Are you looking for the best portable charcoal grill to take with you and your family when travelling or picnicking lakeside?
Whether we’d like to admit it or not, we love herding our family anywhere we can while bringing along food to share and enjoy. Whether it be picnics, tailgating, or just a nice day out in the park, barbecuing is one thing we cannot do without.
What better way to do this than with a portable charcoal grill, that very nifty invention to end all inventions. To barbecue enthusiasts, that is. It does not matter where, it does not matter how, all one needs is that all-important grill, fresh food that will go on that grill, and all the mouths that need to be fed.
Our quick reference guide here shows you what to buy for the best portable charcoal grill without going through the details…
Table of Contents
Top 4 Best Portable Charcoal Grill
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Cuisinart CCG190 Portable Charcoal Grill, 14-Inch, Black, 14.5" x 14.5" x 15" | PrimeEligible | Buy On Amazon | |
 | Raptor Grilling - Optimized Portable Charcoal Grill Smoker - Barbecue for Camping, Tailgating & Travel – Go Anywhere With This Tabletop Outdoor BBQ Cooker and Char-Grill, Broil, Smoke or Hibachi-BLACK | PrimeEligible | Buy On Amazon | |
Top | Char-Griller E06614 Charcoal Grill, Red | PrimeEligible | Buy On Amazon | |
 | Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill 18 Inch Black | PrimeEligible | Buy On Amazon |
Join us as we uncover the best portable charcoal grill available in the market today.
Here are some of our recommendations for the best portable charcoal grill.
Cuisinart CCG190 Portable Charcoal Grill
- 150-SQUARE-INCH CHROME PLATED GRATE: The 150-square-inch chrome plated cooking rack gives a spacious cooking surface is able accommodate lots of food at one time while still distributing heat evenly and efficiently.
- DUAL VENTING SYSTEM: Features a Dual venting system, giving you the ultimate charcoal management and temperature control.
- THREE SECURE LID LOCKS: The grill features three secure lid locks for easy and safe transport.
- COMPACT ENOUGH TO TAKE ANYWHERE: The grill measures 14.5 x 14.5 x 15 inches and weighs only 2 lbs., making it easy for transport and ideal for decks, patios and balconies, camping, tailgating and more.
- ENAMEL COATED FIREBOX AND ASH CATCHER: Features a durable enamel coated firebox and convenient mess-free ash catcher for safety and ease.
Cuisinart is a name synonymous with high-quality food processors and blenders, so it can be quite a surprise to discover that they now have a charcoal grill, as well!
It isn’t hard to imagine, though, that with a name like that, their charcoal grill will also be of the highest quality that will give you your money’s worth.
The grill measures 14.5 x 14.5 x 15 inches and weighs 2 pounds. Its compact size and weight make it an ideal camping buddy. It also has 3 secure and durable lid locks for worry-free transport.
Its chrome-plated cooking rack gives you 150 square inches of cooking surface that can accommodate food enough to feed your family and beyond.
Its dual venting system allows you to go from high temperatures that are great for searing to moderate heat for cooking low and slow.
The firebox is enamel-coated, as well as the ash catcher, for strength, durability, safety, and easy clean-up.
One special feature of the Cuisinart CCG190 which earned a lot of thumbs-up among users is that it stands on 4 legs instead of 3, making it sturdy and stable.
One drawback, however, is that it is great for the occasional barbecue, but it is not designed for daily use.
This model is a small portable charcoal grill but is quite big on features and performance.
Raptor Grilling – Portable Charcoal Grill Smoker
- MONEY SAVING EFFICIENCY: Raptor’s charcoal saving technology saves you $112 each year in charcoal if you cook once a week. The savings are even greater if you use lump charcoal or exotic fuels like binchotan charcoal. The increased efficiency also allows you to pack light for extended camping or roadtrips with this innovative portable charcoal grill and smoker for outdoor cooking.
- CLEAN HANDS TECHNOLOGY: Raptor’s clean handles on the grate & charcoal basket along with the lid handles integrated stand allow you to clean, light, and cook your meals mess free. No need to touch ash or charcoal again even when relighting your grill using a charcoal chimney starter. Tailgate, entertain, go camping, or go to the beach without getting ash and charcoal on your hands or clothes thanks to this innovative table top travel grill.
- RAPID COOL-DOWN: A class exclusive sealed lid and tight tolerance air valves allow you to find the perfect grilling temperature & provides an industry leading cool-down making the Raptor the best table top portable grill and small smoker for tailgating, travel, road trips & as a campfire grill.
- VERSATILE COOKER: The Raptor portable charcoal grill features a large chrome plated steel grate dimensions of 18 inch by 13-inch that provides a large 230 square inches of outdoor cooking surface that is more efficient than a kettle grill while still being a small grill perfect to go-anywhere – camping, travel in an RV, or at home as an everyday cooker that can be used to char-grill, char-broil, open top hibachi, or as a portable offset smoker to grill a steak or smoking ribs.
- ASADORES de CARBON - AHORRO de DINERO y TECNOLOGIA LIMPIA: la tecnología de ahorro de carbón le ahorra $112 cada año en carbón vegetal y le permite viajar ligero para acampar extendido o viajes por carretera. La rejilla limpia del Raptor y las asas de la cesta junto con el soporte integrado del mango de la tapa le permiten limpiar, encender y cocinar sin desorden. Portón trasero, campamento, o ir a la playa sin conseguir cenizas y carbón en usted con esta parrilla de carbón innovador.
