When you’re out tailgating with the crew, you’re bound to get hungry. A terrible grill can poop your party in ways you never thought possible. But scoring a good deal on one could make a whole lot of difference. Chances are I’m preaching to the choir and it’s probably why you’re searching the internet for Weber Q 1200 Grill reviews

Well, at Simply Tailgating, we have everything you need to know in our detailed Weber Q 1200 Grill review. You definitely don’t want to buy this grill without reading some of the shocking complaints. So let’s fire things up, shall we?

 

About Weber Grills

The Weber-Stephen Products LLC, found online at www.weber.com, is an American manufacturer of charcoal, electric and gas grills, including the Weber Q 1200. The company was founded by George A. Stephen back in 1983, as a metal works shop in Palatine, Illinois, where they are currently headquartered.

 

Weber Q 1200 Features

Weber claims the Q 1200 Grill is inspired by passion for innovation and simplicity in barbecuing under the ultimate grilling experience. But is this grill well worth the hype? Let’s take a closer look at some of its key features.

Porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates – The cooking grates are made of Porcelain-enameled cast-iron, considered super easy to clean, genuinely non-stick and apparently they are dishwasher safe. You’ll also get those grill marks on your burger if you’re keen on that.

Cast aluminum domed lid and body – The grill’s body is made of cast aluminum, so you may not have to worry much about rust. They then go on to add a glass-reinforced nylon frame for durability.

Built-in lid thermometer – Perhaps one of the few outstanding features about this grill is the built-in thermometer. It’s not so much of a necessity for tailgating, but professional barbecue enthusiasts love this feature.

189 Square Inches of Cooking Space with two folding side tables – Powered by an 8,500 BTUs propane-powered burner, the cooking space measures 24.6″ in length, 40.9″ wide and 20.5″ in depth. It may not be as wide as the Blackstone 36” but it can comfortably feed a crew of 3. The side-tables also fold up inwards, giving it extra points for portability.

 

Other Notable Features:

• Removable catch pan
• Electronic ignition firing up with one press of the button
• Infinite control burner valve
• Disposable propane tank sold separately
• Available in 6 colors – red, orange, blue, titanium, black and green.

 

Cleaning & Maintenance

Depending on the grill’s exterior and how frequently you fire it up, cleaning your Weber Q 1200 should be a breeze. Consider wiping the lid and side tables with a paper or microfiber towel and cleaner. Use a glass cleaner for porcelain-coated lids and stainless steel cleaner for stainless steel lids for best results. They recommend you buff with the grain, not against.

Clean the cookbox with a grill brush. Once the grill cools off completely, remove the cooking grates and brush off the excess grease and food residue from inside the cookbox in to the bottom tray.

The cooking grates can be cleaned with warm water or you can just throw them into a dishwasher if you’re at home, but you may have to do a little extra rinsing. You don’t want your meat to taste of dishwasher soap, now do you?

You can even go old school. Just heat up the grates and let the food residue burn up for 15 minutes before grilling. The residue will turn to ash making it easier to brush off the residue with a stainless steel brush.

With the materials that make up the Weber Q 1200, it wouldn’t be necessary to season the grill before storing it away. Just make sure it’s squeaky clean if you don’t plan on using it for a while.

 

Weber Q 1200 Portability

Perhaps what makes a grill awesome for tailgating would be how easy it is to move around with. The Weber Q 1200 packs a punch when it comes to portability.

When closed and side tables out, the grill measures 15.5″ long, 40.9″ wide x 16.5″ high. A stand is sold separately. However, it’s a little heavier than average, with a 30.7 pound shipping weight. You’ll probably get a load of the weight, with no legs or wheels to support movement. But it easily rests on a picnic table without taking up too much space. The side tables fold up onto the cooktop, and you can remove the grates if need be.

 

Weber Q 1200 Warranty

If the manufacturer is totally confident with their product, they’ll give you a way out if the product turns out to be crap. In this case, the cookbox, stainless steel burner tubes, porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grates and lid assembly come with a 5 year, no rust through/burn through warranty, and so do all plastic components. All other parts including accessories have a 2 year warranty.

