The 6 best portable grills for football season tailgating
The 2024 NCAA college football season is underway and the 2024-2025 NFL season is about to kick off, which for die-hard fans means one thing -- it's time to get ready for some epic tailgating. And no good tailgating party is complete without grilled burgers, streaks, chicken, fish and hot dogs prepared fresh. To boost your tailgating game this year, we've found some perfect portable grills for the job.
Our team of grilling experts has curated this roundup of the best portable grills suitable for tailgating in 2024. Regardless of your budget, preferred fuel, grill size requirements, or number of people you'll be cooking food for, we've got you covered with some game-winning options.
Top portable grills for tailgating during football season
Pro Tip: Before settling on the perfect grill for tailgating, consider the number of people you'll typically be preparing food for and whether you want a charcoal, propane, electric or wood-pellet fueled grill.
- Best grill for tailgating overall: Kamado Joe 13.5" Joe Jr.
- Best value grill for tailgating: Cuisinart CGG-608 tabletop grill
- Best charcoal tailgating grill: Weber Jumbo Joe charcoal grill
- Best premium electric grill for tailgating: Kenyon G2 electric grill
- Best compact tailgating grill: Weber Q 1000 gas grill
- Best tailgating grill for small groups: Weber Traveler portable gas grill
Best grill for tailgating overall: Kamado Joe 13.5" Joe Jr.
Fuel type: Charcoal | Cooking area: 150 square inches | Ignition type: Matches | Housing material: Ceramic with stainless steel grate | Temperature range: 225 to 750-degrees Fahrenheit | Dimensions: 22.19 x 16.06 x 20.5 inches | Weight: 68 pounds | Tabletop stand included: Yes | Warranty: 2 years
When it comes to achieving that classic charcoal grill taste, there's no better known, premium grill brand than Kamado Joe. And this Joe Jr. model offers all of the key features of the company's larger models, but in a grill that's transportable. It comes with its own tabletop stand, so you can set it up on a deck, at a tailgating party or anywhere you can bring a 68-pound grill and some charcoal. The stand has built-in side handles that make it easy for two people to carry.
Despite being the smaller sibling of Kamado Joe's full-size grills, this one provides 150 square inches of cooking space. With this grill, you get just the basics needed for grilling. The stainless steel grate is not adjustable and there's no removable ashtray or side shelf for food preparation.
Yes, you'll pay a bit more for this grill, but it's made from high-quality materials, including heat-resistant ceramics, cast iron and stainless steel. The shell is extra thick to help lock in smoke and moisture at any cooking temperature. To maintain a consistent cooking temperature, the top of the grill integrates a cast-iron air vent. The grill comes in the company's iconic blaze red color. A grill gripper and ash scrapper are included.
Optional accessories include the Joe Jr. Cart with shelves, the company's steel wok, steel griddle, steel half-moon pan set, steel paella pan and a grill cover that are all sized perfectly for this grill.
Get it at Best Buy for $450, reduced from $500.
Best value grill for tailgating: Cuisinart CGG-608 tabletop grill
Fuel type: Propane | Cooking area: 184 square inches | No. of burners: 1 heating element | Ignition type: Twin start | Housing material: Stainless steel | Burner output: 10,000 BTUs | Dimensions: 14.5 x 17.75 x 15 inches | Weight: 16.9 pounds | Tabletop stand included: Yes | Warranty: 3 years
This portable outdoor grill from Cuisinart works with up to a 1-pound liquid propane tank for fuel (sold separately) and provides a generous 184 square inches of cooking space -- enough to prepare food for up to five people. The lid has a built-in thermometer. There's also a quick-start ignition, so you won't need matches or a lighter.
The CGG-608 is a single burner grill made from stainless steel. It generates up to 10,000 BTUs of cooking power and requires no assembly. Simply connect the propane tank, light the grill and you're ready to start cooking.
A notable feature is the locking hood with a built-in carry handle, so the 16.9-pound grill is very easy to transport. It's the perfect grill for small balconies, tailgaters, campers and RVers.
Best charcoal tailgating grill: Weber Jumbo Joe charcoal grill
Fuel type: Charcoal | Cooking area: 18 square inches | Ignition type: Matches | Housing material: Porcelain-enameled bowl and lid | Dimensions: 19.75 x 20.5 x 19.75 inches | Weight: 17.4 pounds | Tabletop stand included: Yes | Warranty: Up to 10 years
The Weber Jumbo Joe is all about classic charcoal grilling at an affordable price. This is a no-frills, but very portable, grill that can prepare up to eight burgers.
