Grilling is a time-honored tradition that can be dated back to the first time someone thought to chuck a side of meat over a fire, be it out of boredom, accident, or ingenious revelation. It eventually evolved into grilling as we know it today.
As with most marches, progress is made with the grills of today that are stationary, and even more notably, the newer, portable ones that can be brought along for any adventures you find yourself in. It allows people to experience all the luxuries of an exquisite roasted piece of meat, fish, or even veggies without sacrificing anything in the name of cleanliness, speed, or even weight.
In this article, we will tackle 8 of the best camping grills that will make your life a lot easier when you camp. Also, we will review what qualities to look for in a camping grill and some commonly asked questions. We recommend you continue reading for all the information you need!
What Are the Best Camping Grills?
The best camping grills are portable enough to be brought to any camping trip, can be easily transported in your vehicle, or light enough to be toted to your destination, are relatively simple to clean, and ultimately won’t cost you an arm and a leg, while remaining affordable.
Keeping in step with that same train of thought, utility is another unique qualifier on what makes one grill stand apart from another. Now, these differences can boil down into having streamlined storage options to keep your cooking utensils all in one spot, or a wide array of accessories that make the cooking experience easier.
Quite a few hoops to jump through if we were really wanting to find the perfect product, but below we’ve got a modest assortment of grills for any of these niche choices that might weigh more heavily on you than another, so without further ado, let’s dive in.
1. Cuisinart Venture™ Portable Gas Grill
In the beginning, there was one, and by one, we are gazing into the Cuisinart Venture, which is a portable gas grill, with a very robust amount of accessories included with the standard purchase, despite how modest it is with the 154 sq. inches of cooking room you are allotted.
Everything from a custom cutting board fitted into the design of its lid, to the non-stack porcelain guaranteed to make cleaning a breeze, you can’t go wrong with this bit of beauty! It boasts a respectable 9,000 BTU burner and is not only great for camping, but you can easily weave it into your beach adventures or even tailgating parties, if that is your thing.
Touching base momentarily on the actual surface you’ll be cooking on, the Cusinart utilizes an Enameled Cast Iron Grate that can distribute heat far more efficiently than most subpar designs, and allows you to have a greater range of expression when ensuring you get an even cook on anything you toss on it, as opposed to some grills that might suffer from colder edges.
2. Weber Traveler Portable Gas Grill
Suppose size was an issue for you, and you are looking to really get the upper hand when cooking for larger crowds. In that case, you can’t go wrong with the Weber Traveler gas grill. This grill is capable of seamlessly changing precise temperatures within the range of its 13,000 BTU burner.
The Weber Travel comes in a very sleek black design with a kickstand, wheels, and a collapsible design to allow you to cart it from one place to another with next to no effort. Another fantastic feather in the Weber Traveler’s hat comes in the form of its built-in thermometer. This makes sure all of your food is cooked thoroughly and that everyone can eat at the same time, safely.
It is worth noting, however, that the increased size, travel efficiency, and other fantastic accessories (as well as four distinct color choices) come at a relatively nominal price. Still, it’s to be expected when you are looking at quality.
3. NOMADIQ Portable Propane Gas Grill
Assuming for a moment you wanted a grilling experience in the palm of your hand, or at least as close as you can get to that, then the Nomadiq portable propane gas grill will be right up your alley. This grill weighs in at only 12 pounds and, when fully packed up, measures just 14 inches wide. This simple, yet high-performance grill will satisfy your every need without taking up the entirety of your car.
The way this grill gets by with being only 14 inches wide when traveling is due in part to its fold-up design, allowing it to open up to a whopping 226 sq. in of cooking space, with a 9200 BTU limit on the grill itself, you’ll be able to really get things done on the fly.
The grill itself is capable of going up to 325 degrees in the center of each grate, and unbelievably only takes 2 minutes to heat up, and 10 minutes to cool down, with an elevated, built-in stand that prevents the surface it’s resting on from burning. All of these features make this one of the best portable grills on the market for the price.
Before wrapping things up, let’s briefly touch base with the cleanup involved with this little grill, or more importantly, the lack of it. Seeing as the grill can fully cool down in just 10 minutes, you’ll be able to clean up the non-stick cooking surface in no time flat. Because it sets up in minutes, you can pack it away in the same amount of time, so you are looking at a quick, lightweight performer at its prime with this grill.
4. Coleman RoadTrip 285 Propane Grill
Moving in the polar opposite direction now, the Coleman kicks things up both in terms of size and raw power, boasting 20,000 BTUs. This bad boy will really allow you to cook a feast in a fraction of the time other grills might struggle with due to its sheer size.
The Coleman RoadTrip has three separate adjustable burners, and an InstaStart ignition, meaning when you get it set up, you are off to the races within minutes. The burners themselves have precise temperature control knobs, so you can get the exact heat you need on different areas of the grill to expedite cooking various kinds of foods.
As if the above perks weren’t enough, this grill has the expected built-in thermometer that is normal for grills of this size, but what sets it apart from the competition are the collapsible dual nesting side tables for holding smaller cutting boards, sauces, seasonings, and the foldable wheel and handle system to transport it from point A to B effortlessly.
