The UK's bestPortable BBQs2022 Review

For camping trips and weekend getaways, the Weber Q 1000 Gas Barbecue – Black is one of the best on the market. This BBQ is perfect for taking on the go, but it’s also a great option for those with little space in their garden. You don’t need to sacrifice a summer evening with a BBQ just because you’ve got a smaller balcony or compact garden.

This gas BBQ has a cooking area of approximately 43 x 32 cm and can cook food for around four people at once. The lid and bowl design ensures the cooking temperature is even, and the cast iron cooking grate is easy to clean after use.

It weighs 12.43 kg, so it’s not the lightest portable BBQ featured here. However, it has a shape that lends itself to being carried between two people. So, for short walks to the beach, or carrying from the car when camping, it’s a great choice to consider.

This BBQ can be purchased either with or without a stand. The stand isn’t necessary, especially when using the BBQ in the great outdoors, but it may make the BBQ more comfortable to use at home as there will be less bending down. Regardless, the BBQ can still be placed on a table if used without the stand, and the removable catch pan collects any grease or oil.

Adjusting the temperature is easily done – there’s a single burner valve on the side of the BBQ which can be turned to increase or decrease the gas output. You can therefore cook a range of foods with different temperature requirements.

The only downside to this barbecue is that it can only be fueled using small portable gas canisters (never full-size canisters). Whilst this is perfect if you’re going to be taking it away with you, they aren’t the most economical to run at home. However, each portable canister should be able to fuel the barbecue for around three hours, which is great news for camping.

Overall, due to its size and design, I’ve chosen this as the best portable BBQ on the market. The fact it runs on small gas canisters makes it practical to run in the great outdoors, and it also has a decent amount of cooking space despite its small size. Plus, there’s the added benefit that it’s easy to clean, particularly compared to a charcoal BBQ, which is ideal when travelling!

The Everdure CUBE Portable Charcoal Barbeque is an extremely innovative and stylish portable BBQ. Well, would you really expect anything less from its creator, esteemed chef Heston Blumenthal? At first glance, you could easily mistake it for a small cool box or hamper.

It has a compact, rectangular design, coming in a range of modern colours. There is a food storage tray and bamboo preparation board stacked on top of the grill itself. The safety latches fasten all of these items together into one neat, lightweight cube. The integrated base means you can grill on any surface and on any table material, making this one of the best BBQs for picnics and camping.

It weighs just under 7 kg and has sturdy handles on each side that allow it to be easily carried to the designated picnic spot. Measuring 34.7 x 42.5 x 23 cm overall, this portable BBQ is also small enough to be carried by one person.

Of course, with such a compact design, we couldn’t expect an enormous cooking area, but it’s still actually quite a good size. The chrome grill has a cooking area of approximately 742 cm² – enough space for six small burgers or three medium steaks.

Unlike many portable barbecues, this model is powered by charcoal. Therefore, there’s no need to carry gas canisters. In fact, you could even put the charcoal in the box before setting off, and carry it all together.

The grill can be removed for cleaning, and then the interior will need to be wiped clean after every use. This is relatively easy thanks to the coating on the inside of the BBQ.

I’d say this is one of the best portable BBQs if you want a stylish, convenient design. In terms of looks, it’s fairly unrivalled, and it’s also extremely convenient that both a tray and preparation board come built into the unit.

This collapsible FENNEK Portable Picnic BBQ Grill is perfect for anyone who wants a four/five person BBQ for outdoor trips, but needs something that won’t take up space in the car. It’s made of stainless steel sheets, which collapse down flat, and it can be assembled and disassembled extremely quickly.

Whether you’re fishing, camping or at festivals, this grill is really easy to transport. It weighs just over 3 kg, and it folds down to just 29 x 19 x 2.5 cm (roughly the size of a laptop). Also, to stop the steel panels from getting dirty or lost when not in use, it can be packed down neatly into its powder-coated aluminium case.

It takes approximately one minute to assemble from folded, and the charcoal takes around 15 minutes to heat up until its ready to cook over. There is also a removable “roof” to this BBQ which can offer some protection from wind and rain, making it a little easier to cook in exposed areas like beaches.

This grill consists of a lower section for the coals, and a 27 x 18.3 cm grilling area. The holes underneath the charcoal grate allow air to circulate and the reflective surfaces help keep the heat in. The height of the cooking surface can be adjusted through four different positions, meaning there’s some potential to control the temperature (although you have to choose the height before you start cooking).

This is one of the best portable BBQs if you want something that takes up very little space, but can also be used to cook for at least four people.

For a small, two-person BBQ, the Cadac Safari Chef 2 Lite Low Pressure Gas BBQ is a great option to consider. This BBQ is extremely compact, weighing just 3 kg, making it one of the best portable BBQ for easy transportation.

To make it even easier to manage, this portable BBQ is powered using gas, so there’s no need to lug charcoal around with you. This makes the whole unit very light and easy to carry. The legs can be folded, so it can be used at a height of 39 cm for cooking, and collapsed down for storage. All the components pack up into one neat unit and can be stored and carried in the included bag.

