It may not be optimum barbecuing weather right now, but if you’re already thinking ahead to summer 2026, we’ve tried, tested and found the best portable barbecues for the job – whether you’re sizzling sausages on a balcony, grilling the day’s catch on a beach or on a family camping trip.
The barbecues range in size and weight, from the handy briefcase-like one you could take on a train, to the 21kg feast-maker that would need a car boot or roof rack. All are easy to assemble and get started, so you can spend more time enjoying the main event.
Looking for some barbecue food inspiration? Browse through our best ever barbecue recipes – plus, we have a collection of the best vegetarian barbecue recipes and best vegan barbecue recipes, so nobody feels left out of the picnic. If you want to skip the shopping, check out our picks of the best BBQ boxes to buy this summer.
Any one of these top-rated barbecues would make excellent al fresco dining friends, so read on to discover the results of our test.
Best portable BBQs at a glance
JUMP TO REVIEWS
5/5 stars:
- Best portable BBQ for design: Weber Traveler Compact Gas Barbecue, £348
- Best portable electric BBQ: Ninja Woodfire BBQ Grill and Smoker, £299.99
Best of the rest:
- Best portable BBQ for keen grillers: Weber Q2200N, £359.10
- Best portable BBQ for camping: Campingaz Bistro Grill, £69.66
- Best portable gas BBQ: Weber Q1200 gas barbecue, £349.99
- Best budget portable BBQ that heats quickly: Lotus Grill, £139.95
- Best portable BBQ for couples: Char-Broil Grill2Go, £156.99
- Best portable charcoal BBQ: Berghoff tabletop barbecue, £134.95
- Best portable BBQ for family-sized feasts: Napoleon TravelQ PRO285, £284.99
- Best small portable BBQ: Campingaz Attitude 2go CV, £216.76
How we tested portable barbecues
- Ease of assembly and use: convenience is key here. We looked for models that can be assembled in minutes.
- Portability and storage: how easily the barbecue can be carried and how heavy it is, plus how well it can be stored in the long term.
- Design: we’re suckers for nifty aesthetic flashes.
- How quickly it cools down: we don’t want to be trapped in the park, sat around burning cinders until dawn.
- Durability and accessories: the quality of the metal and whether it comes with added extras.
Best portable BBQs to buy in 2026
Weber Traveler Compact Gas Barbecue
Available from BBQ World (£275), Amazon (£348)
Best portable BBQ for design
Pros:
- Easy to fold up and wheel around
- Auto-locking stand and lid
- Sleek, ergonomic design
- Reaches high temperatures quickly
- Eco-conscious packaging
- Large cooking area in a compact unit
Cons:
- Lid hinges protrude onto the cooking area
- Food can drop through the cooking grid
- Wheel assembly is a little fiddly
Star rating: 5/5
We immediately loved the look of this barbecue, with its compact design, glossy lid and the ability to tow it along on wheels. Then the sleek action as it smoothly rises from the ground and locks in place at a comfortable cooking height, unlocking the lid in the same motion. That same smooth movement to lower it back. Nicely done, Weber. It continued to woo us with its cooking ability.
After screwing in the small L gas canister, it fired up to 300C in 15 minutes, with impressive oomph. The test recipes all turned out brilliantly and out of the bunch, this was the most enjoyable to cook on, with a handy side table for resting tools and a generous cooking area for sizzling up to 12 burgers at once. No issues with sticking, no flare-ups: just well-cooked, delicious food.
A cleverly-designed barbecue, that would have pride of place in a small garden, could be conveniently hung up in storage and is compact enough to pop in the car for a camping trip.
Want to see this content?
Sign out of ContentPass
Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill and Smoker
Available from Argos (£179.99), AO (£256), Ninja (£299.99), Very (£349), Lakeland (£349.99), Appliance City (£399)
Best portable electric BBQ
Pros:
- Compact
- No fuel needed
- Varied functionality
- Large heat-proof handle
- Intuitive to use
Cons:
- Short cord
- The pellets are only available via Ninja
- Food doesn’t have ‘barbecued’ char
- Unable to ignite pellets when grill is hot
Star rating: 5/5
This Ninja barbecue was among our product testers’ favourite gadgets of 2023 and earned star-buy status as a result. It plugs in easily at the wall, but unlike most electric barbecues, it has an inbuilt smoker that burns wood pellets, imparting a smoky flavour to ingredients without using open flames, charcoal or gas.
Included with the barbecue are a woodfire pellet starter pack, pellet scoop, crisper basket, and quick-start guide, the latter of which has recipes and cooking charts. The grill is designed to be weather resistant, too, so you can use it year-round.
Read our full Ninja Woodfire BBQ Grill and Smoker review.
Want to see this content?
