I’ve burned a lot of charcoal at a lot of campsites over the years. Some of it in grills that deserved better, some of it in grills I wouldn’t wish on a Boy Scout troop.
Here’s the thing nobody tells you before you buy your first portable charcoal grill: the “portable” part is easy. Half the grills on the market fold up, pack down, or claim to fit in a trunk. The hard part is finding one that actually holds heat, survives a windy ridge campsite, and doesn’t leave you scraping burnt-on ash off your hands with a stick because you forgot a tool.
Propane is fine if you’re in a hurry. But if you’ve ever had a burger off a charcoal fire at a campsite versus one off a little gas burner, you already know why charcoal wins on flavor almost every time. That slight smoky char, the higher sear temps you can hit — propane just can’t compete for real outdoor cooking.
For this guide, I tested (and in a couple of cases, borrowed from buddies who’ve beaten these things half to death) the grills that actually show up on real campsites — not just the ones with the best Amazon photos. I looked at how they held heat in wind, how heavy they actually were once loaded with gear, how easy the ash cleanup was at 6 a.m. before breaking camp, and whether they’d survive being tossed in the back of a truck bed for a season.
Weber Go-Anywhere
Packs flat, locks shut, and offers real temperature control for weekend campers.
PKGO Portable Grill
Cast aluminum, dual cooking zones, and built for truck-bed abuse.
Weber Smokey Joe
Simple, affordable, and features a lid clip for windy campsites.
| Grill | Best For | Cooking Area | Weight | Foldable / Packable | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weber Go-Anywhere | Overall Best | ~160 sq in | ~13 lbs | Legs pivot, packs flat | ★★★★★ |
| PKGO Portable Grill | Heavy-Duty / Overlanding | ~250 sq in | ~38-40 lbs | No — built solid | ★★★★★ |
| Weber Smokey Joe Premium (14″) | Best Budget Classic | ~147 sq in | ~11 lbs | Lid clips on, compact | ★★★★☆ |
| Wolf & Grizzly Grill M1 | Ultra-Compact / Packable | ~100 sq in | ~2 lbs | Rolls up to water-bottle size | ★★★★☆ |
| Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman’s Grill | Best Tabletop Cast Iron | ~192 sq in | ~20 lbs | No — sits on legs | ★★★★☆ |
| Fire Sense Notebook Grill | Best Value Foldable | ~150 sq in | ~10 lbs | Folds flat like a notebook | ★★★★☆ |
(Weights and dimensions vary slightly by retailer — always double-check current listings before you buy.)
If you only read one section, read this one. Here’s how I’d steer three different types of campers:
Weber Go-Anywhere. It’s the grill I recommend to almost everyone who asks me “what should I buy” because it does everything reasonably well and nothing poorly.
PKGO Portable Charcoal Grill. Heavy, but you’re not hiking it anywhere — it lives in the truck and cooks for a group.
Wolf & Grizzly Grill M1. This is the one you throw in a pack without thinking about it.
Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman’s Grill. Unbeatable heat retention for RV sites and tailgating.
Now let’s break each one down properly.
I’ve had a Go-Anywhere in rotation for years, and it’s the grill I keep coming back to for weekend trips. The rectangular shape isn’t an accident — it’s built to pack flat against a cooler or duffel bag in the trunk, and the legs pivot up and lock the lid shut for transport, so you’re not chasing loose ash bags around your car.
What sold me on it originally was the airflow control. The bottom vents actually do something — you can choke a fire down for low-and-slow cooking or open it up to sear a couple of burgers in under ten minutes. A lot of cheap portable grills give you one vent setting: “on.” This one lets you actually cook with charcoal rather than just burning it.
It’s not a smoker. Don’t expect to fit a full rack of ribs on here — this is a grill for burgers, dogs, chicken thighs, foil packet veggies, that kind of campsite cooking. But for what it is, it’s about as close to “no complaints” as portable charcoal grills get.
