9 of the best portable BBQs to make summer 2025 sizzle

For many of us, the best thing about Australia is its diverse natural habitat, from pristine beaches and lush rainforests to sunburnt outback and blazing desert sands. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes harsh, always striking. The next best thing is that you can usually soak up these surroundings with a snag in your hand, thanks to the communal hotplates that are part and parcel of most parks and beaches across the country. We take them for granted, but visitors to this wide brown land are genuinely amazed to discover these beacons of democracy because they just don’t have such things at home.

National treasures though they are, there are occasions when you need a little more time or control than the giant frypan will allow. At peak times on public holidays and sunny weekends, when you don’t want to spend your day waiting in the barbie-queue. When you want to get some serious caramelisation on those prime rib eyes and need to be able to control the temperature. When you’re cooking up a festive feast for fifteen, but don’t want to kill the goodwill by commandeering the hotplates all afternoon.

These are the times you’ll be thankful for having your own portable BBQ. You might also find a more versatile barbie suits you better if you live in a unit with limited balcony space, or an apartment building that allows you to grill to your heart’s content in communal garden or rooftop areas, but doesn’t let you leave your BBQ there.

There are two main choices when it comes to powering your BBQ: gas or charcoal. Most portable models are 1 or 2 burner BBQs, as opposed to the freestanding or built-in BBQs with 4 or 6 burners commonly found in backyards. There is also the third fuel option of electricity: in terms of portability this is more limited, but in some circumstances it can be a good choice.

With the arrival of BBQ weather, of course, comes an increased risk of fire in many areas. Depending on where you plan to take your barbie, this is worth considering when you're choosing which type to buy.

As long as you are barbequing in a permitted location, like a designated picnic area, and have a source of running water to hand, you can use gas and electric barbeques when there is a Total Fire Ban in place. You cannot use BBQs that burn charcoal, heat beads or wood on these days though, because a gust of wind can quickly turn their embers into a fire hazard when grass and trees are dry as a tinderbox. Each State and Territory in Australia provides advice on when a Total Fire Ban is in place, and in which regions: ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA.

Gas is the most popular type of fuel for Aussie barbeques because it’s reliable, adjustable and quickly gets the grill plates smoking hot.

LPG portable barbeques

Portable gas BBQs are usually powered by LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), sometimes called propane. A lot of backyard BBQs and outdoor kitchens in Australia are fuelled in this way, though some are plumbed into natural gas. While most people use 9kg size LPG bottles for home BBQs, you won’t want to lug this to the beach with you (especially as the bottle can actually weigh double that when full of gas). Happily, you can buy smaller LPG gas bottles, ranging from 1.25kg to 4kg sizes, which you can get refilled at many service stations. Remember though, that the bottles will weigh a lot more when full, so you might want to go for a smaller size if you’re likely to be carrying it any distance.

Here are some of our favourite portable gas BBQs.

If you’re hiking or travelling light and there’s just one or two of you, a small butane-powered camping BBQ is a very convenient option, because its canisters weigh only around 220g, are small enough to fit into any backpack and cost less than a couple of dollars. True, you won’t really get an authentic barbeque experience because you’re cooking on a hotplate rather than directly over a flame, but this isn’t really any different to the beloved communal electric barbies.

If you’re firmly of the belief that an authentic, smoky taste and smell is the whole point of barbequeing, then a charcoal grill is the way to go. As a fuel source, it’s not as simple as turning the gas knob on, but what it lacks in convenience, it makes up for in character.

You can use either lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes, depending on your preference. Lump charcoal is made by heating pieces of solid wood to an extreme temperature, but without igniting it, which removes all moisture, leaving pure carbon. It’s popular with BBQ aficionados who swear by the depth of flavour it achieves. Charcoal briquettes are made similarly but with a compound of compacted sawdust and other additives rather than solid wood. They are cheaper than lump charcoal, and burn more uniformly, but produce more ash and a less intense taste.

Whichever you go for, you’ll end up with a ‘proper’ BBQ flavour, so have fun experimenting with your charcoal grill to see what works best for you.

Here are some of our favourite portable charcoal barbeques.

For most people, ‘electric’ doesn’t spring to mind when thinking about BBQs, but in fairness, that’s exactly what the communal hotplates gracing parks around the country are! While this style of barbie might not be your choice if you’re a devotee of smoky skewers and flame-grilled chops, there are times, and places, when it can be a very convenient option.

If you’ve pitched your tent on a powered campsite, for example, simply plugging in your electric BBQ saves you leaving the comfort of camp to trek your meat tray across to the communal cooking area. Or perhaps you don’t like filling your apartment with the lingering smell of cooked meat and fish, but have a balcony where you can quickly fry off a couple of salmon steaks. Alternately, you might just feel uncomfortable using gas or charcoal, but still like the idea of some al fresco cooking.

If an electric BBQ suits your needs, this portable model might be just what you’re looking for.

The barbie’s just the beginning

Most of these portable BBQ grills have a range of add-ons that enable you to either increase their ease of use and portability or expand your cooking repertoire. From BBQ covers and carry bags, to foldable trolleys, rotisseries and pizza stones, there are plenty of BBQ accessories to help you elevate your outdoor cooking game.

Whether you’re buying a portable or backyard BBQ, Appliances Online has a huge range of models from leading brands at legendary low prices. Order your portable gas, charcoal or electric BBQ from Appliances Online today and you can usually get it delivered for free tomorrow (Mon-Fri), with Appliances Online's legendary FREE delivery. For more tips on choosing the best BBQ to make your summer sizzle, check out our BBQ Buying Guide.