Are you tired of dragging your regular grill to a park or campsite for a cookout session? Do you wish you had a more comfortable alternative for your next picnic?
Luckily, the best tabletop grills are your ideal alternative. Prop it up on an elevated surface and prepare your favorite meal, just as you would with an average standing grill.
Also, if you own a limited space for grilling and would love to cook for a small family get-together, consider getting yourself a tabletop grill.
With different gas and charcoal tabletop grill brands available in the marketplace, figuring out the right brand can be confusing.
Luckily, we’ve done the hard work and tested different brands. Here are reviews of the top 5 charcoal and gas tabletop grills.
The Best Charcoal and Gas Tabletop Grills Reviews of 2020
1. Overall Best Tabletop Charcoal Grill – Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill
There is this special excitement feeling we get when we cook with charcoal at the beach or Park. What’s important is to relax and do things right. Among other brands of charcoal grills, weber remains the best.
The rectangular shape of the grill supports table placement, and you can probably fold the legs. Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill has a cooking space of about 160 inches. The cooking space allows you to grill two average-sized steaks or over eight pieces of chicken.
What we love
- Made with steel, and Porcelain-Enamel Material – Manufacturers, built this tabletop grill to last. The grates are with steel that is strong, easy to clean, and able to retain heat.
- The Porcelain – Enameled lid is also designed to retain heat, resist peeling or resting after long hour use.
- Three Excellent Handles – the three handles allow you to transport your tabletop grills from one place to another.
- Locking Lid – The locking lid helps you secure the grill when you move around, even if you’re yet to clean it. On the side of the grill is a hanger that serves as a wind barrier during windy days.
- Temperature Dampers – Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill comes with temperature dampers that also you to control your cooking time. This solves one of the major problems encountered with charcoal cooking.
Downside
- Handles Usually Get Hot – the handle is plastic made, and they can quickly burn when cooking with many charcoals. As a preventing measure, use rag or bbq gloves when you pick them up.
- Reduced Grate Height – This can be beneficial as you can easily and quickly grill hotdogs and burgers. Make sure you’re extra careful when putting charcoal on the grill because the height of the cooking grates is not adjustable and your food won’t be far from the charcoal source.
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2. Our pick for the Best Gas Tabletop Grill – Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill
Do you dislike charcoal stress? Or want a grill you can use from anywhere (you cannot use charcoal everywhere), then have a look at the Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill.
With 280 inches cooking space, curved legs, a large frame, and a low center of gravity, this tabletop grill is one of the best in the market.
What we love
- Ability to Extend – Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill feature double folding tables that extend on both sides. Although their material is plastic, they are durable and heavy-duty enough to accommodate the large weight. The tabletop grills are also spacious enough to let you prepare food or shift the completed burgers to one side.
- Cast Iron and Porcelain-Enameled Grates – The grate of these gas grills does a better job than most full-sized grills.
- Stainless Steel Burner – The burner can put out the heat of over 12,000 BTU within an hour. Here’s the best part: the burner is made with stainless steel which prevents it from rusting even if contact with moisture.
- Simple to Start – Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill features an in-built thermometer and an electronic ignition. That way, you can quickly fire up your grill and work efficiently. With the built-in thermometer, you can easily keep a table of your food temperature for more convenience.
Downside
- Lack of Adaptor for Full-Sized Propane Bottle – This is a downside since it may require you to sit k with tanks with smaller propane unless you’re ready to spend extra money on an adapter.
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3. Best Budget Tabletop Grill – Cuisinart CGG-200 All Foods Tabletop Gas Grill
Are you on a budget and want an affordable Tabletop grill, you may want to check the Cuisinart CGG-200 All Foods Tabletop Gas Grill? With a 240 inches cooking space, the tabletop grill features two panels securely connected to the surface of the grill. You can easily remove the grill to clean or store quickly. If you hop over to Amazon, you’ll find plenty of different accessories, colors, and configurations that you can select.
What we love
- Stainless Steeled, And Nicely Painted Surfaces – The burner of this tabletop grill is stainless steeled material which makes it look fantastic and also prevents rust damage.
- Foldable Side Shelves – The Cuisinart CGG-200 All Foods Tabletop Gas Grill comes with two foldable side shelves, extending out from the original chassis. They are averagely sturdy and can accommodate an average amount of weight without bending or collapsing.
- Detachable Drip Tray – The Cuisinart CGG-200 All Foods Tabletop Gas Grill comes with a removable drip tray that reduces dirt and mess on your table surface, making it easier to clean the whole grill.
