This review is republished, with permission, from Quality Grill Parts.
The Weber Q3200 is a great grill that is massively popular in Europe and Australia and is starting to pick up market share in the United States. The size and features of the Q 3200 are interesting and as a result the grill lends itself to review against two other Weber products.
Weber Q3200 Specifications
- Grilling Area: 393 square inches….add another 75 square inches if you want to include the warming rack.
- Burners: Two burner rated at a combined 21,700 BTU/hr
- Cooking Grate: Two piece grate made of porcelain enameled cast iron
- Grill Dimensions: 43.5″H X 50.2″W X 21″D (Lid closed and both side tables extended)
- Warranty: Five years for cook box, grate, lid assembly and burners. Two years on the igniter.
- Available Color: Titanium
- Construction: cast iron grate, stainless steel burners, cast aluminum cook box and lid assembly, glass reinforced nylon cart.
The Q 3200 gas grill is available for use with either liquid propane or natural gas. Please note that the grill you get will be for one or the other fuel source and is NOT convertible between the two.
Here is a quick video walk through of this grill.
Reviews and Observations
Below is a snapshot of the reviews that have been posted for the Q3200 on Weber’s site. These reviews are nearly identical to those posted at all of the major online retailers.
The Q3200 has an average rating of 4.7 stars and 96% of the 158 reviewers would recommend this grill to a friend.
I am not going to waste your time with an over the top sales pitch. This is a fine backyard grilling machine that will make you happy. That being said, there are a couple of things about the burners that you ought to understand.
Burner Configuration
An important aspect about the Q3200 gas grill is the burner configuration as this is not a traditional two burner gas grill. This grill has a primary rectangular burner that circles the outside of the grill and a secondary burner that adds extra heat to the center of the grill.
This burner configuration allows you to cook with low heat or high heat but does not let you set up the grill with a Hot Zone and Cool Zone. This isn’t a deal killer but it does limit the flexibility that you expect from a multi-burner grill.
Burner Power
The burners on this grill are rated at 21,700 BTU/hr and need to heat 393 square inches of grate space. This works out to a heating power of 55 BTU/hr per square inch of grate. On most full sized backyard grills you get at least 75 BTU/hr per square inch of grill space.
One one hand it looks like the Q 3200 is a little under powered. On the other hand I hardly ever do any grilling on my full sized grills with the burners tuned completely to HIGH. The only place the burner power really comes into play is when you want to get great sear marks on your steaks. The work around on the Q 3200 is to preheat the grill on high for at least 20 minutes before you start grilling a steak. This will give the heavy cast iron grates enough time to soak up the heat and get scorching hot.
Burner Plugging
Weber gas grills became famous in the 1980s when they introduced Flavorizer bars. The Flavorizer bars (also called Flame Tamers) served several purposes and one of them was to protect the burners from dripping grease and grill crud.
None of the grills in the Q series have Flavorizer bars.
This means that anything that drips from the grate has direct access to the burners below. The end result is that the ports on the Q series burners are more prone to plugging than on most Weber gas grills. Cleaning the ports out isn’t hard but it is annoying.
You can minimize burner plugging by wiping excess marinades from meats and not overloading your burgers with so much cheese that it melts all over the place.
Burner Warranty
Because the burners on Q series grills are not protected by Flavorizer bars Weber has reduced the warranty on the burners from ten years down to five.
The five year warranty is still a heck of a lot better than you get from 90% of the grill manufactures out there but be aware that the burners will not last as long as you are used to on a Spirit, Genesis or Summit grill.
Weber Q3200 vs Q2200
I wanted to do a quick comparison of the Q3200 vs the Q2200 because of a subtle difference between the two models.
The obvious differences between the grills are:
- The Q2200 is a smaller grill (280 sq inches vs 393 square inches)
- The Q2200 only has a single burner
- The Q2200 does not have a handle light
- The cart for the Q2200 must be purchase separately
- The Q2200 is less expensive than the Q3200
So, other than price there is no obvious reason why someone might want to get a Q2200 instead of the Q3200.
But here is something to consider….the Q2200 is designed to be a PORTABLE gas grill and the Q3200 is not.
The Q3200 is meant to be a cart mounted grill. You can remove the grill from the cart (it will take a few minutes to unscrew the four bolts) and take it with you to the park, etc. but the base isn’t exactly flat and it will be pretty wobbly. The cart is not readily collapsible so the idea of bring the cart along with you doesn’t really work.
In contrast, the Q2200 is designed to be fully portable and has a perfectly level base. You can also buy a collapsible cart to mount the Q2200 on and it just takes a few seconds to lock the grill into place.
If you have no interest in taking your grill somewhere with you then getting the Q3200 is the obvious choice. If you are looking for a grill that can also serve duty at a tailgate party then the Q2200 is worth a look.
Weber Q3200 vs Spirit II 210
Now this is an interesting comparison that has to be made! These are both two burner grills from Weber and they have the exact same MSRP. The differences between them are MASSIVE.
The Q3200 has more grilling space than the Spirit II 210 but not by much (393 vs 360 square inches).
The Spirit II 210 has more burner power than the Q3200 (26,500 vs 21,700) and it is spread over a smaller area. This means that the Spirit will get hotter faster than the Q.
The Spirit II 210 has Flavorizer bars over the burners. This is important for THREE reasons.
- The Spirit will have fewer flare ups than the Q.
- The vaporized grease from the Spirit will make your food taste better. This is why they are called Flavorizer bars.
