Warm weather is officially headed our way, and what better way to celebrate than with a classic British BBQ. The best portable barbecues make all the difference when it comes to serving up great food al fresco, enabling you to whip up freshly grilled meat, fish and veg. A portable BBQ means you can cook almost everywhere, from your patio to your favourite campsite and even the beach.
Portable barbecues are smaller, packable versions of your trusty backyard barbie, and can be carried and popped in the car boot, ready to set up an instant kitchen in the great outdoors. While you can buy disposable barbecues, these aren’t good for the environment and are frequently the cause of forest fires.
A portable barbecue should be just that – lightweight and easy to transport. After checking its weight, make sure you pick a barbecue with a big enough cooking surface to suit your party of happy campers.
The other factor to consider is whether you want a barbecue that takes charcoal or that runs on fuel. If your barbecue takes fuel, ensure you buy the right canister for your stove. The most common models use gas (propane and butane) or liquid fuel (paraffin, kerosene, etc), and different canisters are designed to clip or screw onto different barbecues.
Have a go at setting up your new portable barbecue at home before a trip – there’s little more frustrating than realising you brought the wrong fuel or you don’t know how to work your shiny new purchase when you’re in the middle of the woods and desperate for a sausage sarnie.
Here, we’ve tested out a range of sizes and styles to bring you the best portable barbecues on the market, with budget options starting from less than £20.
How we tested
We cooked up sausages and veg kebabs on each portable barbecue during a camping trip in Wales. We looked for easy temperature control, quick grilling and simple assembly. We also tested how easy each portable barbecue was to clean and pack away.
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