Camping is one of the most popular three-season activities. With 2022 quickly approaching, it’s a good time to research the best grills for camping.
There are many factors that can make a grill great for camping, such as size and weight. The size can be important when packing up for a trip and you want to keep it light. Some people might prefer to have one that is bigger, but it may be hard to carry or pack up in advance if you plan on flying somewhere to camp. Weight will also be an issue when packing for your hike in and out of the area with your gear and where you will set up camp. A good balance between these two things may be worth considering before making your purchase decision.
Top 9 Camping Grills
When it comes to buying the best camping grill, there are many things to consider including the size of your group, whether you are cooking for just yourself or with many people, how much time you have when camping, your budget constraints etc.
Below are our favorite camping grills for 2022 that will serve up good food for all at an affordable price.
1. Cuisinart Gourmet Portable Grill
Best for: Camping, Day-Use
Latest Price: $129
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Cuisinart Portable Grill:
This gas grill by Cuisinart is incredibly compact, easy to travel with, and cooks a fabulous meal, making it our top pick for 2022. It’s easy to use pretty much anywhere, from the back of the car while your camping to the nearest picnic table. Though it is compact, it can be used to cook substantial meals for the whole family, with an eight-hamburger cooking capacity. Prices on this grill vary, but they tend to go for around $120.
2. Weber Q1200
Best for: Tailgating, Camping, Day-Use
Latest Price: $209
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Weber Camping Grill:
If you’re into barbecuing at home, this grill basically looks like a miniature version of your average gas-powered barbecue. And it’s just as versatile, with a built-in temperature gauge, cast iron cooking grates, and a domed lid to increase volume. It’s the perfect size to set up on a picnic table or the tailgate of a truck, and it can handle everything from a basic hot dog roast to an entire chicken. Coming in at around $200, this is a great option for tailgaters and campers alike.
3. Napoleon 285X TravelQ Grill
Best for: Camping, Backyard Grilling, Day-Use
Latest Price: $419 (w/ portable stand)
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Napoleon Camping Grill:
Pros: this grill is nonstick (just like your pans at home), can grill up to 18 large hamburgers at once, and each burner can be independently adjusted. Cons: the name is so long it will be impossible to tell your buddies how to get their hands on one. This grill comes with a bit more cooking space than the Weber, and that comes at a premium. At $419, it is a little more expensive than the Weber but if you want to grill up that 18th burger, this is the grill for you.
Best for: Backpacking, Tent Camping
Latest Price: $129
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Eureka Portable Grill:
An outdoor favorite right here. The Eureka SPRK Camp Grill is one of the best portable grills on the market. It comes with a grease catcher that makes it super easy to clean. The size is perfect for grilling about 4-6 burgers. You’ll love the adjustable feature if you have an uneven surface. Pick this one up before your next trip.
5. George Foreman 15-Serving Grill
Best for: Camping, Backyard Grilling, Day-Use
Latest Price: $109
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George Foreman Camping Grill:
This grill looks great, offers more cooking space than any of the previous grills, and can be used both inside and outside. All that wrapped in a package that retails for under a hundred bucks. Since it’s electric, it is perfectly safe to use inside, meaning you can fry up your morning bacon in your apartment with the same grill you take on your camping trips.
6. Camp Chef Portable Flat Top Grill
Best for: Camping, Pancakes
Latest Price: $199
Overall Rating:
Camp Chef Portable Grill:
This grill is the best choice for anyone looking to go camping with their family. And I’m talking about the entire family. Mom, dad, the husband or wife and kids, the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and really whoever else wants to come. Camp Chef’s website claims that this grill can prepare food for 50-100 people per hour, and the 600 square inch cooking surface is by far the largest of any of these grills. This grill can not only be used as, well, a grill, but also as a way to boil large amounts of water.
7. Solo Stove Ultimate Portable Charcoal Grill
Best for: Winter Camping, Backyard Patio, Families
Latest Price: $599 (Full Bundle)
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Solo Stove Charcoal Grill:
If cooking with electricity or propane isn’t your thing, this charcoal grill from Solo Stove is the one for you. It is compact, incredibly easy to set up, and includes a removable ash pan and cooking grate, so it’s easy to clean. It is mainly designed to be set up on the ground, with a 22-inch cooking height optimized for your favorite camping chair. At $599, it includes some charcoal, a spatula, tongs, meat fork, protective cover, and carrying case.
8. Traeger Ranger Tabletop Grill
Best for: Grilling, Smoking, Hunting
Latest Price: $399
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Traeger Portable Pellet Grill:
This tabletop grill is unique from the rest since it is essentially a miniature pellet stove, which means it gives the food prepared on this grill a unique wood-smoked flavor. It has short legs that make it perfect for tailgating, tables, or stumps, and the keep-warm mode allows you to keep your food ready to eat for hours.
9. Wolf Grizzly Backpack Grill
Best for: Bushcraft, Backpacking, Fishing
Latest Price: $99
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Wolf Grizzly Over-The-Fire Grill:
This is the ultimate grill for the backpacker or camping minimalist who wants all the advantages of having a grill far from where they parked the car. This tiny grill folds out to provide a cooking surface over any fire and can be set up in seconds. Though it is tiny, it can support up to 30 pounds of food, leaving very few limits to this compact option. For anyone wanting to carry less and cook more, this is well worth the $99 price tag.
BONUS: Ooni Outdoor Pizza Oven
Best for: Glamping, Backyard Patio
Latest Price: $429
Overall Rating:
Ooni Portable Pizza Oven:
This pizza oven does one thing extremely well- make great tasting pizza. This is an awesome addition to any car camping setup if you already have one of the aforementioned portable grills, and is pretty much the opposite of the Wolf Grizzly. If you’re craving pizza on your camping trips, it’s going to be hard to find a better option than this, as it cooks fresh pizzas in about a minute after the stove has been heated. Having pizza in the woods comes at a premium. The gas oven is a bit more expensive, but there is a wood pellet model too.
Jeremy Alderman is an outdoor enthusiast in Scottsdale, Arizona. He writes on all things camping, hiking, outdoor sports, and travel. His weekends are often filled exploring the desert with his wife Madison and their 3-year-old German Shepherd rescue, Grace. His favorite spot in all of North America is the Oregon Coast.
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