 

Weber Q 1200 Accessories

If you want to get the most out of your Weber Q 1200, here are a few accessories you can buy:

• Grilling tool set including a spatula and locking tongs
• Grill cover
• Portable cart
• Griddle for cooking eggs, bacon, etc.

If you want the best prices on these accessories they’re available on Amazon.com with all sorts of discounts and offers to take advantage of, like the 2-3 Day Free Delivery if you’re a Prime member.

So whether you’re flipping burgers, roasting a full chicken or making bacon, it’s always good to know you have options.

 

Weber Q 1200 Replacement Parts

Almost every part of this grille is replaceable, except the frame. They say if you can’t find a part, you can call them on 1-800-446-1071. In any case, here are some replacement parts available on Amazon.com.

• Cooking grates
• Drip pans
• Adapter hose if you prefer using a full-sized tank
• Ignition component
• Grill burner

Remember, the Weber Q series grills use a disposable propane tank; something really easy to forget. So you may want to keep that in mind before your next tailgate.

 

Weber Q 1200 Cost

The Weber Q 1200 costs a little over $200 in most stores. But if you want to get the best prices, Amazon.com would be a clear winner since they provide great discounts. You can even get free 2-3 Day Shipping if you’re a Prime member.

 

What Do We Like?

While tailgating, you are limited to what’s available on site and what you can carry from home. With that in mind, here’s what we like about this grill.

It’s easy to clean – We don’t hate the fact that the Weber Q 1200 is non stick where required. Also, you won’t need much effort to clean the aluminum cooking grates and unless you’re a lazy bum, rust shouldn’t be a problem with this unit.

Wind resistance and temperature control – You don’t have to worry about the fire going out when it’s windy outside, as most tailgaters prefer a wind resistant grill. And with a built-in thermometer for temperature control, you can still have fun a distance away from the grill.

Fits in small spaces – The Weber Q 1200 can fit at the back of your trunk comfortably right beside your medium-sized suitcase. So it’s definitely a worthy buy for the road.

 

Weber Q 1200 Complaints

You want to invest in something that’s truly worth the price. Needless to say, every grill has its shortcomings, no matter how good it looks. Question is, can you live with the drawbacks? Take a look at some of these complaints and let us know in the comments section down at the end!

It’s heavy

One of the biggest drawbacks with this grill is the weight. At 30 pounds you may find it hard carrying it around any time you want. For such a small grill feeding 3 people, customers say they would prefer the weight to match the size. Others say you can easily find double the cooking area with half the weight of this grill.

It doesn’t come with an integrated stand

It seems customers would be happier if they included a stand instead of selling it separately. If you prefer grilling while standing, which most people do, you can buy a stand for $70 on Amazon.com.

It’s not the best for a large party

You may have to cook in rounds if you’re a party of four or more. It also has only one burner so you can’t play around with heat settings as much as you would want. The heat range setting from high to low is also not that large.

 

Should you buy the Weber Q 1200 Grill?

This Weber Q 1200 grill can be a worthy buy for a small group, but it’s definitely not built for large crowds. The domed lid and porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates are definitely something to write home about. It also has a fierce burner powered by propane, which is considered more convenient than the charcoal-based counterparts. But that’s as far as the advantages go.

The biggest drawbacks would be the size in relation to the weight. For just 189 square inches of cooking space you would expect a lighter grill, but this one is the direct opposite. In addition, customers feel they should have integrated the stand to the grill’s standard setup instead of selling it separately. Other than that, the Weber Q 1200 grill is a compact, easy to clean, well-built grill you can throw in the trunk while tailgating with your friends. You can buy it on Amazon.com and get 2-3 day Free shipping if you’re a Prime member. If you have more questions about the product, you can find answers on the product’s Amazon page.

What’s Hot

• Doesn’t take up much space
• Easy to clean
• Compact and durable

What’s Not

• Size doesn’t compliment weight
• Not the best for a large tailgating party
• Stand sold separately

So that’s my thought on the Weber Q 1200. Did we miss something? Feel free to share your thoughts about this or any other tailgating grill you have used before in the comments section below.

Chris