- Since the burners on the Spirit are protected they will clog less and last longer.
Speaking of the burners lasting longer, that brings us to the warranties. The Spirit II 210 has a ten year warranty on the burner tubes, grates and ignition which is a heck of a lot longer than you get with the Q.
Here is a great video walk through of the Spirit 210.
From both a Value and Performance standpoint the Weber Spirit II 210 is the better grill.
So why would you want to buy a Q3200 instead of a Spirit II 210? Because even though I think that the Spirit is better, the Q is still an amazing grill that beats the Spirit in a couple of categories.
Styling: The shape of the Q3200 is modern, sleek and pretty. There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting the Q just because you think it looks better.
Environment: Despite the dramatic differences in warranties the Q actually lasts longer than a Spirit under certain conditions. If you plan on placing the grill out by the pool or live in a coastal area then the cast aluminum body of the Q will resist corrosion from the chlorine and salt better than the steel components on the Spirit.
Perception: For years the Spirit was the cheap, bottom of the line grill that you had to settle for if you couldn’t afford a Genesis. The Spirit had the well deserved reputation as being the “Made in China” grill that really wasn’t very good. For many Weber fanatics there is a stigma against the Spirit and they would rather have the Q.
Please note that the Spirit II series of grills introduced in 2018 are absolutely amazing and no longer deserve the stigma associated with past versions of these grills. The Spirit II grills are now just as awesome as the Genesis series and have the exact same ten year warranty.
Weber Q3200 FAQ
How Do I Keep the Grill Clean?
There are four sections of the grill to consider when you are cleaning:
External surface and cart:
Use a standard household cleaner like Formula 409 and spray the exterior down then let it sit for 10 minutes. Use a hose and rinse the cleaner off. Follow up with some of the cleaner on a sponge and give it a little scrub to finish off any stubborn grease.
Inside Surface:
Line the body of the grill with aluminum foil under the burners prior to using. You will need to change the foil when it gets nasty looking but each piece should last for 5-6 grilling sessions.
If you decide not to use aluminum foil then, while the grill is turned OFF, remove the grates and scrape the inside of the grill with a putty knife. Use the putty knife to push all of the grease and residue into the grease tray at the bottom of the grill.
Grease Tray:
Always use an aluminum liner for the grease tray. Discard the grease from the liner after every grilling session. If you are careful, the standard liners can be rinsed and reused several times before needing disposal.
Grill Grates:
At the end of every grilling session, while the grate is still hot, make sure you brush the grates to dislodge any surface residue. Every so often, when the grill is OFF, you will need to flip the grates over and use a scraper to remove the grill crud that eventually accumulates on the bottom of the grate.
If desired, the grates can be taken inside and hand washed with warm soapy water in the sink. After cleaning immediately dry the grates. Never place these grates inside a dishwasher. Theoretically the porcelain enamel coating would allow the cast iron to tolerate a dishwasher but in reality micro-cracks form in the coating. Cleaning these grates in a dishwasher will open up the micro-cracks even further and accelerate rust formation.
Does the Grill Come with the Hose and Regulator for a 20 Pound Propane Tank?
There are two versions of the Q3200. Model Number 57060001 is designed for use with liquid propane and DOES come with the hose and regulator for use with a 20 pound propane tank. Model Number 57067001 is designed for use with natural gas and DOES NOT come with accessories for use with a propane tank.
What is the difference between the Q3200 and Q320?
There are very few differences between these two grills. There are a few styling differences concerning the logo and placement of tool hooks, etc. The only significant difference is the addition of the electronic ignition on the Q3200 (make sure you have 4 AAA batteries on hand as one is not included with the grill). The Q3200 is part of the Titanium Series and replaces the Q320 which is no longer being manufactured.
What are the dimensions of the box that this grill comes in?
Approx 35 inches x 30 inches x 24 inches
Are the side tables collapsible?
Yes, the side tables on both side of the grill can be folded down when not in use. The tables need to be folded in order for the Weber grill cover to fit.
Is it easy to disassemble the grill for storage or transportation?
The Q3200 can be easily separated from the cart removing four screws and then disconnecting the propane gas line.
What are the actual dimensions of the grill grate?
Can the Q Series sear steaks like a Summit Series?
Absolutely not. The Sear Station on the Summit S 670 and Summit S 470 provide an extra 10,600 BTUs that are designed for the explicit purpose of searing steaks. The Q Series grills do not have this feature.
Can this grill be converted between propane and natural gas?
No, you can purchase the Q3200 as either a propane or natural gas fueled grill but you cannot convert fuel sources.
How tall is the inside of the grill?
The distance from the grill grate to the top of the grill lid is about 10 inches.
How wide is the grill with the tables extended?
The Q3200 is about 60 inches wide with tables extended. If you are short on space you can always take the side tables off or just use one of them.
Can you use this grill as a smoker?
A lot of folks have tried to use this as a smoker but it just isn’t designed for Low and Slow cooking.
Does the Q3200 come assembled?
The grill comes about 90% assembled. You will need to use four screws to attach the grill body to the frame and put in latch pins to secure the lid. There are a few other items for you to put together but the entire process will take less than an hour.
Reviews of Other Weber Grills
Weber Genesis II 435 Gas Grill
Weber Genesis II 410 Gas Grill
Weber Spirit II 210 and 310 Gas Grills
Weber Q 1000 vs 1200 Gas Grills
Weber Q 2000 vs 2200 Gas Grills
Weber MasterTouch Charcoal Grill
Weber Performer Charcoal Grill