Consumer Reports Compared Portable Gas Grills & One Beat The Rest (It's Not Coleman)

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Portable gas grills are great for tailgating, camping, and cooking at the beach. They can also be an ideal way to make the most out of a small backyard because you can hide them away when you're not using them. Consumer Reports (CR), the world's largest independent product review organization, tested 25 different portable gas grills, and the one that beat the rest wasn't from leading portable manufacturer Coleman or from big-name brands like Weber or Napoleon. It was from Broil King. Let's take a closer look.

The Broil King Porta-Chef 320 portable gas grill that took the top spot in Consumer Reports' rankings has three stainless steel burners, providing 295 square inches of primary cooking space, with a warming rack of 135 square inches. The porcelain-coated cast-iron grids were noted for the evenness of cooking they deliver in CR's expert tests. The Broil King also got high marks for convenience, with detachable legs that store underneath the main body and folding side shelves that provide valuable prep space. It also has a thermometer and electronic ignition, listed at $299 at AJ Madison and $399 at sites such as Home Depot.

Although tabletop grills are among the best budget gas models, they struggle to provide cooking space for the whole family. The Broil King achieves this, but thanks to the use of lightweight aluminum and resin for some components, it weighs just 52 pounds.

Online owner reviews for the Broil King Porta-Chef 320 are also highly positive. At Home Depot, it gets 4.5 out of 5 stars, and Lowe's customers give it 4.8. Most find it well-made, easy to cook with, and compact enough for easy transportation. One owner who'd had theirs since 2018 wrote on Home Depot, "Great quality, no complaints." Another said, "small size, big features," and liked the three sturdy carrying handles. A Californian who used it two or three times a week said it "cooks evenly and is big enough for a family of four to six" when reviewing the grill on Lowe's.

Complaints are rare, and nobody at Lowe's gave the grill less than 4 stars. One Home Depot buyer had problems with a burner not lighting and a damaged leg, but replacements were being provided. Consumer Reports noted that the Broil King could flare up when fatty meats were cooked, but the site also said that was true of most grills.

Although most customers support Consumer Reports' findings, the market for gas grills is very competitive, so it makes sense to look at other models before making a decision. That said, whether you travel a lot and are focused on mobility or you have modest space available and you're looking for the centerpiece of a DIY outdoor kitchen, including the Broil King Porta-Chef 320 in your considerations, does seem like a good idea.