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The Best Tabletop Grill for Cooking Anywhere, Anytime
Written By Review Team at the Kitchen Institute
With spring and summer just around the corner, all the BBQ enthusiasts are gearing up for their outdoor adventures. Small, portable tabletop grills are great for such occasions. They’re lightweight, portable, easy to clean, and designed with great heat retention and distribution construction.
There are a variety of types of tabletop grills. You can pick one fueled by propane gas, charcoal, or electricity. Besides the fueling, you would also need to consider some other important factors, such as the BTU, tabletop dimensions, construction material, cooking area, and the maximum temperature it can reach. When shopping for a grill, consider how frequently you’d be traveling with it and the amount of food you’d be preparing on it.
There are a lot of other factors to keep in mind, which is why we’ve put together this guide to simplify things for you. This guide also recommends some of the best tabletop grills of 2025, so you can find the best one for your particular grilling needs.
The Best Tabletop Grills of 2025
Razor Tabletop Grill
Best Overall
The Razor Portable Propane Gas Grill is perfect for cooking a variety of meals outdoors. This 25-inch blackstone griddle provides double the cooking capacity with two burners and a large, 318 square-inch surface so that you can wow your friends and family with plenty of food all summer long. Additionally, it features a simple push-and-turn ignition so you can easily fire up the grill and start prepping your favorite dishes or sauces right away.
Thanks to its portable design, you can conveniently take the Razor griddle and enjoy outdoor cooking wherever you go. Furthermore, this grill comes with a variety of useful features like the front access grease management system and a concealed cup for easy cleanup. Because of its portability, convenience, and ample cooking space, it has earned the top spot on our list of the highest-rated tabletop grills.
Cuisinart Tabletop Grill
Best Value
For a quick and easy setup, this Cuisinart tabletop grill needs no assembly or presets to get started. You can simply put it on a table and start grilling in less than 10 minutes. No need to get matches or tools. It features two 20,000 BTU burners made from stainless steel that are controlled by dedicated knobs. The electronic ignition, two-burner system, and control knobs make grilling a lot more fun as well completely hassle-free.
Further, there are stainless steel grates on the grill that offer top performance even in a small space. This portable burner is ideal for cooking large meat cuts. An integrated thermometer checks the grill’s status, while the burner knobs can monitor the heat levels. You don’t require matches to ignite the grill. Just a twist-start will fire the tabletop grill up. There’s a tray at the bottom that collects all the drippings and grease for a quick and easy cleanup.
Blackstone Tabletop Grill
Most Lightweight
This heavy-duty flat tabletop grill station is made from alloy steel, designed to make all your outdoor adventures a mouth-watering affair. This portable flat griddle can cook your crunchy hash browns, eggs, crispy bacon, fluffed-up pancakes, meat, and much more. The small size allows you to pick it up easily and transport it from one place to another. You can carry the versatile flat top along with you on trips, picnics, backyard parties, fishing, tailgating, pool parties, and more due to its lightweight design.
The flat-top offers 339 sq. inches of cooking surface, which is enough to cook all your outdoor food items in one go. The burner gives off 24,000 BTU of heat evenly to all the corners of the flat top to ensure thorough cooking. Two powerful “H” burners are responsible for optimal heat distribution. There are built-in igniters for both the burners that you can control independently with a simple knob.
Royal Gourmet Tabletop Grill
Best Choice for Propane
Weighing just 20 pounds, this portable tabletop gas griddle can easily be transported from one place to another. It features four sturdy feet with a flat base for better stability on elevated surfaces. This table is perfect for outdoor events, picnics, camping, fishing, tailgating, and more. You can also easily store the small design in your car or RV as you explore and travel long distances.
Further, this tabletop grill is fueled by a 20lb (9.07 kg) propane tank for fast and even heating. There are three burners with independent controllers to give an overall 25,500 BTU of cooking power. You can ignite the stove automatically with a simple push at the piezo igniter. This integrated igniter will ensure quick heating and allow you to adjust the temperature easily by simply adjusting the knob. The top cooking surface is 326 sq. inches wide, providing an excellent space for all kinds of food items.
Megamaster Tabletop Grill
Most Portable
This two-burner gas tabletop grill is made from high-quality stainless steel and will last you a long while. There is 199 square inches (0.13 square meters) wide cooking space that can evenly cook any and every kind of food anywhere your heart desires. The two stainless steel burners come with separate controllers as well as a super convenient push and turn system for ignition. Both the burners combined have 16,000 BTU while each one of them supplies an even, 8000 BTU.
The construction and design allow convenient portability with foldable legs and a lid end cap. These features also make storing the grill quite easy. This stainless steel tabletop grill works with LP liquid propane gas and the cooking grid has exceptional heat retention properties. The steel is treated with a heat and rust-resistant finish that makes it a perfect choice for outdoor cooking adventures.