- Cast Iron Porcelain Enameled Iron Grates – Just like other grills, these tabletop grills have a well-made cooking grate which is durably designed to last even after prolonged use.
- Easy to Use – The electric start invited a temperature dial and the built-in thermometer for optimal functionality.
Downside
- Quickly Overheats – Although the tabletop grill has a temperature control system, make sure you carefully watch the dial because the grill may become hot. The temperature may become so high that the lid may start working after using for a few times.
- Shallow Grease Tray – while we love how manufacturers included the grace tray, its shallow nature calls for concern. You’ll need to frequently empty it to prevent its overflow or make a mess of the grill.
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4. Our Best Infrared Grill – Solaire Anywhere Portable Infrared Propane Gas Grill
Infrared is a feature that is usually linked with expensive and luxurious grills. Solaire Anywhere Portable Infrared Propane Gas Grill is a well-designed, super portable grill. Coming at a cooking space of 155 inches at a fuel of 1 pound propane cylinders, the grill has an adapter that you can use to connect larger tanks. The infrared grill quickly heats up and is usually ready to go within 3 minutes.
What we love
- Comes in Stainless Steel Material – as you know, stainless steel material is one of the most durable in the market. The grill also has a heat-resistance feature. Solaire Anywhere Portable Infrared Propane Gas Grill is either made of stainless or coated with one. The ceiling grid contains stainless steel.
- Fuel-Efficient – As the name implies, the portable grill uses propane as a heat source for its infrared cooking surface. And fortunately, only a little amount of fuel used every time. It costs less money as you will only have to refill the propane tank a few times.
- Cooks Quickly – another significant advantage of cooking with infrared grill type is how fast it cooks and the high level of heat. It’s a right choice for those who want to seat hot dogs and burgers as quickly as possible.
- Comes with Carrying Bag – Although small in size, the carrying bag in this tabletop grills boosts its value. You can easily transport this grill along with other grilling accessories and tools.
Downside
- May Become Too Hot – The high heating level can be a problem rather than a benefit if you fail to watch the temperature carefully. It may even eventually burn the table or the cloth below.
- Odd Grate Shape – The “V” shape of this grill that is meant to spice up the flavor of your food is unusual. The grater, unfortunately, makes the grates challenging to clean, unlike the typically shaped grills.
Does a portable grill need infrared?
No. However, the infrared grill can be an ideal option for someone who has a pellet or smoked grills that does not seem at high heat.
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5. Best Tabletop Griddle – Blackstone Tabletop Grill
Are you looking for a griddle style Grill that you can use to cook during your camping, picnicking or Tailgating? Check out the Blackstone Tabletop Grill.
The griddle style is perfect for camping compared to the traditional grill grates. The grill surface is flat, which opens up many food possibilities that are not available on a typical grill.
Blackstone Tabletop Grill has a 330 inches cooking space and unlike other grills, does not cook with grates or an open flame. The surface of the griddle is designed to prevent flare-ups while retaining your food’s delightful flavor.
What we love
- Grease Management System – Blackstone Tabletop Grill comes with a grease channel at the rear that takes off grease from your meal. With the grease management system, you can easily clean up and maintain your station after a cooking session.
- Comes with Two Burners – Each burner heat the parts of the cooking surface. That way, you can cook different food at a different temperature. You can keep one part of the surface at low temperatures to warm your food while the second burner does the real job.
- Plenty Spaces – Blackstone Tabletop Grill has a cooking space of 330 inches. That’s a lot of cooking space for a full meal. Space allows you to cook for many people or make your hotdogs or burgers for plenty of people relatively faster.
Downside
- Wind Affects Heat – The griddle underperforms if cooked under windy conditions. The heated surface must be subjected to a static environment to attain its optimal cooking temperature. So make sure you use them indoors or provide a means of shelter when outside in rough weather.
- Has No Handles – It could have been easier if the user can transport this griddle using its handles. Right now, what you have to do is to wait till it cools down before moving it became your finger may touch the hot cooking surface.
Get the latest price on Amazon.
What To Consider Before Buying A Tabletop Grill
In this section, we’ll discuss some of the essential factors to consider before you buy a tabletop grill.
Is it portable?
One of the most essential features to consider before buying a tabletop grill is its portability feature. It does not matter whether or not you plan to use the grill at home; you’ll enjoy the flexibility of a portable grill. You’ll be able to set it up or take out of storage.