Raptor offers their patented barbecue design to give you the Optimized Portable Charcoal Grill Smoker. It gives you excellent results whether you are searing steaks, grilling hamburgers, or slow-smoking ribs.
It measures just 13 inches high, 24 inches wide, and 14 inches deep, but it gives you 230 square inches of cooking surface that can hold up to 16 hamburgers all at once. It is a compact-sized model that performs like a large portable charcoal grill.
It has a porcelain enamel-coated body manufactured from 20-gauge steel. It also has chrome-plated fuel basket and cooking grates, and stainless steel legs, and air valves.
The Raptor grill’s patented high-temperature lid seal and tight tolerance flat air valves reduce your charcoal consumption by up to 75%, such a significant amount that you will be able to save enough money to pay for your grill within your first year of grilling.
This fuel efficiency also means you can load your grill with charcoal and go on a weekend of camping and barbecuing without having to bring extra charcoal.
Its Rapid Cool Down feature makes the grill go from cooking to room temperature faster than any other charcoal grill available.
Raptor’s Clean Hands Technology also allows you to cook and clean it without ever touching charcoal or ash with the patented cooking grate and fuel basket handles, and charcoal transfer port.
This unit can be a great tabletop charcoal grill, as well.
Char-Griller Charcoal Grill
- 153 Square inch primary cooking area with cast iron grates
- Kamado style grills promote even heating to enhance flavor
- Easy dump ash pan for fast and simple cleanup. Ignition Type-No Ignition System
- Top and bottom air dampers for easy and precise temperature control
- More durable, affordable, and lighter weight than ceramic grills - great for tailgating, camping or going to the park
- Holds heat like the more expensive ceramic grills - grill more with less charcoal
- Features dual air-flow dampers, hinged locking lid, heat gauge, and triple wall steel with insulation to deliver a superior grilling experience
- Convenient handles for portability and grilling on the go - perfect for camping, tailgating, RV, and more
This Char-Griller is a small version of Char-Griller’s Kooker charcoal grills. However, do not be fooled by its compact size. It offers the same durability and quality performance as compared to a large portable charcoal grill at half the price.
It is 25 inches tall and 21 inches wide and weighs 37 pounds, which, together with the 2 sturdy handles, makes for a perfect camping grill. It gives you 153 square inches of cooking surface on cast-iron grates.
It has a powder-coated exterior, a porcelain-coated steel interior, an easy-access ash pan, and a built-in temperature gauge.
It is made from triple-walled 22-gauge steel to achieve temperatures from 200 – 700 degrees Fahrenheit, and its top and bottom dampers allow adequate airflow in and out of the grill for even cooking or smoking.
Probably the most noteworthy feature of this grill is its egg-shaped design. Heat is transmitted from the bottom of the grill, penetrates through the food, and goes back down to the bottom to be heated again, making it fuel-efficient and perfect for smoking, as well.
This feature also gives this grill an added function very similar to expensive clay ovens. You can cook vegetables, bread, even pizza.
One issue some users mentioned is that the handles are not as sturdy as the grill’s overall construction.
Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill
- Travel with taste, or grill up a quick meal on your patio with the Jumbo Joe portable charcoal grill. The compact size with larger grilling area and convenient carry handle is perfect for any weekend getaway or spontaneous day at the beach. Combustion by-products produced when using this product contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
- Holds up to eight burgers made with a Weber burger press
- Compact and lightweight for grilling on the go
- Porcelain-enameled lid and bowl retain heat, and won’t rust or peel
- The Tuck-N-Carry lid lock doubles as a lid holder to avoid placing the lid on the ground
- Dampers allow you to easily control the temperature inside your grill
- 3D interactive assembly instructions for this product are available through the free BILT app.
The Weber Charcoal Grill is one of the most sought-after names in the world because of its high quality. The Weber Jumbo Joe 18-inch Charcoal Grill no exception. It is a small-sized grill but with a full-sized cooking area. It has a newly-designed bottom vent and boasts of updated features.
It measures 19.75 inches long, 20.5 inches wide, 9.75 inches high, and weighs 18 pounds. It has the same 240 square inches of cooking area as the full-sized model but is housed in a more transportable body.
It also features heavy-gauge, plated steel charcoal grates, porcelain-enameled bowl and lid, a lid handle with heat shield, Tuck-N-Carry lid lock, and an ash catcher.
The top and bottom dampers and the ash catcher are made of aluminum, making them corrosion and rust-resistant.
The Weber Jumbo Joe sports the same 3-leg design and lid-mounted vents as Weber’s other models.
A particularly important feature of this grill is its warranty. Weber gives you 10 years on the lid and the bowl, its standard warranty for all its products.
One shortcoming of this compact model is that the lid height does not give you enough space to cook a whole chicken. Very few people, however, expect you to prepare a whole chicken when outdoors, so this does not pose too much of a problem.
Things To Consider When Buying a Portable Charcoal Grill
Before investing in a portable charcoal grill, it is a must that you consider 3 essential factors so that you will not regret purchasing something that is entirely wrong for your unique preference.
First of all, consider striking a balance between a grill size that is tops on portability and adequate cooking space. It should be easily transportable yet provide you with enough cooking space to satisfy everyone who will sit down at your table.
A second consideration would be cleaning and maintenance. Charcoal grilling entails a considerable amount of clean-up, but with key features such as enamel-coated bodies and easy-to-reach ash catchers, cleaning and maintaining your grill can be almost fuss-free.
Find out more about portable charcoal grills for boats and RV’s.