Top 8 Portable BBQs To Go Camping With

We Aussies love our BBQs, “throwing another shrimp on the Barbie” and relaxing with our mates is our idea of a perfect weekend. But we not only like to do it at home, we even find it fun to pack up the BBQ along with our other camping gear for a holiday.

So, of course, we thought it was a good idea to find out what some of the best portable BBQs out there are, so when you head out on your next camping holiday you’ll be able to cook up a memorable outdoor meal.

But before you run out and purchase one of these BBQs, let’s first consider some features and what makes sense for you so you’ll buy the best portable BBQ for your needs.

First and foremost, people normally consider price. One might think that with portable BBQs for camping that cheap is the best option. But if you’re a regular camper or even want to sure it holds up for at least a few years, you shouldn’t just go for the cheapest model. Even if you’re on a budget, buy the best you can afford so you’ll get long-term use. This isn’t to say that a less expensive portable BBQ couldn’t be perfect for your needs, as you’ll see with the range of prices in the ones we list below.

Next up, features. One of the biggies to consider is how much space it will take up. Camping gear needs to be compact and not too unwieldy so as to make it easy to unpack when you get to your destination. Right along with space and size is how the portable BBQ is set up. Can you easily carry it out of the car and start using it relatively quickly? Can you set it up by yourself or does it take several people? The best portable BBQs are simple and easy to use because the last thing you want to on holiday is to struggle with your equipment for cooking your meal.

Other factors to think about as you weigh your portable BBQ choices are: do you want a hood? (A hood gives you more options on what you can cook, such as pizza, roasts, etc.) How easy is it to light or start grilling? Gas burning or charcoal?

Ultimately, you’ll need to pick the best portable BBQ for your needs and budget. We hope these five options show you the range available and help you in your quest to bring along your love of the barbie on your camping adventures!

1. Ziegler & Brown Portable Grill

This compact, portable BBQ won the 2015 Good Design Selection and comes in several colors, including red, blue and grey. But aside from looking good, the Ziegler & Brown grill offers up quite a few features that are the reason it’s on our best portable BBQs list. One of those features is the high dome, roll-back hood that gives you the option to cook anything from a roast, to an egg.

Customers rave about the features that this portable gas BBQ provides, such as the ability to twist the hood all the way under the grill, ease of cleaning and ability to be locked in place (either closed or open). The relative compact size at 67.5 cm wide and 47 cm tall (that’s with the hood open) makes it easy to transport as well. There are also a few accessories that provide the BBQ with even more use, such as a hot plate, trivet kit and stand. The Ziegler & Brown Portable Grill costs $329.

2. Zimba Lotus Grill

Of the portable BBQs for grilling, this option gives you a smokeless barbecue, making it a great choice for beachfront grilling and other places where you might not want to create a bunch of smoke. How does that work, you say? Using charcoal packed in a canister with some lighter fluid that you light, you place it inside the grill and then a battery-operated fan superheats the charcoal, giving you a quick start to grilling. The company claims it takes less than five minutes and because it is double walled, the exterior of the grill remains cool to touch so if you’ve got it at the table or on a picnic blanket, you’re totally safe to cook away. Another good safety feature is that if the grill somehow got knocked over—kids running around, mate leans over to grab something—the burning charcoal stays in place due to the canister.

At 35 cm (diameter) and 23 ½ cm tall, this grill won’t be a space hog and makes for a great portable BBQ on any camping holiday. The company suggests using its beech charcoal (maybe you could check around to see if that’s necessary) and offers a starter collection that includes charcoal, lighter fluid and a carrying bag for $199.95. There are also a few accessories worth checking out such as the glass hood and pizza oven set. Add this portable BBQ to your camping gear by clicking here.

3. Gasmate Rio BBQ

This multi-use grill made our best portable BBQs list for several reasons: two hotplates (ribbed and flat), drain fat for healthier eating and it has an optional stand for use in a variety of locations. Another perk of this portable gas BBQ is the generous cooking space, allowing you to fill it up and cook for a crowd—whether that is a group of friends or your whole family.

