Summer Grilling Time
May 3, 2013 6:07 PM Subscribe
I am going to buy one of those small table top propane grills, that take the small 1 pound canisters. Since I like to be frugal where possible, is it possible to hook a standard size tank to the grill? If so what parts if any would I need?
(yes it does seem like this would defeat the purpose of making said grill portable, but my plan is to leave the large tank at my parents, and then port around the grill and a small tank every where else but there.)
This has been answered well so I don't mean to chat, but the very Q mentioned in bondcliff's link is a very great grill, although it's at the very top end of how much a tabletop grill can cost, and as much as some very cheap normal stand grills.
posted by ftm at 6:30 PM on May 3, 2013
posted by ftm at 6:30 PM on May 3, 2013
Yeah, I should have said I owned a pretty cheap, low-end tabletop grill. I have no opinion on the Weber model, though I own two other (non-portable) Webers and they are tops. You get what you pay for, I guess.
posted by bondcliff at 7:55 PM on May 3, 2013
posted by bondcliff at 7:55 PM on May 3, 2013
If by frugal you mean buying quality that will last more than a couple of years, then yes, the Weber Q's are wonderful. My sister's Q100 is small and very portable and the heat's pretty darned even out to the very edges of the ceramic coated cast iron grill. Gets hot enough to actually cook on (although with the top down). I have the Q220 and it's amazing.
The Webers beat the pants off of cheaper portable mini grills. They're (still) quality.
There are hose adapters by 3rd parties that will allow full-sized (and half-sized) propane tanks to hook up the the Weber Qs, that work as well as Weber brand adapters. Sold where the Webers are sold. $20-30. Maybe less on Craigslist. Used Webers are quite reliable, but scarce and typically close to full price. If you can find a used one with the cast iron grill in good condition, it's worth the pickup especially if you don't mind expending some elbow grease to clean it. The distributor is reasonably easy to clean/declog - one of the main reasons people sell their Q's for cheap, but people tend not to sell them since it's easy to fix.
The adapter is very easy to use, but you have to turn on the grill's gas controller to "full," then slowly open up the propane tank before starting the grill. Change temperature by changing the controller on the grill as normal. Otherwise it overwhelms the regulator and you get very little heat. If that happens, just shut everything down (in the correct order), wait a minute, then try again. When you shut it down, slowly turn off the propane tank and let it bleed out before turning off the grill's controller.
Half and quarter sized propane tanks are less waste-y than the little 1 pounders (and refillable!). I have a tiny car but my Q220 and a full-sized propane tank fits in the trunk.
posted by porpoise at 8:17 PM on May 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
The Webers beat the pants off of cheaper portable mini grills. They're (still) quality.
There are hose adapters by 3rd parties that will allow full-sized (and half-sized) propane tanks to hook up the the Weber Qs, that work as well as Weber brand adapters. Sold where the Webers are sold. $20-30. Maybe less on Craigslist. Used Webers are quite reliable, but scarce and typically close to full price. If you can find a used one with the cast iron grill in good condition, it's worth the pickup especially if you don't mind expending some elbow grease to clean it. The distributor is reasonably easy to clean/declog - one of the main reasons people sell their Q's for cheap, but people tend not to sell them since it's easy to fix.
The adapter is very easy to use, but you have to turn on the grill's gas controller to "full," then slowly open up the propane tank before starting the grill. Change temperature by changing the controller on the grill as normal. Otherwise it overwhelms the regulator and you get very little heat. If that happens, just shut everything down (in the correct order), wait a minute, then try again. When you shut it down, slowly turn off the propane tank and let it bleed out before turning off the grill's controller.
Half and quarter sized propane tanks are less waste-y than the little 1 pounders (and refillable!). I have a tiny car but my Q220 and a full-sized propane tank fits in the trunk.
posted by porpoise at 8:17 PM on May 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yep, this is what I used to do with my old Weber Q. Adapter to hook it to a full size tank at home, and then I'd use the tiny tanks if I wanted to tote it around.
posted by ktkt at 8:34 PM on May 3, 2013
posted by ktkt at 8:34 PM on May 3, 2013
This isn't directly related to your adapter question, but more to the comment about buying one of those grills itself.
I've owned i think 2 of those now, possibly even 3. They worked ok, and i could work around the hot spot issues and general awkwardness... but all of them broke after a few months of being carted around to parks, on road trips, etc. None of them survived long enough to even go through a house move. Every single one died to a big thump in the trunk, in the house, and i think one was lightly dropped. The brackets that held the gas emitter thing fucked up on one, it was something with the regulator on another, etc. Each one was basically good for a season.
I would absolutely go big or go home on this, and only get something like the Q suggested above, and i'd probably still treat the thing like an armed nuclear device triggered by a shock sensor. I seriously think i remember one of the cheap ones dying an irreparable death from my roommates tiny dog bumping in to the attached tank while it wasn't even on.
I think i'd honestly want to check one out in person and make sure it was properly built out of real metal, and not some "stael" stuff ala the "malk" from the simpsons before i'd even think of spending money on one again.
posted by emptythought at 1:47 AM on May 4, 2013
I've owned i think 2 of those now, possibly even 3. They worked ok, and i could work around the hot spot issues and general awkwardness... but all of them broke after a few months of being carted around to parks, on road trips, etc. None of them survived long enough to even go through a house move. Every single one died to a big thump in the trunk, in the house, and i think one was lightly dropped. The brackets that held the gas emitter thing fucked up on one, it was something with the regulator on another, etc. Each one was basically good for a season.
I would absolutely go big or go home on this, and only get something like the Q suggested above, and i'd probably still treat the thing like an armed nuclear device triggered by a shock sensor. I seriously think i remember one of the cheap ones dying an irreparable death from my roommates tiny dog bumping in to the attached tank while it wasn't even on.
I think i'd honestly want to check one out in person and make sure it was properly built out of real metal, and not some "stael" stuff ala the "malk" from the simpsons before i'd even think of spending money on one again.
posted by emptythought at 1:47 AM on May 4, 2013
Response by poster: Went to Lowes, they had the $79/$49/ and the two different Q's in stock. So I went with the Q 120, and 4 tanks of the 16.4 ounce. They had conversion hoses and tanks there but since this first grillin' is for Mother's Day I want to see how long a small tank lasts.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 6:20 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 6:20 PM on May 4, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
Though I've owned one of those table tops and they're not great. The hot spots are very specific so they don't cook very evenly. I think you'd be better off with a portable charcoal grill or maybe shop around for the very best portable propane one you can fine.
posted by bondcliff at 6:17 PM on May 3, 2013