Life circumstances being what they are, I came upon the realization that I needed to downsize my living accommodations. This unfortunately meant giving up my spacious back yard and deck for a condo patio. This also meant giving up my big Weber charcoal grill and looking for a grill a bit more condo friendly.
So I set out in earnest to begin my research for a replacement for my beloved charcoal grill. Of course the replacement although needing to be smaller, still had to be a Weber. That's when I did what I always do when faced with the prospect of having to make a major buying decision - I went online to peruse the reviews.
Based on what I learned online, I settled for the Weber Q100 Portable Gas Grill and clicked the "Add to Cart" button at Amazon.
Being a charcoal griller from way back, I wasn't sure that food cooked on this portable gas grill from Weber was going to match the taste of my charcoal grill. However, was I greatly surprised!
The first thing I noticed about the Weber Q100 Portable Gas Grill upon opening the box was just how rugged and sturdy it felt. What struck me was that the grate was not the thin wire grate that you see on your run-of-the-mill portable gas grill. No - the grate on the Weber portable gas grill was made of heavy cast iron.
This results in even searing and heat distribution across the entire cooking surface area. And although the cooking surface was not as big as the one on my old Weber charcoal grill, you could easily cook for a family of four on this little beauty.
I was surprised at how quickly the grill heats up to cooking temperature and is ready for a nice sear after about 7 or 8 minutes of preheat. Everything we have cooked on the Weber portable gas grill from steaks to hamburgers to vegetables and even fish have come off tasting fantastic. You have to watch though because the foods cook fast and are ready in no time.
Another of my concerns with a small gas grill was the fuel source. While it is true that you can run this grill from the one pound propane cylinders that you can pick up at any hardware store or supermarket, you can also hook this grill up to either a five pounder or a twenty pound propane tank through the use of an adapter hose. While the smaller propane canisters are great when going to the beach for the day for instance, you want the ability to hook up to the larger propane tanks when grilling at home.
Having always used a charcoal grill to the exclusion of the gas grill, I found that this portable gas grill was so much easier to fire up. Simply turn the gas valve on and push the igniter button and the next thing you know you are grilling. No messing with lighter fluid or waiting for the coal to get hot enough to grill on.
If you have ever cleaned a charcoal grill you know first hand what a chore that can be. Even with the Weber One-Touch charcoal disposal method, charcoal disposal can be a bit messy. The Weber Q100 Portable Gas Grill on the other hand is a snap to clean up. I simply use a bit of aluminum foil along the bottom of the grill and change it out when I'm done grilling.
I must say that I made a pretty darn good investment with this portable gas grill and expect to get many years of faithful service from it. The great thing about this grill aside from the fact that it cooks a great meal is that not only will it fit nicely into my current living arrangements, it is ready to travel at a moments notice to the beach, the park, or even the tailgate party.
| Price : $79.99
