We’re getting ready to head into a popular season in North America: barbeque season. Some who live in the south are lucky enough to enjoy it year-round and may not appreciate it as much as those who have to thaw out up north. Sure, those who live in the north can always enjoy a griddle pan on the stove, but it’s not the same. There’s just something about an outdoor grill. It’s about the experience of it all. Just hearing the word brings positive images to mind, including sun and warmth. It’s hard to recreate that in an indoor environment, no matter how hard you try. And grilling seems to be better with friends, but you’re not going to call someone over in the middle of winter because you’re going to grill up a burger on your stove-top grill. Getting a new barbeque grill is an exciting new time, and it truly marks that spring is here. And, whether you need a new grill because you moved and have less space, want to downgrade to a patio-sized one, or your last grill has just seen the last of its days, you don’t need to have an excuse to start shopping. We did some research to come up with the best small grill models that are perfect for patios, balconies, and rooftops. Nowadays, there are so many different types of grills and fuel options. Once upon a time, though, Coleman used to rule the roost. Now there are styles like the kamado grill, people can hook up to their houses with their natural gas grill, and charcoal isn’t the only fuel other than gas. People can choose a pellet grill or a wood chip grill.
We looked at the best small gas grills, the best portable grill, the best charcoal grill, the best propane grill, and even the best-infrared grill. We also came across some camping grills, portable grills, updated grills, and more. Here are seven of the best small grill models perfect for patio, balconies, and rooftops in different categories.
1. Best Tabletop Grill – The Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill
The Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill continues the Weber q series of grills and is a great upgrade to the now-defunct Weber Q1200. The Q2200 has a stainless-steel burner that puts out 12,000 BTU per hour, compared to the Q1200, which had a BTU of 8500.
In addition to the propane tank lasting longer, the overall size of the cooking surface of 280 inches square is larger on this version, giving you more room to cook more burger patties at once on the porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates.
Not only is this small grill the best tabletop grill, but it can also attach to legs and makes for a great portable gas grill and a camping grill. Because it is a liquid propane gas grill, you don’t have to worry about lugging around charcoal with you. It has an electric start and an internal thermometer.
Preparing your meals is a breeze with the two side tables attached to the gas grill. Organize yourself by having the uncooked supplies on one side and the finished items on the other side table or have different spices and utensils ready at the go.
Weber provides numerous accessories that you can use with the Q2200 to enhance your experience even more, such as a griddle that goes on top of the primary cooking surface, a grill brush, and other such accessories. We really should have named this compact grill the best overall, instead of just the best tabletop grill.
2. Best Infrared Grill – Char-Broil 20602107-01 Patio Bistro TRU-Infrared Electric Grill
Don’t let this small electric grill fool you. It can still grill up to 12 burgers at once on its 240 square inches of cooking space! Without needing propane or charcoal, you can get your food cooked evenly as there are no hot or cold spots coming from the burner, transferring to the grill grate.
In addition to its main cooking area, the Char-Broil 20602107-01 also comes with a removable warming rack that is approximately 80 square inches and can increase your burger capacity to 16. Or you can remove it to cook taller items on the primary rack.
Temperatures are easily adjustable with the integrated control knob on the front of the grill, and while the grill doesn’t have side tables that come in handy while you are cooking, it does have a shelf below the grill portion. The grill is on two wheels for easy movement from one area to the other with the towel holder doubling as the pulling handle. The temperature gauge is on the lid for easier monitoring.
Cleaning the Char-Broil is a breeze with its durable porcelain-coated grate, which prevents food from sticking to it and is rust-resistant. Also, there is an easy-to-reach drip tray that slides out for easy cleaning.
3. Best Charcoal Grill – Royal Gourmet 30″ BBQ Charcoal Grill and Offset Smoker
Sure, this isn’t a portable charcoal grill, but it’s better because it comes with a side smoker. It may not be a huge smoker, and it’s not going to feed the neighborhood, but we’re looking at smaller grills, so we don’t plan on grilling for a lot of people.
