Portable Charcoal BBQ Grill Gifts for Outdoor Cooks

The pleasure of charcoal cooking is the ritual: lighting the fuel, waiting for the heat and sharing food outside. A portable grill gives an enthusiast a smaller setup to take along or store between uses. A good location is part of the plan: somewhere outdoors where barbecues are permitted, with room for a safe setup.

Folding open grill or lidded kettle?

Charmline’s green folding grill packs down to about 34.7 × 23 × 7.6cm. Its side areas provide somewhere for small accessories when opened, and the grate can be lifted out. It suits someone who values a compact packed shape for a small outdoor meal. Use it on a suitable heat-safe surface and follow the maker’s fuel and setup limits.

The Crystals CR-1017 is the simpler folding alternative. It measures 35.5 × 27.5 × 20cm assembled and about 6.5cm high when packed, with four folding legs. Those outside dimensions help with storage; check the grate size separately against the portions they normally cook.

Weber’s black Smokey Joe Premium is a compact 37cm charcoal kettle with a lid, adjustable vents and a Tuck-N-Carry lid lock. It offers lidded cooking rather than an open folding grate, but keeps its round bowl shape in storage. The lock makes a fully cooled barbecue easier to carry; wait until the grill and coals are cold before moving it.

The place to cook comes first

• Use only outdoors in a clear, permitted area on a stable, heat-safe surface, following the exact manual and local rules. A small balcony, sheltered space or campsite does not automatically qualify.
• Never take a barbecue into a tent, vehicle, garage or room, even when it appears to have gone out. Charcoal can produce carbon monoxide; the NHS guidance explains why enclosed use is dangerous.
• Plan fuel, lighting materials, tongs and suitable heat protection separately. Check the supplied contents and keep children clear of the hot grill.
• Allow the grill and coals to cool fully before packing or disposing of ash. That cooling time belongs in the plan for the journey home.

Choose Charmline for its compact folding format, Crystals for a straightforward small open grill, or Smokey Joe Premium when a lid and vents fit the recipient’s cooking style. Before giving one as a surprise, ask where they would use and store it. Someone who enjoys food but would rather stay at the kitchen hob may get more use from a cookbook chosen around their favourite dishes.