When the opportunity arose to try out a Weber Q 220 Portable Grill, I have to say, I jumped at the chance. I’d been having some issues with my old portable grill to the point where I was avoiding using it whenever possible. My old one was one of the models that you hang on the side of the RV and attach via quick-connect to the on-board propane supply. Fairly convenient, but you’re limited to where you can cook, and can not relocate when the winds pick up. Plus, the cooking area was limited, not terrible, but not great. So, I’ve been looking for options.
While researching for another article, I came across the Weber Q series of portable grills. Further research showed them to be one of the most popular portables on the market. A call to Weber and we were informed that the Weber Q 220 was their best seller and that the preferred options were the rolling cart and propane adapter hose to allow the use of a standard size propane tank. While I’m not a huge believer in the opinions of the majority, in this case it seemed well founded, so I picked up the recommended items.
I received the items a few weeks ago and only recently had a chance to use them. I could have lit the new Q 220 up at home, but where’s the fun in that? So I waited until a recent trip to Pismo to give the new grill a workout. As is typical for our group, only two items are needed for cooking on a camping trip, a grill and a fryer. Both of which saw plenty of action. The big meal of the weekend saw the Weber Q 220 moved on its rolling cart near the fire pit, and loaded down with a tri-tip, sausage, rack of ribs, and a loaf of garlic bread. All loaded up on the 290 square-inch, porcelain enameled cast iron cooking grate at the same time! Seriously, there’s that much room to cook on the Q 220. I was amazed and extremely happy with the new grill and just how well our meal turned out.. Not only does it have a ton of room, but it heats up extremely fast with a click of the electronic ignition. Just a few minutes and cooking temp was achieved with the temperature gauge on the front of the cast aluminum lid letting me know when it was time to start grilling. Necessary grilling supplies and tools were located on the fold out work surfaces keeping everything nearby.
The portable nature of the grill came in very handy allowing it to be moved away from the prevailing winds at the time. We pulled one of the propane tanks off the trailer and used the propane adapter hose to give us this mobility. All this can easily fit in the back of the Rhino for a nice little BBQ at Comp Hill if so desired. There are also compact disposable propane cylinders available that would be very convenient for tailgating or when a large cylinder isn’t available.
When we were done using the grill, I just pulled it off the stand and put it in the back of the toy hauler for storage. And that leads me to MY only problem with the Q 220. It’s about an inch too tall to fit in the front storage compartment of my trailer. Is this an issue? Not really, like I said earlier, it fits in the bed of the Rhino just fine, so transporting it isn’t really a problem, and is worth the slight change in my loading arrangements for the capability of the grill. I would also recommend that the fitted vinyl cover be purchased to help keep dist and such from collecting on the cooking grate while the grill is not in use.
So, in case you haven’t already figured it out, I’m happy to give the Weber Q 220 a glowing recommendation for anyone looking to purchase a portable grill. While I haven’t tested out all the other grills, I can say that this one works very well, so well in fact, that it actually works better then my home grill. Usually you expect some loss in performance with a portable unit, but not in this case. Weber also has several other models of portable grill that may fit your needs better and provides grilling advice from their team of experts. Just call their 800 number for more info. MSRP for the Weber Q 220 is $269.99. The 6’ Adapter hose is $27.99 and the Rolling cart is $49.99.
Be sure to check them out. 
Weber-Stephen Products Co.
200 East Daniels Road
Palatine, IL 60067-6266
1-800-446-1071: Customer Service
1-800-GRILL-OUT: Grill Line
http://www.weber.com/
By Eric Durkee – Staff writer.
2 comments
The WeberQ is a great grill when and if it works. The grill would not light or it would light and then trickle out. I called Weber and they said it was the valve, you need to connect the propane and then wait 15 minutes before you try to ignite the BBQ. They sent me a new valve but I bought a gas BBQ for the ease of use, not to wait for 15 minutes before I can even light it. I had to replace the valve three times and have now bought a different brand. I used the grate on top of a fire more than I used it in the grill itself. IN fact, I kept the grate and tossed the rest of the BBQ into the trash. It’s a terrible design that Weber is aware of but hasn’t fixed. Don’t waste your money.
I have been using one for 2 years with zero problems. I suppose there are bad units of everything, be it a Truck, trailer or BBQs.