In addition to charcoal, you should use wood chips, especially on the smoker side, for added flavor. However, you can also use the smoker as a grilling surface as well, instead of a smoker, if you so choose.
The smoker has a side door for easy access to tend to charcoal and wood chips. It also allows for control over air release. On the other side of the main cooking surface is a side table with hooks for hanging accessories.
This Royal Gourmet comes with a 438 square inch cooking surface, with another 179 square inch warming rack. The lid for the grill comes with an easy-to-monitor heat gauge, and both lids have scald-free handles to prevent burns.
The fire pan has two different levels so that you can better control how far away from the fire you want your food to be. You can use the side lifting handles to raise or lower the fire pan to your preference.
Clean-up is easy with the removable ash pan. Remove from the grill, dump ashes in appropriate areas and clean out the pan. It doesn’t get much simpler than that!
The Royal Gourmet comes on two wheels, keeping it stable when you want to cook but allowing for easy mobility when you want to move it out of the way.
4. Best Small Propane Grill – Master Cook Classic Liquid Propane Gas Grill
When you think of a grill with three burners, chances are you’re thinking that there is no way it would be a small grill, but this one is. While it might look like it takes up a lot of space with dimensions of 47-inch by 41-inch by 23-inch, with the lid open, the two large side tables fold down, making it much smaller and easier to store away when not in use.
The primary cooking area on this propane gas grill is 340 square inches with another 133 square inches of space available on the removable warming rack, for a total of 473 square inches of cooking area on porcelain-coated grates.
The three main burners have an hourly input of 30,000 BTU total, so you don’t have to worry about your food not being able to get hot enough or waiting around for what seems like forever for your food to cook.
The piezoelectric ignition system allows for fast and reliable burner startups with just the push of a button. Two six-inch wheels are another feature that helps make this gas grill more convenient, allowing you to move it easily to where you’d like.
5. Char-Broil Classic 360 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill
Char-Broil has been around since 1948 and is one of the most popular brands of grills in America, so it’s not surprising that we have a second one on our list. The Classic 360 is larger than the infrared version, and some people may feel that an electric grill is not a real barbeque experience.
With its 360 square inches of space on the main cooking area, and an added 170 square inches of space on the swing-away warming rack, there is plenty of space to feed friends and family that come over. With 30,000 BTU per hour, you won’t have to wait too long to get the food cooked to the right temperature either.
You’ll be thankful for the 12 inches by 13 inches side tables, which will give you plenty of space for prepping and any other help you may need.
The lid and firebox of the grill use durable porcelain-coated steel so that it can withstand rough weather. Inside the firebox, the inline burners use stainless steel for long-lasting performance. The piezoelectric ignition system allows for fast and reliable burner startups with just the push of a button.
6. Kenmore PG-4030400LD-AZ-AM 3 Burner Outdoor Patio Gas BBQ Propane Grill
If we did a Best Due to Its Looks Grill, this one might win. But it’s not just pretty. This Kenmore gas grill deserves to be on this list due to its function as well. It has 381 square inches of main cooking space, with an added 131 square inches of secondary cooking space, for a total of 512 square inches, which can cook 33 burgers at once!
Each of its three main burners puts out 10,000 BTU for a total of 30,000 BTU per hour. The porcelain-coated cast-iron grates look just as good as the powdered-coated outside of the grill and make for easy clean-up. The four swivel caster wheels will make it easy to move the grill around.
The ease of use with the Kenmore grill continues with two side tables with handles, helping with movement, hooks for hanging accessories, an outer temperature gauge to monitor temperature, and easy start electric ignition. And if you’re not a fan of Azure, not to worry, it comes in many different colors.
7. Coleman RoadTrip 285 Portable Stand-Up Propane Grill
How can you write an article about small grills and not mention a Coleman? You can’t. This Coleman is perfect if you love camping, picnicking, or live in an apartment building with a common area on your rooftop, but you don’t want to leave your grill there. It’s collapsible and easy to take anywhere.
