Friday, August 23, 2013

Weber Q 120 Gas Grill

Weber 516501 Q 120 Portable 189-Square-Inch 8500-BTU Liquid-Propane Gas GrillFirst off I have a huge Kenmore Elite (6) burner grill made by Weber. Which is a great grill. However most of the time I am grilling just for myself or up to 3 people tops. To run a grill as big as the (6) burner makes no sense. Last summer with the Big Grill I went through (6) or (7) 20lb propane tanks!

So this year I bought the Weber Q-120. What an amazing grill. It gets up to 400 deg. quick & with the cast iron grill. It makes beautiful sear marks; With 189 sq. inches there is enough room to easily cook for 6-8 people. It uses a single burner which is "conservative" when it comes to propane use. About TWO hours out of a 1 pound tank. If you buy the Weber hose adapter you can hook it up to a 20lb tank & grill al summer off ONE tank!

It puts together easy about 15 minutes. And has many wonderful accessories. i.e.: portable cart (well worth looking into)

Pros: * Sears meat as good if not better than a big grill.

* Very Well Made

* Electronic Ignition (immediate fame FIRST push)

* Cast iron cooking gril

* Cast aluminum body (won't rust)

* Very Portable

* Conservative when it comes to propane use.

Cons: Only 1 minor one. I wish the side tables were metal, so you could fold them away before the grill completely cools. (very minor issue) They probably did not due that due to cost & weight.

They make (6) models 100, 120, 200, 220, 300 & 320 The 100 series is the most compact, 200 series is mid size but still quite portable & the 300 series is plenty big enough for serious entertaining. By adding the "20" at the end of each series you get the fold up & in side tables (which are awesome), A temp. gage & Electronic Ignition!!!! (really awesome)

I highly recommend any of the Weber Q Grills

In typical character for me I over-analyzed this purchase. I carefully looked at various models and got to know the different manufactures. I was really convinced I wanted one of the snazzy stainless ones like the Cuisinart CGG-200. Then I got interested in the extendable legs of the Cuisinart Petite 180. There were other brands I was looking at, some look even snazzier than the Cuisinart. I didn't particularly care for the pac-man look of the Q series.

Then I ran across a store that had most of the others on display Fry's in Portland. After about 5 minutes of looking at all the different models I'd researched on websites such as Amazon I knew they were all cheap, thin gas burners and would be adequate but not great. I went to Lowes and looked at the Q100. I knew after looking it over that this is the RIGHT grill.

DO NOT buy the Weber Q 100 !! It's really worth the little bit extra money to get the Q 120. You get the fold out side shelves, an electronic ignition and the temp gauge. Any one of those items are not worth it but all together it really makes it the right one to get.

Amazon offers a bundle with the Weber 6507 cart DON'T GET IT! The Weber 6549 is only a few bucks more but is a newer design. You don't save much money by getting the bundle. I also ordered the vinyl 6550 cover and 6401 mitt.

The Q 200/220 are significantly larger. The Q 100 is good for 4-5 people which is perfect for me but if you want to be able to cook for more then get the 200 or maybe even the 300 size. But for me it was important to be able to carry in my RV. The 100/120 size fits in the storage compartments of my Jayco with ease. The 200 size might also fit in there but it would be bulky and cumbersome. Bottom line they are significantly different in size. If you are not sure which one you want find them in a local store so you can see the size yourself.

Cooking steaks and burgers on this grill is great. Nice sear marks and great tasting. Night and day difference from the $20 black square tin can style portable grill it replaced.

Amazon pricing on the grill, cart and accessories was great combined with the great shipping due to the Prime account I signed up for.

Buy Weber Q 120 Gas Grill Now

If it were possible to fall in love with a grill then I am in love. The Weber Q120 Portable Gas Grill exceeds all of my expectations and the Weber Rolling Cart that I ordered to go with it is the perfect companion for it. I have owned many grills in my life since I am 67 years old but this grill is by far the best one I have ever had. I did quite a bit of research on Amazon and other sites before making the decision to buy this one. I had decided that I didn't want a large grill with multiple burners this time and didn't want to have to deal with the big propane tanks since I would only be grilling for 1 to 4 people at a time. I would be storing it in the garage and wanted to be able to easily wheel it out when using it and then wheel it back inside when finished. The grill did require some assembly that took maybe 20 minutes to complete but the Rolling Cart came totally assembled and only required unfolding. I was impressed from the beginning with the heft and quality of the materials used to construct this grill and how well it fit together. I ordered the Q120 model because it has two fold out shelves, a thermometer and an electric starter that the Q100 doesn't have. The little extra cost for the Q120 is worth it. The Q 100 and Q120 will both fit securely on the Weber Rolling Cart so you don't have to mess with having to rig up a table to set the grill and your supplies on. The small canister tanks are very convenient to deal with and the electric starter on the Q120 lights up the grill on the first touch every time. The cooking grate is very heavy, makes great grill marks and cleans easily with a wire brush. I have had this grill for about two weeks now, have used it six times and everything has turned out perfectly with it. The rolling cart also folds down to make this whole outfit portable for tail gating and camping. I highly recommend the Weber Q120 Gas Grill Weber 516501 Q 120 Gas Grill and Rolling Cart. Weber 6507 Rolling Cart

