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Nov 13, 2023

The 10 Best Portable Charcoal Grills of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Our top pick is the PK Grills PKGO because it left beautiful grill marks, was

Our top pick is the PK Grills PKGO because it left beautiful grill marks, was easy to use, and is extremely durable

Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product reviewer specializing in home, kitchen, and pet products. In her 6+ years of experience as a product tester, she's reviewed hundreds of items firsthand, and her work appears in publications such as PEOPLE, The Spruce, Homes & Gardens, and more. Camryn is also the proud owner of a small homestead in Rhode Island, where she spends her spare time gardening, tending her many animals, and working through a never-ending list of home improvement projects.

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People / Russell Kilgore

Any grilling enthusiast will tell you that charcoal grills deliver better flavor than gas models, which is why they’re a favorite among so many chefs — even Bobby Flay swears by them! If you’re firmly on Team Charcoal, the good news is that there are lots of great charcoal grills out there today, including many portable options to take on the go.

When looking for a portable grill, its size and weight are key considerations: "Find something that is easy to use and easy to transport," recommends pitmaster Shannon Snell of Sonny's BBQ. "A portable grill shouldn't be bulky or awkward." You’ll also want to consider factors such as its cooking capacity, as well as any special features, such as smoking abilities or a stand for easy set-up.

To help you find the best portable charcoal grills for entertaining, tailgating, camping, and more, we tested 14 of the most popular options. After grilling up all sorts of food, we evaluated each model on its design, ease of use, performance, and more.

Here are the best portable charcoal grills PEOPLE Tested.

Amazon

Heavy-duty metal construction

Nicely browns food thanks to high temperature

Lid doubles as secondary grill

Left beautiful grill marks on burgers and brats

Very heavy, especially for a portable grill

Exterior of the grill gets hot while cooking

If you’re looking for a heavy-duty charcoal grill that you can take camping, tailgating, and more, the PK Grills PKGO is our top recommendation. The top and bottom of the grill are crafted from cast aluminum, making it extremely durable and sturdy to use. The cooking surface is 17 by 12 inches, providing just over 200 square inches of cooking space, but you can also detach the lid and use it as a secondary grill, essentially doubling the room you have to work with.

Overall, we were impressed with this portable grill's design, and the PKGO performed well during our testing, too. After just 10 minutes of preheating, the grill reached temperatures over 500 degrees, providing a nice hot cooking surface. The burgers and brats sizzled immediately when placed on the grill, and both items had beautiful grill marks when they were done cooking. However, because the grill is made from cast metal, the whole thing becomes very hot to the touch, so you’ll need to use the appropriate tools while cooking and keep children away from the grill.

The one major downside of the PKGO is that it's quite heavy, weighing almost 40 pounds. It's definitely not the type of grill you’ll want to carry out to a remote campsite, but you can't beat it for tailgating or grilling by the beach.

Price at time of publish: $337.49

Dimensions: 20.9 x 15.3 x 13 inches | Weight: 39.5 pounds | Cooking Area: 204 square inches

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

Amazon

Compact and easy to transport

Cooks food evenly using minimal charcoal

Includes nesting prep board and storage tray

No lid to use while cooking

Only large enough for one or two people

The Everdure CUBE is a smaller and more affordable portable charcoal grill that excels when it comes to portability. It weighs just 15 pounds, making it incredibly easy to bring along on your outdoor adventures, and it even comes with a convenient food prep board and storage tray that nest inside the grill. The CUBE only offers 115 square inches of cooking space, but we found that this is plenty if you’re only cooking for one or two people.

This charcoal grill did take a little longer to heat up than other models, but it still did a great job cooking a variety of food during testing. There were definitive grill marks on the brats and charring on the corn on the first side after flipping; the first side of the burgers did not have grill marks but had a quality sear on them like they were done in a skillet. The only downside is that it doesn't have a lid that you can use while cooking, but it still exceeded expectations in terms of performance. Plus, the grill was very easy to clean out after use, and its stay-cool handles and light weight made it easy to move around.

