The Best Charcoal Grill for Vehicle Camping

by Christian Rogers | Updated 12/13/19

Our Top Picks

Editors Pick: Weber 121020 Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill

“Holds up to six burgers made with a Weber burger press.Compact and lightweight for grilling on the go.”

Best Features: Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman’s Grill

This rugged, charcoal hibachi-style grill is perfect for picnics, tailgating, camping, or patio.”

Best New Brand: Sougem Portable Charcoal Grill Barbecue Camping

“Foldable & Portable to carry: Removable grate makes cleaning of the barbecue charcoal grill easy.

Best Design: Fire Sense Notebook Charcoal Grill

Cool looking design, solid battery life and enough power to handle nearly any backyard make this one of my top battery power lawn mower choices.”

Best Value: Char-Broil American Gourmet 18-inch Tabletop Charcoal Grill

Tube frame for stability- carrying handles for easy transport- heavy duty with easy portability”

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Top Pick – Weber 121020 Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill

 Weber 121020 Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill Garden Outdoor

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  • Holds up to six burgers made with a Weber burger press
  • Compact and lightweight for grilling on the go
  • Porcelain-enameled lid and base retain heat, and won’t rust or peel
  • The lid locks for easy portability and dampers allow you to easily control the temperature inside your grill
  • Durable plated steel cooking grate retains heat and is easy to clean.Primary cooking area (square inches):160

2. Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman’s Grill

Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman's Grill Large Charcoal Hibachi-Style Grill for Picnics, Tailgait[...]

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  • Cast Iron Sportsman’s Grill. This rugged, charcoal hibachi-style grill is perfect for picnics, tailgating, camping, or patio. The Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman’s Grill features a draft door that regulates heat. Coals are accessible behind a flip-down door. Grill has two adjustable heights.
  • SEASONED COOKWARE. A good seasoning makes all the difference. Lodge seasons its cookware with 100% vegetable oil; no synthetic coatings or chemicals. The more you use your iron, the better the seasoning will get.
  • MADE IN THE USA. Lodge has been making cast iron cookware in South Pittsburg, Tennessee (pop. 3,300) since 1896. With over 120 years of experience, their cast iron is known for its high quality design, lifetime durability, and cooking versatility.
  • MAKE EVERY MEAL A MEMORY. Lodge knows that cooking is about more than just the food; it’s about the memories.
  • FAMILY-OWNED. Lodge is more than just a business; it’s a family. The Lodge family founded the company in 1896, and they still own it today. From environmental responsibility to community development, their heads and hearts are rooted in America.

3. Sougem Portable Charcoal Grill Barbecue Camping

Sougem Portable Charcoal Grill Barbecue Camping Outdoor Cooking Thickened Stainless Steel [...](1)

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  • Portable Charcoal grill: The stainless steel grate of the portable BBQ grill provides cooking area of 185 square inches. With enough area for barbecue, you can bake all your favorite foods. Charcoal barbecue grill eliminate the tedious installation process. The barbecue can be started in 3 minutes.Two wheels for easy moving grill(two immovable wheels).Two movable tables can be used to put food, spices and tools.(quite suitable for 7-10 people)
  • Features: Portable charcoal outdoor grill is made of stainless steel, heat and scratch resistant, and wouldn’t get deformed and rusted. Vent design of for charcoal brazier allows the charcoal to get fully burned. Together with the perfect distance between grate and charcoal, food can be cooked faster and no dust will stick on the food.The unique design of grate equipped with 2 handles to adjust the height is convenient for adding charcoal and controlling the barbecue temperature.
  • Suitability:Multiple uses of the charcoal grill: suitable for picnics, tailgating, camping yards, indoor and outdoor parties, tours, gardens, parks, beaches with your friends and family.The perfect size allows you to take the charcoal barbecue grill anywhere and enjoy the purest, most original flavor of a charcoal barbecue with family and friends.

4. Fire Sense Notebook Charcoal Grill

Fire Sense Notebook Charcoal Grill Home Kitchen

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  • Simple two-step set up
  • 14.18-inch height when fully assembled
  • Folds flat to 1-inch for easy transport
  • Unique design

5. Char-Broil American Gourmet 18-inch Tabletop Charcoal Grill

Char-Broil American Gourmet 18-inch Tabletop Charcoal Grill Garden Outdoor

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  • 25 Square inch grilling space over cast iron grates
  • Compact and portable ideal for Tailgating, camping or picnics
  • Tube frame for stability- carrying handles for easy transport- heavy duty with easy portability
  • Slide-out charcoal drawer is easy to fill and empty- cleanup is simple
  • Can be mounted to the side of the Char-Broil 17302055 or 17302056 as an offset smoker

Buyers Guide For Vehicle Camping Charcoal Grills

These are the bottom lines for and against the usage of charcoal for grilling in a camping setting. Now, if you’re thinking about acquiring a new design, there are some specifics to think about prior to deciding. Ash catcher. An ash catcher is generally a pot or bowl-shaped container that acquires the bottom of the kettle.

