Camping is a great way to get back to basics and be in touch with nature. It’s also a great way to enjoy the simple pleasures in life.
Wherever you’re off to on your next adventure, BBQ-cooked food is one of the best parts of camping.
However, modern BBQs come with a number of different features and choosing one can be difficult.
To make things easier for you, we’ve identified and reviewed the best camping BBQs on the market in Australia, so you can get right to grilling.
Our Top Pick: Weber Baby Q Camping BBQ
Grill surface size: 1380 cm2
Weight: 10.7 Kg
Pros: Rust-resistant cast iron grills, 8500 BTU/hr output, Lid handle mounted temperature gauge, Heavy-duty push-button ignition, Removable drip tray, Weber 5-year warranty
Cons: No carry bag, No separate work surfaces
The Weber Baby Q is a well-made BBQ designed to keep you grilling for years to come.
A smaller version of the Weber Premium Q (also in this review), the Baby Q is perfect for campers who want a lot of grilling power in a small package.
The Baby Q is outfitted with rust-resistant cast iron grills, a heavy-duty push-button piezo ignitor, and a thermometer on the lid handle to help you get the perfect grill.
If that wasn’t enough, it comes with a removable drip tray and Weber’s signature 5-year warranty.
Our biggest concerns with this BBQ are that it doesn’t come with a protective carry case and it doesn’t have separate work surfaces.
However, with a relatively large cooking area and high power output for its size, the Baby Q is great for smaller families or couples who need a compact but powerful grill.
Best Value: Gasmate Voyager Portable Gas BBQ
Grill surface size: 1520 cm2
Weight: 9 Kg
Pros: Stain enamel cast iron, 11,400 BTU/hr, Lid-mounted temperature gauge, Rotary piezo ignition, Cooking surface is half hot plate, half grill, Simple fold-out legs for set-up
Cons: No separate work surfaces, No carry bag
While it is the most compact BBQ in this review, the Gasmate Voyager Portable still packs a punch.
With a whopping 11,000 BTU/hr heat output and a split hotplate/grill cooking area, the Gasmate is ready for all your camping fry-ups.
It comes complete with a satin enamel cast iron grill and a rotary piezo ignition, so you can get cooking quickly.
The BBQ’s simple fold-out legs make set-up easy, and at less than $150 it is our value pick in this review.
Upgrade Pick: Weber Q (Q2000) BBQ
Grill surface size: 2100 cm2
Weight: 16 Kg
Pros: Rust-resistant cast iron grills, 12,000 BTU/hr output, Lid handle mounted temperature gauge, Electronic infinite igniter, Split grill can be half replaced with hotplate (sold separately), 2 swing-out work surfaces, Weber 5-year warranty
Cons: Most expensive BBQ in review, Very heavy, No carry bag
The Q2000 is Weber’s signature camping BBQ and the Baby Q’s older sibling.
With a larger size and more heat output, this Weber is ideal for larger families or groups.
Sporting Weber’s high-quality rust-resistant cast iron grills and an impressive 12,000 BTU/hr heat output, this grill is sure to handle whatever you throw at it.
The BBQ itself can even be split with the addition of Weber’s hot plate (sold separately), which is a great addition for cooks looking to spice up the menu.
Complete with two fold-out work surfaces, the Weber Q is ready to grill.
The Weber Q narrowly missed out on the top spot in our camping BBQ guide because of its price and weight. At around $500 and 16kg, it’s not cheap nor light, but it certainly makes up for it in terms of cook space and heat output.
Best Coal Powered: Darche Stainless Steel BBQ 450 Firepit
Grill surface size: 45 x 45cm
Weight: 11.5 Kg
Pros: Authentic coal cooking experience, high-quality materials, easy to use, lightweight and easy to transport
Cons: Expensive, more work to get started than a gas BBQ
If you’re looking for a camping barbecue that will give you an authentic coal cooking experience, the Darche 450 Firepit is a great choice.
It’s lightweight and easy to transport, so you can bring it with you wherever you go.
It has a foldable design and flat-pack design, which means it’s easy to store when it’s not in use. It also includes a carry case so that you can easily take it with you on your next adventure.
The grill area is 45 x 45cm, making it ideal for smaller groups or families. The grill is made out of food-grade stainless steel.
This barbecue is powered by charcoal briquettes—so there is no propane tank or electricity needed.
You’ll need to bring along some extra coal if you plan on cooking for multiple days at the same location, but otherwise, this is a self-contained unit with everything included for cooking delicious meals outdoors.
One drawback: This barbecue is relatively expensive, especially considering you can get a similar experience with a BBQ hot plate over the fire like this one.
Camping BBQ Buying Guide
Here are a few key things that you ought to consider when buying a BBQ for camping:
Size
The total size of the BBQ is important for transportation and storage purposes.
Perhaps even more important, though, is the size of the grilling surface, which will constrain how much you can cook at once.
Think about how many people will be in your group and whether you’ll need to cook for them all at the same time.
Cooking surface
All grill surface materials will do the trick, it’s just a matter of what sort of cooking and cleaning experience you would like from your BBQ.
Cast iron grills will heat up to high temperatures while stainless steel grills will be easier to clean.
Weight
A very heavy grill is difficult to transport and carry, so it’s an important consideration to keep in mind.
Price
We don’t need to tell you that the cost of camping gear can add up quickly.
Some grills will cost you a pretty penny to buy while others are more budget-friendly. In this review, we have a selection of grills for a variety of budgets.
Camping BBQ FAQ
The most common way to grill on a campfire is to use a cast iron or steel grate. Wait until you have enough hot coals to place your grate on top of before placing it on top. It can be easier if you wait for the fire to die down so you don’t need to contend with flames while you are cooking.
Our top pick for camping is the Weber Baby Q (view at BCF). While its big brother, the Weber Q (View at Amazon), has a higher power output (8,500 BTU/hr vs 12,000 BTU/hr), we think the size and weight of the larger BBQ make it less suitable for camping.
In terms of convenience, propane is the clear winner. You are unlikely to run out of fuel and you don’t need to worry about having to lug around a bunch of charcoal briquettes. However, if you are looking for the most authentic camping experience, then you’ll want to go with charcoal.
