Gear Review: Portable Weber Q 2200 Gas Grill

Grilling during the summer and fall months is one of my favorite outdoor activities. Whether it's cooking venison quesadilla burgers for my family at camp or grilling up bacon-wrapped duck breasts while tailgating, I love spending time outside with great food and good people.

No matter the outdoor adventure, I always put a lot of thought into what meals my family will be eating on a trip. A full day of fishin' or huntin' can work up a serious appetite! We need more than a PB&J and a handful of trail mix to satisfy our hunger. A portable grill allows for easy cooking in the outdoors and expands the menu from packaged shelf items to endless possibilities.

Choosing a grill can be tough and time consuming. There are so many different types of grills – gas, charcoal, solar, etc. – it can be difficult to pick the right one. For me, a gas grill is the most convenient. I like to fire my grill up quick and get to cooking, especially when company is hangry (hungry/angry)!

The Weber Q series offers superb gas grills for on-the-go cooking. Just pick the size that's right for you and you'll be ready to grill anywhere! The Weber Q 2200 Gas Grill is the perfect fit for me because it's portable and compact, yet large enough to grill an entire meal for the family. You can seriously fit a good amount of food on its 280 square inches of cooking space.

A little assembly is required when you first unbox the Weber Q 2200, but it's a piece of cake to put together. Easy-to-read instructions are included. The grill works with two sizes of propane bottles, 14.1 ounce and 16.4 ounce. Both sizes can be purchased at your local camping store or supercenter. If you prefer to use large propane cylinders, there is an adapter available on the Weber website.

The side tables on this go-anywhere appliance are a real space saver. They conveniently fold up under the lid, making travel and storage simple. This portable grill is a little heavier than others, but still manageable and worth it for the larger cooking area and attached tables. I'm not considered strong by any means and have had no issues carrying the grill.

The first time I used my Weber Q 2200 was at Van's Lakeview Fishing Camp, a campground located along the sandy beaches of Lake McConaughy in Nebraska. My 10-year-old son caught a few fish from the lake that day, but seafood wasn't on the dinner menu. I had already pulled some marinated venison steaks from the cooler for grilling.

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About 10 to 15 minutes before cooking the venison, I preheated my Weber. I love how quick and easy it is to turn this grill on! With the side tables folded out and lid open, simply push and turn the burner control knob to high and press the electronic ignitor button (it has a lightning bolt on it). The burner immediately produces a flame.

Grilling Tip: Preheating your grill will help ensure your food doesn't stick to the grates and give it enough time to reach the desired cooking temperature. You can also rub cooking oil on the grates prior to cooking to prevent sticking, but I'm not a fan of the burnt oil taste it can transfer to food.

Once the grill had preheated, I adjusted the burner control knob to medium-high for the venison steaks. The Weber Q 2200 Gas Grill comes with a built-in thermometer, so there's no guesswork involved when it comes to determining its temperature. As soon as the thermometer hit 400 to 450 degrees, I loaded it up with the marinated venison steaks and fresh, salted asparagus.

The best part about the Weber Q 2200 Gas Grill is you won't break a sweat cleaning it. After cooking, I use a stainless-steel bristle brush to clean the grill grates and burner tube. Food particles and grease collect in the removable drip/catch pan underneath the grill and can be cleaned out from there. The grates are split in two pieces and can be easily removed if a deeper cleaning is needed. If grease begins to build up on the inside of the grill's lid or cookbox, I just clean it off using warm soapy water.

A cover isn't included with the Weber Q 2200; however, if you really want to keep it in tip-top condition, I recommend purchasing Weber's water-resistant grill cover. The straps fasten the cover to the grill and it will help protect your grill from outside elements.

Overall, the Weber Q 2200 is an all-around excellent portable grill. Initial assembly and cleanup is a breeze, plus, it cooks just like a regular-sized grill. It's sleek-looking, compact, and you can transport to the lake, deer camp, or wherever you travel. Use it to cook in your backyard or on the go.

Weber Q 2200 Specs/Features:

• 15.5"H X 51.4"W X 19.5"D (with lid closed and tables out)
• 280-square-inch cooking area
• 12,000 BTU stainless steel burner
• Porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates retain heat for even grilling
• Electronic ignition (push button to start) and infinite control burner valve
• Cast aluminum lid and body with two folding side tables
• Built-in lid thermometer ensures accurate temperature for cooking
• Removable drip pan
• Disposable propane cylinder (sold separately)
• 5-year limited warranty

Some of my family's most memorable moments have occurred around cooking and eating in the outdoors. That night at camp when I made the venison steaks on the Weber, we enjoyed the meal while laughing about the day's adventures and then topped ourselves off with treats around the campfire. We all slept soundly with our bellies full of venison steaks and heads full of memories.

With the portable Weber Q 2200 Gas Grill, there's no need to limit grilling to your backyard. Get yourself one at Weber.com and take it along on your next outdoor adventure!