Weber Q Grill... Cool Under Fire

The Weber Q Grillis an intriguing piece of hardware bringing to bear the Weber name that inherently implies quality performance and endurance. These attributes may clearly define the intent the manufacturer brought to this product and they clearly know their business because the Weber Q Grill delivers on all fronts!

Grilling has become an increasingly popular endeavor, and let’s face it; we all have a little Bobby Flay in us, don’t we? The one area the Weber Q Grill distinguishes itself in is sheer flexibility and mobility... You can literally take this little 33 ½ pound wonder anywhere!

Physical Considerations

The 280 sq inch porcelain cooking grates surface on the Weber Q Grill is ample for serving 10-12 burgers health burgers though they claim 15 on their site. Clearly this is enough to get a cozy get together off and running with no waiting for food to come off the grill. Even with bottled propane you needn’t worry about this baby not performing up to Weber standards. Portable 14.1 oz. offer about 1.5-2.5 hours of 12,000 BTU per hour burn time and can be purchased anywhere for around $5.00 a bottle. Granted this may seem a bit rich compared to standard LP tanks but factor in taking it from the beach, camping, the mountains, a tailgate party or you can add some real panache to your mountain biking trip! Surfers can stay and wait for the waves to roll in as their shrimp rolls off the barby. All of a sudden $5.00 doesn’t deem like a lot of dough!

The cast aluminum body and lid contribute significantly to the weight and durability of the Weber Q Grill. The Heavy nylon/glass frame provides just the right combination of form and function that has defined Weber products. The swing down wing sections offer a combined 20 inches of food prep/staging area as well as pulling double duty with underside tool caddy. The lid, while heavy, serves as a subtle reminder that the Weber Q Grill is not a novelty but a serious grill for event the most demanding user.

Practical Considerations

Firing up the Weber is a matchless proposition, yet another perk. The push button ignition fires up the stainless steel burner, which should last a lifetime. While I have seen and heard of experiences with the igniter switch, I have yet to deal with it, and have been totally satisfied. The control valve will not be ignored as it extends from the right side of the Weber Q Grill and is in a word huge. Its girth is functional, making it foolproof to grab and avoiding burning the user as it extends well beyond any hot surfaces. Make no mistake, the Weber gets hot and it is a well thought out, and appreciated safety feature. Aside from its ergonomics the burner control valve works along with you dialing into a fine flame or a roaring burn.

Hotspots are a concern whenever you shop for a grill. The single burner configuration on the Weber Q Grill, while effective, does allow for hotspots, although they should not be a major concern. After all, considering the bang for the buck factor this grill offers, navigating through a slight inconvenience seems moot.

The porcelain grating is similar to the Genesis models and easy to keep clean. I generally apply a quick spray of Pam and it really goes a long way towards making cleanup a lot easier. Also I have found a quick burn after taking all food of the grid helps burn off fat, food residue, saving your grill brush a lot of wear as well as burning any residue off your igniter.

For those who would like to make this more of a backyard grill, Weber offers a stand/cart that actually folds with the grill on it so you can dolly the Weber Q Grill to the party. The company also offers an adapter for your 20lb. propane tank, which would come in handy, for large engagements where you can use two grills. There are an assortment of accessories to help make your Weber grilling experience all that it can be.

I use the Weber Q Grill at the shore, on fishing trips and trips to the mountains. I have offered it up for barbeques where another grill was welcome, and have even done my cooking at barbeques where recently I was surprised to see another 2 Q Grills pop up! Apparently the word is getting out.

In Summary

Convenience, function and durability are keystone characteristics of a well made product. The Weber Q Grill delivers in spades. While it is not perfect, the Weber comes awful close with what limitations inherently had to be built around the Q Grill. The ability to grill on the go is everything it is cut out to be. In a Food Network world, more of us are venturing into the wonderful world of exotic cuisine and all the accoutrement that’s goes along with it. I dare say I have seen it featured on a number of Food Network programs, and really was motivated to get one based on a Barbeque with Bobby Flay episode. I have not regretted it. This one is a keeper!