Sign out of ContentPass
Weber Q2200N
Available from BBQ World (£359.10)
Best portable BBQ for keen grillers
Pros:
- The versatility of a standalone BBQ, with the ease of a portable
- Dishwasher-safe cooking grates
- Well designed, sturdy and built to last
- Inclusive stand for comfortable stand-up cooking and handy storage
- Excellent cooking results
Cons:
- Pricey for a portable BBQ
- The plastic side tables feel flimsy compared to the rest of the product
- More assembly than the others
- It runs on a gas cylinder, which can be pricier and less compact
- Needs two people to carry safely
Star rating: 4.5/5
As the most expensive barbecue in the line-up, we expected a lot from the Weber Q2200N. Thankfully, it delivered.
With a large cooking area (2065cm²) and a high-domed lid, it looks great and performs brilliantly, with some of the best-tasting food of the bunch. The non-stick results were impressive, too. What’s more, the grates can be cleaned in the dishwasher. It was the fiddliest to assemble, but once complete, it was ready to cook on in seven minutes.
Side handles and sturdy legs make the barbecue itself easy to carry and settle on all surface areas. Where space allows, the stand takes it to a very ergonomic cooking height and features a large, sturdy shelf, side tables and accessory hooks.
While it teeters on the edge of being over-priced, when you consider the quality of the cooking and the added convenience of the inclusive stand, plus a large cooking area and domed lid for everything from kebabs to whole birds, Weber just gets away with it. A worthy investment for those year-round, keen grillers.
Available from:
Campingaz Bistro Grill
Available from Amazon (£69.66), B&Q (£99.99), Millets (£105)
Best portable BBQ for camping
Pros:
- Easy to clean
- Safe and easy to use
- Clean cooking
- Brilliant non-stick coating
- Great eco-credentials
Cons:
- BBQ flavour not as pronounced
- Less suited to ingredients that need longer cooking, e.g. potato slices
- Slower to cook
Star rating: 4.5/5
The Bistro Grill is an unassuming star in this line-up and an excellent, truly portable, option for cooking on the go. While the lightweight aluminium grill plate doesn’t deliver as much definition or charred flavour, it was the best non-stick of the lot and the cooking experience felt relaxed and clean.
The fat channelled seamlessly down the centre and into the slide-out tray underneath, without a drop of leakage. Once cooled, the plate and tray are quick to clean with soap and warm water. As anyone who has used a basic campsite wash-up area will know, this is a very welcome perk.
While it failed to perform as well as in the recipe testing, considering the minimal design and accessible price point, we were impressed by its ability and happy with the taste.
The cooking area is generous for the unit size and will happily feed a hungry two (or 2:2). Perfect for a bacon sarnie, halloumi slices and any quicker-to-cook items that will benefit from the extra non-stick.
The simple, straightforward design is good-looking, has added safety features for peace of mind, and with a 90 per cent recycled hard plastic carry case, is both eco-friendly and easy to cart about on foot or public transport.
Available from:
Weber Q1200 gas barbecue
Available from Amazon (£349.99)
Best portable gas BBQ
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Compact to store
Cons:
- Comparatively expensive
- Compact-sized grill means best suited to smaller gatherings
- Not very non-stick
Star rating: 4.5/5
As you might expect with this trusted brand, the Q1200 portable gas barbecue is easy to use and cooks well, albeit without the fancy features of larger models. Despite using a small C500 gas cartridge, it heats efficiently, but the temperature quickly drops if the lid is opened for any length of time. It takes several minutes to regain heat after this, especially once the grill is covered with food.
Clear instructions mean it’s easy to assemble, and it can be used without the stand, so it’s a sensible option if space is tight or to take out and about. One word of warning: make sure the plastic side tables don’t accidentally touch the hot grill as they are likely to scorch.
This is a versatile bit of kit, which can be used with or without the stand, making it completely portable, whether you’re in the garden or on the beach. Read our full Weber Q1200 review.
Available from:
Want to see this content?
Sign out of ContentPass
Lotus Grill
Available from Cuckooland (£139.95)
Best portable barbecue that heats up quickly
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Quick to light
- Smoke-free
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- Simple design that stays cool to the touch
Cons:
- Needs batteries, lighting gel and chips
- Limited size, although larger models are available
Star rating: 4.5/5
If the worst part of barbecuing is waiting for your food, this is the portable grill for you. The LotusGrill has a built-in fan that helps the charcoal get to temperature in around five minutes.
Compared to other charcoal barbecues, we couldn’t believe the ease with which you could cook – no need to coax the coals, simply fire it up and expect good heat for over half an hour.
The charcoal is in an enclosed container, and with a fan going you don’t get much in the way of charcoal flavour, but the efficiency and generous cooking area far outweighs this.
Read our full Lotus Grill charcoal barbecue review.
Available from:
Want to see this content?
Sign out of ContentPass
Char-Broil Grill2Go
Available from Amazon (£156.99), Argos (£230)
Best portable gas BBQ for couples
Pros:
- Compact and lightweight
- Easy to set up and use
- Good cooking results
Cons:
- Some flare-ups despite manufacturer claims
- Tricky to cook slower dishes like the aubergine
- Cool spot in whole front of BBQ
- Noticeably hotter on right side
- No extra tools/storage
Star rating: 4/5
This is a single-burner gas model. It’s quick to reach temperature, hitting the top temp in just five minutes. For ease, there’s also a thermometer in the lid. The 44cm x 28cm cooking area is generous and the entire unit is compact enough to take camping, too.
