Original Grill Gauge (GG-1100),Black

Let me preface this review by issuing the same warning I've seen on countless other reviews. Do NOT purchase those inline "pressure" gauges that claim to measure propane! Propane is a liquid - it cannot be measured that way. The only way to measure it is if you have some sort of flotation device that is pre-installed into the tank itself, or by weight. Most propane tanks are rated 15-20 lbs full standard, and even thought this device is rated for a 20 lb tank (If memory serves me), it gives a pretty close estimate of the amount of propane in the tank. I take it with me to pick between a few tanks at the store when it's time to refill, and of course, choose the one that is the heaviest. For the longest time, I would play the guessing game of "how many cookouts before I'm empty?" Well, that method backfired more than a few times - so I decided to pay the $13 or so bucks to get this little gem, and I have no regrets. After owning this for a while, you sort of get a feel for the weight of the tank - which is somewhat of an added benefit on it's own for those who rarely pick up the propane tank until it's time to refill. Buy this, you will not regret it! One more tip thought - do not leave this thing in the rain! To my dismay, I discovered that it is not waterproof - and although it dried out rather well, it did warp the cardboard gauge prior to me shaking it like a Polaroid picture in an attempt to remove all the excess water. It still functions 100% - and I would rate this as the top grill gauge around folks.

This is brilliant. It is simple and reliable, but it requires a bit of muscle to check the tank. You hook it to the top of the tank, undo the screws that hold the tank in place and lift it up. It is based on the principle that the fuel weighs something and when it is full it weighs more than when it is empty. It is not necessary in my experience to unscrew the hose from the tank.I have tried many others, including the kind that hook up between the tank and the BBQ itself. Three kinds I have used have all either leaked or been very inaccurate. One read empty when the tank was still over 1/3 full. I also tried the kind that has a strip that sticks to the side of the tank and measures a difference in temperature from the liquid part to the gaseous part. Most of the time in cold weather I cant see a difference in color.I have been told the real cure is to have a spare tank, so if I run one dry, then I can just switch it. I understand this, but I don't have a good place to store a 5 gallon tank of propane and I'm not so sure this is a safe idea. I don't want it indoors, and if outdoors it will get wet a lot from rain. Then it gets corroded and then who knows what...

UPDATE: IF YOU USE THIS TO CHECK TANKS WHEN YOU BUY, IT MAY READ INCORRECTLY BECAUSE THE EMPTY WEIGHT (tare weight) OF PROPANE TANKS CAN VARY. SOME TANKS WEIGH 15 POUNDS EMPTY AND SOME WEIGH 18 POUNDS EMPTY. THIS SCALE IS MEANT TO WEIGH 20 POUND TANKS THUS IT MY SHOW A 15 OR 18 POUND TARE WEIGHT TANK AS NOT FULL, WHEN ACTUALLY THEY ARE FULL. SO IF YOU GO TO A PLACE LIKE HOME DEPOT WHERE YOU EXCHANGE TANKS YOU MAY BE GIVING THEM A 20 TANK AND THEY MAY BE GIVING YOU BACK A 15 POUND TANK IN RETURN. THE 15 POUND TANK WILL STILL BE FULL BUT ON THIS SCALE IT WILL LOOK LIGHT. IT IS JUST THAT THE TANK ITSELF WEIGHS LESS. LOOK FOR A SIGN AT THE RETAILERS THAT WILL STATE THE WEIGHT OF THE TANKS THEY ARE SELLING. ORIGINAL POST: I just received the gauge and tried it out. It works great. Definitely worth the money. I highly recommend it. The gauges that attach to the tank gas line are not accurate and most of the time they tell you that you are out of gas when you already know it, because the grill does not light. Before that it looks like you still have plenty of gas because they are measuring pressure and the pressure stays the same until the tank is empty. Also you don't have to remove the tank from the grill to check how much gas you have left.

Just received this gauge and am happy with it. I'm less happy with Blue Rhino as a result. First tried the gauge on an empty tank, and it did not move off the "E". Took it with me when I went to get a Blue Rhino exchange tank. The first tank they brought out registered about 5/8 full. I asked them to get me a different one. It showed about 3/4 full. Wasn't sure how accurate the gauge was and I needed the propane, so I took it. Weighed the tank on a digital bathroom scale when I got home. It was 32.1 lbs. The tare weight stamped on the rim of the tank was 16.6 lbs, so I got 15.5 lbs of Propane in the "20 lb" tank, and the scale was pretty much right on for accuracy. I thought Blue Rhino just settled a class action suit for underfilling tanks. Think I'm going to look into going to a propane filling station instead of using the Blue Rhino exchange program in the future.Additional info: I just checked the Blue Rhino web site and found the following: "In 2008, to help control these rising costs, Blue Rhino followed the example of other consumer products companies with a product content change. We reduced the amount of propane in our tanks from 17 pounds to 15 pounds." So I guess the 15.5 lbs I got constitutes a "full" tank these days!

I purchased this item due to the great reviews here on Amazon and primarily to assure that the propane tanks are properly filled. I use to exchange my tanks through Blue Rhino at Orchard Supply Hardware, but found that they did not last as long as I had expected in my fire pit. After doing some searching I found that both Blue Rhino and AmeriGas were sued in 2008 for short changing consumers on the amount of propane they fill in their tanks without notifying customers. The only fill their 20 pound tanks to 15 pounds. To verify this I had one tank refilled at a filling station and another exchanged at Blue Rhino. The refilled tank showed FULL using this device and the Blue Rhino exchange showed 3/4 full. I also was able to test and compare the gauge on my Weber BBQ to see if the weight indicator is close to the Grill Gauge. It is so I can now trust that gauge. Well worth the price.

This is a useful item for those looking to only measure a 20lb propane tank. For that purpose, it is pretty much perfect.However, its a one-use tool. Alton Brown says don't buy those. For this purpose I bought one of the digital fishing / luggage scales with a lock mode. Does the same job as this item, but also does more things.Anyways, this is recommended, and works A-OK, but consider its single-function in your purchase.

Arrived almost before I ordered it. Great service. Looks to be exactly what it's supposed to be and bought it as a result of it being so highly ranked -- by far the best -- by Cooks Illustrated. Not the right time of year to be hauling propane tanks around much, but anticipating based on the reviews, having the product in hand myself, I'm not going to be at all disappointed with it. I've tried one or two other options. This straight mechanical, nothing fancy or techy, seems to be the ideal choice.

Propane tank wasn't working great in the cold weather and pressure gauge showed empty. So glad I didn't get the tank exchanged because this gauge tells me it was still 3/4 full! Grilling great now in the warm weather, a must have for people who grill in cold climates.

I tried the gauge on 2 tanks, 1 from the 5th wheel and one from the barbecue and they both read the tanks as 3/4 full. I used both tanks this summer so am not sure if this reading is accurate until I can test further as I use more propane. As of now, it appears to perform as advertised.

I like this straight-forward design.It is as simple as it looks and makes much more logical sense than the other methodsof determining propane levels in the tank.Could not find this at any of the box stores, so it was worth the purchase