As easy as it is to carry around with you, it’s still highly functional with a cooking surface of 285 square inches and a total BTU of 20,000 over three adjustable burners, with upgraded technology for more precise temperature control. It also has an integrated design for temperature monitoring.
When it comes time for cooking, this propane grill needs a match and a push of a button, and then you’re off to grilling or griddling, as you can easily change cooking tops. Two side tables easily slide out to help store utensils, food, spices, or whatever else you may need. She may be small, but she is mighty.
This grill isn’t the Coleman grill of years gone by; however, the Coleman name remains as strong as ever, and there is a reason for that, they make great grills.
Best Grill Comparison Chart
After overloading our brains with detailed descriptions of the seven of the best grills out there, we thought it might be best if we helped you take a look at some of the most important features side by side so that you could get a better view of what might work for you.
GRILL | FUEL TYPE | BTU | MAIN COOKING AREA SIZE | WARMING RACK AREA SIZE | NUMBER OF SIDE TABLES | NUMBER OF WHEELS |
The Weber Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill | Propane | 12,000 | 280 sq in | 0 sq in | 2 | 0 |
Char-Broil 20602107-01 Patio Bistro TRU-Infrared Electric Grill | Electricity | 0 | 240 sq in | 80 sq in | 0 | 2 |
Royal Gourmet 30″ BBQ Charcoal Grill and Offset Smoker | Charcoal and Wood Chips | 0 | 438 sq in | 179 sq in | 1 | 2 |
Master Cook Classic Liquid Propane Gas Grill | Propane | 30,000 | 340 sq in | 133 sq in | 2 | 2 |
Char-Broil Classic 360 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill | Propane | 30,000 | 360 sq in | 170 sq in | 2 | 2 |
Kenmore PG-4030400LD-AZ-AM 3 Burner Outdoor Patio Gas BBQ Propane Grill | Propane | 30,000 | 381 sq in | 131 sq in | 2 | 4 |
Coleman RoadTrip 285 Portable Stand-Up Propane Grill | Propane | 20,000 | 285 sq in | 0 sq in | 2 | 2 |
Comparing Grills by Fuel Source
If, after all of this, you still cannot decide which grill is right for you because you might not know which fuel source you’re looking for. Or you could be confused about the different options out there, especially with newer options like pellet, natural gas, and infrared. Most people think of charcoal or propane when they think of grilling. And the true aficionados wouldn’t even think about the propane option.
Charcoal Grills
With charcoal grills, you will see the largest variety of sizes, shapes, and styles, everything from a standard tabletop grill to an egg-shaped kamado made out of ceramic to a barrel or kettle grill and a plain ole grill that most people think about seeing in their backyard.
So, if you are looking for options, you can find them with charcoal grills as there are no gas lines to worry about hooking up to a propane tank or a natural gas source.
Pros
- Charcoal, whether in briquettes or lump charcoal, is generally a less expensive option
- It adds a smoky charcoal flavor that some people love in their grilling
- You have plenty of portable options
- Most models are lightweight as they have an empty firebox
- You can find many inexpensive options
Cons
- They take time to light and get up to temperature, so you won’t be eating any time soon
- At the same time, they also take time to cool down or turn off
- You generally need a fairly large space to use, which may not always be available
- Can be messy
Propane Grills
Propane replaced charcoal for popularity many years ago, especially for home grills. They are much easier to come across, just walk into any home improvement or big box store’s seasonal section, and pretty much all of the grills staring back at you will be propane gas grills.
The one thing with propane grills is that you will find them in larger sizes than most charcoal grills. Again, this goes back to the time it takes to heat a charcoal grill. With propane, it takes no time at all, and for some of the largest grills, two propane tanks are used to help speed up the process and ensure there is enough heat coverage over the total cooking area.
