Updated 11 Nov 2016
Weber
Family Q (Q3100AU)
Snapshot: The Weber Family Q (Q3100AU) patio (deck) barbecue has a medium-sized cooking area but no side burner. How well does it cook?
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Test results
Overall score
Steak
Sausages
Chicken wings
Whole chicken
Ease of use
Good points
- Excellent steak cooking.
- Excellent sausage cooking.
- Excellent chicken wing cooking.
- Excellent at roasting a whole chicken.
- Easy to clean.
- Easy to use.
But
- No side burner.
- No warming rack.
- No hood thermometer.
How we test
The overall score is made up of cooking performance (60%) and ease of use (40%). Our performance assessment is weighted equally between these 4 tests:
Steak cooked on the grill for six to eight minutes each side with all burners on full.
Sausages grilled on a medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes each side with the entire cooking surface covered and the hood closed (unless the manufacturer states otherwise).
Marinated chicken wings cooked on the hotplate over a low heat, for about 10 minutes each side.
Whole chicken roasted (if possible on the barbecue) with the outder burners on high and inner burners on low, and the hood closed.
Top-scoring barbecues cooked everything evenly throughout, resulting in consistently tender and juicy meat. This also meant the barbecue’s temperature was easy to control, and its heat was evenly distributed across the cooking surface.
Ease of use scores comprise general ease of cooking (40%) mobility (20%), controls (20%) and cleaning (20%).
Running time shows how long a 9kg gas cylinder will last when all burners are running on full.
Key data
More test results (/10)
Cleaning
Model
Avg price
Type
Specifications
Running time (hrs:mins)
H x W x D
Cooking area
Main burners
Weight (kg)
Features
Side burner
Warming rack
Domed hood
Side trays
Folding side trays
Materials
BBQ body
Hood
Trolley/stand
Cooking surface
Burners
Flame diffusers
More Info
Notes
The Weber Q3200 is similar to the Q3100 but only available at Weber specialist dealers. The built-in Q3600 is also expected to perform similarly.
Availability
-
Member reviews
"Once Weber always Weber"
10 Nov 2018, Ines and Georg R.
Product use: 6 months or more
Pros:
If you follow the instructions you will always have a great success, if it is fish or meat. Had other BBQ‘s before but none gave these results. It is easy to be a good chef with Weber.
Cons:
Maybe the price, but it is worth to spend more
Recommend it?
Yes, I recommend this product.
"Over-hyped?"
12 Jan 2018, John R.
Product use: 3 - 6 months
Pros:
Even heat and up to the job. Cooks right to the edges of the surfaces
Food cooks evenly and isn't "stewed" in its own grease like other, low-heat BBQs I have used.
Good quality materials overall (but see below) and construction.
Good drip collection tray (throwaway) and easy to access and clean.
Cons:
Expensive for what you get. Plastic side trays are a problem - don't carry much weight.
Lid and (particularly) the bowl under the burners not easy to clean.
Roasting trivet is an extra. At that price? Solid hotplate is another $90 extra.
Self-igniter in windy conditions, which is every day in Christchurch, is useless.
One of the grill plates - there are two of them - lost chunks of enamel. The retailer pushed me off to the Weber agent. They replaced the grill plate but blamed me. They couldn't explain why it would be my fault if only one, not both, of the hot plates failed.
Recommend it?
Maybe, it depends on what you're after.
"Best BBQ I've ever used"
25 Jan 2016, Stephanie S.
Product use: 1 - 3 months
Pros:
Equal cooking on entire surface (no cold spots)
Can buy extras for what you require (should you want them)
Excellent solid quality
Easy to start
Very easy to clean
Love how this BBQ cooks and very quickly
Easier to move than others that I have had in past
Surface looks smaller than others but because of the equal cooking doesn't bother me in fact I can cook more on this BBQ than on previous 3/4 burners
Cons:
None that I have found
Recommend it?
Yes, I recommend this product.
"Easily the best BBQ I have had or seen used"
28 Nov 2015, Karen F.
Product use: 6 months or more
Pros:
It heats really well to high temperature.
The materials are high quality and don't corrode. (I live near the beach)
So easy to use.
So versatile it can do roasts, pizzas, steaks, veges etc
Good recipes and instructions
Cons:
Accessories are not cheap, I substitute others
Not so easy to clean the base, but no worse than other BBQ.
Smaller cook area might put some off
Recommend it?
Yes, I recommend this product.