Despite being so compact, there are still four different cooking surfaces contained within this small BBQ. The lid doubles up as a saucepan or wok, and there’s a BBQ grill as well as an additional bowl for boiling water or vegetables. Whether you’re cooking pasta, chargrilled steaks, bacon or eggs, you’ll have a cooking surface for the job.

The push-button Piezo ignition means it’s easy to light, no matter where you are (with no need for matches). Plus, there’s an integrated heat spreader underneath the BBQ grid which means the heat is well distributed over the entire cooking surface – there should be no cold areas at the side.

Although it’s powered by gas, there’s no hose or regulator included with this BBQ – these items will need to be sourced separately.

Overall, this is one of the best, small portable BBQs. It has an innovative design and it seems that every component has been well thought through to make it worth bringing along. Particularly when camping, it’s so useful to have a multi-functional item, and that’s exactly what this BBQ is.

A BBQ suitable for indoor and outdoor use – who’d have thunk?

Well, apparently George Foreman, when they designed their George Foreman Indoor Outdoor BBQ! Powered by electricity, as opposed to charcoal or gas, this large grill can be used both inside and out. And hey… given our famously unpredictable UK weather, being able to host an “indoor BBQ” might not be a bad back-up plan…

This BBQ has a spacious 1500 cm² grill area which can cook for at least 10 people at once. It can be set up either outside as a freestanding grill, or placed on a table top for a fun and sociable indoor grilling experience. The stand is collapsible, dividing into individual parts, which makes it easy to store.

With a removable, non-stick grill plate, this BBQ is easy to clean at the end of the evening. The angled cooking plates drain away fat and grease from the food into the integrated drip tray, and there’s no charcoal to mess around with.

The only thing that this BBQ does require is an electricity source. Therefore, whilst this would be a great BBQ for caravanning holidays and home use, it’s not quite so practical for beach trips!

That’s not to say there’s no benefits of an electric barbecue. It gets up to temperature very quickly, and it can be used in areas where charcoal and propane aren’t permitted. There’s also a variable temperature control which means the grill can be set to the exact temperature you want, and there’s a thermometer on the lid as well to check on the cooking temperature. The lid can be closed or open whilst cooking, depending on what you’re making.

This is one of the best portable BBQs if you want something flexible that can be used indoors and out. If you often find that your BBQs get rained off, or you end up cooking outside alone under an umbrella, this could be a really good option to consider!

Designed for picnics and camping trips, the Valiant FIR551 Portable Folding Picnic and Camping BBQ is extremely easy to set up and great for those on a budget. It’s compact and lightweight, enclosed in briefcase-style housing and weighing just 3.3 kg.

It works on two levels: you get to feel like a cool undercover agent as you carry it around, and you’ll quickly become the belle of the BBQ when you reveal that your briefcase is, in fact, a super handy grill.

Powered by charcoal, this BBQ cooks food with an authentic smoky flavour. The charcoal sits in a small tray, which is positioned into the open ‘briefcase’, with a metal grill suspended over the top. For an idea of size, the cooking area measures 32 x 32 cm and can fit around 6 – 8 sausages. It’s therefore suitable for feeding around 2 – 4 people at a time. In total, the carry case measures a compact 40 x 28.5 x 10 cm.

This BBQ is easy to use, which is exactly what you want when cooking outdoors. Simply load the tray with charcoal, light it, and allow it to heat up before cooking. The stainless steel grill is easy to clean and resistant to rust. Once the barbecue has cooled, it can simply be folded up and put away. The unit easily packs up into the case.

One comment about the charcoal tray is that it’s relatively small, therefore this portable BBQ may not get quite as hot as some of the larger models.

Overall, this is one of the best portable BBQs if you want something that is simple, extremely portable, and also inexpensive. If you’re working to a budget, it’s a great option to go for – plus, it’s still high quality, so it doesn’t come across as a “budget” item.

One of the best portable BBQs to buy as a gift, the Gentlemen’s Hardware GEN253 Portable BBQ is extremely compact and inconspicuous, ideal for any intrepid adventurers in your life.

It’s perfect for camping trips thanks to its durable stainless steel construction. It’s also ideal to be carried around on weekend breaks in the great outdoors as it only weighs 3.18 kg. Once set up, it stands off the ground on foldable metal legs, so it can be used on any surface.

Consisting of a separate grill and coal tray, this BBQ is extremely easy to clean after use – there are only three components in total. After use, once cooled, everything fits back inside the BBQ case. This means that if it’s not possible to clean the trays at the BBQ location, they can all be transported for cleaning when you get back home. The grill has space to accommodate two portions of food at once, making this a great option for couples.

As mentioned, the attractive design of this BBQ makes it a great gift option. It has a navy finish, with smart metal clasps to secure it together, essentially resembling a vintage lunch box. It has the phrase ‘The Adventure Begins’ printed across its side – the perfect motto for lovers of the great outdoors!

