Illinois-based brand Weber has been a market leader in the production of gas, charcoal, and gas-powered grills since way back in 1893. In that time, it has established itself as one of the most reliable brands out there and churned out dozens of grills that have gone on to become among the most popular nationwide. Our Weber Q1200 vs Q2200 review takes an in-depth look at two of the brand’s most popular models to help you choose the best of the bunch in Weber’s catalog for 2020.
Table of Contents
Weber Q1200 vs Q2200 Overview
Let’s get straight to the bottom line:
The Weber Q1200 vs Q2200 question is one that almost any would-be buyer of a propane grill will find themselves asking once they’ve surveyed all the options out there, separated the wheat from the chaff, and trimmed their shortlist down to the top five or ten products on the market.
The build quality on both units is superb, with both models using porcelain-enameled cast-iron grates, a stainless steel burner tube, and a cast-aluminum lid and body while boasting a handful of highly practical features, including electronic ignition, folding side tables, infinite control burner valve, built-in thermometer, and removable catch tray.
Given the above, if you should trim that aforementioned shortlist down to the point that these are the last two products remaining, then you’re already in a win-win situation.
However, a few significant differences between these grills mean that choosing between the two isn’t quite so easy, so let’s get down to our detailed comparison review to help you make up your mind.
1. Weber Q1200 Gas Grill
- 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
Last update on 2024-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This tidy, elegant, sleek little grill has earned thousands of fans since its introduction to the market a few years ago. And with good reason…
The main selling point of any Weber product is the quality of the construction, and the Q1200 is no exception. It’s made with robust, easy-to-clean, porcelain-enameled cast iron grill grates, a stainless steel burner tube, and a cast aluminum lid and body, all of which represent a substantial upgrade on the vast majority of its competitors in the portable or compact grill market.
As a gas-powered device, the Q1200 is also very low maintenance and easy to use, turning on with the flick of an electronic ignition switch and saving you having to dirty your hands cleaning out coals post-cook.
What we like most about the Q1200 is the nice balance the grill offers between power, weight, size, and user-friendliness. This might not be the biggest grill out there (it can accommodate up to 8 quarter-pound hamburgers), but it has a 8500-BTU-per-hour output, weighs a relatively easily manageable 29.5 pounds, takes up very little room in a shed, gazebo, or car, and boasts a handful of features which make it fantastically user-friendly, most notably an integrated thermometer on the lid, electronic ignition, folding side tables, a removable catch pan for easy cleaning, and “infinite control” burner valve settings that let you adjust cooking temps with precision.
This grill also comes ready to use straight out of the box fully—something that anyone who has ever tried to assemble a grill from scratch will know is something not to be sneezed at!
Finally, the Q1200 also comes in a total of six colors, thereby giving you the option to match your grill to your existing yard furniture, and with a 5-year warranty.
What We Like
- Outstanding quality
- Durable construction
- Easy to use
- Relatively lightweight and portable
- Affordable
- Electronic ignition
- Removable catch pan
- Big enough for couples or small families
- Available in six colors
- 5-year warranty
What We Don’t Like
- Small cooking area could leave a few members of a large group hungry
- Can’t accommodate larger food items (such as a full turkey)
2. Weber Q2200 Gas Grill
- 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
Last update on 2024-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
With the Q2200, power and cook capacity come to the fore.
This beast of a grill boasts the same basic design features and high-quality construction as the Q1200, but raises the stakes considerably in terms of output and overall cooking area.
The burner on this model has an output of 12000 BTU per hour. For the user, this means much quicker cooking times and the ability to cook at steady high temps for long periods.
The Q2200’s cooking area is also a whopping 280 square inches, which represents an upgrade of over 90 square inches on its smaller sibling and makes it ideally suited to cooking for larger parties of around six to eight people.
Like the Q1200, the Q2200 is a marvel of convenience, boasting the same integrated thermometer on the lid, electronic ignition, folding side tables, a removable catch pan for easy cleaning, and infinite control burner valve settings.
