This extraordinary little grill defies what we as consumers expect out of a portable grill. It’s small, yet it will grill just about anything you can think of.
And it is built to last. High-quality materials are used throughout to make sure that it will last for years.
But what about its size? Is it too small?
It has been replaced by a new model. Check back soon for a new review, or click here to see it at Amazon!
About the Weber Q 100
Features
This is a very high-quality grill for a very reasonable price. Made with solid materials meant to handle both heat and the elements, the Q 100 is known for its durability and longevity.
It features an aluminum cast lid and body, which makes it ideal for convection-style BBQ cooking.
A large, circular burner made from stainless steel won’t rust and provides 8500 BTU’s.
The porcelain-coated cast iron grate has a cooking surface area of 189 square inches, providing enough room to cook everything from hot dogs and hamburgers to steaks and chicken.
The frame is reinforced with nylon. Combine that with the aluminum materials of the grill’s body, and you have a portable gas grill that’s rustproof and weather resistant.
Other Noteworthy Features
- Easy to clean with removable, disposable drip pan
- Easy to carry around with sturdy side handles, weighs 29 lbs
- Sensitive temperature controls make finding the right grilling temperature easy
What’s Included?
The Q 100 comes in a few pieces, but expect it to arrive mostly assembled. In the box you will find the assembled body, the lid, cooking grate, control knob, handle, and hardware to fully assemble the unit.
Also included are the removable drip catch pan, and one disposable liner. The manual which guides you through assembly and a recipe book with a few great grilling ideas are also included.
Otherwise, no extra accessories are included.
Initial Assembly
A very little amount of assembly is needed, and fortunately what is needed is very easy. The only tool you will need is a Phillips screwdriver. Total assembly time should only take about 20 minutes.
Assembling the unit requires attaching the lid to the body and front lid handle to the lid. The control knob also needs to be attached, but that doesn’t require any tools. Once that is completed, simply place the cooking grate inside, slide the catch pan lined with the disposable liner into place underneath, and you’re ready to go!
For more details, click here to see the manual.
Dimensions and Weight
- Height: 23.5 inches with lid open, 14 inches high with lid closed
- Width: 27 inches from side to side
- Depth: 20.5 inches from front to back
Fuel Sources
The Q 100 uses disposable propane cylinders with a capacity of 14.1 oz or 16.4 oz which attaches to right side of the unit underneath the carry handle.
The 16 oz cylinder, if used as a grill and not a convection oven, should last for at least 5 meals.
Using the larger and more economical refillable propane tanks is possible with the addition of an adapter hose, sold separately.
Warranty
The Weber Q 100 gas grill is covered by a fairly extensive warranty.
All cast aluminum parts (body, lid) have a 5-year warranty, excluding paint which has a 2-year warranty that excludes fading or discoloration. The thermoplastic/thermoset parts, which I can only imagine include parts that are expected to get hot, are also covered for 5 years, excluding fading. All other parts are covered for two years.
Make sure to keep your receipt or proof of purchase to ensure that any replacements are made hassle-free.
If you have any problems at all with the Q 100, I highly recommend talking with Weber’s customer service. They are friendly and are very quick to resolve problems and send out replacement parts.
Available Accessories
There are several accessories available for this grill, including rolling and stationary carts, a griddle that fits perfectly on top of the grill, covers, and much more. What I like about Weber’s accessories for their Q line is that none of them are outrageously priced.
Specifications Overview
In-Depth Review:
How Portable Is It?
While the Weber Q 100 is quite small and reasonably light, this grill does have a bit of extra heft to it because of the cast iron grill grate. Still, at 29 lbs, it doesn’t weigh that much.
The rest of the design makes it look quite nice, and it does have two durable heat-resistant handles for carrying on either side of the grill. With that said, it might be a bit awkward to carry it around for any serious distances.
Its shape is also a concern. Because it has a very round top, it might be difficult to pack around if you have limited trunk space in your car.
Otherwise, its small size is convenient for those of us who are confined to small balconies and patios, and works well for those who need a small grill to take on their RV trips. As for tailgate parties, this grill will cook up a bunch of burgers and hot dogs quickly, but grilling large numbers of steaks may take some time as you will run out of space quickly.
Cooking Capabilities
Due to its small size, I recommend this grill for cooking for two people.
It might not be very well suited for a family of four unless you only plan on using it to cook meats and not veggies at the same time.
It’s also perfect if all you plan on using it for is cooking hotdogs and preformed hamburgers, as the grilling surface will easily handle a dozen jumbo dogs or half a dozen burgers at once.
It heats up fairly quickly. Even with only 8500 BTU’s, it can easily reach temperatures of 500° – 550° F on the highest setting. This is because the aluminum body is very good at retaining heat.
It also disburses heat very evenly across the entire cooking surface. I noticed no cold or hot spots when grilling up six 1 strip steaks.
The cast iron grill grate itself is designed to cover the areas right above the burner, so I also noticed very few flareups and no smoking.
For searing in those beautiful grill marks into your steak and chicken, you will need to preheat the grill with the lid down for about 10 minutes beforehand, as the grate will need some time to heat up – but make no mistake – it will!
Cleanup
I really like how easy it is to clean this grill. It rarely needs a thorough cleaning, but even when it does, the Weber Q 100 is very simple to clean up properly.
While the grill is still warm but safe to touch, use a wire brush to remove food debris. You can also wash the grate in your sink with warm, soapy water.