Price at time of publish: $199.99

Dimensions: 16.7 x 13.7 x 9.1 inches | Weight: 15.43 pounds | Cooking Area: 115 square inches

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

Amazon

Affordable price compared to other models

Very lightweight and easy to move

Heats up quickly once charcoal is lit

Lid doesn't lock in place

If you only take your grill on the go occasionally, the Weber Smokey Joe is a budget-friendly option that will get the job done. This lightweight portable grill is essentially just a smaller version of Weber's popular kettle grills, and it has a 14-inch grate that offers around 147 square inches of cooking space. The whole thing is less than 10 pounds, making it a breeze to move, but we don't like that it doesn't have a lid lock, which makes it a bit more precarious to transport. (If you’re willing to spend a few extra dollars, the Smokey Joe Premium has a very similar design and does include a lid lock.)

In terms of performance, the Smokey Joe fell in the middle of the pack during testing. It reached over 500 degrees after 10 minutes of preheating and its dampers made it easy to adjust the heat, but our food ended up looking more baked than grilled, with minimal char lines. We wish the charcoal grate were closer to the grill grate itself — the grill does cook food as is, just not at high temperatures. Overall, the grill gets the job done, and you can't beat its light weight and low price.

Price at time of publish: $45.99

Dimensions: 14.2 x 14.5 x 17 inches | Weight: 9.5 pounds | Cooking Area: 147 square inches

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

NOMAD Grills

More than double the cooking area of other grills we tested

Briefcase-style box is easy to transport

Magnetic grates stay securely in place

Very expensive compared to other models

The NOMAD Grill & Smoker has a unique briefcase-style design that's easy to transport, making it a top choice for traveling. The whole thing weighs less than 30 pounds, and you can safely set it up on wooden surfaces, making it ideal for picnics and other outings. The grill comes with one grate that offers 212 square inches of cooking space, but you can purchase a second grate that doubles your cooking area, giving you 425 square inches to work with — the largest of any grill we tested!

During testing, we loved the size of this grill, which would make it easy to cook for several people: The two corn cobs, two burgers, and two brats fit with ease with even a little leftover room. We could have fit one more of each without overcrowding the grill. The NOMAD took a little longer to heat up than some other grills, but once it reached temperature, we had no problem cooking the different foods and achieving nice grill marks. We also loved that the grate is magnetic, holding it securely in place while we flipped the burgers, but we did note that more experienced grillers might not like that the NOMAD only has three damper settings, which limits your ability to adjust its temperature.

Price at time of publish: $649

Dimensions: 20.5 x 13.5 x 9.5 inches | Weight: 28 pounds | Cooking Area: 425 square inches

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

Amazon

Height of the charcoal grate can be adjusted

Cast iron grates produce nice sear marks

Easy to clean thanks to removable ash tray

Heavy and cumbersome to move with just one person

While not necessarily the most travel-friendly, the Okahoma Joe's Rambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill is an unbeatable option for your patio or even tailgating. This tabletop grill is one of the more bulky options we tested — it's essentially a pared-down version of barrel-style charcoal grills—but it works great if you’re not planning to move it around too much.

This grill offers 218 square inches of cooking space, and its heavy-duty cast iron grates produce a beautiful sear on any food. When testing, food in contact with the cast-iron grates browned exceedingly well, the corn, in particular, had a nice char. You can also adjust the charcoal grate to several height settings to dial up the heat, if desired, and we loved that the grill has a pull-out ash tray that makes cleanup quick and easy.

Price at time of publish: $149 (orig. $199)

Dimensions: 19.5 x 26.8 x 21.8 inches | Weight: 52.8 pounds | Cooking Area: 218 square inches

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

Lowe's

Reasonable price for a well-made grill

Spacious cooking surface accommodates a lot of food

Heats up quickly and creates nice char marks

Lid handle gets hot to touch during cooking

Slightly tricky to adjust food inside barrel

The Char-Griller Portable Charcoal Grill is budget-friendly and spacious, and its design will work well for both tailgating and backyard cookouts. It has a barrel-style design with 250 square inches of cooking space, and it comes with a two-piece cast iron grate that creates lovely char marks on your food. Plus, there's even a side fire box that allows you to use it as an offset smoker, making it even more versatile.

