The Q1200 is a portable liquid propane grill from Weber that is highly reliable, fun to use and has a small footprint. If you buy the Q1200 I promise that you will love it but you might also have a little remorse for not getting the Q2200 instead.
The Q series can be a little confusing to figure out so lets take a few minutes to sort through them and figure out which one is right for you.
This review will look at the key features of this grill and compare it to some other options.
Q1200 Specifications and Dimensions
To get a better idea of this grill’s identity, let’s take a look at some numbers.
- Grilling Area: 189 inches of primary cooking area
- Grates: Porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates
- Burners: One stainless steel burner
- Heating Power: (8500 BTU/hour) / (189 square inches) = 45 BTU per hour per square inch
- Dimensions (with the lid ajar and tables out): 24.6”H x 40.9” W x 20.5”D—15.5”H with the lid closed
- Color Availability: Fuchsia, Black, Blue, Green, Orange, Purple, Red, Titanium, and Florida State University Maroon
- Warranty: 5 years cook box, lid assembly, burner tubes, grates, and plastic components, and 2 years on all other parts including paint
- One stainless steel burner produces 8500 BTU-per-hour to heat 189 square-inch total cooking area. Dimensions - Lid Open and Tables Out (inches)-24.6 H x 40.9 W x 20.5 D. Lid Closed and Tables Out (inches)-15.5 H x 40.9 W x 16.5 D
- Porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates and cast aluminum lid and body
- Fully assembled out of box. Battery type: AAA
- Easy-start electronic ignition and infinite control burner valve settings
- Uses disposable 14.1 or 16.4 oz LP cylinder (sold separately).Glass-reinforced nylon frame
Q1200 Customer Reviews
I grabbed the customer reviews for the Q1200 from the Home Depot website and plotted them below.
The Q1200 has a 95% customer satisfaction rate which is among the highest ratings I have seen for any Weber grill.
People love that, while the grill is compact and doesn’t take up much space, it still gets hot enough to sear steaks and has room to cook for four. Other benefits people mentioned were how even the grill cooks and how easy it is to clean.
The few negative comments about the grill is that the lid does not lock which makes it less of a portable grill and the need to buy an adapter hose to use a 20 pound propane tank.
What Makes the Q1200 Great
This grill has quite a bit of grilling space for a tabletop grill. With 189 square inches of space, you can cook for the whole family at one time, making this grill great for camping, traveling, or use on a small balcony or patio.
The Q1200 features porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grates. These grates are extremely heavy and take about 15 minutes to really heat up but once they get hot they stay hot and let you do serious grilling on a little grill. The grates are specifically engineered to provide even heating in combination with the single circular burner that runs around the circumference of the grill.
All of the Q series grills look fantastic and are backed by a five year warranty. This grill is going to look great on your patio and you will enjoy using it for a very long time!
What I Don’t Like
The two biggest issues for me come down to size and portability.
On the portability front the reality is that, unless you get the collapsible cart stand featured in the video review above this grill isn’t very portable. Sure, you can pick it up and carry it but it wasn’t really designed with that in mind. There is no lid lock or lid handle. This means that you have to use two hands and carry the thing in front of you. And to be honest, given the weight of the heavy cast iron grates, you are not going to want to carry this grill very far.
If all you need this grill for is for use as a tabletop grill for your patio then the portability issue is not a problem. If you are looking for a grill to haul down to the park on a regular basis then do yourself a favor, head down to the store and try carrying one around for a minute or two.
The major issue for me with the Q1200 is the amount of grilling space you get. The Q1200 has 189 square inches which is large enough to get the job done but is almost 50% smaller than what you get with the Weber Q2200. Everything that is great about the Q1200 is also great about the Q2200. The Q2200 is just bigger.
You will not always need the extra space that comes with the Q2200 but it never hurts to have it available.
Versus the Q1000
As far as cooking is concerned, the Q1000 and Q1200 are identical. Although the Q1200 features an electronic ignition, where the Q1000 has a push-button ignition, they have the same heating power and same cooking space.
The Q1200 is an upgrade with the folding side tables to give you more prep space in a small area at a campsite or on an already full table. Both grills have removable porcelain-enameled cooking crates and removable catch pans for easy cleanup. On both grills, these standard items are also dishwasher safe.
The small price difference in the 1200 versus the 1000 is simply due to the addition and convenience of the folding tables. The choice of which one will work best for you is personal preference, although I tend to lean toward paying the additional money for the electronic ignition and side tables.
Q1200 vs Q2200
As previously mentioned, the Q2200 is identical to the Q1200 with the exception of the Q2200 having 48% more grilling space.
Both grills have electronic ignitions, heavy cast iron grates, side tables and a lid thermometer. Both grills are great as tabletop grills but are hard to transport for use as portable grills. Both grills are designed to operate from disposable one pound propane bottles but can be converted to run off of a standard 20 pound propane cylinder.
The only reasons I can think of to buy the Q1200 instead of the Q2200 is if you like one of the funky colors available for the Q1200 or need a compact grill to fit into your RV.
- One stainless steel burner produces 8500 BTU-per-hour to heat 189 square-inch total cooking area. Dimensions - Lid Open and Tables Out (inches)-24.6 H x 40.9 W x 20.5 D. Lid Closed and Tables Out (inches)-15.5 H x 40.9 W x 16.5 D
- Porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates and cast aluminum lid and body
- Fully assembled out of box. Battery type: AAA
- Easy-start electronic ignition and infinite control burner valve settings
- Uses disposable 14.1 or 16.4 oz LP cylinder (sold separately).Glass-reinforced nylon frame
- Total cooking area = 280 Square Inches
- Stainless steel burner puts out 12,000 BTU-per-hour
- Porcelain-enameled, cast iron cooking grates
- Electronic ignition with built in thermometer
- Two folding work tables
Versus the Spirit E 210
The main difference between the Q1200 and the Spirit E 210 is that the Q1200 is portable and the E 210 is not. This might make the comparison a bit unfair since they each have their purpose, but I think it’s important to look at what Weber considers their next step up regarding LP grills.
The Spirit has much more heating power, and two burners versus the Q1200’s single-burner. The overall grilling space on the 210 also far surpasses the Q1200, primarily due to the depth of the grill.
Both grills cook evenly and work well in smaller spaces where a more substantial model would not work, like a small patio or deck area. Both grills also have fold-down side tables for added workspace while grilling.
The E 210 is a great first step for you if you are looking for a stationary grill, and I would highly recommend it. The Q1200 can also be a great jump into grilling and is great in that it can go with you as you travel or if you are moving from apartment to apartment often.
Overall I can’t recommend either grill over the other because there purposes are relatively different. You will need to decide which purpose is most important to you. These are a great pair to own together, however, so don’t count out a dual purchase.
Versus the Q3200
The Q3200 is a cart-mounted grill that is the highest end option for those interested in the Q series. Although this grill is still touted as a portable option, it is the biggest and most difficult to travel with option you could choose. It would be best suited for semi-permanent travel, not for short trips or tailgates.
The Q3200 features more overall grilling power and more cooking space than the smaller Q1200, but still keeps the great non-stick cooking grates and the convenient side tables. Both grills also feature hood-mounted thermometers for easy temperature monitoring.
The larger hood leaves extra space to cook whole chickens, unlike the thinner Q1200. The Q3200 also features a second stainless steel burner, which is what helps it to overcome the Q1200 in both power and space.
The Q1200 is certainly still the best option as far as portability is concerned, but if you are looking for a great grill for a permanent campsite or even for a great portable starter grill for your small deck space, the Q3200 is a great option for you.