Again, considering this grill against all other tabletop models in this review, the Q 1200 “packs down” to a less-than-reasonable 3.2 cubic-feet. We put that phrase in quotations because the only thing that packs away are the side tables, which do conveniently fold up securely underneath the lid. Barbeques Galore is the nation’s largest specialty retailer of grills and outdoor living products, established in the U.S. in 1980. We have retail stores concentrated throughout California, Nevada, Arizona and Texas, where the sun shines often and outdoor living is a year-round indulgence. All orders exceeding $99.00 will qualify for free standard shipping; standard shipping applies to standard locations within the contiguous 48 states.
Weber also makes the Q series that features foldable side shelves. There are a few models to choose from and we’ve got a guide that looks at the most popular Weber Q1200 vs the Q2200. Even the largest model it is smaller and more compact than the Traveler, you can purchase a foldable cart. Naturally, the hot dogs and beef hamburgers were done before the turkey burgers. This is where having multiple burners would have been a nice feature.
More space between the coal bed and the grilling grate also lessens your chances of ending up with charred food and allows you to create hot and cold spots for searing and indirect cooking. If you’re interested in a tabletop grill—one with shorter legs that can be setup on a picnic table or bench—you can’t do better than the Weber Q1200 Gas Grill. It’s incredibly well-constructed and sturdy, thanks to its bowed legs. Its strong, intense flame combined with cast iron grates produced one the best sears in our test, although it’s heavier than other models we tested, and slightly awkward to carry. It packs up tidily into a large lunchbox shape, and comes with a sturdy carrying strap.
The shelves provided the biggest challenge, with little clearance for your hands to attach them easily. The components fit snugly and stay put when transporting, and the grill is a good size for cooking for three or four people. The fact that it pulls double duty as a smoker is an added bonus. It’s portable in the sense that it’s easy to move from one semi-permanent location to another but, at that weight, it’s not the right grill for a beach day or to take on a wander in the woods.
The single burner tube is made from stainless steel and looks as good as any Weber tube I’ve seen. They didn’t cut any corners on this grill just because it’s small. Inside the colorful Weber box, your Traveler grill is already nestled into the folding stand, and comes with the wheel assembly, drip pan with a liner, dual grill grates, and an instruction manual.
Weber has given us another fantastic portable grill in the Traveler, one that addresses many of the issues that plague other travel grills. If you’re a frequent camper, RVer, or cottager, you’ll appreciate the mix of weber portable grill portability and power. It folds down flat enough to fit in most vehicles and trailers, you don’t have to figure out where to put it when you get where you’re going, and it provides a good quality barbecue experience.
Then, we rated them on how easy they were to light, add charcoal (if applicable), and how long they took to reach a cooking temperature. Unlike most of the charcoal models reviewed here, the Masterbuilt features a charcoal hopper and fan to regulate its temperature, similar to a pellet grill. While it’s 52 pounds, it’s easy to move for such a heavy grill, thanks to its stand and wheels. Our tests showed it to be relatively consistent in its temperature, and while it didn’t give the best caramelization, the foods we cooked did have a satisfying crunch to their texture and good grill marks. The Traveler is not much easier or more difficult to clean than your standard gas grill. There’s a drip tray to catch the worst of it and you can easily remove the grill grates to clean the inside of the firebox or hull of the grill.