We like that the porcelain-enameled lid and bowl are designed to retain heat. They also won't rust or peel. Meanwhile, the built-in dampers allow you to easily control the temperature.
Using the lid lock with integrated handle, you can pack up this portable grill and then set it up on almost any flat outdoor surface. Setup is quick and easy. And using the aluminum ash catcher, clean-up is also a breeze. Based on more than 5,300 customer reviews on Amazon, this grill has earned a 4.8-star (out of five) rating.
Best premium electric grill for tailgating: Kenyon G2 electric grill
Fuel type: Electric (1,440 watts) | Cooking area: 213 square inches | No. of burners: 1 | Ignition type: Electric | Housing material: Stainless steel | Burner output: Up to 550-degrees Fahrenheit | Dimensions: 21.6 x 19.25 x 9.5 inches | Weight: 37 pounds | Tabletop stand included: Yes | Warranty: 3 years
We love this Kenyon G2 electric grill because it can be used indoors or outdoors. Setup takes less than two minutes.
In the past, an electric grill could take up to 30 minutes just to reach the right cooking temperature, but the Kenton G2 heats to 600 degrees Fahrenheit in under 10 minutes, and 550 degrees in less than five. Plus, when you're done cooking, the grill's lid and grate are removable for easy cleaning. They're even dishwasher-safe. We're huge fans of this grill's sleek design, too.
Yes, this is an electric grill, but you can infuse your food with extra flavor by adding a variety of liquids to the drip tray. The single control knob allows you to set a precise cooking temperature across the grill's 213 square inches of cooking space.
The Kenyon G2 is designed to be a tabletop grill, but a stainless steel, 40-by-21-by-35-inch grill cart is sold separately. Other optional accessories include a grill cover, warming rack and griddle. This grill is exceptionally well made and designed to last for years. It's easy to operate and you don't have to worry about flare-ups, so you'll wind up with perfectly grilled food every time you use it.
The grill comes with a 6-foot, 120V power cable, along with a drip tray. The built-in carry handles make it easy to transport. Think of this as the Rolls Royce of premium, portable, indoor/outdoor cooking grills that's well worth the investment.
Best compact tailgating grill: Weber Q1200 propane grill
Fuel type: Liquid propane | Cooking area: 189 square inches | No. of burners: 1 heating element | Ignition type: Electric (battery powered) | Housing material: Cast aluminum | Burner output: 8,500 BTUs | Dimensions: 24.6 x 20.5 x 40.9 inches | Weight: 26 pounds | Tabletop stand included: Yes | Warranty: 5 years
In addition to using liquid propane for fuel, we like that this portable grill offers folding side tables, electric ignition, a thermometer built into the lid, a removable catch pan and cast-iron cooking grates that are porcelain-enameled. You also get a generous 189 square inches of cooking space.
Once set up on a tabletop, the Weber Q1200 is able to generate up to 8,500 BTUs per hour of cooking power within its cast-iron aluminum body. For fuel, you can pick up 16.4-ounce cylinders of liquid propane on Amazon or anywhere that sells grilling or camping supplies. This grill comes in your choice of six lid colors, all with a black frame, tabletop stand and integrated shelves.
Based on more than 7,600 reviews on Amazon, the Weber Q1200 has earned 4.8 out of 5 stars, so you know it's a popular model that people love. The optional and very convenient foldable grill cart table ($125) and a Weber grill cover ($19) are sold separately.
Best tailgating grill for small groups: Weber Traveler portable gas grill
Fuel type: 16 ounce propane tanks | Cooking area: 240 square inches | Ignition type: Electric | Housing material: porcelain-enameled steel | Burner output: 11,000 BTUs | Dimensions: 42.72 x 43.6 x 37.2 inches | Weight: 37 pounds | Tabletop stand included: Yes | Warranty: Up to 5 years
When folded, the Weber Traveler portable gas grill is just 40 inches wide, so it fits in the trunk of most cars. You can unfold it with one hand and then use the stand's wheels to roll the grill into position. Then, simply attach a propane tank and you're ready to cook for up to four people at once.
The 240 square inches of cooking space provides enough room for up to 12 burgers or 15 sausages. The grill comes in four colors -- black, red, blue and "stealth" (which also has a black stand). While you get up to 11,000 BTUs of cooking power, you can easily adjust the temperature to meet your grilling needs.
On Amazon, the Weber Traveler has earned a 4.7-star rating (out of five), based on more than 1,200 customer reviews. We're fans of this grill's folding design and large grilling space.
For all of your grilling needs, check out our coverage of the best charcoal grills in 2024, best smart grills for summer 2024, best wood-pellet grills in 2024 and best propane grills for 2024.