During testing, we were impressed with the solid construction of this grill — especially considering its reasonable price — and we found that it heats up to high temperatures quickly. (In fact, it can easily get too hot if you’re not careful!) There was ample room on its grates for all the food we cooked, but it can be a little tricky to flip and adjust food due to the barrel-shaped design. Additionally, you’ll want to be careful when touching the lid handle while cooking, as it can get quite warm to the touch.

Price at time of publish: $69.98

Dimensions: 21.1 x 19 x 18.7 inches | Weight: 37 pounds | Cooking Area: 250 square inches

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

Amazon

Easy to transport thanks to wheeled cart

Automatically regulates its own temperature

Can be used for low-and-slow smoking

Wide grates don't produce defined grill marks

The Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal Grill and Smoker has an interesting design that makes it well-suited for both grilling and smoking meat. Instead of placing charcoal underneath the cooking grates, you place it in the side hopper, and the grill automatically regulates its own heat based on the temperature you select. It can be used for high-heat grilling or low-and-slow smoking, and as an added bonus, it's mounted on a collapsible rolling cart for easy portability.

During testing, we found the Masterbuilt grill exceptionally easy to operate: The charcoal is the easiest to add of any grill we tested. Since this grill uses a hopper, you just open the grill and refill the hopper as needed. The grill heated up quickly, and all the food cooked evenly — we were skeptical about the design, which more closely resembles a pellet grill than a traditional charcoal grill, but it was surprisingly easy to operate and extremely versatile.

Price at time of publish: $241 (orig. $329.99)

Dimensions: 18.8 x 27 x 36 inches | Weight: 52 pounds | Cooking Area: 200 square inches

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

Overstock

Good value for a larger portable grill

Side firebox makes it easy to add fuel

Larger-than-average cooking area

Challenging to move due to bulky form

You can cook for a fairly large group of people using the Dyna-Glo Signature Series Portable Charcoal Grill. It has a hefty barrel-style design that weighs just over 40 pounds, so it's not the most portable option, but it's ideal for setting up on your back deck or even in the bed of a truck. It boasts 287 square inches of cooking space, and its charcoal grate is accessible from the side, making it easy to add more fuel while you're cooking.

We were impressed with this grill's performance during testing — it heated up to over 500 degrees in just 10 minutes, and it left nice sear marks and charring on the hamburgers and sausages. There was plenty of room on the cooking surface to spread food without crowding, but we found that the side drawer was a bit tricky to remove when it was time to clean the grill.

Price at time of publish: $110.49

Dimensions: 24.17 x 18.35 x 21 inches | Weight: 40.7 pounds | Cooking Area: 287 square inches

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

Walmart

Easy to set up in a truck bed or on a table

One of the only grills with a warming rack

Reached high temperature very quickly

Legs are somewhat unstable

You can cook up all sorts of tasty food before the big game with the Expert Grill Premium Portable Charcoal Grill. This budget-friendly grill is on the smaller side, weighing less than 20 pounds, but it still has a sizable 192-square-inch primary cooking area, as well as a 70-square-inch warming rack, which is perfect for toasting buns or cooking vegetables.

When we tested this grill, we were impressed with how easy it was to move, and it heated up to over 500 degrees in just a few minutes. There was plenty of space to arrange all the food — with room to spare — and everything had nice browning by the time we were done cooking. However, the legs of the grill are somewhat flimsy, so you’ll want to use caution when setting up and cleaning.

Price at time of publish: $74

Dimensions: 17.5 x 17 x 24.5 inches | Weight: 18.5 pounds | Cooking Area: 192 square inches

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

Academy

Good value for its size

Built-in folding stand with wheels

Simple, straightforward design

No damper cover on the back of the grill

If you’re just getting started with charcoal grilling, the Americana Walk-A-Bout Portable Charcoal Grill is simple and inexpensive, making it well-suited for beginners. It has a large 332-square-inch cooking surface with a height-adjustable grate, and the grill is mounted on a handy folding stand, allowing you to cook just about anywhere.

When we tested this portable grill, we were impressed at how much space it offered: There was plenty of room for the burgers, brats, and corn with space leftover. The grill did take longer to reach high cooking temperatures, and we do wish there was a damper cover over the holes on the back of the grill, which would allow you better control over the temperature. Still, the food came out nicely browned, and overall, we think this model is a good entry-level option for anyone wanting to try out charcoal grilling.

