A barbecue gets used most weekends from spring to autumn, so three things decide which one: how many people it cooks for, where it lives, and whether it needs a hood for roasting. A compact Weber Q suits a couple or a family on a patio; a hooded three- or four-burner suits bigger groups and a permanent spot. Our gas vs charcoal comparison covers the choice of fuel.
| BBQ | Burners | Main grill | Warranty on the cookbox | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weber Q+ Q2600N+ | 2, 19 MJ | 2,064 cm² | 5 years | $600–700 |
| Weber Family Q+ Q3100N+ | 2, 23.2 MJ | 2,535 cm² | 5 years | $800–900 |
| Weber Spirit E-325 | 3, 32.7 MJ | 2,323 cm² | 10 years | $1,000–1,100 |
| BeefEater 1200 Series 4 Burner | 4 plus side burner | Not published | 2 years | $900–1,000 |
| Weber Baby Q1000N | 1, 10.6 MJ | 1,290 cm² | 5 years | $350–400 |
| Weber Traveler Compact | 1, 11.5 MJ | 1,548 cm² | 5 years | $500–600 |
| Weber Genesis E-325 | 3, 41.1 MJ | 3,310 cm² | 12 years | $1,600–1,800 |
Specs are from Weber's product pages and Bing Lee's and The Good Guys' listings; warranties from Weber's warranty page and the retailers. Prices are the lowest linked store's on 28 September 2026.
1. Best Overall: Weber Q+ Q2600N+
Our overall pick heats a 57 by 41cm cast iron grill with a 14.8 MJ burner plus a 4.2 MJ burner beside it, giving a searing side and a gentler side. It is 17kg with side tables that come off, runs on LPG or natural gas, and has five years' cover on the cookbox, lid, burner tubes and grills.
There's no thermometer in the lid and it lights with a piezo button; the Q2800N+ has both upgrades for about $10 more at Weber.
What We Like:
- Two heat zones
- LPG or natural gas
- 5 years on cookbox and burners
What We Don't Like:
- No lid thermometer
2. Best for Families: Weber Family Q+ Q3100N+
For bigger families, the Q3100N+ has the biggest grill Weber puts on a Q, 61 by 46cm, which The Good Guys puts at 15 burgers, heated by 19 MJ and 4.2 MJ burners. It stands on its own cart with a cabinet, and costs less at The Good Guys than at Weber.
Because the cart is fixed it can't travel, and one owner at The Good Guys found assembly slow.
What We Like:
- 61 by 46cm grill
- Cabinet cart
- LPG or natural gas
What We Don't Like:
- Not portable
3. Best Hooded Three-Burner: Weber Spirit E-325
Weber's Spirit E-325 is a three-burner hood on a cabinet, 123cm across with its tables and rated at 32.7 MJ. It has cast iron grills, a sear zone fed by two boost burners, a cast iron half hotplate in the box, and a ten-year cookbox warranty.
Past the cookbox, lid and burner tubes, cover drops to five years on the grills and two on other parts.
What We Like:
- 10 years on cookbox and lid
- Sear zone
- Half hotplate included
What We Don't Like:
- 2 years on most parts
4. Best Four-Burner for the Money: BeefEater 1200 Series 4 Burner
The BeefEater 1200 Series has four burners under its hood, a side burner for a saucepan, and Quartz Start ignition, on a trolley 153cm wide. It weighs 77kg. The Good Guys sells the black enamel version for about $200 less than Bing Lee.
Bing Lee's listing gives a two-year warranty and no flame failure device, the safety cut-off that stops the gas if a burner goes out.
What We Like:
- Four burners and a side burner
- Quartz Start ignition
- Cheaper at The Good Guys
What We Don't Like:
- No flame failure device
5. Best for Balconies: Weber Baby Q1000N
Weber's smallest Q measures 66cm across and weighs 9.1kg, with one 10.6 MJ burner and a 46 by 36cm grill. It goes on a table or a Weber stand bought separately, and carries the same five-year cover as the bigger Qs.
It has no thermometer, which one owner at The Good Guys marked it down for.
What We Like:
- 9.1kg
- Fits a small balcony
- 5-year cover
What We Don't Like:
- No thermometer
6. Best for Camping: Weber Traveler Compact
Weber's Traveler Compact unfolds on its own legs and wheels, so a campsite needs no table. It has a 52 by 36cm grill, an 11.5 MJ burner and a thermometer in the lid, and takes either disposable canisters or a refillable gas bottle.
It weighs 17kg, and Weber's warranty on its burner and grill runs three years.
What We Like:
- Folding legs and wheels
- Lid thermometer
- Larger grill than a Baby Q
What We Don't Like:
- 17kg to lift
7. Best Premium: Weber Genesis E-325
The premium pick puts 41.1 MJ under 3,310 cm² of grill, with a lid thermometer, a cast iron griddle and a sear zone Weber puts at around 400°C. Its warranty runs 12 years on the cookbox and lid and five years on other parts, the longest here.
At 156cm across and 61kg it needs a big patio, and The Good Guys doesn't stock it.
What We Like:
- Longest warranty here
- Sear zone to about 400°C
- Griddle included
What We Don't Like:
- 156cm wide
How to choose a BBQ
Grill size. A Baby Q grill takes about 9 burgers, a Weber Q 12 and a Family Q 15, on The Good Guys' figures. The Good Guys puts the three-burner Spirit E-325 at 14, and it has a warming rack above.
Hood and thermometer. Every barbecue here has a hood for roasting, but only some have a thermometer in it. The Weber Q models without one are the Q1000N, Q2000N, Q2600N+ and Q3100N+.
Warranty. Weber covers the Q range for five years on the cookbox, burners and grills, the Spirit for ten on the cookbox and the Genesis for 12. BeefEater's retailers list two years.
Gas. LPG bottles suit a barbecue that moves; natural gas suits one plumbed in beside the house, and needs a licensed gasfitter to connect. The Gas Technical Regulators Committee requires every gas appliance sold here to be certified, with the certificate number on a data plate.
FAQs
How often should an LPG cylinder be tested?
An LPG cylinder needs a test within the last ten years, with the date stamped on it, according to Energy Safe Victoria, which also advises checking fittings with soapy water rather than a flame.
Can a gas barbecue be used on a Total Fire Ban day?
In Victoria, NSW and South Australia, yes, with conditions. The CFA lets gas and electric barbecues run in Victoria on those days with 3 metres of clear space around them, an adult watching and 10 litres of water nearby. Wood and charcoal barbecues can't be used on those days.
Which BBQ is best for a small balcony?
The Weber Baby Q1000N, at 9.1kg and 66cm wide.
