The larger Q 2200 is a great choice for car camping and tailgating, or even for folks with very limited outdoor space that won’t accommodate a full-size grill. But it weighs 40 pounds and is quite bulky for one person to carry—we wouldn’t want to lug weber portable grill it very far on foot. Portable grills aren’t just for camping, picnicking, and tailgating; they’re also great for city and apartment dwellers with limited outdoor space. And they can be a good option if you don’t have the budget for a full-size grill.
The compact fold and overall design makes traveling and storing as seamless as possible. The Weber Traveler grill takes up minimal space in your garage and is designed to fit easily in the trunk of a car. There’s no question that not a single portable grill on the market can compare to the “wow factor” of the Weber Traveler folding itself down and locking weber kettle bbq in place for travel. Starting as a small company making kettle grills in Chicago since 1952, Weber has grown into a multinational company, becoming perhaps the most recognizable name in home barbecue. Their current line-up includes gas, charcoal, wood pellet, and electric grills in various sizes, from tiny portables to massive outdoor ranges.
The magnetic grates stay in place when transported, are slightly domed for strength, and can invert for use as a vegetable cooker basket. Then we grilled bone-in chicken to test for flare-ups and how well the gas and charcoal grills could sustain a medium-low cooking temperature over 45 minutes. They’re commonly constructed from thin porcelainized steel with thin wire-rod grilling grates. This simple construction is what makes them budget friendly and lighter weight. And with proper care, a charcoal grill should still last for many years. Portable gas grills work with 1-pound liquid-propane canisters that are small, packable, and available at most hardware stores.
It’s remarkably simple and does not require a lot of strength or coordination, mercifully. Of course, the real selling point of the Weber Traveler gas barbecue is the excellent cart and stand. The whole unit is engineered to fold flat and open up incredibly easily. I’ve seen one demo video with the host effortlessly setting up and packing away the grill while wearing high heels and a dress.
When we surveyed over 1,000 Wirecutter readers about their grills, a large majority said they owned a Weber. And of those Weber owners, 69% said they were extremely satisfied with their grill. Finally, we enlisted fresh bratwurst links to gauge each grill’s ability to handle a grate full of fatty meat.
The detachable cutting board (which doubles as a lid during transport) is especially helpful for campers looking to streamline their packing list. Another tabletop option, this portable gas grill from Weber was a standout for our testers, who named it the winner of the group, and even noted its performance rivaled standard-size grills. “This thing could be priced even higher and I would buy it,” a tester noted, although at under $300, it’s attractively priced as-is. No grilling experience is complete without the necessary Weber grilling tools and accessories to get the job done.