Spending time outside on a beach or at a camp is not just about indulging in fun activities, but it is about enjoying the best food in the lap of nature as well. Having meals at home or in restaurants is no longer exciting, but one thing I’m sure that excites people is outdoor grilling. However, to make it happen and that too conveniently, they need the very best portable gas grill.
For that, you will have to go through consumer reports best portable gas grill comprising of top products that are being sold like hotcakes on the market globally. Is it easy to find the best gas grill? I guess not, as there is a wide assortment of portable gas grills available on the market, finding the most suitable one will take some painstaking efforts. To cut to the chase, I have already done that hard work and the only thing left for you is to choose from the three best portable gas grills that I’ve shortlisted. I have analyzed these machines on a few parameters, which you will find in a separate section below, but let’s just begin with reviewing those three portable gas grills, which according to me are selling like hot cakes.
Important: I have tested these three gas grills in parks, beaches, camping grounds etc. The information you are about to read is based on my personal experience, but I still leave it your wisdom as to which gas grill you wish to go for.
Reviews Of 3 Best Portable Gas Grills
1. Coleman Road Trip Propane Portable Grill LXE
While there are many Road Trip models available in the market from the same company, but the reason why I’ve chosen Coleman Road Trip LXE Grill because it is widely believed to be an outstanding outdoor grill.
Fascinating Features:
- This grill is ideal for tailgate parties, RV camping and all other kinds of camping trips and picnics. If you are a small group of individuals, then this machine can feed all of you quite easily.
- I really like the design of this grill, as it is a fold-up, collapse-down design, which doesn’t consume much space in your vehicle. And, to maneuver this unit easily, a pair of wheels has been incorporated into the grill, allowing taking this grill from one place to another anything but tedious.
- The knobs are properly fitted into the grill and feel secure, thus making it easy to hold a small flame.
- A couple of cast-iron, warp-resistant grill grates ensures fast and efficient cooking of food. Moreover, they are coated with porcelain, thus making cleaning easy.
- This grill folds-up in a jiffy and collapses down at the same speed. You can start operating this machine within a couple of minutes after unpacking it.
- Cooking can begin instantly with matchless ignition and PerfectFlow control system.
- Two 10,000 BTU burners make the entire cooking experience a lot more satisfying, as meals are cooked evenly.
Pros
- Space for keeping utensils and side tables gives this grill a definite edge over others.
- Matchless ignition.
- Fast fold up of the grill makes it one of the best portable grills.
- The operation can start within a couple of minutes after taking the grill out of the box.
- Cleaning is not tiresome because of porcelain coated grates and the inclusion of grease management tray.
- Coleman is providing a 5-year warranty on the product.
Cons
- Babysitting of food as this grill lacks automatic temperature control functionality due to the absence of an inbuilt thermometer.
- Backpackers and hikers should pass on this grill.
2. Cuisinart CGG-180TB Petit Gourmet Portable Tabletop Gas Grill
This grill is ‘built to perform’ kind of grill. Cuisinart is an established company that has manufactured quality products over the years, and this grill is no different.
Fascinating Features:
- The small size of the grill allows users to take it outdoors even when their vehicles are filled with luggage. This grill is perfect for situations when you have to grill on the go.
- Weighing less than 12 lbs makes it easy to move around from one place to another. You will not find any issue storing this grill, as it comes with foldable legs that further reduces the size of this grill.
- Made of sturdy material, this grill is not going anywhere even after multiple years of use.
- To prolong the life, you need to maintain this grill properly, which is not difficult, as it is cleaned easily. You can remove grates (as those are removable) and can throw in the dishwasher.
Pros
- A very light, portable unit.
- The lid of the grill can be locked, thus preventing any damage while taking the grill along on trips.
- Setting up this grill takes a minute, and so does the packing.
Cons
- The absence of a built-in thermometer will force you to sit and monitor the food constantly.
- Drippings catcher fills up rather quickly, so you need a bucket to pour the drippings from the catcher.
3. Blackstone Dash Portable Gas Grill/Griddle
I would put this grill into the category of unorthodox grills simply because it comes with two cooking areas (striped one and flat pan).
Fascinating Features:
- While on a camping trip, you can’t spend hours and hours cooking meals for everyone. You want to keep things simple while camping, especially when it comes to food, and this grill will help you do that. It can prepare simple meals for you such as fried eggs, burgers, hotdogs, steaks, pancakes and more.
