Grills Gone Wild

Nothing says summer like a charbroiled hamburger, and you don’t need a big backyard to get fired up on grilling. We toted these seven mini barbecues around the Bay Area to test their portability and then set up shop for a day of backyard burger flipping. With briquettes glowing, patties sizzling, and veggies roasting, 
we rated each barbecue’s design, ease of use, and culinary properties. Read on to find out what was hot and what was not.
 

• 

  Smokey Joe Silver Portable Charcoal Grill

  • Made by: Weber Grills and Accessories

  Dimentions: 17" H x 14.5" dia.
  Weight: 8 pounds
  
  Pros:
  Weber’s Smokey Joe is a classic for a reason: It’s simply designed yet hardy and easy to use. This is the grill Goldilocks would choose. It’s not too big but not too small, not 
too heavy but not too light. Plus, at $35, 
the price is just right.
  
  Cons
  The bowl and lid are designed so you can control the temperature, but the small handholds quickly become too hot to 
handle (especially the lower of the two). Don’t take this grill apart to clean unless you have ample time to reassemble—–
and a knack for not losing small pieces.
  
  

• 

  Mini Egg Grill

  • Designed by: Big Green Egg
  • Price: $379.00-425.00

  Dimentions: 12.5" H (19" H with stand) x 11.8" dia.
  Weight: 30 pounds
  
  Pros
  The Big Green Eggs earned their hype for letting home cooks play grill master, smoker, and baker with just one appliance. The Eggs, inspired by Asian kamado cookers, feature two dampers for controlling temperatures, from 200 degrees Fahrenheit (for smoking) to 750 degrees (for searing).
  
  Cons
  Bigger can be better. To get the most out of your egg, you’ll need at least a Small (for baking bread, cookies, and pizzas) 
or a Large (for smoking your own turkey). Props if you can lift the Mini on your own; 
it weighs 30 pounds without the base.

• 

  Table Grill

  • Designed by: Tools Design
  • Made by: Eva Solo
  • Price: $360.00

  Dimentions: 6.3" H x 12" dia.
  Weight: 9.9 pounds
  
  Pros
  White walls and wood accents—what more could a modernist desire? The only grill in our roundup designed for tabletop use, it features a built-in heat blocker that keeps its base cool and your table from getting singed (just watch your fingers at the top of its ceramic exterior).
  
  Cons
  The tight space between the charcoal and cooking grates means you must carefully spread out no more than a single layer of briquettes to avoid food-ash contact. At $360, we expected top-notch materials, but after just one grilling and wash-up, the stainless steel bowl took on a coppery hue
   

• 

  Fyrkat Picnic Charcoal Grill

  • Designed by: Bodum
  • Price: $59.95

  Dimentions: 14.2" H x 15.4" dia. 
  Weight: 7.6 pounds
  
  Pros
  Bodum’s Fyrkat is a modern, playful update of the quintessential mini grill, the Weber Smokey Joe (see above). With its streamlined base, it’s even easier to assemble. The grill comes in standard black, but there are also more colorful choices, like orange, red, and green.
  
  Cons
  The big, easy-to-grip silicone handle stays cool as the barbecue heats up—–but its size makes for a silhouette not quite as hot. The enamel coating is prone to chipping. We managed to put a nice gouge in the side of our Fyrkat’s lid, so be warned: Handle with care.

• 

  Portable Bucket Grill

  • Designed by: Sagaform
  • Price: $35.00

  Dimentions: 11" H x 10.8" dia.
  Weight: 3 pounds
  
  Pros
  A superfluous feature is not to be found on this barbecue. It’s super sleek and super light, weighing in at just three pounds. This grill is easy to move and so is its cooking grate. The handle lets you turn the surface and your patties over hot spots, then angles up to act as an edge for flipping.
  
  Cons
  Get ready for slow cooking. The barbecuing surface sits six inches above the charcoal grate, and there’s no lid to trap the heat. The Bucket Grill’s legs (not shown) prop its base just inches above the ground. 
The necessary investment in a comfy camper chair might negate its low price.

• 

  HotSpot Notebook Grill

  • Designed by: Well Traveled Living
  • Made by: Home Depot
  • Price: $35.96

  Dimentions: 14.2" H x 17.5" L x 11.8" W
  Weight: 8.3 pounds
  
  Pros
  Perfect for small spaces, the Notebook Grill opens up to an impressive 221-square-inch cooking surface then folds down to a mere one-inch profile for tucking into the closet. Unsure whether its time for a flip? Glance under the grate through the side openings, which act as carrying handles when folded.

  
  Cons
  We love the concept of this grill, but not its construction. Moving arms and unfolding grates failed to align exactly as intended, and the grates warped after one use. There’s neither lid nor lip on this barbecue, so food takes longer to cook and it’s easier to accidentally push a burger off the edge.

• 

  CB500X Portable Charcoal Grill

  • Made by: Char Broil
  • Price: $149.00

  Dimentions: 16" H x 24" L x 16" W
  Weight: 37 pounds
  
  Pros
  Char-Broil’s treasure chest of a grill opens to reveal impressive booty: two 120-square-inch cast-iron cooking grates. This is designed for serious barbecuing. Its low profile makes it small enough to yield the backyard spotlight but big enough to feed all your friends and family.
  
  Cons
  Weighing in at 37 pounds (and measuring two feet in length), it’s portable only with assistance. This grill’s parts were not made for moving. The ash door and air vents were finicky to open, and the hook to hold up the lid was nearly impossible to keep in position.