When we reviewed the original Weber Traveler, we scored it highly as a portable grill that could still cater to multiple people and deliver delicious results. Now, the brand has announced the slightly smaller Wever Traveler Compact, which we were able to play around with.
This is billed as a scaled-back version of the Weber Traveler, offering even better portability, and the compact model also comes with a broad temperature range, making it a great cooking tool for searing, grilling, and griddling. As before, it's an ideal choice for on-the-go barbecues, beach outings, and campsite cookouts.
We were interested to see how the Compact model fared in our testing, given its promising features and the high bar set by its predecessor. For more, explore our guide to the best gas grills to see how they stack up against competitors.
Caroline is the Deputy Editor of Top Ten Reviews and a passionate home product reviewer. She's been testing out products for the home for years and has hands-on experience with a wide range of appliances and tech gadgets. Joining Future at the start of 2021, Caroline has since served her time across all of the company's home titles, including Real Homes, Ideal Home, Livingetc, and Homes & Gardens.
She's committed to helping people choose the very best products that can make their lives easier, more cost-efficient, or just more enjoyable. Recently, she got the chance to try out the Weber Traveller Compact Portable Gas Grill.
Weber Traveller Compact: First look
The 2024 Weber Traveler Compact and the original Weber Traveler share a lot in common, but the two grills do have some notable differences, particularly in their design.
In terms of size, the 2024 Weber Traveler Compact is a smaller version of the original Weber Traveler. Its compact size enhances its portability, allowing it to be easily transported and set up for grilling at any location. This is boosted by a one-handed setup and assisted fold-down feature, which simplifies the process compared to the original Weber Traveler.
The original Weber Traveler, while also portable, is slightly larger and requires more strength and practice to set up. It folds up into a trolley-like design, complete with a handle and solid wheels for transportation. However, its weight and bulk may limit its portability to shorter distances and smoother terrains.
Both models are made with high-quality, durable materials. The 2024 Weber Traveler Compact features a porcelain-enameled exterior, while the original Weber Traveler sports a sturdy black and chrome casing. Both models are designed to withstand outdoor use and various weather conditions.
Despite its compact size, the Weber Traveler Compact offers a low-to-high temperature range that can handle various cooking tasks, from searing steaks to grilling chicken and - like in our hands-on experience, charring veggie skewers. This makes it a good option for a lot of different types of outdoor cooking.
The grill has a quick heating time and a high maximum temperature of 500 degrees, making it ideal for fast, high-heat cooking. Its grill surface is large enough to cook for around ten people at once if you're making simple items like burgers or cauliflower steaks. This is a great showing for a portable model.
During our time with the grill, we were impressed with how quickly and evenly our veggie skewers and cauliflower steaks cooked, even in the less-than-ideal conditions of several people testing it out at the same time (e.g., the heat lost whenever the lid was opened). The results were extremely tasty, too.
Despite its small size, the Weber Traveler Compact really packs a punch. It heats up quickly and cooks evenly, making it ideal for everything from burgers to veggie skewers. And even though it's portable, with a large enough grill surface, you can easily cook for a group of around ten people.
Unlike some other portable grills, this one can be set up and taken down with just one hand, which is a huge plus. And when you're done cooking, it's easy to wheel away and store until the next time you need it, whether that's in the garage or the back of your truck.
Though at the time of writing, we are still waiting for exact US pricing for the Traveler Compact, the UK price will be £399 (around $505), which saves you a chunk when compared to the standard model ($620 / £490), and Traveler Stealth ($669 / £529) RRPs.
However, you can currently purchase the standard and Stealth for less than this on the Weber website.
The Weber Traveler Compact will be available direct from the retailer and elsewhere online from Spring 2024.
