The Grill2Go has a maximum 9,500 Btu output, versus the Weber Q 1200’s 8,500 Btu. After we preheated it for five minutes on high, the Grill2Go reached over 600 degrees Fahrenheit, while the Weber Q 1200 never broke 525 °F. Char-Broil claims its “TRU Infrared cooking system” eliminates flare-ups, but we still had to manage moderate flares while cooking burgers, chicken, and brats. However, this 40-pound portable grill isn’t lightweight by any stretch of the imagination.
And they liked that the propane canisters can be bought at any hardware store for about $6. We grilled bone-in chicken to test for flare-ups and how well both the gas and charcoal grills could sustain a medium-low cooking temperature over 45 minutes. Controlling the temperature in a charcoal grill is all about vent placement, since you can’t turn coal heat down.
She’s an expert on all things home, including kitchen appliances, grills, and other cooking gadgets. Keep in mind that this is a little different than normal grilling, since it cooks from the top and bottom, which means your food cooks faster. Make sure you preheat your grill until the green light clicks.
We like the spacious dome lid, because it has a built-in thermometer that lets you know when it’s hot and ready to grill. The small fold-out side tables are convenient for keeping grill tools within reach. This Weber model’s long handles make this 30-pound grill comfortable for one person to carry, too. And Weber backs this model with a warranty that covers most parts on the grill for five years.
If the plug fits loosely into the outlet, or if the outlet feels warm, do not use that outlet. Burning charcoal or charcoal residue produces carbon monoxide which may cause serious injury or death. To assemble the lid, align the handle with the holes in the lid. Insert a screw through the tops of each hole, and place a silicone washer, then a metal washer over the screws. Always make sure the grill is on a level, stable surface when in use and is not tilting in any direction.
Plus, it’s heavy , and it doesn’t have a lid, making it impossible to turn it into a mini smoker without jerry-rigging it with aluminum foil. Finally, for those that enjoy the ease of use, precise control, and smokey flavor that cooking or smoking with a pellet grill can provide, we recommend the Traeger Ranger Pellet Grill . Without a lid is known as grilling or direct cooking, and you’ll need to keep an eye on the food as it’s hard and fast and there’s a danger of over cooking or burning the food very quickly. Indirect cooking under a lid is what purists call proper barbecuing – using convection currents and smoke to flavour and slow the cooking process. Gas and electric certainly have their place in terms of consistency and convenience when cooking outside, but they arguably also reduce the authenticity of the results to some degree.
With 200 square inches of cooking space, you can grill for a tailgating crowd or a backyard BBQ. Weber has a reputation for building grills that gracefully blend cooking performance and reliability, and that tradition is rolled into a portable package with the impressive Weber Q 1200. Simply put, this model let us grill with more precision, predictability, and control than any other weber genesis 2 model we bought and tested. We tested five propane models, and the Weber Q 1200 Gas Grillis the best portable gas grill for most people. In our tests, the Q 1200 outperformed the competition at both high-heat searing and low-and-slow grilling, with the fewest flare-ups. The Q 1200 has a cast-aluminum firebox that evenly distributes heat across its 189-square-inch grilling grate.