5. PK Grills Portable Charcoal Grill and Smoker
Changing up the tempo a bit, not everyone is a fan of propane. While Hank Hill might be led to convince those people that they are “Just wrong”, freedom of choice is there for a reason. To answer that need, PK Grills enters the arena with a portable Charcoal grill, and even more impressively, the dome design also allows it to double as a smoker, quite impressive considering no other grill on the list has showcased this functionality yet.
Before delving into the unique qualifications it has as a smoker, we’ll touch base on the grill portion first, starting with a cast-iron cooking area and a steel charcoal grate. You can set yourself up for success in a multitude of ways here, and that is before speaking towards using its unique “FlipKit”.
The FlipKit essentially allows the PK Grill to get double the basic cooking area, giving you a whopping 400 sq inches of cooking area, despite its compact size, and it has a four-point venting system that allows flavor to be slam-fired into every meal you make, and helps facilitate the smoking process.
Finally, we’ll speak about its capabilities as a smoker. Given that it is almost one of a kind as far as portable grills, goes, that makes it supreme, the cooking chamber itself heats evenly, both for everyday grilling and smoking purposes, and allows you to keep all of that smoky flavored goodness to remain sealed inside, allowing you to fully encapsulate some of the most delicious meals you can make, without needing a gigantic smoker to do it, given this flexibility. It’s a respectable price; you can’t go wrong with one of these grills.
6. Explorer Bear Stainless Steel Takibi Fire & Grill
One of the most important aspects of grilling would be how immersed in the experience you can get, and thankfully enough, Explorer Bear has produced a Takibi grill to capture that feeling truly, but to fully appreciate it, it’s worth knowing what a “Takibi” fire or grill is in the first place.
Takibi, is a Japanese word for bonfire, or more bluntly, a campfire, but it also motions toward the idea that you surround yourself with friends, or just nature and enjoy the moment around a camp fire, which is why it was explained as an “experience” in the first place.
As for the grill itself, it’s built to allow the fire to roar, or ebb from the open-ended design of the grill itself, allowing you to both cook your food and heat your surroundings, giving you a unique level of duality and functionality all molded into a straightforward design.
The grill itself is made out of stainless steel and is fully collapsible, making transportation, clean up, and set up all incredibly easy, whilst maintaining a beautiful, sleek design. Best of all, that same level of simplicity allows this grill to be highly affordable!
7. Ninja OG751 Woodfire Pro Outdoor Grill
Suppose you really were enjoying the historical or perhaps philosophical insight into Japanese proverbs and traditions. In that case, the Ninja OG751 Woodfire Pro is the next logical step. Now, despite its namesake, it doesn’t have any of the above flair or unique qualifications as far as design is concerned. Still, like a real ninja, this grill is a sleek, smoky grey figure, capable of making hunger dissipate into the shadows.
Interesting wording, besides, this grill weighs in at about 30 pounds, which isn’t too bad for most people from a portability standpoint. Still, you also gain access to a litany of functionality with this grill, everything from utilizing wood pellets to get smoky flavor into your food, or a hybrid design that can function as a grill, smoker, or even air fryer. This little grill is in a class of its own.
The grill itself is powered by electricity, but you can get smokey flavor out of it, and as you might expect, smoke a very respectable brisket in it, keeping perfect temperatures with its thermometer, all of this utility with a 141 sq. in cooking space (that is non-stick I might add) really makes you appreciate how innovative camping grills have become now days.
8. Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef’s Style Portable Propane Tabletop
We started with Cuisinart, and after much deliberation and debate, we will finish with Cuisinart, with their take on a highly portable grill, with even more functionality than the first one showcased, this bad boy has two 10,000 BTU burners, the same non-stick stainless steel grates, and the expected lightweight design, but comes as a package with the take along grill stand.
Now you might be wondering, why would it be necessary to include the bundle if we are only speaking about grills specifically, and to that end, the simple answer is functionality, or more so, how much grander of a cooking experience you gain when coupling these two products together.
The Table top itself not only integrates the grill into its core design as you’d expect, but expands upon what the grill is already capable of, giving you easy access to cutting boards, places for all of your sauces, meats that you’ll be exchanging as other lines of food finish, and layered, storage shelves for a cooler that holds other meats, condiments, or even utensils that aren’t in use.
The biggest takeaway when looking at this product would be the level of flexibility. How prepared can you be without needing to wade through a potentially crowded situation, or chaotic, depending on how your family or friend groups are? Regardless, the CGG-306 will have you ready on all fronts.
What to Look for in a Camping Grill
A well-made grill is an amalgamation of five core concepts: durability, size and portability, versatility, fuel and heat, and finally cooking capacity, with a smaller emphasis on affordability, but that is more of a personal qualification, and less something that you could really place directly on a grill itself.
When all of these facets come together, you are left with a grill that can not only perform admirably depending on the situation, but it will also stand the test of time, and make sure that the initial investment you made, was a good one, dabbling ever so slightly on how quickly, but thoroughly the grill itself can pump out the food itself.
1. Durability
Having a grill that can take a little abuse, being bumped into, potentially falling when being stored, or removed, is a beautiful buffer if you are to look at things from a broader time range than a few months.