The hood provides a heat gauge, but no need to worry about getting burnt while cooking as the handle has a cool touch feature. The stand gives you the freedom to either cook on top of the table or, if that’s not available or it works better, you can use the stand. The cooking surface is non-stick, making it easy to clean (who wants to deal with messy clean ups during a holiday?). It heats up quickly, and the combination of the hood and two kinds of cooking surfaces provides tons of options for what you can cook at your barbecue. This portable gas BBQ retails for $189.95.

4. Weber Go-Anywhere BBQ

This charcoal-fueled BBQ offers up a good size cooking space for a portable grill along with a hood that features vents to allow for smoking. The lid also serves as a great way to block wind so your coals don’t take forever to heat up. The legs on the grill carry a secondary use of folding up to lock the lid in place for easy carrying.

The porcelain finish makes it easy to clean and prevents rust (so you can plan to take on it plenty of camping holidays summer or winter!). At 37 cm tall and 53 cm, it won’t take up too much space, but is still large enough that you won’t be constantly refilling the grill trying to get everyone’s steak finished without the others getting cold. The Weber Go-Anywhere costs $129.95, making it one of our affordable prices on our best portable BBQ list.

5. Billabong Picnic Portable BBQ

We wanted to give you a variety of styles and price ranges for our best portable BBQs, and this one falls into the affordable price category. The simple Billabong Picnic Portable BBQ folds up and with its wheels, you just pull it with you to and from your picnic location. All it takes to start grilling is some charcoal and lighter fluid or even just some quick start charcoal, and you’ll be ready to cook up some delicious food for you and your mates.

Priced right now at Barbeques Galore for $39.95, you could nab one of these portable grills and take it on your next holiday as soon as it arrives. It is a bit taller (850 cm) than some of the other portable BBQs for camping suggestions, but the wheels and stand will be very helpful when trying to make for a quick set up at your holiday destination. Keep in mind, you’ll want to give yourself time to put it together before you head out on your holiday since it does come “assembly required,” and no one wants to mess with putting it together once you’re already at the campground.

6. Jamie Oliver Big Boy BBQ

Also an affordable option, this portable BBQ is quite as large so it makes an easier one to transport and less hassle to put together. However, you’ll have to set it on a table or sit next to it to BBQ since it has much shorter legs than say the Billabong. You will find that with the 34cm surface that you should be able to do several steaks or chickens and perhaps a couple of sausages at the same time.

This is a charcoal grill so you’ll need to make sure you bring along the necessary accessories to accommodate that type of cooking, but as long as you plan for it, the end result can make for more flavour. There are vents on the bottom and in the hood to help control heat. The Jamie Oliver Big Boy BBQ is a cheap and easy way to take your picnic on the road.

7. Camco 57305 Olympian 5500 Stainless Steel Portable Grill

This cool portable BBQ has one of our more unique features — it attaches to your RV. Complete with a mounting rack, the Camco Olympian hooks up directly to the RV’s gas supply with the use of the 39 inch hose that comes with the unit. It also has a huge cooking surface and a stainless steel burner and grate along with a smoker plate and removable grease tray. It easily ignites electronically and can convert to tabletop use should you desire that option. The grill comes assembled so the only thing you’ll need to do is attach it to your vehicle and hook it up to the gas, then you’ll be cooking – literally.

8. Asado Boat BBQ

OK, now, this is fun. You can literally hang this portable BBQ off the rail of your boat and cook up some delicious food while you enjoy a day out on your boat. What a cool idea! The Asado Boat BBQ fits most 25mm horizontal rails. It clamps to the boat and then you can start cooking on the stainless steel BBQ, which uses disposable charcoal cartridges that include charcoal, firelighter, cooking grill and a disposable foil firebox, all of which is wrapped in watertight cellophane.

Bring all your camping gear and stay at Broken Head

Pack up your new portable BBQ and all your camping gear after you book your stay at Broken Head Holiday Park. Located near Byron Bay, our holiday park offers a relaxed environment where you’ll enjoy putting your BBQ to use. We have powered and unpowered campsites along with beach cabins and beach shacks, any of which would be excellent locations to set up your portable BBQ and grill a delicious meal after a fun day seeing the sights of Byron Bay. So book your stay soon and come visit for a long weekend holiday!