Note: Camping World has agreed in writing to give me full credit for the cost of the hose mentioned below and that issue is settled. However I think it is instructive for all to understand the REAL cost of this debacle.
In November I purchased the second of two hoses that I bought to connect my Weber Q to a normal BBQ propane 20lb bottle. That hose, as did the first one failed (in Mexico) one week after purchase.
This failure has caused me to use the small Coleman Camping Gas canisters. These are very scarce in the Baja and expensive. Instead of being able to use my 20 lb propane tank, which remains full to this day, I have had to buy, to date, 15 Coleman gas canisters at an average of $5 each totaling over $75. And I still have about 3 weeks to go.
It should be noted that the Coleman canister will only cook between 3-4 meals per canister and that is doing quick cooking things. No whole Chickens mind you.
The other party in this story is Weber and itโs Q2000 which cost at Camping world $250. There was NO written or photographic indication on the outside of the box that showed that it was designed to use the Coleman Cannisters and it did NOT come with an adapter hose.
For the high price of that very small Grill it should have come with a hose just like any other REAL grill you buy.
In addition to the cost of the canisters here in the Baja I have spent by my estimation at least 5-6 full days going from virtually every store, Ferretaria, Sams, Walmart, Soriana, Gas Specialty shops, Mega, Ace Hardware, Costco and even Second Hand Stores to find either the canisters or a new hose or some combination of propane parts that will workโฆall to no avail. We buy up every Coleman Canister we can find on the few occasions we find them.
In addition to that is the mileage I have driven, a good guess would be in the hundreds of miles with the attendant costs of gas.
Therefore because of the cynical decision by Weber not to include an adapter hose with the Q2000 and being forced to use the canisters due to the Shoddy workmanship of the Mr. Heater Hose that Camping World sells I have had to pay at least $200 dollars to manage this problem and still cook.
For those of you that feel it necessary to Defend Weber and the Q consider this: For about the same price I can buy a FOUR BURNER Huge CharBroil grill (I actually paid $159 for mine at Menards) With cast iron grates, in Stainless steel body, WITH AN ADAPTER HOSE.
The Q should come with a Propane hose for their price point. Period.
I admit that I am not a fan of the Weber Q2000. I find it deficient in so many ways as a grill but even if you take my feelings about HOW it works out of the argument the lack of a Propane hose included with the Grill is inexcusable at the cost of that small grill.
So the result of two companies and their respective choices and decisions is really just truly Pi**ing off your customer and bad word of mouth. To say nothing of the added cost.
My Advice to ALL would be DO NOT BUY any MR HEATER product anywhere.
My message to Camping World: replace that vendor with one that makes and sells a higher quality product like CAMCO.
To Weber: Stop treating your customers with cynical indifference and include propane hoses in the Weber Q series.