The only ways in which this device lets itself down are the need for post-purchase, pre-cook assembly and its fairly ponderous weight of 44 pounds.
If you don’t mind a little Lego-work for adults and don’t plan on schlepping your grill with you on backcountry camping adventures, however, this grill’s a winner all day long, letting you cook up a feast for multiple guests in shorter time periods and ticking every box that needs ticking as regards convenience and functionality.
What We Like
- Outstanding quality
- Durable construction
- Easy to use
- Portable despite it’s heavy weight
- Reasonably priced
- 5-year warranty
- 280-square-inch cooking area lets you cook more
- 12000-BTU output reduces cook time
What We Don’t Like
- Heavy weight makes it difficult to carry and not ideal for backcountry grilling
- Assembly required
- Only comes in one color
Comparison of Specs and Features
Differences in Cooking Area
The cooking areas on these two grills are as follows:
- Weber Q1200: 189 square inches
- Weber Q2200: 280 square inches
While a difference of 91 square inches might not seem like so much of a big deal, in terms of cooking capacity, it might just make the difference between having a handful of hungry guests or family members and a team of fully fed, sated, happy campers.
Let’s talk hamburgers…
The Q1200’s boasts a cooking surface measuring 189 square inches, which is just enough to accommodate eight quarter-pound hamburgers. The Q2200, on the other hand, can just squeeze in a full dozen quarter-pounders.
This four-burger difference might seem marginal, but if you’re cooking for a large group, have particularly big appetites, or happen to think patience is a virtue best possessed by other folks but not something you’re sold on personally, then it’s well worth having.
If you don’t happen to speak hamburger, let’s try talking turkey…
So, one of the main advantages of the Q2200 is its ability to grill bigger beasts/bits of beasts. While the Q1200 will easily accommodate a three or four-pound chicken, it won’t be much use come Thanksgiving or Christmas time when you try squeezing in a 12-pound Turkey for all the family. For a bird of those dimensions, the Q2200 will have you covered.
Materials Used for the Grills
As already mentioned, both of these grills are standouts compared to other grills on the market in terms of the quality of the materials used and their overall construction.
The materials used in the components of both grills are as follows:
Lid and body: Cast aluminum, which makes the grill is sturdy and stable but keeps down the overall weight
Frame: Glass-reinforced nylon, which allows you to cook at higher temps than with nylon-only models
Burner tube: Stainless steel
Cooking grates: Non-stick, porcelain-enameled cast-iron
Portability
At a hefty 44 pounds, the Weber Q2200 is a significantly more unwieldy device than the Q1200, which tips the scales at a comparatively lightweight 29.5 pounds.
Both devices have robust carry-handles but the Q1200 is likely to be the only model you’d consider carrying any distance (if, for example, camping in the backcountry) and is far easier to maneuver when shifting the device around a larger yard.
Types of Burners Used
Both the Weber Q1200 and Q2200 use a single, stainless steel D-burner that distributes heat evenly throughout the cooking chamber and both grills have a max temp of 550 F.
Where the models differ, however, is in their output, with the Q1200 offing an output of 8500 BTUs and the Q2200 an output of 12000 BTUs.
In practice, that 3500-BTU difference equates to much shorter cook times and preheating times with the Q2200 and, of course, the ability to cook all the extra grub the Q2200 can accommodate.
Size Differences
While not usually a dealbreaker or deal-maker, the dimensions of your grill might be an important consideration if you plan on using it in a gazebo, storing it in an already overflowing shed, or squeezing it in the trunk of your car along with other kit when heading on a camping trip.
The dimensions of each model are as follows:
Weber Q1200
- Height: 24.4 inches
- Width: 40.9 inches
- Depth: 20.5 inches
Weber Q2200
- Height: 26 inches
- Width: 51.4 inches
- Depth: 25.1 inches
Appearances
As with the dimensions, the appearance of your grill is unlikely to be your greatest concern when buying.
