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I am a big fan of tailgating, and when it’s football or NASCAR season, I like to take the unique opportunity to grill out with fellow sporting fans. As you should know by now, I’m a big fan of outdoor grilling, and when I’m heading out an excellent portable grill makes things much easier. Iconic brands like Weber have me covered when it comes to grilling. Recently, I’ve been appreciating the Weber Q2200 for its rich features and relative ease of use. In this guide, I’m going to review the product. Unlike other Weber Q2200 reviews, I’m also going to provide you with three alternative products to consider as well.
Things to Consider Before Buying Portable Propane Grill
When you’re working with a portable grill, you need to be 100% sure that the product can provide you with a performance that is similar to a full-sized grill. This is especially true if you’re a person that knows your way around the grill. For example, one of the first things I look for is a spacious grate.
I like to vary my game up a bit, so it’s not uncommon for me to cook my veggies and my meats all at the same time. This can allow extra flavors to soak into the food, so a spacious grill grate, even on a portable model is very desirable. In most cases, the grill grate is measured in square inches, but it’s critical that you not be fooled by company jargon. Sometimes, a grill can sound very spacious. In these cases, the manufacturer is often combining the square inches of the standard grill space with the warming rack. Remember, you’re not going to be doing a lot of grilling on a warming rack, so always look at the grill specifications first. In fact, most manufacturers will hide the accurate sizing of their grate area with terms like “primary cooking surface.”
In addition to this, the grates themselves should also be high quality. Here are some grate types to consider:
- Cast Iron: These are traditional for many, and they provide a good level of even heating. These can rust if over time.
- Stainless Steel: These are protected from rust in most cases, and are also easy to clean with a wire brush. The only weakness of stainless steel is that it’s notorious for its tendency to not heat evenly.
- Porcelain-Enameled: When the grates are porcelain-coated, this makes the heating more even. Usually, they will also be easy to clean. Unfortunately, wire brushes will damage and remove this coating.
Weber Q2200: Presenting the Product
This is a Weber product that’s a good middle-ground for those who want portability and function. It has 280 square inches of cooking area. It also has a single burner that is capable of reaching 12,000 BTU’s of heating output per hour. This is one of the market leaders when it comes to portability. It has a sturdy build quality that you’ll need when you’re out and about and placing the grill on various surfaces.
I’m going to go more in-depth into this grill’s features, but first, let’s hit on some of the pros and cons:
Pros
- This is an easy to assemble gas grill.
- The folding work tables are great for food prep, and when folded, they don’t take up a lot of extra space.
- The grates provide even heat.
- It should provide almost two hours of cooking time on a single canister.
Cons
- It uses an electronic ignition, which requires batteries.
- At almost 43 pounds, it can be on the heavy side.
- The drippings can sometimes congeal and clog the runoff hole at the base.
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Weber Q2200: Features and Benefits
Before I get into the features and benefits, it’s worth noting that the Q2200 is an update to the Q220. That said, it serves as a nice middle-ground for those looking for compactness and performance. There are smaller and larger grills in the Q1200 and the Q3200, but this one is a nice go-to for everyday portable use. Here are a few of its standout attributes:
Split Grate Design
Grill cleanup can take a lot of effort, so any grill design that simplifies the process is going to be a winner in my book. This grill improves on the design of the Q220. It does so by making the grill grate a two-part feature. It splits in two so that you can clean each side with ease. In fact, you shouldn’t use a grill brush with these grates, so pulling them off in segments is a nice feature.
12-Burger Capacity
While I know that not everyone is going to be using this exclusively for burgers, this 12-burger capacity is a good way to illustrate the sizeable grilling space. In total, the grill has 280 square inches of grilling real estate. This makes it easy to cook a lot of one type of grilled food or more at one time. I do wish that there was more than a single burner. Yet, for those that like to sear rather than use indirect cooking, then this is more than an adequate option.
Porcelain Enameling
For the most part, I like my grates to be enameled with porcelain due to its inherent advantages over other types of grating systems. Porcelain is a quick-to-heat material, so you won’t have to wait quite as long during the preheating process. Once the heating process begins, I find that porcelain provides a nice even heat. This means that there’s less of an occurrence of hot and cold spots on the grill.
Finally, porcelain is a non-stick substance. Once you’re done the grilling, you can usually wipe away the majority of food residue without using a wire brush. A wire brush can lead to damage on your porcelain enameling. This also means that you won’t have to use a non-stick spray when grilling.
Heat-Retaining Cookbox
I like the cookbox design of this grill. It has a compact size that circulates heat so that you can cook food with the lid closed. The cover is also constructed of cast aluminum, so its heat retention is top-notch. While this isn’t the best grill for convection, closing the lid will let you roast some foods. The aluminum is also the right thickness. I find that many portable grills have a tendency to lose heat due to the fact that their steel lids are too thin.
