What do you get when you mix fresh air and freshly grilled food? Arguably, you get the tastiest meal available. But what if it’s mealtime while you’re on the road, on vacation, or simply out and about? Lugging around the full-size gas grill or charcoal grill is certainly not a practical option. Even so, just because you are away from home doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your own deliciously grilled delicacies. With today’s portable grills, “eating out” takes on an entirely new meaning.
Portable grills, also known as tabletop grills, are becoming increasingly popular as grill quality and features improve. Whether you are camping in the woods, tailgating at a football game, boating on the lake, or just out for the day on a family picnic, a portable grill can be a welcome addition to your standard gear. Like their full-size cousins, portable grills are available in gas, charcoal, and even infrared varieties. They heat up quickly and provide you with delicious food no matter where you are.
Portable grills can offer a wide variety of features, depending on your needs. For example, while some portable grills come only with the standard grated surface, perfect for grilling hamburgers, bratwurst, or chicken, others feature a number of different grill surfaces, allowing you to choose the proper surface for the food. In addition to the standard grated surface, a portable grill may come with a grill plate, a skillet, and/or a lid that doubles as a wok. Some grills can serve as a camp stove, too, on which a kettle or coffee pot can be placed for boiling water or brewing coffee.
As the name suggests, portable grills are smaller than full-size grills and are easy to transport. Most of these grills have legs that either fold down or can be removed for travel. In addition, portable grills often come with a sturdy carrying bag, making it even easier to bring the grill along. Though smaller in size, a portable grill can still cook a decent amount of food on a single surface.
Perhaps surprisingly, one place where portable grills can be found more and more is not on the road, but on the back patio. Owning a full-size grill is not an option for many apartment and condo residents who may only have access to a small outdoor area. Even when more outdoor living space is available, some home owners prefer the versatility of a portable grill over the full-size option. Portable grills are often less expensive to purchase, are easier to clean, and can be stored out of view when not in use. Considering the many advantages of today’s portable grills, it is easy to see why they have become an increasingly popular addition to life on the road as well as at home.