.

The ultra-durable porcelain-enameled bowl and lid retain heat, while the air dampers regulate and moderate the accurate and precise temperature control. Thus, they allow the heat to reach all of the grill's parts and cook food effectively and efficiently.

Due to the solid and durable steel construction and a reliable high-temperature finish, the ISUMER unit will last for an extended period and prevent rust. Of course, the product includes an enamel-coated firebox for more safety and security. As the legs fold, it's convenient to carry and move around.

So, if you like the unit, you should purchase it right away!

1. Types of Charcoal Grills

There are many types of charcoal grills available on the market for you to choose from. If you want to purchase a small grill for family gatherings, you should go for a kettle grill like Weber Jumbo Joe.

On the other hand, barrel grills or smokers - like Char-Griller E22424 - are bigger and more versatile in usage. Opt for them if you usually have to cook for more than a dozen people.

Another popular type of charcoal grill is a ceramic grill. It is a huge egg-shaped machine, which allows a wide variety of cooking methods. Are you running a barbecue-style restaurant or you are about to host a large party outdoors? Then ceramic grills are cut out for you!

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2. Cost

The affordability of a portable charcoal grill should be among the top concerns for any customer. Usually, with up to $30, you can get a cheap grill like the Fire Sense Notebook, or the Char-broil. These are the perfect choice for anyone not interested in having to spend lots of money on outdoor cookware.

If you want to invest in a long-lasting grill, be prepared to spend around $40 to $60.
For a smoker or a barrel grill, the price range can go up to $100.

The most expensive of all when it comes to charcoal grills are ceramic grills. Most of them are well above $800, and some even cost around $1500.

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3. Size

Another vital factor to take into consideration when buying a portable charcoal grill is its size.

First, you have to check out if the size of the grill itself is suitable for your cooking environment. You can fit a smoker on your backyard, but you cannot bring it all the way to the picnic site.

Secondly, do not forget to measure the size of the cooking area. There are some compact grills suitable for a meal with one or two people. There are other grills designed to feed up to 15 people at the same time.

The best way to make sure you will purchase the right size is to read the manual first. Most manufacturers give an approximation of how many burgers/steaks a grill can cook, so stick to their words!

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4. Cooking Methods Available

If all you need to do is to prepare some burgers or hotdogs, then a basic charcoal grill will be fine. Most portable charcoal grills provide direct grilling as the primary cooking method.

However, some high-end grills like Weber or TACKLIFE allow food to be indirectly grilled, smoked, or slow-cooked.

5. Cleaning Issue

Charcoal grills make use of coals to produce heat, which will leave behind ashes. In open space, this can lead to a huge mess, so you seriously have to take the cleanup into account.

Most charcoal grills are designed with a sliding drawer, or a removable ash pan to deal with the problem. You can easily collect the ash, empty the drawer/pan, and then insert it back to the grill. Everything is neat and tidy again.

But still, things are not that straightforward with some products. Take Fire Sense Notebook for an example. There is no separate ash catcher, so the ash will accumulate at the bottom of the grill.

In this case, you will have to wait until the cooking is over to throw away the ash. It is not only inconvenient, but it can also be dangerous in windy circumstances. Imagine what may happen if the wind blows right through the grill, and the ash is spread all over!

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6. Durability

Durability is sometimes overlooked by customers, as they prioritize other factors like the price or the appearance of the grill.

But a flimsy charcoal grill is to be avoided at all cost! You would not want your grill to last for a few months, then get rusted and run down, wouldn’t you?

To make sure you get the most sturdy grill, you should research and opt for reputed brands. Read the reviews carefully and see how other customers react.

And this one is of extra importance: do not forget to pay attention to the materials! Check out to see if the grill is from enamel, steel or cast iron. Each material has a different durability level, and it will help you decide which grill is best for you.

Are portable charcoal grills good?

Yes, they are. They are perfect for various outdoor adventures, such as campings, picnics, tailgaters, patios, decks, backyards, gardens, car travels, shorter and longer trips; therefore, you NEED them for the best experience.

In addition, as they're smaller and lightweight, you can bring them wherever you go. Yet, they're practical and provide the best results.

What is the best portable Weber charcoal grill?

According to the reviews, the best portable Weber grill is the Weber 121020 Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill due to its design, lightweight and versatile style, and flexible options.

Thus, it fits all motor vehicles, and it's perfect for on-the-go families.

How much charcoal do you put in a portable grill?

The more charcoal you apply, the hotter you fire.

The rule is around thirty briquettes for smaller, portable grills; however, you'll need more charcoal to finish everything efficiently in winter and cold conditions.