Small charcoal grills can be surprisingly different once you actually start using them. The Weber Smokey Joe and Weber Go-Anywhere are both designed for portable cooking, but they approach the job from opposite directions. The Smokey Joe keeps the familiar round kettle shape in a compact package, while the Go-Anywhere uses a rectangular design that makes better use of limited space.
After comparing the two for portability, cooking space, heat control, setup, and everyday practicality, I find the choice fairly straightforward. I prefer the Smokey Joe for classic charcoal grilling and its simple round cooking chamber, while the Go-Anywhere makes more sense when packing efficiency, indirect cooking, and a slightly larger usable grate are priorities.
Key Difference Between Weber Smokey Joe Vs Go-Anywhere
The Weber Smokey Joe is the better choice for simple, traditional portable charcoal grilling, while the Weber Go-Anywhere is better for travelers who want a more space-efficient grill with a rectangular cooking surface, two-piece grate, and easier indirect-cooking setup.
Weber Smokey Joe vs Go-Anywhere: Comparison Table
| Feature | Weber Smokey Joe | Weber Go-Anywhere |
|---|---|---|
| Grill Type | Portable charcoal | Portable charcoal |
| Shape | Round | Rectangular |
| Cooking Area | 147 sq. in. | 160 sq. in. |
| Grate | Plated steel | Plated steel |
| Fuel | Charcoal | Charcoal |
| Body | Porcelain-enameled | Porcelain-enameled |
| Lid Lock | Tuck-N-Carry | Locking legs |
| Air Control | Adjustable dampers | Lid dampers + side vents |
| Cooking Modes | Direct grilling | Direct + indirect |
| Grate Design | Single grate | 2-piece grate |
| Indirect Cooking | Possible | Char-Rail supported |
| Thermometer | Model dependent | No |
| Ash Catcher | No | No |
| Best For | Simple grilling | Camping & versatile travel cooking |
| Check Latest Price & Deals | Check on Amazon | Check on Amazon |
Detailed Comparative Review
The two grills are close enough in size that it is easy to assume they’re basically interchangeable. I don’t see them that way.
The Smokey Joe feels like a miniature version of a traditional Weber charcoal grill. Its round bowl, domed lid, and 37 cm cooking surface make it familiar immediately. The Go-Anywhere is more utilitarian. Its rectangular firebox gives me a different cooking layout and makes the grill easier to pack alongside other camping or tailgating equipment.
The difference becomes more noticeable once I consider how I actually want to cook.
Weber Smokey Joe Portable Charcoal Grill for Outdoor Cooking and Travel, 14-Inch, Black
- The Weber Smokey Joe Portable Charcoal Grill has a durable-plated, steel cooking grate, crafted from premium steel for enhanced durability; Cooking grate offers a resilient surface that stands up to the demands of frequent grilling
- Durability and Flavor Retention: Porcelain-enameled lid and bowl are engineered to withstand high temperatures and retain heat; Bowl and lid combination on outdoor grill and BBQ resist rust and won't peel
Weber® Go‑Anywhere Portable Charcoal Grill | Lightweight Portable BBQ Grill for Camping, Tailgating & Outdoor Cooking with 2‑Piece Cooking Grate…
- Compact, lightweight charcoal grill for grilling on the go
- Efficient rectangular design is easy to carry, pack, and store
Design
The Smokey Joe wins me over with its simplicity. The round porcelain-enameled bowl and lid have the classic Weber appearance, and the 37 cm cooking grate provides enough room for a small barbecue without making the grill cumbersome.
The Tuck-N-Carry lid lock is one of my favorite practical touches. Once the lid is secured, I can pick the grill up using the handle rather than worrying about the lid moving around during transportation. The handle can also act as a lid holder when cooking, which is a small detail but a useful one.
The round shape does have a limitation. Some of the cooking area around the perimeter isn’t as convenient for arranging larger pieces of food. That’s where the Go-Anywhere starts to make more sense.
Its rectangular shape gives me a long, usable cooking surface. The 160-square-inch grate is only modestly larger on paper than the Smokey Joe’s 147 square inches, but the shape makes the available space feel different. Long foods and several smaller pieces can be arranged more naturally.
The Go-Anywhere’s folding legs are another smart design choice. They fold over the lid to help secure it for transport and then fold down to provide a stable cooking platform.
For looks and simplicity, I’d pick the Smokey Joe. For packing and practical portability, I prefer the Go-Anywhere.
Ease of Use
The Smokey Joe is the grill I’d reach for when I don’t want to overthink the cooking process. Light the charcoal, arrange it beneath the plated-steel grate, adjust the vents, and start grilling.
The round shape works particularly well for burgers, sausages, chicken pieces, steaks, vegetables, and other everyday barbecue foods. I also like having the lid available for cooking with the grill closed, because that gives me more control over the heat and helps create a more oven-like environment.