Price at time of publish: $54 (orig. $64)

Dimensions: 21.87 x 34.50 x 28.25 inches | Weight: 20 pounds | Cooking Area: 332 square inches

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

People / Russell Kilgore

If you’re specifically shopping for a grill to take on the go, portability is one of the most important factors to keep in mind. The dimensions and weight of a grill are key here — it's best to opt for a model that you can comfortably pick up and store in your vehicle. A handle and/or lid locking mechanism can come in handy, as well.

In addition to the actual dimensions of the grill, you’ll want to take its capacity into account. The cooking area of grills is typically measured in square inches, and the larger the cooking space, the more food you’ll be able to cook at once.

As you might expect, portable grills have smaller capacities than their full-size counterparts, and it's common to see cooking areas between 100 and 300 square inches. If you’re just cooking for one or two people, a 100- to 200-square-inch grill is generally large enough, but a larger model will allow you to cook for more people at once.

There are several different styles of portable charcoal grills that you’ll encounter as you shop. Kettle grills, such as the Weber Smokey Joe, have a circular design and are often very lightweight, but they can also be unstable and inconvenient to transport.

There are also many barrel-style grills, which are essentially miniature versions of larger smokers. They’re generally made from high-quality materials like cast aluminum, and while the material is durable, it makes these grills heavy and clunky, limiting their portability. Many also require a tabletop for operation.

Finally, there are other small, shallow charcoal grills that have a similar design to many portable gas grills. These typically perform the best in terms of portability, and they’re one of the best options for tailgating.

Most portable charcoal grills have a basic, no-frills design, but there are certain features that can make them more convenient to use. For instance, the Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal Grill and Smoker features a folding cart that makes it easy to use, even if you don't have a picnic table available, and the Everdure CUBE comes with a food-grade storage tray and prep board that nests into the grill for easy storage.

The best time to buy a portable charcoal grill is generally during the fall. Demand for all types of grills generally increases in the spring and early summer — when people start thinking about grilling again — so if you can wait until after this peak period passes, you’ll be able to find better deals. Alternatively, you may want to look for mark-downs around major sale holidays, such as President's Day, Memorial Day, and even Amazon Prime Day.

People / Russell Kilgore

We spent several days testing 14 of the most popular portable charcoal grills to help you find the best product for your next camping trip or tailgate. After firing up the grills, we measured how hot their grates got, then used each one to cook hamburgers, bratwursts, and corn on the cob. Once we finished cooking, we took note of how much of the charcoal was used up and how easy it was to clean each grill.

All of the portable charcoal grills were then rated on their assembly, design, performance, ease of use, ease of cleaning, and value. We ran the numbers, and the PK Grills PKGO earned the top spot with a score of 4.8 out of 5. The Everdure CUBE was right behind it with a 4.78, so we named it our runner-up as a less-pricey alternative.

You should never operate a charcoal grill indoors. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission explains that burning charcoal produces carbon monoxide — a poisonous gas — until it's extinguished, so charcoal grills should always be used in a well-ventilated outdoor location.

When used properly, portable charcoal grills will deliver the same great flavor and sear that you’d get from a full-size grill. However, if you’re new to cooking with charcoal, it can take a bit of practice to achieve perfect results: "The charcoal should be evenly spread across the bottom of a grill to ensure all products placed on the grill grates cook evenly and at the same temperature," recommends Snell.

While the Weber Smokey Joe is a popular portable charcoal grill, there are several other models that you may want to consider, depending on your needs. The PK Grills PKGO is our top-rated model — its cast aluminum design is extremely sturdy and durable, and it's a breeze to operate. Other portable grills that we highly recommend include the Everdure CUBE and NOMAD Grill & Smoker, both of which deliver great results and are easy to transport.

Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer for PEOPLE, specializing in home, kitchen, and pet products. In her 6+ years of experience as a product tester, she's reviewed hundreds of items firsthand, and her work appears in publications such as Consumer Reports, Popular Mechanics, Forbes, Food52, The Spruce, Homes & Gardens, and more. For this article, she consulted our testing insights and interviewed pitmaster Shannon Snell of Sonny's BBQ for her tips on finding the best portable charcoal grills.

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