I’ve been a fan of electric BBQs ever since I reviewed the Char-Broil Smart-E BBQ and found out how quick and easy it is to BBQ when you don’t need gas or coal to hand. With electric BBQs you literally need to plug them in and within a few minutes they’re up to temperature and ready to go – there’s no easier way to cook outdoors. If you don’t have room for a full size like the Char-Broil Smart-E or want a BBQ you can take camping (along with a decent power bank) you’ll want to look towards a compact electric BBQ, so here I put two of the best on the market – the Napoleon TravelQ Pro285E and the Weber Lumin Compact head-to-head,
The Napoleon TravelQ Pro285E costs $389 / £285, has 2200W of power, an epic 1840cm2 cooking area, measures 74x47x38cm and weighs in at a beefy 17kg. Accessories include a cover for £40 and a two-piece tool set for £26.
On the other side of the ring, the Weber Lumin Compact costs $399/ £389, also has 2200W of power, has a smaller cooking areas of 1166cm2, measures a more compact 59x41x28cm and weighs significantly less at 12kg. Weber’s add-ons
are a bit more pricey than Napoleon’s – £44 for a cover and £50 for tongs and a spatula.
Design
The Napoleon TravelQ comes in a smart black aluminium and steel build with a high lid and central temperature gauge, the Napoleon is of exceptionally high build quality. An epic 54x37cm cooking area means you’ll be cooking for everyone.
With modest dimensions that won’t overwhelm small outdoor spaces, the Weber has a classic look and great build quality. It offers multiple cooking modes and comes with a steam pan and steaming/smoking reservoir.
Design winner: Draw
In Use
Using the Napoleon is super-simple: you just plug it in and adjust the temperature via the dial. It heats up very quickly and the lid prevents heat loss well, while cleaning the drip tray is easy. At 17kg it’s heavy but the side handles are helpful.
The Weber was more versatile; as well as searing, smoking, steaming and boiling, there are even setups for keeping food warm and grilling from frozen. The temperature controller settings make using these modes simple, and the drip tray is easy to manage.
In Use winner: Weber
Results
I was impressed with how evenly the Napoleon’s porcelain-coated cast-iron cooking grids heated up – none of my food got stuck to them. This barbecue cooked meat wonderfully, leaving nicely defined sear marks.
I took the Weber up to 315°C and got some seriously impressive sear marks – and even at lower temperatures my burgers had nice stripes. The smoke infusion mode actually works to turn up the smoky BBQ flavour.
Results winner: Draw
Overall winner: Weber Lumin Compact
Both the Napoleon TravelQ Pro285E and the Weber Lumin Compact are great buys, with the Weber sneaking the win thanks to its versatility
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