Gas Grill about Shot AGAIN!

guido

Well-known Member
Hello,


Who makes a decent gas grill now days? It seams every 3 to 4 years I need to get another one. The last o Char-Broil
Commercial Infrared did not fair much better then the cheaper brands. I replaced all the infrared plates, now the grates are pretty much shot! I paid extra to convert it to natural gas to boot.................. GRRRRRRRRRR!

Guido.
 
Broil-Master...pricey but a very good grill. I'm not sure but i think they still come with life time warranty too.
 
Weber. They have stainless steel burners. You can get parts for them, although I haven't needed any. I know a few people whose Weber's are around 10 to15 years old. Paid $850.00 for mine 5 years ago, still looks and works good.
 
I have had my grill at least 10 years and it was a cheaper model, bbq pro I think it's called. The heat deflector plates need replaced in it. The grill lives indoors (heated shop) and I do all my grilling in there as well. It does have stainless burners but keeping it out of the moisture is what has really extended its life.
 
Ours is a Jenn Aire stainless steel model and we have had good service from it. Probably about 15 years old. Bought from Lowes at end of season when it was discounted around $400.00. They all have their problems but we are happy with this one.
 
We have a Brinkman stainless steel with ceramic coated grates. Had it for 12 years and have not replaced anything on it, but it stays in a heated garage.
 
I just keep rebuilding mine. I have a basic aluminum housing gas grill. I replace the burner every 4-5 years. The steel plate that is just above the burner rotted out. So I made a new one out of 1/8 inch steel. If I can rebuild a tractor I can rebuild a grill. The aluminum housing will last a life time if not more.
 
Hello john730d,

I had forgotten about Weber. They look nice, n
But @ 600* max is not enough for me,
Guido.
 

Hello Duane WI,

This one is rotten from the inside! There are cross tubes between burners and the frame that holds the grates all shot! Opened up I can see through the back. I had one at the other house for 31 years, just replace the burners and the post. It had lava rocks and worked till the day I sold the house,

Guido.
 
Hello wd9garymn,

Mine is stainless outside and I keep it covered most of the time. But the way it is built water goes right in,

Guido.
 
In todays market it seems a good name no longer means much as all the brands have good models, cheap models and cheaper models.
Instead of a brand recommendation I will share the good and bad I have experienced.
I bought a high end one 15 years ago with the 4 cast burners and ceramic coated grates.
The expectation it would last longer disappeared after the first 4 years.
Replaced the cast burners three times as the top of them rot away, finally built a set out of square tubing with a piece of 3/8 thick x 1 1/2 wide steel bar for the top, cut off and re-used the tubes that connect to the gas valves.
These burners should outlast me and only took an afternoon to build.
The ceramic coated grates are still the original's and are holding up well.
The flame tamer plates below the grate rotted away a few times, my next set will be built with heavy angle iron.
Electric igniters other than replacing the battery every few years have been trouble free.
The valves seem to last forever other than replacing plastic knobs once in a while.
Infrared back burner, rotisserie and side burner I rarely use, and were still functional last they were tried.
Did have to replace a couple of plastic casters, they are not well designed to roll around on anything less than a perfectly smooth floor.
Beyond that they all are nothing more than a stainless steel and metal box on legs that seems to hold up well outdoors.
The saying about lipstick on a pig needs to be remembered here as from a far the new ones all look pretty but it is what's inside that counts.
 
Hello Bill in IL,


I keep mine covered most of the time. I've had some stainless burners. They just rust as easily as the regular burners. The side burner is either brass or bronze, it looks like I never cooked on it.

Guido
 
Guido,
I don't think you will like any new gas grill. I recently purchased a combo grill. One side charcoal the other gas. The problem with gas is no lava rocks. So the heat between burners is too hot, heat over burner sucks. I took lava rock out of old gas grill and made a grate to hold it in new gas grill. I also keep grill inside pole barn, out of rain when not in use.
 
every spring we have clean up day.I go to the curb and pick up the junk and get enough to rebuild one then sell the left over shell for scrap aluminum. Talked to one guy he just ripped the burner out and used charcoal
 
Hello Geo-Th,In,

I saw your post when you bought the grill. IThe last housI was in I bought a natural gas grill form the gas company. Only way to get one in 1972. Cast aluminum with lava rocks, BOY do I miss that grill! I sold the house I 2003 and I was still using it. New burners as needed. I also replaced the post, YEA! it was on a netal post on the ground. Replacement pie was 4" copper. I have 10 plus cords of wood under cover. I may just go primitive again!

Guido.
 
