I've tested several small barbecues — but these are the 6 best portable BBQs I'd recommend for travel, tiny gardens and every budget

It's officially BBQ season, and whether you're looking for a compact cooking machine for a smaller back garden, or perhaps you'd prefer a multi-purpose design that lets you grill from the comfort of your patio and out and about while on a UK staycation? Well, I've been hard at work, heating, grilling and cleaning some of the best portable barbecue designs out there, to give them a real run for their money. Spoiler: less is definitely more when it comes to these best BBQs.

Whether you're a gas BBQ person and won't ever be convinced otherwise, or it always has to be a charcoal BBQ for authenticity — perhaps you're open to the thought of a portable electric barbecue? I've got something for everyone, in all colours, budgets and sizes. So, whether it's for a family cookup at the beach or taking to a camping site, you know you're armed with the best of the best — all the gear and the idea.

Here, the team at Ideal Home has tested 6 portable barbecues, all of which are easily portable via a car. They're easy to carry, convenient to empty or designed with a lockable lid for mess-free car journeys home, and some of them even arrive with a carry bag or strap, oozing both convenience and cool at a picnic. Personally, I've tested 3 of these barbecues in my own back garden, to cook everything from burgers to kebabs and sausages — and here's how I rate them. JSYK: I use one of these portable BBQ models in my small garden year-round for convenient cooking for my family.

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Best portable BBQs - the quick list

• Best portable charcoal BBQ: Weber Go Anywhere
• Best portable electric BBQ: Weber Lumin Compact
• Best portable gas BBQ: Cadac Citi Chef 40 Table Top Gas BBQ
• Best budget portable BBQ: Everdure CUBE Portable Charcoal Grill
• Best lightweight portable BBQ: Lotus Grill BBQ
• Best disposable alternative: BergHOFF Leo BBQ

The best portable BBQs

Best portable BBQ

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There are several reasons I rate the Weber Go Anywhere as the best portable BBQ you can buy, but its design and price tag are the main factors. Offering a spacious cooking space for 4-6 people, its portable design is lightweight at 6kg and easy to carry, wherever you're going. It retails at only £115, but it can usually be found on sale, too. Whether for taking on the go or using as a tabletop barbecue in a smaller garden, the Weber Go Anywhere is proof that good things do come in small packages. It also arrives mostly assembled, and you only need to attach its handle and feet.

Design-wise, it's arguably one of the most portable on our list as the legs fold in to lock the BBQ in place while you carry it around, and you can even store tools inside while you're moving it from place to place. Its cooking area is spacious and is enough for 4-6 burgers. It has a hinge on its lid to protect the flames from the wind while cooking.

I first used this barbecue on my tiny London terrace in 2022, and it was my main BBQ for years. It's been used to cook pretty much everything, from burgers to wings, corn on the cobs and even a joint of beef. I loved the fact that although it's charcoal, there are dampers on the lid which you can use to control the temperature while you're grilling, in case it gets too hot.

Like most charcoal barbecues, cleanup is never simple. But once you have disposed of the ash, this portable barbecue is easier than most to clean since it fits in a sink. Its grates are also dishwasher-safe, as is the tray that sits underneath the coals.

The Weber Go Anywhere also comes as a gas BBQ.

Best electric portable BBQ

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If you're considering investing in an electric barbecue, then I am here to convert you to the dark — or should I say, convenient — side. This portable barbecue lives in my garden year-round, and has done so for over a year now. Many BBQs have come and gone, and none have compared — it even has a seal of approval from Jamie Oliver. At 12kg, it's not the most portable, and it requires power to work, but there is the fact that you needn't worry about sourcing or lugging about gas or charcoal. If you want something for a campsite, this fuss-free BBQ is a no-brainer, and it can be used to cook anything, from basic burgers to an entire Tomahawk steak.