The material the grill is made of (not just the grates of the grill mind you) will heavily influence how long you can keep the grill, but other choices you make will play into its longevity, things like where and how it is stored, how often you clean it, and whether or not you use it constantly all effect how much of a beating the grill will take before it’s forced into retirement.
Assuming you wanted your next grill to last as long as possible, you’ll want to hunker down and read the owner’s manual, and clean it to spec after every use, being especially mindful of the kind of material the grill is made of, and if there are any specific quirks you’ll need to abide as far as storage is concerned to stave off rust (if possible), and unnecessary dents and dings.
2. Size and Portability
While the entire point of a portable grill for camping does partially lend itself to being small enough actually to move, those specific sizes and other variables vary depending on the person in question. For instance, a grill that a teenager can carry might be significantly smaller than something a full adult can lumber around without much effort.
Keeping in step with size comparisons for a moment, just because a grill is easily hauled around doesn’t necessarily mean it will fully meet your needs, as sacrifices in size often translate directly into cooking area, or a lack thereof, so be mindful of these sizes and ranges, and make sure they fit your family or friend group accordingly.
3. Versatility
While some people might see versatility in a grill as somewhat of a moot point, there is a certain level of respect that should be placed on the distinct possibility of having it, several grills in this article have made mention of grills that obviously can fill that role, but can also flex into other stations, like smokers, or even small campfires for example.
Filling a role you didn’t know they could, or providing a unique experience, are things that certain grills are capable of doing. If you are craving a brisket at your camp, you might want to read up on what grills are capable of giving you that specific trip into flavor town, just expect that the ticket for that train might be a little more expensive, so to speak.
4. Fuel and Heat
The kind of fuel you use isn’t always indicative of how hot a grill can get, but it does weigh into the equation in one way or another.
Be it propane grills having knobs that let you control the specific heat you are getting, or charcoal burning grills that give you a wonderful flavor, without the ability to specifically designate a temperature, meaning personal skill level and cooking finesse are required to hit the mark you are needing depending on the type of food you are cooking.
5. Cooking Capacity
Contrary to popular belief, in terms of cooking, size definitely matters, and with respect to cooking capacity, even more so. Smaller grills will typically have less cooking surface area, which means you’ll spend significantly more time cooking to pump out vast amounts of food.
While this doesn’t innately cause a problem for some people, if you are feeding groups of people, you’ll probably want to opt for larger grills to ensure there aren’t lines of starving people wishing to change the age-old saying of “Kissing the Cook” to “Kick the cook”.
What Kind of Food Should You Grill When Camping?
Traditionally speaking, most people associate grilling with certain kinds of meat, and meals, everything from burgers, hot dogs, sausages, and kebabs, to corn, assorted veggies, and other uniquely prepared meals can be on the grate, and hopefully, the plate after.
The speed, ease of access, and guarantee that the food is cooked sufficiently are your biggest factors when considering what you should be cooking while camping. Still, you’ll probably need to understand what the people you are cooking for want to eat, in conjunction with what they CAN eat, to really flesh out this list, so asking for allergies and more is paramount to your success as a chef.
How Can You Safely Grill While Camping?
Safety comes in a variety of ways when it comes to grilling, especially in a camp site setting, ensuring there aren’t any combustible materials near the open flame is the first big choice, but explaining to everyone that you will be cooking, advising young children to not walk around the grill itself, and taking time to keep your utensils in check can all have a pivotal role in everyone’s overall safety.
Cleaning your grill, utensils, and checking to make sure the food you intend on cooking was correctly packaged, safely transported, and any seasonings you plan on using haven’t been contaminated or dirtied also have a role here. Still, the simple understanding boils down to diligence and depending on the grill, following the owner’s manual.
If a grill requires a certain level of standing space, or can only be placed on unique kinds of stands, then deviating from that advice can mean the difference between a well-cooked meal and a well-cooked table, so read twice, set up once.
What Grills Are Best for Backpacking?
The best grills when backpacking can be stored in a tiny space, and aren’t very cumbersome to lug around. Some grills can be as small as 15 inches long when fully compacted, and these are the very types you’ll want to shop for if backpacking is your camping method of choice.
What Is the Best Way to Clean a Camping Grill?
Truthfully, this boils down to how the grill itself needs to be cleaned, as there are different kinds of materials that grill grates are made of, and these all need to be cleaned in a specific way to avoid damaging them, and ensuring all food residue is safely removed for future use.
Hypothetically speaking, though, you’ll want to wait for the grates themselves to cool down enough for you to handle them safely, then utilize a cleaning solution that won’t create chemical residue on the grates themselves, and can be washed away with scarce amounts of water, depending on how far you are from civilization, and how much water you have.
Another quip to note would be to be wary of the kind of cleaning solution you use, as cleaning with harmful things in a lake might prove dangerous to the wildlife population. When camping, it’s worth remembering you are a visitor in animals’ homes, so be respectful and mindful of your choices and actions.
Final Words
When camping, the size of the group you are trying to feed with your grill matters just as much as the food you are cooking, so plan accordingly, and you can’t go wrong with your choice.