A great alternative to disposable barbecues which are often used on camping trips and caravan holidays, this little barbecue is portable, versatile and very easy to use.

The Char-Broil X200 Grill2Go Portable Barbecue is an excellent option if you’re looking for something small and robust. Made with a cast-aluminium cooking chamber and lid, this BBQ almost looks as though it’s wearing defensive armour, making it perfect for use in the great outdoors. If you’re looking for a grill which you can take with you camping, fishing, road-tripping, this is one of the best portable BBQs to consider if you want something tough.

It’s a gas BBQ which cooks using TRU-Infrared™ technology. The benefit of this is that it has been shown to use less gas whilst producing really succulent and delicious food.

As mentioned, this portable BBQ is well built with a sturdy construction and a secure lid. The lid secures down with two metal latches, keeping it firmly closed when not in use. Overall, this BBQ weighs just under 10 kg and has very sturdy carry handles. It’s bigger than you might initially think from photos, measuring 39.9 x 60.2 x 34.5 cm. One person can carry it, or the weight can be distributed between two people.

One of the best things about this BBQ is the spacious cooking area. It has a stainless steel cooking grate that can fit up to 12 burgers at once, so it’s plenty big enough to accommodate a large family. After use, it can simply be shut and secured using the two lid latches and transported home again.

The BBQ has stainless steel burners and grates that are easy to clean. Plus you won’t struggle to light it thanks to the electric Piezo ignition (a welcome addition as there’s nothing worse than struggling to light a BBQ when hungry!).

There’s also a temperature gauge in the lid so you don’t have to lose any heat by opening the unit to check the temperature. It’s quick to cool down and you can pack it away quite quickly after you finish using it, meaning there’s no time wasted and no one has to stay up for hours waiting for the BBQ to cool down.

It runs on portable gas cylinders which you can buy separately.

The only real downside is that this grill is slightly heavier than many portable models – weighing 9.7 kg. Much like the Weber Q 1000 BBQ (also featured on this page), this Char-Broil X200 is probably best used when there isn’t too large a distance from the car to the BBQ site. Char-Broil has produced a carry bag, but this needs to be purchased separately.

Overall, this BBQ is an excellent option if you’re after something robust as well as portable. Plus, it remains compact and transportable, despite the fact that it is large enough to cater for over 10 people.

This GRANDMA SHARK BBQ Grill is one of the best, large portable BBQs to buy on a budget.

This BBQ stands upright when fully assembled, creating a comfortable cooking position. It has foldable legs, and removable components, meaning it condenses down to just 73 x 33 x 16 cm when not in use. This is a suitable size for fitting in the boot of most cars.

The grill is large enough to cook for around 10 people at once, and it comes with a range of cooking and preparation surfaces. There’s a BBQ grill, a seasoning board, a black baking tray, a seasoning rack and a side tray. All of these can be carried within the grill itself when moving it around, and it still only weighs 6 kg!

Capable of cooking steak, seafood, kebabs and much more, this large grill is easy to both use and set up. Simply unfold the legs and insert the grills and trays. There’s even a storage shelf at the bottom which can be used to hold rolls, sauces and more.

Each component is made from stainless steel which is lightweight and easy to clean. The vents at each end of the barbecue help the charcoal to burn, which is useful considering it’s such a large charcoal tray.

The only potential downside to this BBQ is its stability. Due to the tall and narrow design, it’s less stable and has a higher centre of gravity than smaller BBQs. Therefore, whilst it’s a great size for families, I recommend taking a lot of care if there are excitable children or pets running around. The steel can also be sharp in places, which is something to be mindful of during assembly.

Despite these two small factors, this is still an excellent portable BBQ to purchase if you want something large enough to cater for a big group of people. The fact that it’s also one of the cheapest portable BBQs on this list is an additional bonus.

The Direct Designs – Notebook Folding Grill is one of the most compact portable BBQs once folded. They don’t call it a ‘notebook’ for nothing! When folded, it measures just 45 x 43.5 x 4.5 cm meaning you can slide it easily into a large backpack. It weighs a mere 2.8 kg.

Despite the very compact size, this grill still has an impressive cooking area measuring 44 x 27.5 cm. It’s still capable of cooking for a family of four. It can be set up in just a couple of minutes, with the area underneath filled with charcoal and the wire grill placed on top.

The heat is elevated off the ground, making this grill suitable for use on most surfaces. It has a low centre of gravity, so is reasonably stable, but some care should be taken as it is so lightweight. The charcoal bowl can fit a 1 kg bag of charcoal plus briquettes.

As the weight of this BBQ suggests, it’s not made from particularly thick metal. The powder coating may wear off over time which could lead to rust. However, it’s still a good option for trips when you want a BBQ, but don’t want to carry much extra bulk or weight.

This is the cheapest BBQ featured on this page, but it still has a lot going for it. In particular, it’s one of the best portable BBQs if you want something that’s simple and very lightweight. It may not have the same longevity as larger, more robust BBQs, but it’s certainly an easy and practical solution for BBQing outdoors. It’s particularly useful thanks to its slim, notebook design.