Weber's 2012 New Products Line-Up Features Grills For Electric, Charcoal And Gas Enthusiasts

PALATINE, Ill., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Weber-Stephen Products LLC, the world's leading manufacturer of outdoor gas and charcoal grills and grilling accessories, is stepping up its electric grill line with the addition of a larger-capacity Weber® Q® 240 Electric Grill. 

Research from the new 23rd Annual Weber GrillWatch Survey* shows that 62 percent of American grill owners are interested in trying an outdoor electric grill. Grill owners who have used an outdoor electric grill list the top three reasons they enjoy electric grilling as: easy to use (61 percent), do not require fuel (52 percent), and heat up quickly (51 percent).

"The electric grill market continues to flourish," says Brooke Jones, Director of Marketing, Weber-Stephen Products LLC.  "The Electric Q grill is ideal for people living in apartments or condominiums that may have gas and charcoal restrictions but still love to grill outdoors. Also, many grillers simply enjoy the convenience of being able to plug in their grill—and with Weber's Electric Q grill there is no compromise on flavor."

The new Weber Q® 240 Electric Grill features porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grates and 1,560 watts of power that allows the grill to reach temperatures hot enough to create restaurant-quality sear marks. With 280 square inches of grilling space, grillers can cook up to 18 bratwursts or 24 burgers at a time. A new dark gray lid sets the Electric Q apart from the gas Q line, and a 6-foot grounded cord provides a safe and easy connection to the power source. MSRP: $329.

Weber's charcoal news for 2012 includes the Weber® Performer® Charcoal Grill—a lower price point entry to the company's classic Performer grill line featuring a Touch-N-Go™ ignition system.  The Performer® charcoal grill eliminates the ignition system, but features the same 22-1/2" kettle grill set in a heavy-duty cart frame with a thermoset side table, Char-Basket™ fuel holder, built-in thermometer and Tuck-Away™ lid holder.  Perfect for die-hard charcoal enthusiasts, the Performer Charcoal Grill is available in Black. MSRP: $299.

Weber is building on last year's introduction of the Summit® Grill Center with Social Area—an "L" shaped grilling oasis that features enclosed cabinetry plus a social area on the right for guests to gather.  For 2012, Weber is adding additional models with social area to the left, allowing more options to consumers when creating an outdoor entertaining space. Available in Stainless Steel or Black, MSRP:  $4,999.

For more information on Weber's new products or for a dealer locator, visit www.weber.com.

* Weber-Stephen Products LLC commissioned third-party Greenfield Online and KeyStat Marketing, Inc. to field the 23rd Annual Weber GrillWatch Survey. A total of 1,000 grill owners throughout the United States completed the online survey conducted in August 2011. All respondents were over age 21 and own a charcoal, gas or electric outdoor barbecue grill or smoker. The sample was divided between 50 percent males (n=500) and 50 percent females (n=500) and was balanced demographically to represent households across the U.S.

Weber-Stephen Products LLC, headquartered in Palatine, Ill., is the world's premier manufacturer of charcoal, gas and electric grills, grilling accessories and other outdoor room products. In 1952, founder George Stephen sparked a backyard revolution with his invention of the Weber® kettle. Almost 60 years later, the privately-held company remains the industry leader with its Weber®, Weber® Q®, and Ducane® brands. As a leading exporter of grills, Weber brand products are sold worldwide at select home centers, hardware stores, department stores, patio stores, and other retail outlets. Weber has the strongest consumer outreach program in the industry with its Weber Grill-Line(SM) (1-800-GRILL-OUT®); Weber's On The Grill™ mobile application; and a content-rich website with grilling tips, techniques, and original Weber recipes at www.weber.com®. (The Weber Grill-Line and Weber Customer Service are closed on Christmas). Weber can also be followed on Facebook (www.facebook.com/weberbbq) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/webergrills).

SOURCE Weber-Stephen Products LLC