The burner rarely needs attention because the grill grate is designed to block drips from falling on it, but if you notice that holes in the burner tube are blocked, lightly brush it with a wire brush.
As for the rest of the grill, because it’s designed to drain grease out of the bottom, a simple wipe with a soft cloth and warm soapy water is really all it needs. The best time to do this is before the Weber has completely cooled down.
Then, simply empty out the catch pan that has collected grease and food debris drained from the unit.
Disposable drip pan liners are sold in sets of 10 for around $6-$8. They are sturdy enough that they can last quite a few meals with proper care and cleaning, but for those that want to avoid the extra cost, lining the catch pan with aluminum foil will work.
Quality
I cannot emphasize enough how solid the Q 100 is. This is a grill that was designed to last for years, which really should be no surprise if you have seen any of Weber’s products.
The base and lid of the firebox are made of cast aluminum. The frame is made of a really tough fiberglass that will resist heat. The burner is made of stainless steel, and the cast iron grill grate has a porcelain coating.
What does all of that mean?
It means that no part of it will rust out. It’s not some cheap metal that will dent. I don’t think you can damage this thing short of beating it with a hammer, but even that would take a little work.
While I didn’t have one single issue, I have read a few complaints regarding regulator failure. In a few cases, this might be an actual problem in which Weber’s customer service will be more than happy to send you out a new one.
More often than not, what happens is the safety valve in the regulator is tripped. It is very sensitive to pressure changes, especially when connected to large tanks.
Fortunately, the safety valve in the regulator will reset if the gas is turned off or removed for a few minutes. Check out the Q 100’s manual for detailed instructions on how to work with the regulator.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Small and compact makes it perfect for small spaces
- Very easy to clean and maintain
- Light weight yet solidly built
- Designed to cook as well as a full size grill
- Perfect for RV campers and apartment balconies
Cons
- Does not have its own stand, but a stand is available separately.
- It’s shape doesn’t lend to packing very easily in small trunks
- Shape also doesn’t allow for long, tall roasts, as sides curve down
- Disposable drip tray liners are an extra expense, but can be replaced by aluminum foil
Ratings and Recommendations
Consumer Ratings
Most customers are extremely satisfied with their Q 100 purchase.
A whopping 95% rated it 4 stars or better!
Even many of those who have minor complaints about the grill often also state that they are being overly picky.
Negative complaints I saw were mostly from people who received bum regulators, or who hadn’t read the owners’ manual. One reviewer gave it one star because he/she couldn’t find a place that sold the propane, though I’m sure they couldn’t have looked very hard.
Click here to see all customer reviews on Amazon
Our Recommendation
I really like all of the Weber Q grills, and the Weber Q 100 is certainly not a bad choice. The entire line has received more positive reviews compared to negative than any other line of grills, which tells you just how happy the majority of owners are.
If you are looking for something small that will easily feed a couple of people meat and veggies, or if you want something to handle just meat for a small family, this is an ideal grill.
I recommend this grill for those looking for a small tabletop grill for balconies and for RVers. Campers with extra storage space will also be delighted by it.
Just Portable Grills Rating
| Portability |  |
| Cooking Ability |  |
| Cleaning | |
| Quality | |
| Customer Rating |  |
| Overall Rating | |
I docked one star from the Q 100’s portability because of its odd shape which made it difficult to pack around in a vehicle.
Everything else about my experience with the Weber Q 100 was a total treat.
Alternatives
If you need a little more room, check out our Weber Q model comparisons to see the larger versions.
Prices and Availability
The average price of this grill is around $159, though I often see it going for slightly cheaper. You can also see places like Amazon regularly offering free shipping as well.
Click the logo to see current price and availability
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I’m looking for the q 100 top lid replacement. the grill was dropped and the hinge cracked off on the back. being cast aluminum I know that it can’t be welded. I can’t find the actual part # in the schematic. if this model is discontinued do the newer models of the same size still use the same high lid?
This is a very good question, but not one I can give you a solid answer on. I still have a Q100, but I haven’t picked up a Q1000 yet. Maybe that’s something I should do while I’m snowed in.
Upon looking at some photos that I took of a q100 (old style) next to a q2200 (new style), it appears that there is a slight difference in the lid, but not so much in the lip of the base. Now, don’t take this as gospel – you might have better luck talking directly with Weber – but if I were to guess, I would say you could probably get away with it. But understand that is just a guess and an assumption that other factors such as the hinge size and position are all the same.
Please let me know if you find an answer, and I will endeavor to (finally) review the differences in model changes this spring.
I have had my Weber 100q for some time now but it seems like not all propane canisters fit for whatever reason. I’ve never been able to use the Coleman canisters. Does this make sense? Is this normal? Now I can’t seem to find any that fit the connector. Any advice? Thanks
Hi Martha,
It isn’t normal. Nothing has changed in the design of the bottles, so its likely that something has happened to your regulator. Maybe it’s just dirty, maybe the threads are damaged. It’s tough to say without looking at it.
But there is good news. I took the time to dig out my Q100 and look up the part number for the regulator assembly. It’s part number # and runs around $50-$60. It looks like it’s been continuously in stock at Amazon for years upon years.
And since I dug out that poor old Weber Q100, here’s a proof of life picture.
I’m afraid it’s been a bit neglected, but it is a great grill.