We couldn’t fault the burgers we cooked on this barbecue; they each had well-defined grill lines and retained moisture well. The veggie kebabs we cooked were crisped and charred on the outside, and remained soft inside. While we loved the impressive power of the grill, it was still pretty ferocious, even when cooking at lower temperatures.
Read our full Char-Broil Grill2Go review.
Want to see this content?
Sign out of ContentPass
Berghoff tabletop barbecue
Available from Amazon (£134.95)
Best portable charcoal barbecue
Pros:
- Ultra easy to carry
- Has a cork lid to double as a mat on grass
Cons:
Star rating: 3.5/5
This stylish Berghoff barbecue is lightweight, despite being made of sturdy carbon steel. The strong carrying strap is more than fit for purpose, then the cork lid cleverly doubles as a heatproof mat when using the grill on grass. When alight, the lid also acts as the vent to allow or prevent too much air coming into the firebox from the bottom.
Read our full Berghoff portable barbecue review.
Available from:
Napoleon TravelQ PRO285
Available from BBQ World (£284.99)
Best portable BBQ for family-sized feasts
Pros:
- Quick and easy to get started
- Thermometer highlights smoking and searing temps.
- 10-year limited warranty
- Wave grill prevents food escaping
- Two individually-controlled burners for direct and indirect cooking
Cons:
- Slow to preheat
- It runs on propane, which can be more expensive and less portable
- The fat tray isn’t very effective
- The temperature gauge fogged up on first use
- Recommendation to regularly season the grill is time-consuming
Star rating: 3.5/5
Simply unbox, plug in the gas and you’re good to go. The ease of assembly and lighting are a big plus for the TravelQ PRO285, and large side handles make it comfortable to carry from the car to the tent.
Anyone who has tried barbecuing kebabs will know how disappointing it is to lose bits through the gaps. With the close-knit, wavy-lined design of this grill, that isn’t an issue. Even the most delicate morsels won’t be able to escape.
Not only is it an aesthetically-pleasing grill, it has excellent non-stick, and adds lovely definition to the food. Burgers had appealing crisp from the char lines and were juicy and meaty, while the courgettes were soft and sweet. The only low point was the slightly dry potatoes.
The 54cm x 37cm cooking area is the second largest on test. Add to that a high-domed lid and two individually-controlled burners for direct and indirect cooking, and you have a versatile, mid-range choice.
Available from:
Campingaz Attitude 2go CV
Available from Amazon (£195), Mountain Warehouse (£219)
Best small portable BBQ
Pros:
- Compact
- Quick to preheat
- Gas canister sits safely in a clip-on cage
- Easy to assemble and light
- Large heatproof handle
- Safe and sturdy on multiple surfaces
Cons:
- Hard to see where the dial is set to
- Awkward to carry
- Requires initial 30-minute burn off before first use
- Not as non-stick as other models
- More flare-ups on high temperatures compared to the others
- Temperature gauge is only in celsius
Star rating: 3/5
This BBQ has a smart and compact all-in-one unit with a stocky integrated base and rubber feet, which keeps the cooking area elevated and sturdy, so you can grill happily on a wooden table top, grassy campsite or pebble beach. It would nestle nicely into an apartment balcony and take up minimal space in the car and could easily cook enough bangers for six.
The Attitude 2go’s Blue Flame Burner system preheats quickly as promised, however, despite the Campingaz’s claims we experienced the most flare-ups from this barbecue, and there were noticeably cooler spots around the sides which limited how much we could cook on full pelt in one go.
We saw mixed results from the test recipes and although the burgers were delicious, everything, including the well-oiled potato slices stuck in places.
Having the burner dial on the side adds to the aesthetic minimal design and makes it easy to ignite – however, it’s also hard to read what it is set to and meant we accidentally turned it off mid-cook.
The heavy die-cast aluminium lid is fitted with a nice big thermometer, and the front-loading tray slips in with a pleasing click and collects every lick of fat. Everything considered, it’s a good piece of kit at the right price point.
Available from:
Other portable BBQs tried and tested
Barbecue recipes and tips
How to barbecue safely
Our best-ever barbie recipes
How to throw a last-minute barbecue
Our barbecue section
Related reviews
Best supermarket barbecue food
Best gas barbecues
Best charcoal barbecues
Best Weber BBQ
Best cool boxes
Best picnic gadgets
Best picnic hampers
Best picnic rucksacks
Best Ooni pizza oven
Best Ooni accessories
How to clean a BBQ
If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.
What do you think of pick-up-and-carry barbecues? Let us know below. For everything you’ll ever need for a flame-side session, visit our barbecue hub…