Hello determined,

Bought a gas grill in 1972 from the gas company. Sold the house in 2003, guess what grill I was still using!. A few burners and a ground pipe is all I did. You are right about brands. Those stainless burners are a joke! Rust faster then pig iron. MY present one looks like a million bucks, and totally rotten from the inside out!. What I really want is a grill with brass or bronze burners A.K.A lifetime. Cast iron grates is my second most have. I just looked at one that has an aluminum oven/cover, but no brass burners. With all the wood I have under cover I may just go primitive and use wood. May be not. I also buy or convert all my grills to natural gas. I'm going to look and see what's out there, Cast grates brass burners are the two most have,

Guido.
 
Do you use a heavy cover that does not breathe? While the cover sounds like a great idea it may be making your situation worse due to trapping condensation. Where your grill sits now does it get any daytime sun to help it dry out?. I had an outdoor grill before and the burners never lasted. I thought it was due to cheap burners. It did sit on the north side of the garage where it never got any sunlight. The grill I have currently has never been outdoors.

I do have an old weber kettle that sits out, we use it for roasting weenies the grates are burnt and rusted up but the kettle will not give up.
 
Hello davyfireball,

I don't mind fixing something that will last. But lately seams that is all I do. I actually have a guy that all he does is pick up metal and scrap all over the neighborhood, I give him plenty to scrap. So I can put an order in for what I need,

Guido.
 
Hello bill in IL,

Probably not! But the first year I had the cover it developed quite a few cracks,. I guess it was breathing then. But the problem is that I use it so much it is not always covered. The way the water sheds off the top goes right in the bottom of the pan and the back does the same towards the catch pan, All rusted out. Like I said to another poster, the last house I sold in 2003, grill was there when I left. Bought the grill in 1972. No cover. Cast aluminum with a 4" brass post to the ground, burning natural gas with lava rocks. Boy do I miss that grill!.............Need I say more?

Guido.
 
Guido, the gas grills today without lava rocks is the same as cooking in an oven. We charcoal for flavor and use the gas to keep things warm until we have cooked everything with charcoal. You may be able to buy lava rock if you don't have some used rock from old grill
Geo
 
I've had a Ducane for over 20 years. Replaced the burners once and put new igniters in last summer. They were more expensive and lasted too long and the company went under. Weber bought out their parts stock but never produced more. Can still find a few parts online.
 
Hello Geo-TH,In,

The grill went with the house. I had it on a post in the ground. Should have ripped off before selling, or state that I was taking the grill. This one may make it through the winter, maybe. I cook on it all the time. Shovel a path when it snows and grilling I go. I just put in some wood chips while cooking for flavor. Mesquite is my favored wood. I like oak and cherry also, I just alternate.......

Guido.
 
Hello Mike,

I'm thinking that it is me. I grill all the time.I need super extra industrial heavy duty one! Shovel a path after a snow storm, and I go grilling.
Guido.
 
What about building one out of brick and sourcing some heavy cast iron burners? I've seen the heavy burners used with the turkey and fish fryer setups. If the whole burner is cast iron it should last a good while.
 
Hello Centex Farmall,

The grill now is on top of 2" paving stone base and 2" stepping stones. Good base for a brick oven pizza too. In another life I would have built one to suit me. Like the idea though,

Guido.
 
Weber..... i bought a big one about 10 years ago. Use it all the time even in the winter in South Dakota. Still works just like new. So far all I do is clean it real good once a year. Wish Id bought it 40 years ago. I also inherited a small portable Weber that I keep in my RV. Same story, Its 20 years old and just clean it real good once a year. No problems at all.
 
Hello Guido,
I buy charcoal with Mesquite built in. Works for me. Only grill when we have people over. Father's day is usually the big one. I turn the cooking over to by son and son-in-law, both excellent cooks. Geo
 
Mike, that must have been one be funky grill after 20 years!! People used to give me a hard time about my old Charbroil which I kept going for almost that long. It finally fell apart. Possums liked it, used to sneak up at night and lick the grease can.
 
Not at all. They had a well designed rack and burner. The grease never got to the burner so the holes could be on top. The burners last a long time that way. Just burn off the grease and brush the stainless steel grates once in a while. As I said, they made them too good.
 
After my last grill died I went a different route with an outdoor stove from Camp Chef:
30604.jpg

Whole Grill in current configuration

30605.jpg

Close up of Griddle

30606.jpg

Close up of Grill Box

30607.jpg

Close up of burners - there are a total of 4 - 30,000 btu each

It also has a pizza oven that goes over two burners. They also have a wider griddle but I really like the functionality of having both a griddle and a grill box at the same time. Can fry a pound of bacon in a short time. All of the grease, smoke and odors are kept outside. I am in GA so snow is usually not a problem however I am pretty sure you do not want to griddle bacon in the rain. That could get painful.
 

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