Weber Q1400 vs Q2400: Four Differences to Know

The Weber Q1400 and Q2400 electric grills are functional and high quality products that are worth consideration if you are unable to use a standard gas or charcoal grill.

This review will show you the four primary differences between these two models, talk about the pros and cons and answer a few frequently asked questions.

Q1400 vs Q2400 Specifications

Here is a quick look at how these two grills compare from a raw number perspective.

The warranty for these grills covers the lid, cook box and grates for five years.  The heating element is covered for two years and replacements are readily available.

Construction is heavy duty and stylish.

Four Differences Between the Q1400 and Q2400

The four differences between these electric grills are:

• The Q2400 has 48% more grilling area than the Q1400.
• The Q2400 is about 3 inches wider and deeper than the Q1400.
• The Q2400 weighs 12 pounds more than the Q1400.
• The Q2400 costs $50 more than the Q1400.

Grill Reviews and User Comments

The Q1400 and Q2400 both have solid customer reviews posted on the websites for Lowes and Weber.  I downloaded the customer reviews for both grills that were posted on Weber’s website and plotted them side by side below.

The reviews for these grills are nearly identical.

When you combine the 5 and 4 Star ratings both grills have a 91% Customer Satisfaction Rating.

Overall, both the Q1400 and Q2400 are very solid grills that people enjoy.  Common comments for both of these grills is that people are surprised by how hot the Q grills get, are delighted with the sear marks they obtain and are pleased with how even it cooks.

The biggest drawbacks on these grills are as follows;

• At this price point I want to have a lid thermometer and side tables and these grills don’t have them.
• The design of the heating element does not let you set up a two zone grilling profile.  You can’t have a “hot side” and a “cool side”.
• It is difficult to reliably use wood chips for extra smoke flavor.  You can do it…it just takes a lot of trial and error.
• It would be nice if this grill was designed for indoor and outdoor use but these are for outdoors only.  On rainy days you will not be using this grill.

Should You Buy the Q1400 or Q2400?

The Q2400 offers 48% more grilling space than the Q1400, weighs 12 more pounds and costs about $50 more.

The Q2400 is the same size as the Q2000 and Q2200 gas grills which makes it larger than the Q1200 and smaller than the Q3200 (both propane grills in the Q series).  The Q2400 is more popular than the Q1400 just because of the size.

The Q1400 is the same size as the Weber Q1200 gas grill that I use on a regular basis and it has plenty of room to cook for a family of four.  if you need to cook for more than four people at once then the Q2400 is the grill for you.

Two Reasons to Get the Q1400

1. Because you should not leave these grills outside where they can get wet, many people store these grills inside and carry them to the deck when they want to cook.  The extra large cast iron grates in the Q2400 are HEAVY and make the grill weigh a little over 40 pounds.  Carrying a 40 pound grill around can be awkward and the smaller Q1400 which weighs in at 30 pounds is easier to manage.
2. Both grills have a 1,560 watt heating element but, since the grates are smaller on the Q1400, the Q1400 is ready to grill faster than the Q2400.

FAQS for the Weber Q2400 and Q1400

General Use: The temperature control knob and power cord are detachable and should be disconnected and stored indoors when the grill is not in use.  When you are ready to grill make sure the controller is plugged into the grill BEFORE plugging the cord into a power outlet.

These grills need to preheat on high for 20 minutes before grilling.  The upper temperature range of these electric grills is about 525F which is perfect for steaks.  You can grill at lower temperatures by adjusting the controller after it has preheated. There is a learning curve to dialing in the different temperatures on this grill as it does not have a lid thermometer.

The grease tray should be emptied before each grilling session to minimize the risk of grease fires.

Weber recommends grilling with the lid closed for faster and more even cooking.

These electric grills are designed for outdoor use only and should NEVER be used in the rain.

How do you clean these grills?

Cleaning the electric Q series grills is easy.
When you are done grilling and the grill is still hot, scrub the grates with a grill brush to remove any adhered food particles.  For a more thorough cleaning the grates can be hand washed with warm soapy water.  Some people wash these grates in the dishwasher but I recommend sticking with hand washing

You can use any type of grill brush to clean these grates.  I recommend Weber’s three sided brush as it is excellent at getting into the grooves on the grate.

These cast iron grates have a porcelain enameled coating so seasoning them after cleaning is not required.
The interior of the grill can be kept clean by multiple methods.

The first option to keep the interior clean is to line the inside of the grill with disposable aluminum foil.  Make sure the foil has an opening in the bottom to allow grease to drain into the drip tray below the grill.  After grilling, when the device has completely cooled, remove and discard the dirty foil.

The second option to keep the interior clean is to wait until the grill is cool and spray the interior with a non-toxic grill cleaner.  Let the solution sit for about 10 minutes as it works its way into the grease and then wipe clean with paper towels.  Repeat as needed.  If the grill is extremely dirty you might want to start by scraping the inside of the body with a putty knife to dislodge the large particles.

The heating element gets extremely hot and should burn off any debris by itself.  No cleaning of the heating element is needed.

Dripping from these grills are collected in a grease tray that is lined with a disposable aluminum liner.  The liner can be reused multiple times and replacement liners are readily available (part # Weber 6415)

Can this grill be used indoors?

No, you should not use this electric grill in you kitchen or garage.

Because these grills are electric they do not create the carbon monoxide hazards of gas or charcoal grills.  However, the heating element on these grills get extremely hot and create significant smoke when grilling certain foods.  It is unlikely that your ventilation system would be able to keep up and you will quickly end up with a smoke filled room and your smoke detectors alarming.

Does food really taste “grilled”?

Food cooked on a Weber electric grill will not taste like food cooked on a charcoal grill but will be incredibly similar to food cooked on a gas grill.

The grilled flavor you get on a gas grill is imparted by the smoke released by dripping grease being vaporized on the burners. You get the exact same effect with these electric grills due to the high temperature of the heating element and its proximity to the food being grilled.

What is the right extension cord to use with these grills?

Ideally you would not use an extension cord but would plug this directly into an outlet with the six foot cord provided with the grill.  If an extension cord is needed then make sure it is rated for more than the 1560 watts used by the heating element.