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I want to be straight with you on this one, because I’ve seen it marketed as a “lightweight camping grill,” and that’s just not accurate. The PKGO is built from cast aluminum, and it’s closer to 38-40 pounds fully assembled. That’s not a grill you’re strapping to a backpack. It’s a grill you’re keeping in the bed of a truck, an overlanding rig, or an RV.
Once you accept that weight tradeoff, though, this thing is genuinely impressive. It functions as a four-in-one setup — grill, smoker, and a couple of other configurations depending on how you set the vents and inserts — with dual cooking zones so you can sear over direct heat on one side while something else cooks slower on the other. That’s a feature I usually only see on backyard kettle grills, not portable ones.
The dual-vent system gives you real control over airflow, and the cast aluminum construction means it’s not going to dent or crack the way a cheap steel folding grill will after a season of truck-bed abuse.
I’m honestly a little surprised this one gets left off so many “best portable grill” lists, because it might be the single most-purchased entry-level small charcoal grill in the country. The 14-inch Smokey Joe has been around forever for a reason — it’s simple, it’s cheap, and it works.
The “Premium” version adds a small but genuinely useful upgrade: a lid-holder clip. If you’ve ever cooked at a windy campsite with an older Smokey Joe, you know the lid becomes a sail the second you set it down. The clip keeps it attached to the bowl handle, out of the dirt, and out of the wind. Small fix, big quality-of-life improvement.
This isn’t a grill that’s going to impress anyone with features. There’s no side table, no fancy vent system, no dual zones. What you get is a tight-sealing dome, decent heat retention for its size, and a price point that makes it an easy “yes” for someone testing out camping cook gear for the first time.
If your camping style involves a backpack more than a trunk, skip the flimsy “notebook” folding grills and look at the Wolf & Grizzly Grill M1 instead. This is a heavy-duty stainless steel mesh grill that rolls up into something roughly the size of a water bottle and weighs next to nothing.
I was skeptical the first time I used one — a rolled-up mesh grate doesn’t exactly scream “durable.” But the stainless frame holds its shape well over an open fire or a small bed of coals, and it packs away in seconds without needing to fold along the same crease every time (which is where a lot of cheap folding grills eventually crack).
It’s not going to replace a full grill for a car-camping cookout. Think of it as a grate you set over your existing fire ring or a small coal bed, not a standalone cooking system. But for backpackers, minimalist campers, or anyone who wants a “just in case” grill that adds almost no weight to a pack, it’s the best option I’ve tested in this category.
A quick note before this one: I originally considered a butane tabletop grill here, since those are common at campsites for quick tabletop cooking. But butane cassette grills aren’t charcoal grills, and if you actually want that traditional tabletop charcoal experience — closer to what you’d get from a Japanese konro or a backyard hibachi — cast iron is the way to go.
The Lodge Sportsman’s Grill is built like it’s meant to outlive you. Cast iron holds and radiates heat far more evenly than thin steel, which matters a lot for something like steaks or scallops where you want a consistent sear without hot spots. It sits low on short legs, so it works well on a picnic table or tailgate without scorching the surface underneath (though I’d still throw a heat-safe mat under it — better safe than sorry with someone else’s picnic table). It’s also a fantastic option if you’re looking for grills for RV camping.
The tradeoff is weight and heat-up time. Cast iron takes longer to come up to temperature than a thin steel grill, and at around 20 pounds, it’s not something you’re tossing in a daypack. But if steakhouse-quality sear at a campsite is the goal, this is the grill that delivers it.
This one earns its spot for a specific kind of camper: the person who grills two or three times a summer and doesn’t want to spend real money on gear that’ll mostly sit in a closet. The Fire Sense Notebook Grill folds flat, weighs around 10 pounds, and keeps its price under $30 in most cases. If you’re just looking for a spare tailgate grill, this is a viable option.
I won’t oversell this one. It’s thin steel, the heat retention isn’t in the same league as cast iron or a Weber, and I wouldn’t expect it to survive years of hard truck-bed abuse the way the PKGO or Smokey Joe would. But for occasional weekend trips, tailgates, or as a spare grill you keep in the trunk “just in case,” it does the job without the investment.