Only available in the classic Weber black, this barbecue oozes quirky design features that give it top points for convenience. Firstly, it can be left outside year-round; just be sure to bring the electrical part inside after use. There's also the fact that it has a temperature gauge on its lid, so you know when it's ready for cooking. It offers temperature control, while it comes with two pans so that you can sear, steam and smoke all on one platform. Unfortunately, this barbecue doesn't lock to close its lid, but the mess inside will be minimal, so this shouldn't be an issue if transported in a car after use.

This powerhouse preheats impressively fast. It's seriously impressive when it comes to grilling, and everything I've ever cooked on it, from burgers to kebabs and veggies, all has an authentic barbecue taste. It even smells like the real deal. Its grill doesn't have any weak spots, while it has an impressive 6 settings to choose from.

After cooking, this barbecue will be cool within an hour. Its handle never gets hot, too. Unfortunately, it's admittedly not the easiest to cart about at 12kg, so you wouldn't want to take it anywhere it will require a lot of carrying. Its design features a handy replaceable drip tray, which can easily be switched after each cooking session. The star of the show has to be the dishwasher-safe grates, which are crafted from porcelain-enamelled cast iron for longevity.

Best portable gas BBQ

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We're big fans of the Cadac Citi brand here at Ideal Home, which meant we had high expectations for the portable version of one of our favourite BBQs, the Cadac Citi Chef 40 FS BBQ. The Cadac Citi Tabletop BBQ was reviewed by our Ecommerce Editor, Molly, who found it super convenient to get up and running during testing — purely because it's fuelled by gas instead of charcoal, so there's less faff required (and mess!). This portable BBQ is only compatible with Butane gas (196 grams/hour), which you can buy in small cans for travelling. Molly raved about its wide grilling area, which is 36cm in diameter, as it meant she could cook for her entire family. You also get a storage bag thrown in, which makes carrying it a convenient task. For a BBQ with such a large grilling space, she was also impressed at the fact that it's surprisingly light.

Design-wise, it comes in 3 colourways, and it sits on rubber feet to prevent slipping around a surface. Its lid is hinged to protect the cooking grate from wind, while it also has an integrated thermometer for easy checking.

Molly used this barbecue to cook everything from burgers to veggie skewers. She noted that heat distribution across the grill was good, and the setup was painless too. As with all gas BBQs, one of the crowning features of this BBQ is that temperature control is so easy. With a turn of the dial at the centre of the grill, you can make cooking different types of meat much easier. The only downside while cooking? Its non-stick grill grates aren't compatible with metal utensils to avoid possible scratching.

When it came to cleaning, this was pretty easy and mess-free. Its grate is easily removable and washable in your sink. The rest can be wiped down, should it get super messy inside.

Best budget portable BBQ

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I reviewed this portable barbecue in 2022, on my London terrace, and it was the perfect size — even still, after moving to the countryside, I rave about it. Currently, it lives with my sister, who uses it frequently to cook for her family of 3 in her small garden — plus she takes it on UK staycations. For its £150 price tag, there is no denying that this is a great portable grill, but it's definitely one for cooking only the basics — burgers, sausages and buns. Because of its lack of lid (there is one, but this cannot be used while the BBQ is hot), your food will take longer to cook through. Saying that, it is lockable after use (and after it has cooled down), which makes for spill-free transportation, whether that's a walk down the road or an hour car journey.

Let's talk about the elephant in the room: its design. Aptly named the cube, this barbecue receives top marks for its design. It may be compact enough to fit in a footwell, but it can still feed several mouths at a time. Choose from 4 colourways, including a vibrant orange that ought to bring a pop of colour to your garden. It also boasts a bamboo lid, which doubles as a chopping board for when you're cooking on the go.

Boasting a square cooking area that's roughly 25 cm x 25 cm (this might vary by model), I managed to fit 6 supermarket burgers on this grill at one time. The manual explains how to place your charcoal depending on whether you want to cook your food indirectly or directly. You can also use this method to create a "keep cool" zone. I'd avoid cooking large joints of meat on this grill, as you might struggle to get these fully cooked through because of the lack of a lid.

As with most charcoal barbecues, cleaning is never straightforward. Since this one does have a smaller grill, it is easier to soak in your sink. It isn't the lightest, at 8.1kg, but it is easy enough to carry on your own. Its steel handles also stay cool for easy carrying to your car or sink.

