The small round kettle is the portable charcoal grill most people picture first, and for good reason. Kettles are common, inexpensive and they work. But round kettles do not pack flat, and a 14-inch bowl only cooks so much. If you are deciding between a kettle-style portable grill and a Slot Grill, here is an honest side-by-side, including where the kettle is the better buy.
Full disclosure: we build Slot Grills in Southeast Texas, so we are not neutral. Kettle details below are general for small portable kettles; check the maker's listing for any specific model.
Key Takeaways
- Pick a kettle-style grill if you want the lowest price, a lid for smoking and low-and-slow cooking, and you do not mind a round, tall grill in your trunk.
- Pick the Full Size Slot Grill if you want a big 231 sq in cooking area, thick 10-gauge steel, a griddle option, and a grill that packs down flat.
- Pick the Compact Slot Grill if you want small-kettle-size cooking area in a heavy-duty grill that slides flat behind a truck seat or into a kayak hatch.
- The real difference: a kettle is a lidded grill for backyard-style cooking on the go. The Slot Grill is an open-fire, flat-pack steel grill built for trucks, boats, UTVs, beaches and camps.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Small kettle-style grill (typical) | Compact Slot Grill | Full Size Slot Grill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Usually lower | $89.97 | $149.97 |
| Cooking area | Round, roughly 14" | 146 sq in (16.25" x 9") | 231 sq in (20.5" x 11.25") |
| Material | Usually enameled thin steel bowl and lid | 12-gauge carbon steel | 10-gauge carbon steel |
| Weight | Usually lighter | About 14 lb | About 27.6 lb |
| Travel shape | Round and tall with lid | Packs flat (about 1") | Packs flat (about 1.25") |
| Lid | Yes | No, open top | No, open top |
| Griddle option | Usually no | Yes, 1 or 2 plates | Yes, 1 or 2 plates |
| Setup | Stays assembled | 30–60 seconds, no tools | 30–60 seconds, no tools |
| Fuel | Charcoal | Charcoal or cooking wood | Charcoal or cooking wood |
| Made in | Varies | Southeast Texas, USA | Southeast Texas, USA |
Portability: Round vs. Flat
Small kettles are light, and a lid lock makes them easy to carry by the handle. The catch is shape. A round kettle with a lid takes up the same space whether it is full of hot coals or sitting in your garage. It rolls around in a truck bed, and it does not fit in a boat locker, under a seat, or in a gear box.
A Slot Grill comes apart into flat steel panels that stack with the grates and griddles. The Compact packs flat at about 14 pounds and slides into places a kettle never will. The Full Size is heavier at about 27.6 pounds, because thick steel is heavy, but it still lies flat behind a seat, in a UTV bed or under a boat bench.
Winner: Kettle for pure weight. Slot Grill for packing and storage.
Build and Durability
Enameled kettles resist rust well with little care. The trade-off is that enamel can chip if the grill gets knocked around, and thin bowls can dent when they bounce around in a truck bed.
Slot Grills are built from precision cut raw carbon steel: 12-gauge on the Compact and 10-gauge on the Full Size. That is much thicker steel than a typical portable grill. It will not dent from a rough ride, and it will not flex under a loaded cast-iron skillet. The trade-off is care. Raw carbon steel needs to be seasoned and stored dry, the same as a cast-iron pan. If you do get light surface rust, it scrubs off and you re-season. See our rust prevention guide.
Winner: Kettle for low maintenance. Slot Grill for abuse resistance.
Cooking Space and Versatility
The Compact Slot Grill has about the cooking area of a small kettle, but in a rectangle, which makes it easier to lay out steaks, sausages and kebabs. The Full Size gives you 231 square inches, enough to feed a family or a hunting crew in one round.
The biggest versatility gap is the griddle. Both Slot Grill sizes take one or two plancha-style griddle plates, so you can run eggs and bacon on one side and steaks over the grate on the other, or make smash burgers and fajitas without packing a second cooker. Slot Grills also burn cooking wood as well as charcoal, and they double as a small fire pit after dinner where fires are allowed.
Winner: Slot Grill.
Heat Control, Smoking and Low-and-Slow
This is where a kettle earns its reputation. With a lid and dampers, a kettle can roast, smoke and cook indirect. If you want to smoke wings or run a small pork butt at a campsite, a lidded kettle does it better than any open grill.
The Slot Grill is an open-top, direct-heat grill. You control heat with how much fuel you use and where you place it. Bank coals to one side for a hot zone and a cool zone, or cook on the griddle for gentler heat. It excels at searing, grilling and griddle cooking. It is not a smoker.
Winner: Kettle, if smoking matters to you.
Cleanup
A kettle has vents and often an ash catcher, but you still have to dump a round bowl. With a Slot Grill, you let it cool, pull one side panel and the ash comes right out. When you pack it flat, every surface is open to wipe down.
Winner: Tie. Both are easy.
Price and Value
Small kettles are hard to beat on upfront price. If you need a grill for one weekend or a few picnics a year, a kettle is a great deal.
The Slot Grill costs more because it uses much more steel and is made in Southeast Texas. We sell it direct with free shipping in the lower 48, so there is no retailer markup. The value shows up over years of use: a grill that rides in truck beds and boats to the sandbar, and replaces both a grill and a griddle.
Winner: Kettle for upfront cost. Slot Grill for long-term, heavy use.
Who Should Buy Which
Buy a kettle-style grill if you:
- Want the lowest-cost portable charcoal grill
- Want to smoke or cook low-and-slow with a lid
- Mostly grill on patios or at picnic tables
- Would rather not season steel
Buy a Slot Grill if you:
- Travel by truck, UTV, side-by-side, RV or boat and need gear that packs flat
- Cook for more than two or three people (Full Size)
- Want grill and griddle cooking in one flat pack
- Are hard on gear and want thick steel that will not dent or wobble
- Want to buy American-made direct from the people who build it
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Slot Grill bigger than a small kettle grill?
The Full Size Slot Grill is, with 231 square inches of cooking space. The Compact Slot Grill has about the same cooking area as a small 14-inch kettle at 146 square inches.
Which is more portable, a kettle or a Slot Grill?
A small kettle is usually lighter. A Slot Grill packs flat, so it fits in spaces a round kettle cannot, like behind a truck seat, in a boat locker or in a camp box.
Can you smoke on a Slot Grill?
The Slot Grill is an open-top grill built for direct-heat grilling, searing and griddle cooking. For real smoking, a lidded kettle is the better tool.
Does the Slot Grill rust?
Raw carbon steel can surface-rust if you store it wet. Season it, keep it dry and lightly oiled, and it will last for years. Slot Grill Seasoning Balm makes that easy.
Can a Slot Grill hold cast iron?
Yes. Both sizes are built from heavy-gauge steel and support appropriately sized cast-iron cookware.
How long does a Slot Grill take to set up?
About 30 to 60 seconds by hand, with no tools, once you have done it a couple of times.
The Bottom Line
A small kettle is a great little grill. If you want a cheap, lidded grill for the park, buy one. But if your cookouts happen off a tailgate, a sandbar, a boat or a trail, and you want thick steel, more room, a griddle option and a grill that packs flat, a Slot Grill is built for that life.
Shop the Full Size Slot Grill · Shop the Compact Slot Grill · Full specs, setup & care
Made in Southeast Texas. Free shipping in the lower 48.