Read Best Reviews of Weber Q 120 Gas Grill Here

I hate to say it, but since buying the Q-120 I now use my old grill more than ever..... because the Q-120 sits just right on it's side table. I literally have not used my big grill to cook with once since I got the 120. I read all the reviews on it and the Q-100, and was still hesitant to spend the money on a portable grill, and even more undecided between the 100 and 120. Boy was I ever suprised at how well it cooks. It has no problem searing perfect lines, and retains enough heat to flip the meat onto the same spot and still get great searing. The grating has built in burner protection from dripping grease, and so far I haven't had a single problem with flare-ups. The grating itself is very heavy porcelain-enameled cast iron, and looks like it will last for many years. The body of the grill is cast aluminum, and also seems very well made. The burner is stainless steel, lit by an electronic ignition powered by a AAA battery. The grill is very stable on it's feet, even with the lid open. The only time it's not as stable is when you are cleaning it with the grating out, but it's still not a problem. You may have to adjust your cooking technique a little because the grill cooks pretty quickly compared to the grills i've used before, but it's not a problem, and i've yet to cook anything on mine that wasn't good. I find it so much easier to cook on with good results that it is now my primary grill, cooking for a family of four. I have tried many new recipies since getting this grill because it does so well, and am planning to get the Q-320 later for a larger permanent location grill. If you regularly cook for more than four people, you will need a bigger grill than the 120, but the occasional meal for 5 or 6 is not a problem if you are careful. The easily usable grating size is 12" X 16" although it is probably roughly a half inch or so bigger all the way around.

If I had to find a con, I would say that the inside surface of the body could be smoother in places. There are a few spots on mine that will tear paper towels if I'm not careful when I'm cleaning it off. Yeah I know that's minor and I probably can fix it in a few minutes with some sandpaper, but that's all I find wrong with this thing. If you clean it while it's still warm you can wipe most of the grease right off, and the catch pan system works great. I usually line my pan with foil, and just throw it away when done.

As far as the Q-120 vs the Q-100 goes, I would buy the 120 over the 100 again. I think the taller lid with the thermometer is very nice compared to the 100, and the side tables and electronic ignition are just icing on the cake. The tool hooks on the side tables are great to hang stuff on, but your tools will hang below the feet of the grill, so they will need to be near the edge of what ever the grill is sitting on if it's wide like a tailgate or something. The grill is not cheap, but it's NOT CHEAP, and I would say it's a great value because of it's quality. Also, you are supporting an American company. To me it's worth the extra money over the cheaper portable grills out there.

I hope this helps, and if you have any questions ask and I'll try to answer them. Thanks!

EDIT to add: I have read many reviews of the weber Q series having regulator issues with refillable propane tanks. I am using mine with a 20lb bottle with no issues at all. I can hook the bottle up, open both valves, and light the grill immediatly, so I am assuming that any issues they may have had are resolved now. I have a 4.25lb bottle on the way and will test throughly with it also, so if I have any issues with it I will update this.

Want Weber Q 120 Gas Grill Discount?

Designing a good gas grill is tough; there are enough bad full-size gas grills out there to prove this point. However, to get good results with a travel-size version is even tougher. That being said, the best bet is to go with anything made by Weber, as their reputation for innovative design and quality materials are exactly what is needed to succeed in this arena.

Before purchasing this grill, I already owned a Weber Spirit E-310. The E-310 is the best grill I've seen and has made me a "Weber Guy" through and through. Its flavorizer bars create a sizzling sound that is downright therapeutic and, by the way, also actually enhance the flavor of the meat. The grill-marks created by its cast iron grate create perfect grill marks. However, this grill is big, bulky, and by no means portable.

I bought the Q-120 to fill this void, primarily for tailgate parties. I know that comparing this portable grill to the full-size E-310 is apples to oranges, so please don't treat these as "negatives", but instead, more as "trade-offs" for the portability:

1) The Q-120 has no flavorizer bars The description hints at having a "flavorizer system", but I don't see it. The grill is mostly silent during operation (no sizzle unless meat is being added/flipped). The flavor of the meat doesn't show the evidence of the flavorizer treatment either.

2) Indirect cooking is not possible on the Q-120 I like to cook hot dogs on indirect heat to prevent over-charring. Needless to say, you will need to get creative with the meat layouts in order to simulate indirect heat. I have also heard of some people using aluminum foil to create this effect.

3) The Q-120 generates a lot of smoke. There are two large openings on the sides; it looks like the openings were sized for the tables that flip-in, not sized for the required air-flow. Because the openings are so big, it leaves more space for air to exit, which results in longer pre-heat and more smoke being exhausted.

That being said, the Q-120 cooks the food very well. It preheats quickly enough and does cook the food evenly without flare-ups. The porcelain enameled cast-iron grate creates great grill-marks and is easily cleaned. All of the materials used on the grill are high quality and it's obvious that they will remain in working order for a long time. The only real negative I have about the Q-120 is that the drip-pan isn't secured to the grill. It slides in place without effort, but unfortunately it slides out just as easily; which creates an unneeded hassle when traveling with it.

As far as the Q-100 vs. Q-120 debate goes, there is no doubt that the Q-120 is worth the extra money. The Q-120 has three differences to discern it from the Q-100:

1) Thermometer Cooking without a thermometer makes no sense to me. There are some ways of estimating the grill's heat without a thermometer, but unless you're a pro, you're mostly flying blind. Sure, you can use a meat thermometer, but that's just another thing to take with you during the trip.

2) Electric ignition Way more reliable than what is found on the Q-100.

3) Flip-out side tables When I bought the grill, this wasn't a big selling point. However, in practice, I was surprise to find how much I actually needed them. If you are buying a Q-1X0 for its versatility, these are a must-have.

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