Patio, Tailgate or Balcony? The Best Small Charcoal Grill

A small charcoal grill can cook as well as a big one. What it cannot do is cook as much at once, so the real question is how many people you feed, where the grill will sit and how far you will carry it. A cast iron tabletop grill on a patio table, a folding grill in the trunk for a tailgate and a little lidded kettle for two are all small charcoal grills, but they suit very different cooks.

This guide covers compact charcoal grills for patios, small yards, camping and tailgates, from heavy cast iron to a stainless grill that weighs under five pounds. For each one we list the model, cooking area, grate, vents, ash handling, weight and warranty from the maker or the Amazon listing, and write “Not stated” where neither gives a figure. If you are thinking about a balcony, read our section on fire codes before you buy anything.

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Quick verdict: which small charcoal grill to buy

The table compares our five standout picks, one for each kind of small-space cook. All eight grills are reviewed in full below it.

Five compact charcoal grills compared

Type, cooking area and weight for our five standout small grills, as each maker or Amazon listing states them.

Product images from Amazon. Specifications as stated by each maker, retailer or Amazon listing; check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best small charcoal grill

These eight grills cover the compact end of charcoal cooking: two cast iron tabletop grills, two small barrels, two round lidded grills, a folding grill on legs and a stainless camping grill. Full-size kettles, kamados and gravity-fed grills are in our main guide to the best charcoal grill, and none of the grills below appears there.

Balconies, apartments and fire codes

Before you buy a small charcoal grill for a balcony, check whether you are allowed to use one there. In many places you are not.

The U.S. Fire Administration’s outdoor fire safety page is blunt: do not store or use a grill on a porch or balcony, and place it well away from siding and deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches. The National Fire Protection Association’s grilling safety tip sheet likewise says charcoal grills should be used only outdoors, well away from the home and deck railings.

Local rules vary. Fire codes are adopted city by city, and some are written differently from the federal advice. Madison, Wisconsin’s fire department, for example, says in its grill guidelines that charcoal grills may be used on a balcony only if it is protected by automatic sprinklers, and may not be used within 10 feet of combustible construction, including multi-family buildings. Your lease, condo rules or homeowners’ association can be stricter still. Ask your local fire department and your landlord before you light anything on a balcony, and if the answer is no, take the grill down to a yard, patio or park that allows it.

A seller describing a grill as good for “balcony parties”, as one listing on this page does, is not permission. The rules depend on where you live, not on the grill.

How to choose a small charcoal grill

Small grills are mostly about trade-offs between weight, grate size and features. These are the points that matter most.

1. Where it will sit

Tabletop grills need a sturdy, non-flammable surface; a picnic table, a tailgate or a stone patio is fine, but a plastic table or a wooden deck is not a good idea under hot coals. If you have no suitable table, a grill on its own legs, like the Marsh Allen, is easier. Keep the clearances in the safety section below whichever you choose.

2. Grate size for the people you feed

About 150 square inches, the size of a 14-inch round grill, feeds two. Around 200 to 260 square inches, like the Marsh Allen or the American Gourmet, feeds four. Measure what you cook most: a pound of skirt steak for tacos takes far less room than a batch of chicken thighs.

3. Weight against heat retention

Cast iron, on the Lodge and the American Gourmet, holds heat well, which helps a small fire sear. It also makes those grills heavy, at around 30 pounds or more. Thin steel and stainless grills are light enough to carry with one hand but lose heat faster, so expect to add coals more often.

4. Lid or no lid

Open grills, like the Lodge, the Marsh Allen and the Naturehike, are for direct, fast cooking: steak, chorizo, skewers, tortillas. A lid, on the Char-Broil, Gas One, Royal Gourmet and American Gourmet grills, lets you close the vents to slow the fire and finish thicker cuts or add a little wood smoke.

5. Ash handling and warranty

A slide-out drawer or a removable pan makes it easier to empty cooled ash. Warranties here run from 90 days on the Char-Broil 540 to two years on the Naturehike, per their listings; on a cheap grill left outdoors, the warranty is a fair hint at how long the maker expects it to last.