Fortunately, many tabletop grills are lightweight So you can easily set them up on tables. However, some grills pack extra useful features such as the presence of handles and foldable legs to boost probability.
Besides, we’ll recommend buying the best tabletop grills with handles made with strong and durable materials. These materials will never melt even when the grill turns hot.
Avoid plastic handles with a cheap price tag. Make sure the legs of your portable grills are foldable. Extendable and contractible legs make it easier to prop up your tabletop grills.
This is exceptionally important in situations where you have limited space to store your tabletop grill, and you may only need to squeeze them within a tiny space. Being able to have them folded up in one small space is an excellent feature.
Many tabletop grills also have a foldable side table to enhance storing ability. Also is the locking lids which allows you to lock your lid.
The locks help prevent your charcoal from falling off whenever you’re changing the location of your grill.
Size and weight
Before you buy a grill, examine its weight and decide whether or not you’ll be comfortable carrying such a weight from one cooking sit to another.
Some tabletop grills are ideal for picnics with large people. They have limited space which can be shared with other cooking tools. However, some grills also require large areas (like extendable side tables) to perform optimally.
The fact is, when it comes to the size and weight of tabletop grills, there’s no one-size-fit-all. You have to choose based on your preference and purpose of use.
Larger sizes serve more people and of course, helps to make more food at a time.
Type of fuel
Another essential factor to consider is the type of fuel you’ll love to choose when buying your tabletop grill. Tabletop grills come in 2 primary fuel type: they include the charcoal and propane. Even with both types, you’ll still need to carry some fuel along to your cooking site.
Many chefs have testified on how charcoal tabletop grills impart a unique flavor on their meals which they found enjoyable.
The majority of tabletop propane grills are accompanied by a tank that perfectly sizes their chassis. However, you may need to purchase adaptors for larger tanks if you’re planning to cook for a long time.
Propane grills usually allow you to control the temperature. But there are many charcoal grill that also features temperature control.
The choice depends on your preference because none is better than the other. It all boils down to what you love.
Safety Methods For Using A Tabletop Grill
We’ve made a video showing the Weber Go-Anywhere in operation if you’ll love to have a quick hint of how it works. Tabletop grills are a perfect cookout option for campsites. They are an excellent way to show off your great grill skills among your friends on a game day.
But there’s a way you should use table too grills to avoid quick damage. You need to select the kind of surface to use your tabletop grills to stay safe. Many tabletop grills usually turn extremely hot. These heats can cause damages, and that depends on your cooking surface.
Cooking on a metallic surface is the safest. A metal surface does not damage quickly. It’d take an abnormal ambient heat from a tabletop grill to destroy a metal.
That’s why picnic tables or tailgates that are metal-made, a perfect option for tabletop grills surfaces.
However, remember that some metal is poorly managed with low-quality colors film. These paints may quickly melt or flake off if it experiences the high heat associated with a typical tabletop grill.
Wood surface can also be an excellent option to use for a tabletop grill session. Picnic tables or wood surfaces with similar thickness are an ideal option as well.
These woods will never catch fire so quickly even when suspended to the highest associated with a tabletop grill. However, we’ll recommend putting a little grease catcher under the grill to prevent the wood damage or stains.
Plastic has never been a good surface idea for a tabletop grill. Many plastic tables, such as those used during cookouts on campsites, can quickly melt. They cannot endure the high heat of a table to a girl for a long time.
When a plastic melt, the cooking surface becomes unstable, and the grill may tip over, which can be hazardous to the grill and anyone around. That’s not all: melted plastic surfaces release harmful toxic chemicals into the air, which can be unhealthy for the body.
Also, don’t put a tablecloth under the surface of your tabletop grill. That’s because fabrics can quickly burn under a high heating condition. Avoid thick clothes as well. Your tabletop grill should only have a bare surface beneath. Grease catchers are also a good option.
You can also consider tabletop grills which are specially made. These grills are often portable to use and lightweight. Often, you may find yourself moving your tabletop grill from one location to another.
So, it’s highly imperative to buy a cooking surface that is safe, strong, and can handle high heat. This is a better option than depending on tables at campsites or your host’s equipment.
In Conclusion
The market is flooded with many tabletop grills. But the Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill is one of the best tabletop grills around.
Its excellent portable feature combines with high-quality construction materials to deliver an incredible cooking experience.
Conclusively, your choice of tabletop grill depends on your personal preference and budget. We hope we’ve assisted you in making a choice. Good luck.
Last Updated on August 6, 2020 by Judith Fertig
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