The Tuck-N-Carry design makes moving it after cooking straightforward, although I still need to treat a charcoal grill carefully until the coals are completely extinguished.
The Go-Anywhere requires slightly more thought at first, mainly because its cooking system gives me more options. The two-piece cooking grate can be opened so I can add charcoal during a cook without completely dismantling the cooking setup.
That is genuinely useful during longer sessions.
The folding legs also make the grill easy to pack, while the rectangular shape fits nicely into the trunk of a car or among other camping equipment. I find this design more practical when transportation and storage are major considerations.
For quick grilling, I give the edge to the Smokey Joe. For a longer outdoor cooking session, the Go-Anywhere’s design becomes more useful.
Weber Smokey Joe Portable Charcoal Grill for Outdoor Cooking and Travel, 14-Inch, Black
- The Weber Smokey Joe Portable Charcoal Grill has a durable-plated, steel cooking grate, crafted from premium steel for enhanced durability; Cooking grate offers a resilient surface that stands up to the demands of frequent grilling
- Durability and Flavor Retention: Porcelain-enameled lid and bowl are engineered to withstand high temperatures and retain heat; Bowl and lid combination on outdoor grill and BBQ resist rust and won't peel
Functions
This is the category where the Go-Anywhere pulls ahead for me.
The Smokey Joe is primarily about straightforward charcoal grilling. Its adjustable vents give me control over airflow, and the porcelain-enameled bowl and lid help retain heat. It can certainly handle more than burgers, but its compact round layout naturally favors direct grilling.
The Go-Anywhere adds more flexibility.
Its two-piece cooking grate makes adding charcoal easier, while the Char-Rail insert gives me a convenient way to position the coals for indirect cooking. That means I can move beyond simple food-over-fire grilling and work with foods that benefit from slower, more controlled heat.
I particularly like this feature for chicken, small roasts, ribs, or anything that needs more time without sitting directly over the hottest coals.
The Go-Anywhere also uses multiple adjustable vents to manage airflow. Once I get the charcoal established, I can reduce or increase airflow to influence the cooking temperature without constantly lifting the lid.
The Smokey Joe is still perfectly capable for its intended role, but if I want the smaller grill to behave like a more versatile cooking system, the Go-Anywhere gives me more to work with.
Maintenance
Neither grill gives me the kind of ash-management system found on larger Weber charcoal cookers. Ash remains inside the cooking chamber, so I have to clean it out manually rather than simply emptying a dedicated external catcher.
That isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker for portable grilling, but it does make post-cook cleanup something I wouldn’t ignore.
The Smokey Joe Premium is particularly straightforward. Its compact bowl means there isn’t much to clean, and the plated steel grate is relatively easy to brush after cooking. I also appreciate the porcelain-enameled exterior because it doesn’t require the same level of care as unfinished metal.
The Go-Anywhere is similarly uncomplicated. Its porcelain-enameled cookbox and lid are designed to withstand outdoor use, while the smaller cooking chamber means cleanup doesn’t take long.
The removable grate sections are helpful when accessing the charcoal area, particularly after using the Char-Rail arrangement.
I’d call maintenance a draw overall. The Smokey Joe is slightly simpler, while the Go-Anywhere gives me a little more flexibility in how I arrange the cooking system.
Weber® Go‑Anywhere Portable Charcoal Grill | Lightweight Portable BBQ Grill for Camping, Tailgating & Outdoor Cooking with 2‑Piece Cooking Grate…
- Compact, lightweight charcoal grill for grilling on the go
- Efficient rectangular design is easy to carry, pack, and store
Which One Is Better for Portable Grilling?
The answer depends heavily on what I mean by “portable.”
If portability simply means a small charcoal grill that I can carry to a picnic, tailgate, campsite, or small outdoor gathering, the Smokey Joe is excellent. Its compact round design is easy to understand, easy to use, and doesn’t require much setup.
If portability means packing a grill efficiently and still having enough flexibility to cook different foods, I prefer the Go-Anywhere.
The rectangular design is especially useful in a vehicle. Instead of having a round grill taking up awkward space, the Go-Anywhere packs into a relatively flat rectangular profile. The legs also help secure the lid when folded over it.
That makes it the more travel-oriented design in my opinion.