Easy-to-Read Temperature
Grilling requires you to manage the food’s temperature. A thermometer that can tell you the internal heating level is pretty essential. This Weber product has a very accurate thermometer in its lid that’s even easy to read when the lid is up. This is due to the fact that it’s presented on the front edge of the lid, so it’s viewable when looking down at the grill.
Side Tables for Convenience
The side tables on the Weber Q2200 can fold up and fold out when you need them, so you can use them as food prep areas. I’ll admit that they aren’t super-strong. However, when you need to cut some food or place some seasonings, they definitely are reliable. These also fold in under the lid, so when they are away, they don’t protrude much, which is a benefit.
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Weber Q2200 Reviews: What Are Customers Saying About This Grill?
I took some time to see what other purchasers of the Weber Q2200 were saying because I wanted to know if my impressions were universal. For the most part, most people seemed to be in agreement. Overall, in the Weber Q2200 reviews that I read, I saw a lot of people stating that the assembly of this product added a lot of value. Unlike other grills, all you have to do is install components like the thermometer and the handles. Once that’s done, you’re pretty much ready to grill. Many people seem to love the dual-grate system as well as the porcelain coating on the grates. This grate design is pretty useful, and you won’t spend a lot of time cleaning. Finally, many owners seem to like the stainless steel burners, which have hundreds of ports that provide a nice, even heat.
Alternatives to Weber Q2200
The Weber Q2200 isn’t the only portable gas grill on the block, so here are a few options that you can consider:
Alternative One: Cuisinart CGG-180T Petit Gourmet Portable Tabletop Gas Grill
I never considered Cuisinart to be a major name in the grilling world before. This grill definitely has a quality level that’s worthy of notice. The Cuisinart CGG-180T has an ultra-portable design for tabletop grilling. It requires significantly less space than the Q2200. That said, it’s easy to carry, has respectable heat output, and is very sturdy.
- Like the Weber Q2200, this product has both a stainless steel single-burner and porcelain-enameled grates, so it heats food evenly.
- The lid locks so that it’s secure and doesn’t open up during transport. The legs are also designed to fold inwards so that it has an even smaller profile.
- Not only is this Cuisinart grill much smaller, but it also has a lighter weight compared to the Weber product. While the Weber weighs about 42 pounds, this grill tops out at about 13.5 pounds.
While it lacks some features like a built-in thermometer, the Cuisinart CGG-180T is a great option for those that need a little more compactness. Check it out today.
Alternative Two: Char-Broil Grill2Go X200 Portable TRU-Infrared Liquid Propane Gas Grill
Have you ever grilled and found that you may have added a bit too much of a sear to one part of the meat? When this happens, other parts of the meat seem undercooked. Well, in most cases, this is due to the presence of heat inconsistencies across the grill surface. To counter this, Char-Broil created their TRU-infrared tech that puts a barrier between the burners and the heat. This barrier conducts the heat so that it’s even and cold and hot spots aren’t present. The Grill2Go grill brings this tech into an ultra-small grill. Here’s how it compares:
- This grill has 200 square inches of cooking space.
- With its latches, it can be closed and secured during transport.
- Unlike the Weber 2200, the grill has stainless steel cooking grates that is easy to clean with a grill brush.
- It doesn’t have fold-out side tables.
Overall, this is a good alternative because of its comparable sizing and Tru-Infrared technology. Check it out if you’re looking for a forgiving grill.
Alternative Three: Masterbuilt MB20030519 MPG 300S Tabletop Gas Grill
Unlike the other products that I took a look at, the Masterbuilt MB20030519 matches the Weber Q2200 with its side tables. Also, if you love stainless steel, you may also like the primary building material for this model. This shines a bit because it has two burners. This will allow a griller to play around with indirect heating a little easier than they would with the Q2200.
- This grill has a wood chip tray for those that want a little of that smoked flavor.
- There’s a higher amount of cooking space as compared to the Weber grill. In total, you get about 345 square inches to work with – though this is tabulated with the warming rack.
- It’s a bit lighter than the Weber.
Out of all our alternatives, this Masterbuilt product has the most similarities to the Weber. The stainless steel construction and warming rack make it different enough to check it out.
Final Thoughts
I really hope that you enjoyed my review of the Weber Q2200. It’s a reliable grill that definitely lets you take your grilling game on the go. It’s pretty efficient when it comes to propane use, has side tables, and is very easy to assemble. Check it out today if you need a tailgating grill or you want something that can go with you on your adventures.