There’s nothing more relaxing than cooking on the grill at the campsite with friends while you drink a few cold ones. Loading up the wheeled cooler to the brim and rolling it to your campsite is something to look forward to. Work is hard and you need to get away from electronics and the stress of just being an adult with obligations. I grill in my backyard nearly every single weekend to escape the corporate world.
Outdoor grilling is a great way to reconnect with yourself and friends after sitting behind a desk for hours while dealing with clients. It beats going to a club any day of the week. You need limited equipment to cook up some of the best burgers known to man, but you will need to find a great portable grill unless you want to use the rusty ones at the campsite. They’ve been used for who knows what for decades. Buy your own grill and stash it in the back of your truck.
You’re going to need to find the best portable grill – either gas, charcoal or electric. There’s pros and cons to each and it all depends on your preferences. Either type will still cook an amazing meal at the campsite or backyard.
Here are the best portable grills of all types.
Best Portable Gas Grill
Weber Q1200 Propane Grill
The Weber Q1200 is a tough little gas grill! I’ve used this exact same model for years and have had zero problems with it. It survived my patio roof caving in during the last ice storm and came out ready to cook more burgers! I had to dig it out of the rubble and it didn’t even have a scratch on it. That’s how rugged this little portable grill is!
It has one stainless steel burner that can handle enough food for a hungry family or a few friends drinking on the back porch. Producing 8500 BTU per hour, the porcelain enameled cast-iron cooking grates make quick work of grilling duties.
One thing I really like about the Weber portable gas grill is that it starts easy! The electronic ignition works like a charm and cranks up immediately. The LP cylinders it uses are easy to find at Walmart, Target and other stores and you can buy them incredibly cheap.
It comes without legs, but I highly suggest you order them with your portable grill as it makes it easier to grill unless you already have a table for a portable grill ready to go. I would still get the legs for camping trips so you can roll it to a proper spot.
This is our favorite portable grill for camping or cooking in the backyard. There’s nothing better than loading up a hard cooler with beer and cooking burgers for the family.
Runner Up
Napoleon TravelQ 285 Portable Gas Grill
TravelQ is our runner up for best portable gas grill. It’s the perfect size for camping or backyard use. The Napoleon takes up minimal space in an RV storage compartment which makes it our favorite RV portable grill to take on long trips. You don’t want to depend on the old grills at the campsite, so it’s a good idea to have one of these in your truck or RV storage just in case.
The Napoleon TravelQ portable grill outperforms brands such as Coleman and Cuisinart in our opinion. It has a hot flame that heats up evenly and the starter is more dependable than other brands.
Best Portable Charcoal Grill
Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill
It’s obvious we’re huge fans of Weber portable grills and there’s a good reason: they’re reliable, tough and relatively inexpensive. They’re also the perfect size for camping, RVing and backyard use. The Go-Anywhere charcoal grill is easy to carry and can grill up to six burgers at the same time. That’s usually plenty for a family or small group of friends.
If you have an RV, you know how important it is to have a compact grill that you can store in your RV compartments. This compact and lightweight charcoal grill is a great addition to your cooking gear for traveling and going to the beach.
The durable plated steel cooking grate is super easy to clean which is a big selling point for portable grills. The cooking grate also retains plenty of heat and ensures your meat is cooked thoroughly. If you leave your grill in the weather, the porcelain enameled lid is rust resistant. You don’t want a portable grill that you have to baby, especially if you take it camping often.
Dampers let you control the heat this portable grill creates which gives you greater control over your grill. Overall, we think the Weber Go-Anywhere is one of the best portable charcoal grills on the market at this price.
Coleman RoadTrip 285 Portable Grill
The Coleman RoadTrip is the perfect tailgate grill. It comes with everything you need to cook all day long. Designed with 3 independent adjustable burners, you can cook various types of meat at the same time and control the temperature like a pro. This portable gas grill by Coleman produces 20,000 BTUs and has 285 sq. in. of available cooking space that lets you cook multiple meals at the same time.
Not only does the Coleman RoadTrip come with legs and wheels, it also has 2 side tables that you can use for your utensils and seasoning. It’s always a hassle to find tables to keep your utensils out of the dirt, but this portable grill has exactly what you need.
The no hassle, push-button ignition is easy to use and gives you more control over your portable grill. You can even swap the cooktops to use a griddle for a portable grill to give you more cooking options.
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed this portable gas grill and highly recommend it for anyone that wants a cooker that comes with everything you need to get started.
Best RV Grill
Pit Boss Grills 75275 Portable Grill
The Pit Boss is the perfect RV gas grill. It’s heavy and made from stainless steel that’s tough and fits perfectly into your RV storage compartment. Great for camping trips or for grilling on the back porch. The grill rack is designed tough and will last.
It has two 10,000 BTU burners that give you just the right amount of heat for grilling meat and searing steaks. It’s portable and the shape allows easy storage, which is why we like it for an RV gas grill. The folding legs and latching hood give it an easy to carry design which is great for carrying from campsite to campsite.
We like the push and turn ignition, it’s easy and dependable. We like the rugged design of the Pit Boss grill because you need a sturdy grill when cooking at the campsite or traveling. The latches on each side secure your grill and allow you to transport it as often as you need. You can cook a better steak than most restaurants can with a little practice on this grill.
It’s a tight race between the Pit Boss Grill and Weber grills for the ultimate RV grill and you can’t go wrong with either choice.
Cuisinart CGG-180T Portable Gas Grill
This is a sturdy little portable gas grill that can cook a ton of food on a camping trip, RV vacation or in the backyard. It has 145 sq. in. cooking area for multiple meals. The foldable aluminum legs are solid and elevate the gas grill so you don’t have to search for a table. You can set this small portable grill up in a matter of seconds and start cooking immediately. The briefcase handle makes it easy to carry.
You can cook enough burgers or steaks for up to 8 people, plus sides with the 5,500 BTU stainless steel burner.
Char-Broil Portable 240 Gas Grill
You’ve heard of Char-Broil if you’ve ever shopped for gas grills. This model has a 240 sq. in. cooking area that’s perfect for a few burgers and steaks. This is a great portable grill for camping. It has strong and sturdy legs so it stays in place, even on a tailgate. You don’t need a table to cook with this portable grill. It has a lid-mounted temperature gauge so you can easily monitor your heat and the handles make it easy to carry.
You can cook roughly 6-8 burgers at the same time which is usually plenty for a small gathering or campsite. The ignition starts the burner with ease and it uses a 1lb propane tank that you will have to buy separately.
Overall, the Char-Broil is a great choice for a portable grill for camping or RVing.
Jerome is an avid outdoorsman who moonlights as an attorney when he’s not creating the world’s greatest online content.