Read our full Everdure Cube BBQ review for more information.

Best lightweight portable BBQ

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All tabletop BBQs are portable and easy to move around, but not all of them are as well-suited to taking on adventures as the LotusGrill. Our freelance reviewer Helen was greatly impressed with the mini Lotus Grill, which weighs less than 4kg. It's a total game-changer for those who don't want anything heavy, whether they're thinking about the weight inside their car or the 5-mile hike ahead of them. What’s more, the fully zipped carry case will also keep all the mess contained until you get home.

Available in 6 stunning colourways, this mini barbecue has built-in battery-operated ventilation inside to minimise the amount of smoke that comes from your grill while cooking. This also means that the heat can be continuously regulated during grilling thanks to these fans. It also boasts a double-walled trim; the outer shell of the grill stays cool while cooking. Yes, these stay-cool sides mean you won't need to sit in the park or at the beach for hours to wait for your BBQ to cool down. Its round cooking surface is 32cm and can feed 5.

Very hungry picnickers will be delighted by how fast this BBQ heats up, and Helen recommends that smaller foods yield the best results with this BBQ, like foods, like sausages, burgers and chicken portions. That's because the difference in the heat across the grill becomes really apparent when you try to cook long kebabs or bigger pieces of meat, plus there's no lid that you can use while it's hot, so a lot of the heat is lost.

When it comes to maintenance, this is minimal. Both the cooking grate and the inner shell can be cleaned in a dishwasher, making it a lot more convenient to clean than most other charcoal BBQs.

Read our full Lotus Grill BBQ review for more information.

Best disposable alternative

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I first reviewed the BergHOFF Leo when it was released, but since then, our freelancer Helen has also tested it — meaning it has a double seal of approval. While admittedly expensive for its size, you can't deny its convenient design, with its carry strap being the star of the show. Unfortunately, though, its grilling space is 32cm in diameter and serves only 4. Sitting at £200, this grill is expensive for its size, but it can often be found on sale if you know when to shop and which retailer to shop at. Though it is expensive, Helen thinks that despite the price, this BBQ performs well enough to offer plenty of value for money. Do note that its exterior and handles get hot during cooking, though.

Available in white or black, this portable grill benefits from a cork lid, which can double as a base, plus a carry strap — both included in the box. The lid cannot be used while cooking, but if placed in the right spot and used as a trivet, it can allow for adjustable airflow while cooking to control the temperature of your barbecue. Its sturdy carry strap also proves itself to be convenient.

While cooking, Helen really enjoyed testing this BBQ at home for two people and found it to be less of a hassle than having to light her family-sized grill. She used it to cook corn, burgers, chicken, sausages and halloumi. I used it for much the same, plus some kebabs. It's worth noting that this barbecue is best for cooling smaller pieces of food, because of its lack of a lid, you may struggle to cook large joints on its cooking surface. Its exterior does get hot while cooking, which is something to consider if you'll be using it near children or pets.

You'll need to wait for this BBQ to fully cool before moving it, as even its handles get hot while cooking. After this, you can empty its leftover charcoal, as its lid isn't secure enough to prevent it from possibly spilling in your car. Not worth the risk, IMO. Once you're home, its cooking grate can be washed by hand as it's not dishwasher safe.

Read our full BergHOFF Tabletop BBQ review for more information.

Best portable BBQ and firepit combo

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Our reviewer Helen was very impressed with the performance and versatility of the Wave Hex 2-in-1 BBQ and Firepit. So much so that she would recommend it to any keen camper or caravaner as a great value space-saving buy.

During her cookup, Helen found that the height of this portable BBQ was perfect for grilling and sitting on a camp chair, and she loved that there was no chance of leaving scorch marks on grass once she was finished, too. It's not the most portable, as it is on the heavier side (at over 8kg), but it did deliver absolutely excellent results with a range of foods, from cheese to steaks. There's also a large grate for cramming everything on that you need too, which is great for family camping trips.