Weber Smokey Joe Portable Charcoal Grill
Weber Smokey Joe Portable Charcoal Grill for Outdoor Cooking and Travel, 14-Inch, Black
- The Weber Smokey Joe Portable Charcoal Grill has a durable-plated, steel cooking grate, crafted from premium steel for enhanced durability; Cooking grate offers a resilient surface that stands up to the demands of frequent grilling
- Durability and Flavor Retention: Porcelain-enameled lid and bowl are engineered to withstand high temperatures and retain heat; Bowl and lid combination on outdoor grill and BBQ resist rust and won't peel
Pros:
- Classic Weber kettle-style design
- 37 cm cooking diameter
- 147 square inches of cooking area
- Porcelain-enameled bowl and lid
- Tuck-N-Carry lid lock
- Adjustable dampers
- Plated steel cooking grate
- Simple setup and operation
- Excellent for burgers, steaks, chicken, and vegetables
- Compact enough for camping and tailgating
Cons:
- Slightly smaller cooking area
- Round surface isn’t as space-efficient
- Less convenient for arranging long foods
- No dedicated ash catcher
- Less versatile for indirect cooking than the Go-Anywhere
Weber Go-Anywhere Portable Charcoal Grill
Weber® Go‑Anywhere Portable Charcoal Grill | Lightweight Portable BBQ Grill for Camping, Tailgating & Outdoor Cooking with 2‑Piece Cooking Grate…
- Compact, lightweight charcoal grill for grilling on the go
- Efficient rectangular design is easy to carry, pack, and store
Pros:
- 160 square inches of cooking space
- Space-efficient rectangular design
- Lightweight portable construction
- Folding legs lock the lid during transport
- Two-piece cooking grate
- Char-Rail for indirect cooking
- Multiple airflow controls
- Porcelain-enameled body
- Good for 2–4 people
- Excellent for camping, tailgating, and road trips
Cons:
- Rectangular design isn’t as familiar to some charcoal grillers
- No dedicated ash catcher
- No built-in temperature gauge
- Slightly more involved setup for indirect cooking
- Still limited compared with a full-size backyard charcoal grill
Weber Smokey Joe vs Go-Anywhere: Which One Would I Buy?
If I’m buying a portable Weber specifically because I want simple charcoal grilling, I’d choose the Smokey Joe Premium.
There’s something appealing about its straightforward design. I can take it along, light a small charcoal fire, put burgers or steaks on the grate, close the lid, and control the heat through the vents. It doesn’t feel like I’m trying to squeeze a full-size grill into a miniature body.
The 147-square-inch cooking area is enough for the kind of meals I expect from a portable grill, and the Tuck-N-Carry lid lock makes transportation particularly convenient.
But if I know I’ll be doing more than basic direct grilling, my choice changes.
I’d take the Go-Anywhere for camping trips where I might cook chicken one night, burgers the next day, or something that benefits from indirect heat. The Char-Rail and two-piece grate give me more control over the way I use the charcoal, and the rectangular cooking surface is easier to organize.
I also prefer its packing-friendly shape when transporting a grill with other outdoor equipment.
Final Verdict
Choose the Weber Smokey Joe if you want the simplest and most traditional portable charcoal grill.
Choose the Weber Go-Anywhere if you want more cooking flexibility, a rectangular cooking surface, and better support for indirect grilling.
For my overall pick, I’d choose the Weber Go-Anywhere by a narrow margin. The Smokey Joe is arguably the more charming and straightforward little grill, but the Go-Anywhere gives me more useful cooking options without becoming significantly larger.
That makes it the better all-around portable charcoal grill for me.
If your typical meal is burgers, hot dogs, steaks, and vegetables for a couple of people, though, I’d save the extra complexity and choose the Smokey Joe Premium. It does exactly what a compact charcoal grill should do, and it does it with very little fuss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Weber Smokey Joe bigger than the Go-Anywhere?
The Smokey Joe has a 37 cm round cooking grate with about 147 square inches of cooking area. The Go-Anywhere provides 160 square inches. Although the Go-Anywhere has slightly more cooking area, its rectangular shape makes the usable space feel quite different.
Which is better for camping, Smokey Joe or Go-Anywhere?
I’d choose the Go-Anywhere for camping because its rectangular shape packs efficiently, the legs secure the lid for transport, and the cooking system gives me more flexibility for direct and indirect cooking.
Can the Weber Go-Anywhere cook indirectly?
Yes. The Char-Rail insert allows the charcoal to be arranged to one side, creating an indirect cooking zone. This makes the Go-Anywhere more versatile for foods that need slower cooking away from direct heat.
Does the Weber Smokey Joe have enough space for a family?
For a small family, yes. Its cooking surface is designed for compact outdoor meals and can handle several burgers or similar portions. For larger groups, however, I’d move up to a larger Weber charcoal grill rather than expecting either portable model to replace a full-size cooker.
Which Weber portable charcoal grill should I buy?
I’d recommend the Go-Anywhere for most people who want maximum versatility from a portable grill. However, if you prioritize simplicity, the classic round design, and straightforward grilling, the Smokey Joe Premium is the better fit.
