If you love nature and the out doors, camping is probably your absolute favorite vacation. While sleeping under the stars is different than what you would do at home, there are still some things you will need to do even on a camping trip, mainly cooking!
This guide is all about helping you find the best grill for camping, no matter what your needs are and how many people you are cooking for in the great outdoors.
In This Guide
Best Grill for Camping
There are a couple of important things to look at when picking your camping grill:
- Cooking Area. How many people are going camping? Will you be cooking any other way, or just grilling?
- Fuel type. Many of these gills use small disposable propane tanks, but there are also charcoal options available.
- Burner strength. How hot do you want your grill to get?
- Weight. Will you need to transport your grill far for camping?
Keep in mind the weights listed in the comparison table do not contain fuel for these grills.
4 of the 5 models use small disposable propane tanks, and one uses charcoal.
Coleman RoadTrip 285 Propane Grill
- GRILLING POWER: Up to 20,000 total BTUs
- 3 ADJUSTABLE BURNERS: With improved burner technology for more precise temperature control
- LARGE GRILLING AREA: 285 sq. inches
When it comes to camping (or even tailgating) the Coleman RoadTrip is a standard, and possibly our favorite grill for camping.
It has wheels to make it easy to transport, a generous cooking area of 285 square inches, and a strong burner.
It is also completely free standing at a neutral level, you don't need another surface to put it on, or to squat to use it.
Coleman has bee known for its quality outdoor products, and you won't be disappointed with this model.
Cuisinart CGG-180T Petit Gourmet Propane Grill
- Portable gas grill with 145-square-inch grilling area and foldaway legs
- Cooks 8 burgers, 8 steaks, 6 to 10 chicken breasts, or 4 pounds of fish
- Powerful 5,500 BTU stainless-steel burner and even-heating porcelain-enameled grate
This is a light weight tabletop model made by Cuisinart.
It has a 145 square inch cooking area, which may be small for some campers. This is a great grill to accompany also cooking over the fire.
This grill comes in a wide variety of colors.
Weber 50060001 Q1000 Propane Grill
- One stainless steel burner produces 8500 BTU-per-hour to heat 189 square-inch total cooking area
- Porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates and cast aluminum lid and body
- Fully assembled out of box. Dimensions - lid closed (inches): 14.5H x 27W x 16.5D inches
Weber is one of the premier manufactures of propane grills, if not the premier manufacture of propane grills.
The Weber Q series is best known for its power and portability. It is a table top model with a respectable 189 square inches of cooking area.
It is a bit on the heavy side - 27 pounds without any sort of wheels, so that is something to keep in mind.
Weber 10020 Smokey Joe Charcoal Grill
- Load up the car and hit the road with your Smokey Joe portable charcoal grill. Its durable, lightweight, compact design is perfect for grilling on the go - whether walking to the beach or taking a road trip. Make your holiday at the beach even more enjoyable with this Weber 14" Smokey Joe Charcoal Grill.
- Holds up to five burgers made with a Weber burger press
- Compact and lightweight for grilling on the go
If you are looking for a charcoal camping experience, the Weber Smokey Joe is for you.
It is a 14" charcoal grill which has 153 square inches of cooking area.
It weighs a mere 10 pounds, making it a nice, light option for camping grills.
Blackstone Grills Tailgater Propane Grill and Griddle
- PORTABLE - The perfect tailgater grill and griddle for any event. Easy portable setup, almost no assembly required, ready to use in seconds. Take it to the park for an afternoon cookout or take it into the woods for a long-term camping trip. The easily adjustable legs will be stable on uneven ground and make setup a breeze.
- VERSATILE – enjoy several different setup combinations. Utilize the grill box and griddle at the same time or easily remove both and use the two open burners for pots/pans. You can also keep the grill or the griddle on and have one open burner… so many options! With a gas grill and/or griddle, you can cook and barbecue however you want, enjoy cooking a variety of food on one easy to use tailgater combo.
- DURABLE - Built to last this Blackstone grill includes a heavy-duty grill box with vent, handle and durable cast iron grill grates plus a cold rolled steel griddle plate and the whole unit has a strong powder coat finish.
Blackstone is known for their griddles, and this grill/griddle combo for camping and tailgating lives up to the Blackstone name.
It has a whopping 512 square inches of cooking area, 256 are grilling and 256 are girdling.
This is the ultimate in camping grills if you love to cook, are cooking for a large crowd, or are looking for a single cooking device while camping because you don't want to deal with the hassle of a campfire.
Choosing the Best Grill for Camping
Let's take a look at these camping grills one more time:
You can't go wrong with the Coleman RoadTrip, as it is the classic camping grill made by an outdoors company.
The other grills on this list are also an excellent choice for camping and outdoors based on your needs.
The Blackstone Tailgater is the ultimate choice for people who love to cook while camping, and large crowds.
The Weber Smokey Joe charcoal grill is also a great choice, especially if cooking with charcoal while camping is important to you.
Finally, let's not forget the Cuisinart Petit Gourmet, and the Weber Q, which are both fantastic lighter weight options.
Tips for Camping and Grilling
Grilling during your camping trip is a great way to enjoy delicious food, and enjoy the outdoors. After all, the outdoors are truly your kitchen when you are camping.
Here are a couple tips for grilling while camping:
Don't forget your grill brush! If you did, don't worry, because we have a complete guide to cleaning your grill without a brush.
Another tip is to make sure you allow ample time for your camping grill to heat up before using it. While these are fantastic options, the fact remains that a portable grill is not the same as a full size gas grill, and the burners are a little less powerful.
Get creative with your grill as a cooking surface! You can safely use both stainless steel, cast iron, and disposable aluminum pots pans right on the grates of your grill. Grills aren't just for grilling!
No matter what your grilling needs are when camping or how many people you are serving, this guide has the best camping grill for you!
Last update on 2022-08-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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