Read our full Wave Hex Portable BBQ and Fire Pit review for more information.

How we test portable BBQs

As per our testing protocol, we try all BBQs hands-on. We've tested all of the portable BBQs in this guide, by in-house team members and trusted freelancers.

When testing a portable BBQ, we follow the same rigorous process as when we review full-sized models, but we also look at the following factors:

• Manoeuvrability: How easy is it to transport? Does its lid lock to secure the contents inside? Does it have handles? Does it come with a bag or carry strap? How heavy is it?
• Assembly: Does it arrive mostly assembled or is there a lot of work required from you?
• Cooking: How many burgers can it cook at one time? Can you control the heat or flames? Is there a lid that you can use while it's hot?
• Quality: How stable is it on a surface? How durable is the BBQ if it were to be dropped? What are its grill plates made from?
• Price: Is it worth over £150 or under £150? Does the price vs cooking area seem reasonable?

Our expert testing panel

Annie Collyer

As the former Deputy E-Commerce Editor at Ideal Home, I've tested my fair share of barbecues, small and large. For this guide, I put to the test 4 portable designs, including the Weber Lumin Compact and the Weber Go Anywhere. Also, back in 2022, I tested the BergHOFF Leo and the Heston Cube.

Molly Cleary

Molly is the Kitchen Appliances Editor for Ideal Home. She's also tested plenty of portable grills to see if they are value buys, including the Cadac Citi Chef for this guide.

Helen McCue

Helen McCue is a home appliance reviewer with a degree in Home Economics and a background at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She brings her wealth of experience in testing a wide range of kitchen and garden appliances to this review, including larger kamado grills and the popular Big Green Egg Minimax. For this guide, she personally tested the Wave Hex, BergHOFF Tabletop, and Lotus Grill BBQ.

How to choose a portable BBQ

If you're new to portable BBQs, it can be tricky to know where to start. Here are some of the most important considerations you'll need to make before you buy.

• Fuel type: The gas vs charcoal BBQ debate is an ongoing one amongst keen grilling enthusiasts, but they both have their perks. Gas BBQs can be easier to use and offer speedier cooking because you don't have to wait for charcoal to be hot enough to get started, but you'll need to source the gas to fuel it, which can be pricier long-term. And sometimes heavy when taking it on the go. Charcoal, on the other hand, is cheaper to source, and it gives food that authentic smoky BBQ flavour. You'll just need to be a little more patient! There are also electric barbecues, which are super convenient when it comes to heat-up time and cleaning, but you do need a socket to power them.
• Portability: If you're after one of the best portable BBQs for camping trips and other outings, it's worth going for a lightweight grill. Features like handles can make transportation easier, and a compact model is easier to store and move from place to place. If you'll just be moving the BBQ around the garden, you can go for a larger tabletop grill. Some of these models come with a carry bag, which has been noted in the reviews. Do note whether the portable BBQ has a lockable lid, which will avoid any car mess.
• Cooking area: It's a given that the more compact portable BBQs out there offer less cooking space, but there's usually enough for a few burgers at a time — so if you'll just be cooking for a small family or group of friends, a lot of the best portable BBQs fit the bill. It's worth looking at the size of the cooking grate to make sure you have space for everything you want to cook. We've noted how many people you can cook for on each BBQ, so you needn't guess.
• Temperature control: Dampers are a handy feature, as they can be opened and closed to control the temperature inside the BBQ. For electric and gas models, temperature control is on offer, which offers another slice of convenience when cooking outside.
• Cleaning: Some BBQs are easier to clean than others, with charcoal being the most time-consuming type, as you'll need to dispose of the ash once completely cool. Selected barbecues feature dishwasher-safe parts, like grates, for ease of cleaning after cooking.
• Extra features: Some portable BBQs have lids, which can be really handy for conserving heat and cooking food more evenly (think of it like an oven!). A lid also means you can cook thicker meat, like joints, and it will do so fast. Without a lid, you may struggle or wait a while to be fed.

FAQs

Refer to gov.uk for more barbecue guidance when safely cooking outdoors.