It’s football season!  You know what that means… tailgate parties, beer and lots of barbecue!  We love to barbecue all year long, but there’s something special about getting the gang together and grilling during football season, whether you’re grilling at home or at the game.  There are many types of grills, and if you’re like us you probably have more than one J  In this article, we’ll be talking about portable grills, since tailgate season is finally upon us.

There are two main types of portable grills… gas and charcoal.  BBQ enthusiasts usually have a preference (and many will NOT be swayed from their position, whether it be charcoal or gas).  While we love cooking with charcoal at home, when it comes to tailgating, we love the convenience and speed of gas grills.

Our favorite portable gas grill for tailgating, camping and for other outdoor activities is the Weber Q-100 Portable Gas Grill.  Read on to find out why this is our first choice for portable grills, and to learn what you should look for when you are looking to buy a portable grill.

Weber Q-100 Portable Gas Grill

What to Look For When Buying a Portable Gas Grill:

When you’re shopping for a portable grill, there are several things you need to keep in mind to determine the best grill for you, such as:

-        How heavy is the grill?

-        How large is the cooking surface?

-        How fast does the grill light/heat up?

-        How hot does the grill get?

-        And last but not least, how much does it cost?

Tailgating or Everyday Cooking?

How you will be using your grill is a very important factor to consider when shopping for a portable grill.  Do you need a grill for tailgating parties, camping, or other outdoor activities, or are you purchasing a grill for your home?

While portable grills are great for homes with little outdoor space (a small patio in a condo for example), if you’re purchasing a grill that will be moved around a lot (it’s football season and I know we plan on doing a lot of tailgate parties this year!), then weight and size will be very important.

Portable grills can range in size and weight by a fairly large amount.  Weight was the most important factor when we were shopping for a portable grill.  I found that portable grills can range anywhere from 10 to 70 pounds.  Anything over 30 pounds doesn’t seem very portable to me, so we opted for the Weber Q-100 which weighs in at 29 pounds.  While this isn’t the lightest portable grill out there (due to the durable, long lasting materials used), 29 pounds is definitely a manageable weight for a portable grill.

How Many People Will You Be Cooking For?

Portable grills have much less cooking space than full-size grills, so you should have a pretty good idea of how many people you’ll be cooking for before you buy your grill.  The Weber Q-100 is considered the “baby” in the Weber line of portable grills, and has only 189 square inches of cooking area.  This is perfect for cooking for 2-4 people; you can easily fit six hamburgers or steaks on this grill, or 4 steaks and a couple of potatoes.  For larger parties, you will need more cooking surface or an extra grill to help out.

The Weber Q-100 is the perfect portable propane grill for us since most of our parties are for six people or less.  It’s also a great grill for condos or apartments where you don’t have a lot of outdoor living space.

Fast Lighting for Impatient Cooks (Like Me)

I admit, I’m not a patient person.  When I’m ready to eat, I’m ready to eat.  I don’t want to wait around 30 minutes for the grill to get hot.  The push button ignition that’s standard on most Weber portable gas grills is a huge plus for impatient cooks like me :)

Steak or Chicken?

What you will be cooking on your portable grill is just as important as how many people you will be cooking for.  The Weber Q-100 portable gas grill is the smallest grill in the line of Weber portable grills.  It’s great for tailgating and camping, but the price you pay for portability is a smaller grill.  The Weber Q-100 is awesome for burgers and steaks, but you will not be able to cook a whole chicken on this grill.  If you need a larger grill or larger cooking area, the Weber Q-220 is the next step up and it’s the perfect size for roasting chickens or cooking for a larger crowd.

How Hot?

Another factor to consider is how hot the grill gets.  Steak lovers will want a grill that can get hot enough to sear the steak and lock all those wonderful juices in.  The Weber Q-100 has 8,500 BTUs; while this is less than other portable grills (the average range seems to be 8,000-10,000 for portable grills), reviewers of this grill say it has no problem getting hot and does a wonderful job searing meats.

Are You a BBQ Enthusiast or Just an Occasional Griller?

BBQ enthusiasts grill on a regular basis and need a grill made of quality materials to withstand the weather and abuse that portable grills are often subject to (admit it, how many times have you left your portable grill out in a rain storm while camping?)

Weber portable propane grills are made of durable materials meant to last a long time.  The lid and body are made of cast aluminum with a glass reinforced nylon frame.  The Weber Q-100 also has porcelain enameled cast iron cooking grates, which reduces flare-ups and results in better tasting food.

While using better quality materials means this grill is heavier than other portable grills (made with lighter metals), it makes for a durable, long-lasting product.  BBQ enthusiasts who grill on a daily basis will be able to use this grill for many years to come and occasional grillers may never need to replace this grill it’s so durable.

Grill fanatics will also be happy to note that the Weber Q-100 portable gas grill comes with a 5-year limited warranty.

How much can you expect to pay for a portable grill?

Portable grills range anywhere from $20 to several hundred dollars.  When it comes to grills, you definitely get what you pay for.  Cheaper grills are usually made with lighter, less-durable material, which means they won’t last as long as grills made with better quality material.  The Weber line of portable grills offer the best of both worlds, in that they are built with quality, durable materials at an affordable price.

We found the Weber Q-100 for about $140 at most of the retailers we checked at.  Amazon offers free shipping which makes it a better deal than other online stores that charge for shipping.

Does it come with a warranty?

Yes, the Weber Q-100 Portable Gas Grill comes with a 5-year limited warranty.  If you are BBQ enthusiasts like we are, a warranty is a must have!

What are other purchasers of the Weber portable propane grill saying?

Amazon reviewers have given the Weber Q-100 Portable Gas Grill great reviews, with the average being 4.6 out of 5 stars.  Here are what some of the reviewers are saying:

“Great grill for everyday use!”

“I’ll never buy a large grill on a stand ever again”

“Best grill I’ve ever owned”

“The grill to end all grills”

“Surprisingly hot!  For those of you wondering if this grill gets hot enough to sear steaks… it does!”

“Perfect for travel, or two at home!”

“Perfect size for our deck”

You can read more reviews at Amazon.com.

Any complaints?

This grill gets great reviews and I could find very few complaints from Amazon reviewers.  The only complaint I can think of is that this grill is designed to work with smaller propane bottles (14 and 16 oz).  However, several Amazon reviewers got around this by using 5 lb tanks in place of the smaller bottles.

Where can you buy a Weber portable grill?

While there are many retailers where you can purchase the Weber Q-100 we have found the best price at Amazon.com.  In addition, Amazon offers free shipping, which makes the price much lower than at other retailers.