Nomad Grill & Smoker.

The Gavler Review.

Nomad Grill & Smoker Review: The Suitcase Grill That Cooks Like a Backyard Kettle

The Nomad Grill & Smoker ranks second on our Best Portable Grills list with a 9.2, and it earns that spot by refusing to compromise on what a portable grill can be. Outside Online opened its review with "if James Bond had a grill, this is it," and that line isn't just a good hook — it's an accurate description of a cast-aluminum clamshell that opens into 425-plus square inches of cooking surface and a real smoker mode, all folding down into something that looks like an oversized briefcase. Buy it if you grill seriously and want one portable unit that performs like a backyard kettle. Skip it if $599 is more than you want to spend on a grill you'll use a few times a season — the Weber Traveler at rank one covers most of the same ground for a fraction of the price.

What it actually is

Most portable grills make a trade: fold up small, cook worse. The Nomad is built around not making that trade. Its anodized cast-aluminum unibody shell closes shut like a suitcase and carries by a built-in handle, but open it up and you get 212 square inches of primary cooking area — expandable to over 425 square inches by opening both grates. That's dual-grate capacity most portable grills simply don't offer; it's the difference between cooking four burgers and cooking a full spread for a group.

The other half of the story is the smoker mode. Top and bottom vents let you dial in airflow precisely enough to hold 225 to 250°F for hours, which is real low-and-slow territory — not a marketing bullet point, but a genuine second cooking mode layered on top of standard grilling. Aluminum construction means the body won't rust the way a steel kettle eventually does, and the outer shell stays cool enough to sit on a picnic table while the inside runs at searing temperatures. At around 28 pounds, it's the heaviest grill on Gavler's list, but it's still a one-hand carry that fits in a car trunk without a roof rack.

In use

The two independent design authorities that cover outdoor gear both landed on the same conclusion, which is unusual in a category this crowded. Outside's full assessment: "The results were spectacular, everything you'd want from a hybrid smoker-grill: professional quality cooking dynamics, achieved with great ease and efficiency, and a level of portability never before seen in a product like this." GearJunkie's take is shorter but points at the same thing — the build quality and design sensibility read as premium in a way most portable grills, which tend to feel like scaled-down versions of a backyard kettle, don't.

That "professional quality cooking dynamics" line is the part worth unpacking, because it's the actual test for a portable grill: does closing the lid and cooking indirect actually behave like a full-size kettle, or does the smaller chamber and thinner-walled construction fight you? Reviewers consistently report the Nomad holds temperature and manages airflow like a full-size grill — the cast-aluminum body and the dual-vent smoker system are doing real thermal-management work, not just providing the option to close a lid.

Where it shines

• Dual cooking surfaces that actually matter. Going from 212 to over 425 square inches by opening both grates means the Nomad scales from a solo cook to a full backyard-style spread — most portable grills top out at a single fixed grate size.
• A smoker mode that's genuinely usable. Holding 225–250°F for hours via vent control is a real low-and-slow capability, not a stretch of the word "smoker." Nothing else on this list does it as credibly.
• Materials built to outlast the category. Anodized cast aluminum doesn't rust, and the shell stays cool to the touch even while the interior runs hot — both are long-term-durability advantages over the painted steel most competitors use.
• A carry format that doesn't feel like a compromise. The clamshell suitcase design is the reason Outside reached for the James Bond line — it looks and handles like premium travel gear, not a scaled-down backyard tool.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

This is the most beautifully built portable grill on the list, not the right grill for every buyer, and the honest reasons to look elsewhere are specific:

• You grill a few times a year. At $599, the Nomad is priced for heavy, serious use. If your portable grill sees a handful of camping trips and tailgates a year, you're paying a premium for capability you won't exercise. The Weber Traveler delivers a strong version of the portable-grilling experience for a fraction of the price.
• You want gas, not charcoal. As a charcoal-only unit, the Nomad takes more setup time and hands-on attention than a propane grill. If convenience beats flavor and craft for you, look at a gas portable instead.
• Weight matters more than capability. At roughly 28 pounds, the Nomad is heavier than most of the list. If you're backpacking or need the absolute lightest carry, the Weber Jumbo Joe at rank six is a simpler, much lighter, much cheaper alternative — at the cost of the smoker mode and the dual-grate capacity.

How it compares

The Nomad's position on Gavler's list is a premium case, not a budget case. The Weber Traveler at rank one is the value leader — lighter, cheaper, and still well-reviewed, it's the right choice for buyers who grill occasionally and don't need smoker functionality. The Weber Jumbo Joe at rank six goes even further in the other direction: a bare-bones, inexpensive kettle-style portable for buyers who just want fire and a grate. The Nomad sits above both of them by offering something neither does — true smoker capability and near-double the cooking surface — at a price that only makes sense if you'll actually use that headroom.

The Gavler verdict

A 9.2, reflecting a near-unanimous critical consensus that the Nomad Grill & Smoker is the best-built, most capable portable grill money can buy right now. The cast-aluminum clamshell body, the 425-plus-square-inch dual cooking surface, and a smoker mode that actually holds temperature for hours are not incremental improvements on the category — they're a different tier of product. The $599 price and the charcoal-only format are the honest trade-offs, and they're the reason this isn't rank one on Gavler's list. For the buyer who grills seriously and wants the no-compromise portable experience, this is the pick; everyone else should start with the Weber Traveler.

Common Questions

Is the Nomad Grill & Smoker worth it in 2026?

If you grill often and want one portable unit that genuinely performs like a backyard kettle, yes. It ranks second on Gavler's Best Portable Grills list with a 9.2, and the case for it is the cast-aluminum clamshell build and true smoker mode — features no other grill on the list matches. At $599 it is the most expensive pick by a wide margin, so it's the right buy for a heavy, serious user, not a once-a-summer tailgater.

Can the Nomad Grill & Smoker actually smoke food, or is that just marketing?

It's a real feature. Top and bottom vents let you control airflow precisely enough to hold 225 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit for hours, which is the low-and-slow range low-and-slow barbecue actually needs. That's a meaningful step up from most portable charcoal grills, which can only really do direct high-heat cooking.

How portable is a 28-pound grill, really?

Closed, the Nomad looks and carries like an oversized hard-shell briefcase rather than a grill — it has a handle built for exactly that. At roughly 28 pounds it's heavier than the Weber Traveler, but it's still a one-hand carry that fits in a trunk without a roof rack, which is the bar for 'portable' in this category.

Nomad Grill & Smoker or Weber Traveler?

Buy the Nomad if you want the best possible cooking experience in a portable format and are willing to pay for it. Buy the Weber Traveler if you want a lighter, cheaper, still-excellent portable grill for occasional use — it's the value leader on the same list, at roughly a third of the Nomad's price.