Giantex Tabletop Grill
Best Rust Resistance
This tabletop gas grill comes with a powerful collaboration of functionality and performance. The high-quality stainless steel is certified food safe by CSA and offers a quick and even heat distribution through the surface. The hood covers the grill area and locks up securely, making transportation a lot more convenient as compared to open-top grills. This grill is also quite lightweight thanks to its all-steel construction and expertly engineered design.
Furthermore, this product features two burners with separate control knobs. You can control the heat on each burner to adjust the temperature for an always optimal cooking experience. The stainless steel surfaces are very easy to clean and maintain, as they’re coated with a rust-resistant layer. The ignition requires no matches to start, so all you have to do is push the knob and turn.
Tabletop Grills: Buying Guide
Here’s a complete buying guide to help you get the perfect portable grill.
Factors to Consider When Getting a Tabletop Grill
Below we have listed a handful of factors to keep in mind when shopping for your new tabletop grill.
Weight
A portable tabletop grill should be easy to carry and store along the road, trail, or boat. It shouldn’t be too heavy to be carried. If you’re looking for a super-light option, you can go for models that do not feature a covering lid on top.
Fuel type
There are three main kinds: electric, propane, and charcoal. Although all viable options, each of these styles comes with its own set of pros and cons. Electric tabletop grills are eco-friendly and convenient to use. You can change the temperature settings and use this grill both indoors and outdoors. This is the ideal option for people living in apartments or spaces where open flame grills are restricted for use. Propane tabletop grills are the most preferred as well as the most common kind. They’re perfect for searing due to the high heat output. They’re also great for outdoor grilling. However, propane tabletop grills do require you to travel with a gas-filled cylinder as well. The only potential downside to this kind is the increased operational cost. Charcoal tabletop grills are budget-friendly and perfect for creating that charcoal flavor and crispy, charred texture on food. However, when grilling on this tabletop, you need to be super careful as there is no heat control mechanism in place. Be sure to responsibly monitor the food throughout its cooking process.
Cooking surface/area
The cooking area is the surface available on the grill to put food on. You can see the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the cooking area mentioned in terms of square inches or the serving amount you can cook on it. This choice is determined by the quantity of food you will prepare. A larger capacity usually means a bigger, heavier unit. This can affect portability.
BTU
For gas-operated tabletop grills, BTU shows the heat output you will get from a grill. BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, and it calibrates the fuel consumption of the grill to tell you the total hourly output of heat generated by all the burners. For a better idea, simply compare the BTU with the cooking area. As a rule of thumb, a high BTU value means more heat for better, quicker coverage.
How to Pick a Quality Tabletop Grill
Read on to find out what features make a high-quality tabletop grill.
Drip tray
Drip trays go at the bottom of the grill and collect all the grease and drippings from the food. This helps in keeping the unit clean, dry, and free from stickiness due to grease. The tray is easily removable, so you can empty it after every cooking session.
Heat controls
A quality tabletop grill comes with the ability to regulate temperature. In addition to a versatile temperature range, you’d need some sort of controlling mechanism in place to maintain consistent heat. Heat controlling knobs will prevent undercooked, overcooked, or burnt food. This is a must-have feature for outdoor grills where wind can cause fluctuations in the temperature.
Ease of assembly and use
Some grills come with detached parts that need to be put together before use. Look for a tabletop grill that comes fully assembled or needs minimal assembly to save time.
Dishwasher safe components
Grease, ash, and sticky food can be really hard to clean up. A dishwasher-safe grill would allow you to conveniently toss the messy parts in, saving you time and effort.
What Kind of Food is Safe to Cook on Tabletop Grills?
As long as you’re taking care of all the safety instructions, you can cook all kinds of food items on a tabletop grill. This includes all the summer classics such as burgers, steaks, grilled fish, vegetables, fruit, and so much more. Remember, there’s a grilled version of all kinds of dishes. However, too much grease can be hard to clean. Try to limit the amount of juicy meat you place on the tabletop at one time, as too much grease can flare up the fire.
Safety Tips When Using Tabletop Grills
A few essential safety tips are:
- Always place the tabletop on a secure and approved surface.
- Use long-handled spoons or tools to manage the food to protect your hands from direct heat.
- Don’t leave the grill unattended at any point.
- If the grill is for outdoor use only, never attempt to use it indoors.
- Never overload the grill as it can cause the fire to flare up.
- Completely shut down the grill after every use.
Conclusion
Outdoor tabletop grills are perfect for all your summer adventures. However, there are quite a few factors that need attention before you make the final purchase. The tabletop needs to be portable, easy to use/clean, and safe to take along wherever you go.
People Also Asked
Where should I put a tabletop grill?
You can place a tabletop grill on any aluminum or wood table/surface. We do not recommend using a plastic table/surface as the base for this grill, as the heat can damage it.
Can I use a tabletop grill indoors?
Yes, you can, but we recommend always using them outdoors. Overall, it is best to check the usage instructions from the manufacturer regarding the area and space of use.
Do I need to season the tabletop grill before the first use?
If the instructions say that the grill top is pre-seasoned, you don’t need to season it before use. If it isn’t, it’s still a choice. You can skip seasoning it if you’d only be cooking or heating light food on it.
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