No matter who wins the big game, the best part about attending any large event is the tailgating party. Gathering around with friends (and strangers), chatting it up, sharing food, and jamming to music in the parking lot is always the ultimate experience. Of course, the tailgate could go awry without having a good grill.
Whether you prefer pellets charcoal or propane, the one common denominator you want in a tailgating grill is portability. They should be easy to transport and set up outside the back of your trunk so you can cook pre-game steaks, burgers, and ribs alongside fellow fans. Check out these top picks for tailgating grills!
Green Mountain Grills Trek Pellet Grill
The Green Mountain Grills Trek Pellet Grill is ideal for cooking for a carload of 3-4 people. With digital controls, you can increase or decrease the temperature in 5-degree increments from 150 to 550 degrees. You can feel at ease to let your grill take care of the hard work for a few minutes while you snag a handful of chips from your neighbor, as this little guy is Wi-Fi enabled. Keep an eye on internal food temperatures from the convenient app right on your smartphone. (There’s even a number of great recipes to choose from if you want to challenge some confident griller who is clearly rooting for the wrong team.)
Weber Traveler Portable Gas Grill
Imagine cooking top quality meals for the tailgate without using the big bulky grill that’s on your patio. While compact for minimal storage space the Weber Traveler Portable Gas Grill has a fairly large grilling space of 320 sq. in. which can hold up to 15 burgers. It folds down without much fuss and easily fits in the trunk of your car, saving space for the propane fuel tank you’ll need to use with it. Lighting up almost immediately (reaching nearly 600 degrees), and able to maintain consistent grilling temperatures very well, this grill checks all the boxes.
MiniMax Big Green Egg
Though a bit odd-looking at first glance, the MiniMax Big Green Egg can stack up to the big boys. Inside the “egg” is a stainless steel cooking grid. It can take on a 12-pound turkey, two steaks or a rack of ribs. This grill is perfect for 2-4 people meals. And there’s a benefit to being on the smaller side: the charcoal is ready faster so you can enjoy your food quicker. While the MiniMax is smaller, it still is proportionally sized for grilling to perfection; since the coals are not too close to the meat, there is ample space in between. And the two side handles aid lifting it to safe, non-combustible surface before firing it up.
Char-Broil Grill2Go X200
This will become your best friend during football season. The cooking grate in the Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 Gas Grill is the secret to this grill and what makes it a true infrared grill. As one of the newest trends in outdoor cooking, infrared grilling uses infrared technology as the heat source. Instead of the flame heating the grates directly like it would in a conventional gas grill, the gas heats the infrared element, which then radiates intense heat to the food. (It looks very similar to the toolbox in your garage, due to its heavy-duty structure and double latches, but just make sure it’s the grill you’re picking up and not your arsenal of hammers or you will end up very disappointed once you reach the tailgate.)