Your grilling style is where you cook, how many people you cook for, and what type of foods you typically cook. If you like to cook whole pork butts in your backyard for your family, a small portable grill isn’t going to fit the bill for you. Conversely, if you cook hamburgers and hotdogs for one or two people while you’re camping, a large gas or kettle grill will prove burdensome and probably be “too much grill” for that purpose.
We liked its sizable searing zone for high-heat cooking (it fits about 20 burgers) and how well it held low temperatures for slow-roasting foods. Its built-in thermometer provided accurate readings in our tests. We found a slight variation in heat between the center and outsides of the grill, though more noticeable with the lid open.
Plus, you can get it in a few different color and size combinations, and several (pricier) models are WiFi-connected smart grills. Because the grills we tested include gas, charcoal, and electric models, we put them through separate testing scenarios. We scored each area on a scale of one to five, with performance weighted to account for 50% of the final score, then averaged the results to arrive at our highest and lowest performers.
Weber gas barbecues have adjustable burners so that you can have complete control over the temperature, just as easy as using the oven in your kitchen! The pop-up stand takes little effort to operate, and the wheels make moving the grill from the car to the cooking spot a simple task. The Traveler requires assembly, a job that took us about 15 minutes, and given its heat retention, it cooled quickly, making it easier to pack after cooking.
It includes a cart with a work table, a charcoal storage bin, and a sensible lid-holding rack. The grate has a removable center, meant for adding a pizza stone or other weber charcoal grill Weber cooking accessories. While beginners may look for a more basic model, we’d argue that the Performer’s features make it approachable for grillers of all levels.
After several successful years, Stephen returned to the company in 1958. This safeguard gave him the option of returning to metalworking. Stephen and his growing family, which eventually included 12 children, frequently gathered to enjoy food cooked on the grill. GS4 is not a model it is an acronym for grills equipped with the GS4 High Performance Grilling System – Infinity Ignition, Stainless Steel Burners, Flavorizer Bars, Grease Management System.
The grill temperature on the high setting maxed out our thermometer at 610°F after five minutes. It’s easy to clean, there’s little setup, and it’s lighter than its gas counterparts. It’s a portable grill with full-size performance, thanks to its enamel cast iron grates and a single, circular weber bbq burner that ensures even heating across the cooking area. It stood out in multiple rounds of tests for excellent heat retention and quick recovery time after we opened the lid. There were also minimal flare-ups and no excessive charring or undercooked spots during cooking tests.
These reversible interlocking panels replace the existing grates on your gas grill, and immediately kick your cooking up a notch. The Go-Anywhere is a good example of Weber’s quality dropping when the grill is below a certain price point. It yielded good charring and grill marks in our testing, but the temperature of the finished food varied by more than 15 degrees.
As outdoor entertaining becomes increasingly popular, choosing the right outdoor grill becomes essential, marrying functionality with gourmet results. For one thing, the adjustable grill height gives you the option of cooking a lot closer to the heat than you would in the traditional kettle grill. That helps make up for the slight reduction in heat intensity. A 12-year warranty on the cookbox and lid also work to give you a little more confidence in the overall design. If you’re looking for a grill that’s still going to be working like it’s brand new in a decade, this is the grill you want. Heating is also very consistent, and the design makes grease flares a little less likely than with other gas grills.
Its durable, lightweight, compact design is perfect for grilling on the go – whether walking to the beach or taking a road trip. Grab your Q 1000 portable gas grill, call your friends, and hit the waves. Small enough to go wherever you go with enough grilling space to concoct a quick meal when back on land. This article was updated by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance writer and product tester for The Spruce Eats. She’s written close to a dozen pieces on all styles of grills and done firsthand testing of smokers and grills featured in her articles. Ariane Resnick, who also updated this article, is a special diet chef, certified nutritionist, and bestselling author.