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Best travel barbecues for camping

• There's nothing like an outdoor barbecue
• Enjoy some quality alfresco dining with the best travel barbecues 
• Charcoal, gas or electric, the choice is yours

Written by Alex Boyd Updated: 2 July 2024

Welcome to the sizzling world of campsite cooking and travel barbecues because, let’s face it, there’s nothing quite like the scent of barbecue cooking filling the air to give you an enormous sense of well-being and the expectation of delicious food to come.

After a long day walking, hiking or driving, there’s no better way to end the day on a high than to cook some great-tasting barbecued food, be it juicy burgers or perfectly charred veggies, while enjoying the outdoors and creating some lasting memories.

So, here’s a selection of the best travel barbecues that are ideal for your next road trip. There’s a mix of traditional charcoal and gas, and we even have an electric one for you to consider. Of course, they are all portable, lightweight and easy to store when not in use.

Best travel barbecues for camping at a glance:

Editor’s choice: Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill & Smoker – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best gas barbecue: Weber Go-Anywhere Gas Barbeque Grill – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best novelty barbecue: Volkswagen Camper Van Portable Suitcase BBQ Grill – Buy now from Amazon UK

Best travel barbecues for camping

Editor’s choice

Quick, clean, versatile, easy to set up, and it’s pretty compact. What’s not to like about the Ninja Woodfire BBQ Grill and Smoker, the best travel barbeque we’ve found.

It has seven, yes, seven outdoor cooking functions (including air-frying and smoking), allowing your culinary versatility to veer off the well-trodden path and investigate some more exciting food experiences. But don’t worry if you don’t want to do that; the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill will look after and deliver traditional fare with no fuss. The Woodfire technology burns real wood pellets to give a natural woodfire flavour either slowly for tender results or to add that smoky flavour to any food quickly.

Pros

  • Woodfire flavour
  • Versatile cooking

Cons

  • Needs mains power source

Best gas travel barbecue

When you’re on the road, the Weber Go-Anywhere Gas Barbecue is your ideal companion. It’s compact, lightweight and features folding legs which lock the lid in place when you’re on the move.

The porcelain-enamelled lid and bowl provide even, consistent cooking temperatures and protect against wear and rust. It uses mini propane canisters or gas bottles, giving you complete freedom, and the push-button ignition means no messing about with matches. Weber has a good selection of accessories you can purchase separately to make your BBQing experience even better.

Pros

  • Good shape for storage while travelling
  • Easy to assemble and set up

Cons

  • No accessories included

Best travel barbecue on a budget

Price: $84.59
The gas-cartridge-powered Party Grill has that distinctive Campingaz look and can be used as an ordinary stove or a grill, or you can BBQ on the non-stick grill plate. The grill plate is split into two sections; a grilling area and a flat griddle, and the heat is fully adjustable, giving you full control. It has a piezo ignition system, so there’s no more burning your fingers trying to get a flame going with matches.

It’s designed to be easy to dissemble for transport, everything fits inside the bowl, and the lid keeps everything in place.

Pros

  • Flexible use
  • Easy to clean

Cons

  • Slight curve on the grill plate makes cooking sausages tricky

Best travel barbecue for durability

Here’s a rugged-looking portable cooking station from Char-Broil. The X200 Grill2Go features infra-red cooking technology, which uses less gas and gives better results. There’s push-button electronic ignition and a temperature gauge allowing you to cook your food just the way you like it; the grilling space is pretty big and offers an even temperature over the entire surface. Cooking time is quite quick, and heating is even. It is rugged and sturdy and built to be moved around, but it’s also surprisingly light and easy to carry.

Pros

  • Lid temperature gauge
  • Easy to transport

Cons

  • Heat control can be tricky

Best novelty travel barbecue

Price: $119.95
If you want a campervan-themed travel barbeque for your campervan, this must be the obvious choice. The Brisa Volkswagen Hippie Bus T1 Camper BBQ conjures up images of the heady days of the 60s and 70s when Volkswagen Camper vans were the epitome of freedom. This retro design BBQ is a handy size, easy to set up and sturdy enough to withstand hot charcoal. It’s not the biggest BBQ grill on our list, but it’s more than suitable for two people and is a great gift for the VW Campervan enthusiast.

Pros

  • Handy size
  • Great for VW fans

Cons

  • Small grilling area

Best charcoal travel barbecue on a budget

The AGM Portable Folding Charcoal BBQ Grill is a fantastic option for outdoor cooking. Its compact and lightweight design makes it easy to transport and set up. Despite its small size, the AGM grill provides a decent-sized cooking surface with good even heat distribution that can provide sufficient nosh for three to five people. There’s a removable ash catcher for easy cleaning, and it can be easily folded away when not in use.

Pros

  • Easy to clean
  • Compact and easily stored

Cons

  • Smaller cooking area

Best simple travel barbecue

There are no frills on the Go-Easy Grill King Portable Charcoal BBQ Grill. It’s stylish, practical, and convenient, as well as being lightweight and portable. There are no complicated connections or dials; simply get your charcoal in the coal bowl up to a good temperature, put your food on the grill and get BBQing. There are ventilation holes around the base to improve air intake and speed up grilling. Once you are finished, it will need 45 minutes to an hour to cool down before you can store it away.

Pros

  • No frills, no fuss
  • Portable

Cons

  • Not suitable for confined spaces

What to consider when choosing a camping BBQ

When choosing a barbecue for camping, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, you’ll need to decide whether you want a gas or charcoal barbecue. Gas barbecues are more convenient, but they can be more expensive. Charcoal barbecues are more traditional, but they can be more difficult to use.

Once you’ve decided on the type of barbecue, you’ll need to consider the size. If you’re cooking for a large group, you’ll need a larger barbecue. If you’re only cooking for yourself or a few friends, you can get away with a smaller barbecue.

Finally, you’ll need to think about portability. If you’re planning on hiking or backpacking, you’ll need a lightweight barbecue that’s easy to transport. If you’re just driving to your campsite, you can get away with a heavier barbecue.

Alex Boyd is a Commercial Content Writer for Parkers, specialising in power tools and pressure washers. In his spare time, he enjoys DIY, travel, gardening and music.

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