The Weber Jumbo Joe is the best portable charcoal grill for most people because it is a genuine kettle at 18 inches, with a domed lid and a damper, so it can cook indirect. The Go-Anywhere packs flatter and its rectangular grate suits skewers and sausages better.
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no cost to you. How this works.
| Grill | Best for | Cooking area | Heat range | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weber Jumbo Joe 18" | Best portable charcoal grill | 240 sq in | 120 to 315°C (250 to 600°F) | See shop |
| Weber Go-Anywhere | Best for tailgating and camping | 160 sq in | 150 to 315°C (300 to 600°F) | See shop |
Weber Jumbo Joe 18"
A proper kettle shrunk to 18 inches with a lid lock that turns the lid into a carry handle. It cooks like a kettle because it is one, which is not true of most portables.
- Real kettle geometry, real lid, real damper
- Lid lock becomes a carry handle
- Enough area for a genuine cook
- Very cheap
- Single bottom vent, coarser control
- No ash catcher
- Short legs, needs a heatproof surface
Weber Go-Anywhere
A rectangular firebox with legs that fold up and clamp the lid shut. It packs flat, survives being thrown in a car, and its rectangle suits sausages and skewers better than a circle.
- Packs completely flat, legs clamp the lid
- Rectangular grate suits skewers and sausages
- Nearly indestructible
- Cheap enough to keep permanently in the car
- Small capacity
- Shallow body limits two zone cooking
- Not suited to long low temperature cooks
How we chose
This site does not run a test kitchen, and it would be dishonest to pretend otherwise. What follows is where these recommendations come from.
Every pick is built from manufacturer specifications, the published findings of outlets that do run structured testing, long-running owner communities, and a working knowledge of what each format is physically capable of. Where a cooker has a known weakness it is listed in the Against column, including on the models we recommend most.
Nothing is ranked by a score out of ten, because a portable grill and a ceramic kamado are not competing at the same task. Prices are indicative bands from public listings, checked July 2026, and they move constantly, which is why every one is paired with a live link rather than a hard figure.