While most of the hype was focused on Weber’s new Searwood pellet grill, Slate griddle and the new Summit smart gas grill, they also released new portable grills. They brought the redesigned Q+ to the US market, made a more compact version of the Traveler portable gas grill, and released a griddle with styling like the new Slate.
New Weber Q+
Weber launched the new Weber Q and Q+ portable grills in the Australian and New Zealand markets last fall, and we had been waiting for them to come here. While we don’t seem to get the new Q yet, the wait is over for the Q+ which is now for sale in the US market.
When the grills we first launched, we wrote and extensive buyer’s guide about it. Check that out if you want all of the details, and rather than regurgitate that article, below are some highlights and what’s specific to the US.
New to the Q+
The new grill has a full redesign with additional features on the Q+. Below is what’s new from the previous model.
- Redesigned lid that allows for more area inside the cook chamber
- New dual-burner design that can sear better or cook low and slow
- Better Weber Connect integration
- Improved burner design
- Front-facing grease tray access
- Additional colors
US Model
Weber skinnied down their selection of Q+ models for the US market. They have a ton of different options overseas, including large family Q+ grills and even a built-in option. They also redesigned to regular Q, but we don’t get that yet for some reason.
Luckily for the US market, they kept our favorite from the line, the Q2800+. It’s also the only Q+ model we get.
Features and Specs
- The Q2800+ retails for $399 (check price), or with a cart for an additional $100 (check price)
- The main burner has 18,000 BTUs and the + burner is 4,000 BTUs
- Temperature range of 250° – 700°F for cooking BBQ to searing
- Electronic ignitor for easy starts
- 320 square inches of space and a high enough dome lid to fit a whole chicken
Weber Traveler Compact
Coming soon to the Weber portable grill line-up is a smaller version of the popular Traveler gas grill. Full details of the Weber Traveler Compact haven’t been released yet, but it looks very similar to the Traveler.
The only key difference on the smaller version (other than size) is the cart looks slightly different to accommodate the smaller grill.
Weber Traveler Portable Griddle
The final new addition to Weber’s portable grill line-up is the Traveler Portable Griddle. It styled similar to their new Slate griddle, so it’s a good looking little griddle.
It comes in two sizes, a single burner 17″ that retails for $249 (check price), and a dual burner 22″ that retails for $299 (check price). They both can reach temperatures over 500°F for searing.
They also have a porcelain-enameled cookbox for easy cleaning and rust resistant. Four adjustable feet on the little griddle allow you to level the griddle on uneven surfaces like a picnic table.
Keep in mind the Weber Q+ also has a griddle accessory that you can buy. If you plan on only occasionally griddling, I’d go that route. If you are a frequent griddle user though, the Traveler Portable Griddle is the way to go because it has front grease management to make cleaning much easier.