Buying Guide: A Portable Barbecue

GUIDES PORTABLE

Buying Guide: A Portable Barbecue

A portable barbecue earns its place when it lights reliably, sits steady, and is light enough to lift with the gas canister removed. The Ziggy Elite Nomad is the single-burner LPG model in the current range. Use this guide to decide whether a single burner is enough, or whether a twin grill is the smaller step up.

Read Time
6m
Skill
Beginner
Applies To
Balcony, camping, caravan
Fuel
Gas

What to compare

  • Weight you can lift on your own
  • A stable surface, never a flammable table covering
  • Clearance from walls and eaves, as the manual specifies
  • A canister or bottle size you can store safely
  • A hotplate only if you will cook onions, eggs or smash burgers

Steps

  1. Step 01

    Decide the job. One burner cooks for two people, boils a pot beside a park, or sears a couple of steaks. It will not run a cool zone and a hot zone at the same time.

  2. Step 02

    Read the clearance diagram before you buy for a balcony. Some models are not approved for use under cover or near a railing.

  3. Step 03

    Check the packed size against the boot or caravan locker, and check the lit height against the space where it will actually be used.

  4. Step 04

    If you regularly cook for four, step up to a twin grill with a trolley and skip the portable. A single burner used past its capacity is the usual disappointment.