However, one of the benefits of opting for the Weber Q1200 over the Q2200 is that the Q2200 is only available in one color (an inoffensive, neutral, silvery-type of shade listed as “titanium”), whereas the Q1200 is available in a total of 6 colors—titanium, black, orange, blue, green, and red.
If you happen to be particularly color-conscious or just want to match your grill with the furnishings in your yard, therefore, then the Q1200 gives you a little more choice.
Otherwise, both of these devices are handsomeness defined, with sleek, elegant profiles and—thanks to their aluminum and nylon exteriors—boasting a far less plasticky appearance than many cheaper models of grill.
Ease of Assembly
Assembling a compact grill isn’t something likely to rob you of too much time, but if you’re short on patience or just want to get your grill up and running in a hurry, then buying a grill that’s good to go straight from the box is the way to go.
Only one of these grills offers this convenience: the Q1200. The Q2200, on the other hand, will arrive disassembled, meaning you’ll have to put in a little bit of instruction-reading and elbow-work before getting your grill on.
Features of Both Grills
Both the Weber Q1200 and Q2200 have the following features:
Integrated thermometer: Allows you to keep an eye on cooking temps with just a glance at the lid
Electronic ignition: Makes start-up a cinch and means you don’t have to fiddle around with matches and valves
Folding side tables: This very handy addition saves you having to use a separate table for utensils or to lay out food both before and after cooking
Removable catch pan: A hugely endearing feature for those who want to minimize the hassle of post-cook cleaning
Infinite control burner: Allows you to adjust valve settings with ease and choose precise cooking times
FAQs
Q: What’s the main difference between the Weber Q1200 and Q2200?
A: The main differences between these two grills are their cooking area (and, thus, capacity) and cooking power.
As mentioned above, the Weber Q1200 has a cooking area of 189 square inches and 8500 BTU output, whereas the Q2200 has a 280-square-inch cooking area and 12 000 BTU output.
Q: Is it expensive to run the Q1200 or Q2200?
A: Both the Weber Q1200 and Q2200 are very efficient and economical in their fuel usage. A 16-ounce canister of liquid propane should be more than enough to get in around 12-15 grills with the Q1200 and ten grills with the Q2200.
To save on these ongoing running costs, we highly recommend buying an adapter hose, which will allow you to refill your propane canisters and cut down the cost of buying disposable canisters.
Q: What is the max cooking temperature on these grills?
A: The max temperature on both of these grills is 500-550 F, which both models can reach in around ten minutes waiting time.
Q: Do these grills flare up?
A: Propane and charcoal grills are notorious for their habit of throwing up flames than can quickly ruin our eats. This occurs when grease from your food drips onto the burner and catches fire—okay if you’re aiming for “flame-grilled”, not so good if you’re cooking something that requires a little more delicacy and longer cook-time.
Gladly, both the Q1200 and Q2200 boast a design that allows grease from food on the grill to drip through the burner and into a catch pan located below the cooking chamber, safely detached from the burner. This is aided by the brand’s proprietary “flavorizer bars,” which are V-shaped lengths of steel positioned beneath the grill to direct grease and drippings away from the burner tubes.
Q: How durable are these grills?
A: Both the Weber Q1200 and Q2200 have a 5-years-warranty, which represents roughly a two-year improvement on the market average. That said, these grills are exceptionally well made and you can expect yours to last far longer with appropriate care and maintenance.
The Verdict
Let’s get the most important take-home out of the way first:
In terms of quality, there’s absolutely nothing separating these two incredibly well-made grills. Both boast such solid construction and use such durable materials that you can buy either knowing it’s going to be your go-to grill for many years to come.
Your decision on which of the two is best for your needs, then, will ultimately come down to two considerations: how many people you plan on cooking for and where size and portability rank on your list of priorities.
With its additional cooking space and higher output, the Weber Q2200 is a shoo-in for those who envision entertaining larger parties of guests and need to produce more food in shorter periods of time. If, however, your main priorities are portability and storage space, or you don’t envision cooking for more than three or four guests, then the Q1200 will serve your purposes more than adequately.
