Of all the portable propane grills we tested, the Weber Q 1200 grilled foods the most consistently, with a cast-aluminum firebox that evenly held and reflected heat throughout. It had the fewest hotspots of all the grills we tried, due in large part to the U-shaped burner, which evenly heated the grate. With 189 square inches of grilling area (17 by 12½ inches), the Blackstone Adventure Weber Q 1200 has enough space to grill a full dinner for two or the main course for a small gathering. We found that this Weber model is capable of grilling six large burger patties, a whole cut-up chicken, or 10 bratwurst links at a time. And the single-tube 8,500 Btu burner runs along three edges for better heat distribution, so all of that space is usable.
But at least there’s a barrier to keep hot embers from falling on your patio or deck. A swiveling metal handle tightly holds the grill together for easy transporting. Latches on the front of the Char-Broil Grill2Go make it easy to carry one-handed. We enlisted fresh bratwurst links to gauge each grill’s ability to handle a grate full of fatty meat.
An ordinary wire grill brush will generally get the job done very effectively. The last assembly steps, involving hookups for the burners and other details, are where things can get tedious, but they’re pretty straightforward in the instructions. The lid-mounted thermometer keeps accurate readings char broil performance only when the lid is closed, which is typical for most grills. Grease-management system, again similar to Char-Broil’s, in which a tapered pan forces the grease to drip into a tray with a replaceable foil inset. Finally, we kept to a budget of no more than $300 each for the other two finalists.
“We enjoyed using the Weber Connect Smart Grilling app for notifications about when our food would be ready. This made it a lot easier to deliver that perfectly medium-rare steak,” adds Gardeningetc. You might also be surprised to learn that the same study found that Americans’ grilled food preferences have shifted to chicken over burgers. 56% of respondents say they look forward to grilling chicken while 51% say they’ve experimented with grilling fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, corn, and pineapple on the grill. Always use your grill—gas or charcoal—outside, in a well-ventilated spot. Combustion produces odorless carbon monoxide, which can kill in minutes without warning.
The porcelain-coated cast-iron grates reduce flare-ups by shielding the flames and channeling grease and drippings around them while still allowing ambient heat to brown between grill marks. In our tests, burgers from the Q 1200 had the most seared surface area of all the burgers we grilled, and more browning means better flavor. They’re commonly constructed from thin porcelainized steel with thin wire-rod grilling grates. Charcoal grills’ simple construction is what makes them budget friendly.
Alternatively, you could light this Char-Broil grill with a matchstick. My name is David and I’m the founder and primary writer for this site. This grill is great value for those working with a budget and who are looking for a big grill to accommodate large family cookouts.