By Belinda Castles
Researcher | Kairangahau
Whether it’s grilling sausages at the beach or searing steak at the campground, a compact portable BBQ is a good option. It’s also a good solution if you don’t have the space at home for a bigger backyard barbecue.
We test the performance of BBQs by grilling steak and sausages. We also cook marinated chicken wings to check how well the BBQ cooks on a low heat.
There were 3 portable bbqs that we found a bit disappointing but 3 that we recommend to have on hand this summer - including one that you plug in!
Tip: If you're tight on space consider a smaller gas bottle than the standard 9kg. It will take up less space in your car and campsite and is lighter to carry.
If you are after a larger backyard/patio BBQ, our test of 20 larger models has 4 recommended barbecues.
Worst portable BBQs
Best portable BBQs
What about a secondhand BBQ?
Barbecues have a hard life. They often live outside year round and operate at very hot temperatures. Cheap ones can deteriorate quickly, but good ones also need regular maintenance and cleaning to keep them working well.
Before buying a secondhand BBQ, check it still works (don’t just trust the seller!) and inspect it thoroughly for damage, wear and tear. For more help, read our tips for buying a secondhand barbecue.
Our barbecue test results also include results for 9 discontinued portable barbecues that we’ve tested previously, so you can compare new and older models.
If you buy a BBQ from a secondhand dealer and discover the barbecue is faulty, you’re covered by the Consumer Guarantees Act.
If you buy a secondhand BBQ privately, you have no cover if anything goes wrong.
If you buy a secondhand BBQ and it needs a good clean, check out our advice about how to get your BBQ ready for summer.