How we chose these eight small grills

We started from what a restaurant kitchen needs from any charcoal fire: enough heat to sear, a way to control it and a sensible way to deal with ash. We then looked for compact charcoal grills from identifiable makers that were sold on Amazon in the United States and showing as in stock when we checked, and confirmed each specification on the maker’s page or the Amazon listing, filling gaps from named retailers where we say so. Where sources disagree, as with the cooking area on the American Gourmet and the Royal Gourmet CC1619, we give both figures. We left out grills that were out of stock or showing very low stock when we checked, including Weber’s Smokey Joe Premium and Go-Anywhere and Lodge’s Kickoff grill, plus unbranded sellers. We also left out grills already recommended in our other charcoal and portable-grill guides, except for one color variant that we explain. We have not cooked on these grills for this guide, and we did not rely on outside reviews.

Charcoal safety for small grills

Follow your grill’s manual first. On top of that, the NFPA, the U.S. Fire Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s charcoal grill safety tips give these rules:

• Use charcoal grills only outdoors. The CPSC warns that burning charcoal gives off carbon monoxide, which has no odor and can kill; never burn charcoal inside homes, vehicles, tents or garages, even with a small grill.
• Place the grill well away from the house and deck railings and out from under eaves and branches.
• Keep children and pets at least three feet away, and never leave a lit grill unattended.
• Light charcoal with a chimney starter or an electric starter, or use only charcoal starter fluid, and never add fluid to a fire that is already burning.
• Let the coals cool completely, then put them in a metal container with a lid. A small grill is not ready to pack until the coals are cold.

Cooking well on a small grill

• Use less charcoal, but use it well. A half-full chimney is plenty for most small grills. Spread the coals under one side only, so you have a hot zone for searing and a cooler side to move food to.
• Cook in batches. On a small grate, sear the meat first, rest it under foil, then use the fading heat for onions, chiles and tortillas.
• Cook to temperature. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service’s safe minimum internal temperature chart lists 145°F for beef steaks with a rest of at least three minutes, 160°F for ground meats and 165°F for poultry. Check with an instant-read thermometer.
• Look after the metal. Brush and oil cast iron after each cook, and keep steel grills dry and covered so they do not rust.

For a grill that travels further, see our best portable grill and best camping charcoal grill guides; for low, open cast iron cooking, the best hibachi grill; and if you are new to charcoal, the best charcoal grill for beginners.

Small charcoal grill questions, answered

What is the best small charcoal grill?

For most cooks, the Lodge Sportsman’s Pro, because its cast iron holds heat for a proper sear and it is built to last. If you cook for more people, the American Gourmet by Char-Broil Tabletop gives you the largest grate here.

Can I use a small charcoal grill on my apartment balcony?

Often not. The U.S. Fire Administration says not to use or store a grill on a porch or balcony, and many local fire codes ban charcoal on apartment balconies or near the building. Check with your fire department and your landlord or association first.

What is the best small charcoal grill for a tailgate?

The Naturehike folding grill is the lightest at 4.85 pounds; the Royal Gourmet CC1015W and Gas One 14-inch fold or latch shut for carrying. The Lodge is excellent on a tailgate but heavy to move.

How big should a small charcoal grill be for two people?

About 150 square inches, the size of a 14-inch round grate, is enough for two. Move up to 200 square inches or more if you regularly cook for four.

Is a tabletop charcoal grill safe on a wooden table?

Coals get very hot underneath, so we would use a stable, non-flammable surface such as stone, concrete or a metal tailgate instead, and check your grill’s manual for its clearances.

Our final small-grill pick

Buy the Lodge Sportsman’s Pro if you want a small grill that sears hard and will last for years. Choose the American Gourmet tabletop for the most cooking space, the Royal Gourmet CC1619 for a two-zone setup, the Marsh Allen if you have no table, and the Naturehike when weight is everything. Wherever you grill, check the local rules first, especially on a balcony.

For full-size kettles and kamados, see the best charcoal grill. To make the most of a small fire, read how to eat fajitas. Or let us do the cooking: see the menu or call to order.