Hinged grate. A design with a hinged grate is a good additional function. It permits simple access to the cinder bed, without having to eliminate the grate. Electronic gas ignition. Some bigger brand-new models will have an electronic ignition, which is powered by a small propane tank to fire up the briquettes in simply a few minutes.

If you do not like utilizing lighter fluid or prefer not to have an electronic ignition, look for models that have a chimney starter to get the coals burning fast. Smooth kettle building and construction. Whatever the shape of the firebox, you want it to feature seamless building to prevent corrosion from taking place.

A tight-fitting cover is an excellent function on all designs, however if you prepare to use it as a smoker, a great seal is obligatory. And a cover that latches is required for transport purposes. Cooking location. Pre-determine your cooking requirements before selecting the area of your grate.

Grate building and construction. Similar to other grills, grates can be found in a range of products consisting of nickel or chrome plated wire, stainless steel, cast iron and enameled steel or cast iron. Adjustable grates. In bigger models, the cinders will rest on a grate that can be raised or decreased with a crank to change cooking temperature levels.

Products used in building range from cold rolled steel and porcelain covered steel to cast aluminum and cast iron. Dampers. For effective fuel burning, these designs need dampers to manage air circulation. Search for systems that have double dampers, one for consumption and one for exhaust. Base, stand or legs.

The Weber Go-Anywhere model has a couple of features that make it an excellent option for vehicle camping, tailgating or hosting a cookout at any location away from home. The tough legs pivot over the top of the lid, snapping safely in location for transport, and its compact rectangle-shaped shape suits little, tight areas.

Inches of cooking surface, and the cover and bottom have double dampers for adjustable air flow. Weber 121020 Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill It determines 15 x 12 x 21″ and weighs 14 pounds, is crafted without any nuts or bolts, has built-in cover wall mounts for draft security, there’s no assembly needed, and it has 2 side bring handles.

A number of gripes about the nylon manages fume and needing to use an oven mitt, which the grate height is non-adjustable. Take a look at client evaluations on Amazon now. Lodge offers us the Sportsperson’s Charcoal Grill, a rugged hibachi-style model made from long lasting cast iron that comes pre-seasoned.

With the normal Lodge requirement for durability, this model weighs 23 pounds, steps 19 x 10 x 8″, and is made in made in the United States. Lodge L 410 Pre-Seasoned Sportsperson’s Charcoal Grill Being a Lodge, it’s developed to last a life time. Clean up is simple with the coal tray moving out for ash disposal, it develops even heat for cooking and it holds the heat well, it features adjustable grates, and the food tastes excellent.

A few problems about the cast iron breaking, but they enjoyed with Lodge customer support for replacing the design. A couple more customers weren’t delighted about rust forming on the grate, but it’s cast iron– that’s the nature of the monster. See it on Amazon today. This classic kettle design includes double aluminum dampers in both the cover and bowl for effective air circulation and even burning.

The cover manage is glass reinforced nylon for easy lifting, while the dome-style lid produces a perfect shape to distribute the air for smoking cigarettes. Weber 40020 Smokey Joe Gold Charcoal Grill This unit likewise has an ash catcher tray and comes with a 31-page guide loaded with barbecue recipes. It measures 17″ to the top of the handle with an outdoors diameter of 15″, weighs approximately 6 pounds, and is made in the United States.

The Silver’s bottom venting system also has downsides, like when you are preparing for extended periods and dead ashes fall under the vent holes, clogging them up. In my mind, it deserves it to pay a little extra for the Smokey Joe Gold model — neither one of these terrific little cookers will spend a lot, and they are comparable in price.

1 portable outdoor grill on Amazon , and with good factor. Pleased consumers like the thicker gauge coated steel in the firebox, durable construction, and its convenient, compact size that’s perfect for a tight terrace or patio area, or cooking for just one or 2 individuals. They likewise say the dome lid does a great job for smoking cigarettes.

The Cuisinart Grate Lifter features a grate that can be set to raise when the cover opens, providing easy access to the coal bed without having to touch the grate. It also has a steel firebox with a porcelain enamel lid, double venting for precision air circulation and precise temperatures, and a lid-mounted temperature level gauge.

It comes with a porcelain coated grate with a 240 sq. in. cooking surface, a large ash collection bin, and a durable base that uses stability when grilling. Cuisinart CCG-100 Grate Lifter Portable Charcoal Grill The lid has a heat resistant stainless-steel manage, with two side carrying handles and a durable one-piece bonded base.

Pleased customers like the durable, durable stand, the generous cooking area, and the grill lifter feature for stirring the coals. And assembly is simple– it’s basically simply screwing the top to the stand. There are a number of complaints about the enamel finish breaking, the grate lifter system being a bit lightweight, and the holes not lining up effectively when connecting the base.

 

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Christian Rogers