You don’t need much — a 100 sq in surface (or even a packable grate like the Wolf & Grizzly M1) is plenty for a burger, a couple of hot dogs, or foil-packed veggies. Prioritize weight over cooking area here.
This is the sweet spot for the Weber Go-Anywhere or Smokey Joe. Around 140-160 sq in gives you room to cook two proteins and a side without playing musical chairs with your food.
Once you’re cooking for four or more, look at the PKGO or Lodge Sportsman’s Grill. You want enough surface area (200+ sq in) that you’re not doing three separate cooking rounds while everyone waits.
Honestly, it depends on your trip. If you’re camping for one night and want to eat fast, gas has a real edge. If you’re settled in for a weekend and flavor matters to you, charcoal wins — and once you get the hang of managing airflow, the “hassle” of charcoal isn’t nearly as bad as people make it out to be. For a deeper dive, read our full breakdown on charcoal vs. gas grills.
Before any trip, I check the current fire restrictions for the specific park or forest I’m headed to — rules can and do change week to week during fire season, and they vary a lot by region. Most park and forest service websites post current fire danger levels and any active restrictions. It only takes a couple of minutes, and it’s a lot better than showing up with a grill you legally can’t use.
A grill with a solid, elevated bowl design (like the Go-Anywhere, Smokey Joe, or PKGO) generally satisfies raised-fire-pan requirements better than cooking directly over a ground-level fire ring — but always confirm with the specific campground or ranger station, since rules vary.
Charcoal is messy to haul around, and lighter fluid is one of the fastest ways to ruin the flavor of everything you cook on it — I’d skip it entirely if you can. A few things that make life easier:
Here’s something that trips up a lot of first-time charcoal campers: gas grills can be packed up in ten minutes. Charcoal stays hot for hours — sometimes still warm the next morning.
If you’re breaking camp early, plan ahead. Douse coals with water well before you need to pack (never pack a grill with warm coals still inside), stir them to make sure everything’s fully out, and let the grill cool completely before it goes anywhere near your gear. A small metal container with a lid is worth carrying for cooled ash disposal — most campgrounds have designated ash disposal spots, and dumping ash on the ground isn’t just bad practice, it can violate Leave No Trace principles and, in dry conditions, start a fire.
Looking for more ways to step up your camp cooking? Check out our ultimate list of charcoal grilling tips before your next trip.
For most campers, the Weber Go-Anywhere hits the best balance of size, portability, and cooking performance. If you’re vehicle camping and want more capacity, the PKGO is the stronger pick.
Usually, yes — but rules vary by park and can change seasonally, especially during dry conditions. Always check current fire restrictions for your specific destination before you go.
For solo campers or couples, 100-160 square inches of cooking area is typically plenty. Families or groups should look toward 200+ square inches.
Yes — tabletop grills like the Lodge Sportsman’s Grill work well at picnic tables and RV sites, as long as you protect the table surface underneath and follow any local fire regulations.
For occasional campers, a budget folding grill like the Fire Sense Notebook is a fine, low-cost option. For frequent use, a more durable fixed-design grill will hold up better over time.
The PKGO Portable Charcoal Grill, thanks to its dual cooking zones and larger surface area.
A standard chimney’s worth of charcoal typically burns for 45 minutes to an hour at high heat, longer if you manage airflow to bring temperatures down for slower cooking.
Yes, and a tabletop option like the Lodge Sportsman’s Grill or a compact grill like the Weber Go-Anywhere both work well for RV sites — just always cook a safe distance from the RV itself and check park fire restrictions.
If you’re only buying one grill and want something that just works without a learning curve, go with the Weber Go-Anywhere. If you camp out of a truck and cook for a group regularly, the PKGO earns its weight. And if you’re not sure how often you’ll actually use it, the Smokey Joe is a safe, cheap bet that’ll still be working a decade from now.
Whichever one you pick, check current fire restrictions for your destination before you go, and don’t skip the chimney starter — your food will thank you.
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