Pros
- Easy to light, as most come with an electric push-button ignition
- Able to achieve high temperatures quickly
- Plenty of available features
- So many different makes and models to choose from, including budget-friendly options
- No messy clean-up from fuel
Cons
- Gas has no inherent flavor, so you’re missing out on that grilling taste
- You’re unable to smoke your food with a propane grill
- Propane grills don’t perform well at lower temperatures
- It’s harder to get food to cook evenly
- Some propane grills can be difficult when it comes to controlling the temperature
Pellet Grill
The pellet grill brings together the positives from both charcoal and propane grills for a better grilling experience. Its popularity has been growing recently as it continues on an upward trend.
For the most part, pellet grills look like standard propane or charcoal cart or barrel grills with the addition of a pellet hopper on the side, which holds the pellets that used for fuel. You set the temperature you want the grill to be at, and the electric auger takes care of pulling the pellets from the hopper and carrying them up to the firepot.
Pros
- Easy to use, even for novice grillers
- Delicious wood-smoked flavor in your food
- Variety of wood flavor pellets to choose from
- Precise temperature control
- You can set the exact temperature you want it to be at and walk away
- It acts as both a smoker and a grill
- Will maintain the temperature in almost any weather
- Fuel efficient as it burns on average a pound of pellets per hour of cooking time
- Easier to clean than charcoal grills
Cons
- Pellet grills are more expensive than gas and charcoal grills
- Fuel is more expensive than propane or charcoal
- They can’t reach extremely high temperatures as seen with most gas and charcoal grills
- Requires electricity to use
- Requires cleaning of the firepot
- Although they achieve higher temperatures fairly quickly, it’s still not as quick as gas
Electric Grill
Fewer people have electric grills, but we wanted to include them here as we had one on our list since our infrared grill was electric. Not all infrared grills need plugging in, but it just so happens that the Char-Broil one does.
Depending on which side of the fence you’re on, electric grills could be convenient for you or not. If you live in an apartment and have a little balcony, they may be a fantastic solution. If you like to take your small grill camping in the backwoods, this style isn’t going to work for you.
Pros
- Turns on immediately and heats up quickly
- Start/stop button makes it easy to turn on and off without having to deal with open flames
- Easy maintenance
- In some cases, you can use it for indoor cooking as well
- Smaller models can be easily stored away
Cons
- Need a source of electricity to be able to plug the grill in
- Just like gas, you won’t get any additional flavors to your food
- Can be one of the more expensive options, especially if you use it often
- You can short circuit the entire unit if it gets wet
Disappointment Over Natural Gas Grills
One thing that disappointed us when we were doing our research was the lack of small natural gas grills. The only ones available were large and extra-large barbeques, and while we understand the reason behind it, as it wouldn’t make sense to use propane on something that large, there are still people who would like to have smaller grills and use natural gas.
Many homes use natural gas for their stoves, and other elements, and it would be a lot cheaper and convenient to hook a small grill up to the house than to continue switching out propane tanks.
While it might not be so much a necessity for smaller grills, like it is for the larger grills, it would still be nice to have the option, as it could be a much cheaper option for some people.
In Closing
As we get ready and excited for another great grilling season, remember, you don’t need a lot of space or the biggest grill on the market to join in the fun. That’s why we wanted to bring you this article. We wanted to let you know that everyone can join in the fun and enjoy the season.
Some of the larger grills we showcased here can close down in some way or another for easy storage, making it easier to keep out of the way when not in use. Others are smaller as we understand that some people just don’t have the space for the actual grilling itself. Also, smaller grills help with portability, if that is important to you when looking for a grill.
The anticipation for the season is part of the experience as well! It’s the time of year where we embrace it as we walk into the home improvement stores and start to see the grills, picturing ourselves in the backyard, BBQ tongs in hand, and we can almost smell the food cooking away.
The picture might look a little different for everyone, but the overall feel is the same. That little metal box brings us so much joy that we can’t help but get lost in our thoughts and smile while we’re in the middle of the aisle in the hardware store.
Hopefully, our list of the seven best small grill models – Perfect for Patios, Balconies, and Rooftops came in handy for you and helped you find a new favorite. Or at least answered some questions, provided you with some new information, or just entertained your interest in grills.