There is nothing better when camping than a BBQ. For many years I use a variety of charcoal grills. While shopping at the local BBQ store for a new grill, the salesman convinced me to purchase a Weber Q200 gas grill. Gas?!!
Yep. And it does as good a job and any charcoal grill I have owned (of course purists will argue this point).
Weber Q200 Specs:
Total cooking area = 280 sq in- 12,000 BTU-per-hour input
- Stainless steel burner
- Infinite control burner valve
- Removable catch pan
- Porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grate
- Push button ignition
- Uses disposable LP cylinders
After a few trips we found the Q200 was too large to lug around. So we bought a smaller Q100 (also known as the Baby Q). This turned out to be the perfect size and large enough for 4 people.
Weber Baby Q Specs:
Total cooking area = 189 sq in- 8,500 BTU-per-hour input
- Stainless steel burner
- Infinite control burner valve
- Removable catch pan
- Porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grate
- Push button ignition
- Uses disposable LP cylinders
Q200 vs Baby Q
Above: Q200 (left) and Baby Q (right).
Above: Q200 (left) and Baby Q (right).
Above: Q200 (left) and Baby Q (right).
Above: The folding cart is handy for keeping seasonings close at hand and hanging tools. There is storage available at the bottom, but the welds are not very sturdy.
Above: The cart in transportation mode.
Racy wheels are part of the rolling cart.
Above: Easy access to the great trap pan. Aluminum insert are readily available. Piezo-electric button (red) is shown.
Above: 14.1 and 16.4 ounce disposable LP canisters will thread into the Q’s regulator. However, the wire bail is too small to accept the larger 16.4 oz canisters. The bail can be removed to handle the large canisters, but you need to support it with something. Not sure if the newer models have a different bail.
Above: The Baby Q and the rolling cart fits into the larger duffle, which is really designed for the Q200.
The duffle has rolling wheels and fits perfectly into the camper’s doorway for transport. It also has carrying straps at the top and a carrying handles at each end. This is how we have transported our Baby Q since 2005. Currently I am re-thinking this. Over time the interior gets dirty and greasy, requiring periodic cleaning. I am looking at possibly storing it in a plastic container (suggest by my friend Oz & Us). I am also thinking about using a smaller folding table to keep it on during camping trips versus the folding rolling cart.
Above: Everything in the duffle.
Above: Duffle wheels.
Above: Opening the duffle.
The Baby Q is attached to the rolling cart. Tools are inside too, including a long vinyl-covered braided steel cable and a padlock. We secure the cart and Baby to our trailer’s rear bumper to keep the honest people honest.
Above: Baby Q and folded cart.
Above: Baby connected to the camper’s low pressure LPG Port.
There wasn’t much room to cook in front of our old Starcraft. The camper’s box was only 8 feet long. But the Niagara is 14 feet long, which provides ample space to cook outside. When we purchased the Niagara, it came with an RVQ brand grill. We used it once – it was awful. So I bought an outside stove to hang on the outside rail (where the RVQ was supposed to sit), and replaced the RVQ with our tried and true Baby Q. Since we would keep the Q next to the camper, I thought about using the camper’s LPG system instead of the expensive disposable canisters.
Only problem was is that the Baby Q is designed to run on high pressure gas, and the outside connector is low pressure. Not want to run a separate hose all the way to the regulator and deal with long bulky hoses; I came up with a solution: remove the regulator from the Baby Q, which just reduced the pressure anyway. Now I would connect the Q directly to the low pressure quick-connector on the side of the camper.
Above: Quick-connector replace the regulator on the Q.
Above: LPG hose connected to the Q.
Above: T fitting connects to the camper, at the coiled hose to the Q.
The stove also connects to the T. Later I added a 3rd connection to the T for our Wave 8 heater, and replaced all the hoses with braided steel LPG hoses.
Above: Close-up of the camper connection.
Above: Just below the knob on the right, you can see the first braided hose we purchased.
Above: Ready to go. The duffle is under the camper in the upper left. Locking cable on the left.
Optional LED Light
Above: LED light mounted below the handle.
Above: Close-up of LED Light.
Above: LED light goes on when hood is lifted.
Side Trays
Above: I recently added the side trays. These add convenience when grilling, and fold over on top of the grills. They are not in the way when the hood is closed. I believe the new model Baby Q’s come with the side trays.