- Large cooking area of this grill (240 square inches) will give you the ability to cook a decent quantity of food at once.
- Despite a large cooking area, the machine doesn’t feel heavy at all. It just weighs 18 lbs and is very portable.
- Since it has got two cooking areas, in order to switch from one cooking area to another, just flip it to the desired side.
- Cleaning this grill will not consume much of your precious time, as it has got a grease management system for quick and easy cleaning. You can use a paper towel to clean up the grates, pack the unit and then, you are good to go.
Pros and Cons
- Large cooking area.
- Two cooking area to cook a large variety of meals.
- Lightweight and mobile.
- Quick and efficient after-cook cleaning.
Cons:
- It isn’t a typical grill like I mentioned above. This grill works like a griddle.
How To Choose The Right Portable Gas Grill For Your Needs?
If you think you are ready to buy a grill, then just hold on for a second and think about how you plan on using the grill. How much weight of the grill do you think you can take along on trips? If you are more into car camping or tailgating, then size and weight won’t matter you much. But, if you are a backpacker, then you will definitely want to have something light and compact, which you can easily take along on long trips.
You will have to compare between weight and price, as the grill that will weigh more is going to be more expensive because it is made of a more durable material such as cast iron. A grill that is doesn’t weight too much can be bought at a lesser price, but then, the quality of the product will not be the same as that of the heavy grill.
Features To Look For While Buying The Best Portable Gas Grill
Features will not just increase the price of the grill but will add to your convenience as well. Features in a grill will lessen your efforts and will get you beyond expected results. Let us delve into some of the crucial features that you should definitely consider when buying a portable gas grill.
Temperature Control
While you may find a single temperature control in a portable grill due its small size, but if there are two burners, then why not two temperature controls. Having two temperature controls will allow you to cook at two different temperatures easily.
Surface Cooking Area
A good surface area is the need of the time. Doesn’t matter if we are talking about portable grills today, having a cooking area of 200-300 square inches is still possible. Having this much of cooking area will allow you to cook a decent amount of food at once.
Number Of Burners
This is a personal choice, but if you are specifically looking for a grill in which you can cook different types of foods at the same time, then you will have to search for a grill with two burners. If you can get a separate temperature control for each burner, then it will be icing on the cake.
Grates
A grill having quality grates will maintain the optimum level of heat in the cooking area. Grates today are made of different materials such as cast iron, stainless steel, nickel, and chrome.
Ignition
With the majority of gas grills working on spark ignition systems, but you can find many grills in which the ignition system works run on a battery. I have seen some grills in which the company has provided a button or a dial, which needs to be pushed or turned respectively to get a spark. There is also a manual ignition hole given on the side just in case the starter fails.
Quality Of Construction
How long the grill would last depends upon how well it has been constructed, and what type of material is it made up of. A grill made of cast iron, aluminum, stainless and enameled steel tend to last for a longer period of time compared to other materials.
Ease Of Transportation
The size and the weight of the grill will decide whether the grill can be transported easily or not. So, if you are interested in car camping and tailgating, then you can go for a heavier grill, but if you are into backpacking and stuff, then choosing a light grill will suit you more.
Fuel Tanks
Since we are talking about a gas grill, you will have to arrange a gas tank to operate the grill. So, a company providing small sized propane cylinders will suit backpackers, while car campers and tailgaters can opt for bigger fuel tanks as well.
Number Of Shelves
Many grills come with side tables these days, which can be used to place utensils, jars, and bottles in order to expedite the cooking process. You don’t have to find plates and spoons in the bag when you can keep all those on the side tables.
Available Accessories
A number of grills come with accessories, whereas some are not that generous. Generally, the accessories include griddles and grates, adapter hose, grill covers etc.
Ease of Assembly
If you are going on a camping trip, then you will not want to spend hours putting your grill together, which is why you need to opt for a portable grill that you can assemble within a couple of minutes.
Final Verdict
By making you familiar with the best portable gas grills and explaining the features that you need to look for in the best grills, it is now about time that you take a decision as to which portable gas grill you want to go with. You need to outline your requirements, as only then, you will be able to find the grill of your choice. There are enough choices available in the market to confuse you, but I’ve made your task easier by providing you with a list of three portable gas grills, which rank at the top in all consumer reports best portable gas grill. Therefore, the only thing left for you is to select one of those three and forget about how you are going to get good food outdoors because these grills will take care of it.