What's your favorite type of Grate, and why?


 
Clint

Clint

TVWBB Olympian
I've been browsing the forums picking up what I can about the gas grills since I just picked up my first gas Weber (threw away my last gasser..... probably a low-end Kenmore sometime around 2006).

I've been shopping Weber gassers for the last few years and always thought I'd buy at Home Depot so it'd come with the cast iron grates, but then I read on The Virtual Weber Gas Grill that the cast iron grates should be removed before burnoff or their seasoning would be ruined.

I'm a bit lazy, and..... ahem,,,, forgetful, and I can see myself letting the grill crank on high while warming up for longer than I should.

The grates mine came with are I believe porcelain-covered cast iron, they appear to be in perfect shape (about the only thing the grill I can really say that about), but still I wonder.

So the options I see are:

- Porcelain covered steel

- Enameled cast iron

- Stainless (from rcplanebuyer) which also seems to be standard on a lot of the new Genesis
and

- Bare cast iron

- Grill Grates

Preferences?
 
bare cast iron. look the way it marks the meat, and when maintained correctly, its stick free and just easy to deal with.
 
I have a new Q3200 and I love the porcelain coated cast iron grills (2 piece) that came with it. They clean up easily, stand up to burn-off, mark the food beautifully and hold heat like you wouldn't believe. I've read that the porcelain is heavier on the new ones than the old ones. I don't know what the old ones are like, but I can tell you these new ones are the best grates I have ever cooked on, and I've gone through a lot of barbecue grills, both charcoal and gas.
 
It's not so much the material but the "weight" of that material. A very heavy SS rod grate works just as well as CI for good marks and is much easier to care for. I have both bare CI and 3/8" heavy SS rod grates no difference in performance though it seems the CI grates I have on the Wolf seem to release a tiny bit easier. I also have the Weber porcelain CI grates on my Genesis. They too perform wonderfully. Really it's a toss up. More importantly once past the material and weight of it is the spacing (or pitch between bars). Sadly Weber has seen fit to increase the spacing to a point you could drop and entire steak through and lose it. On the Summit I'll at least give them kudos for using good and very heavy rods. But the pitch is so big I would be very disappointed. Nearly twice the pitch of my Summit 450. The ones on the new Genesis IMO are down a bit because in addition to huge spacing they are only 7mm as opposed to 9mm on the Summit. The ones from RCplanebuyer are great because they're VERY heavy and spaced better
 
I am very happy with my stainless steel grates. They came with my Genesis and have never been a problem for me. Still looking good and cooking good.
 
Haven't found one yet that is better than the rest. I've used them all. They all get nasty and dirty. Material doesn't matter. It's not the type of grate it is all about the food and the seasonings. Anything that has salt and caramelizes, pretty much everything does, makes for major grate destruction. I think for kettles the best is the Weber Original Gourmet BBQ System Hinged Cooking Grate. It has the thickest and higher number of rods in the grate. Throw it away when it gets really nasty.
 
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I use Grill Grates on the cheap gas grill my wife received from her father (he asked me for permission to get it b/c i'm all charcoal). The grill grates turned the cheap gasser into an excellent grilling machine. Sear Marks perfect. Prevent flare ups. Flip em' over and get a good crust on steak if you prefer that over grill marks.
 
Both my gassers have enameled cast iron and they have been faultless. The CI grates on the Genesis 1000 are about six years old and replaced the porcelain covered steel originals and I noticed a big difference in the searing and heat retention with the change and have been through countless burn offs and still perform like new.
 
No question, Grill Grates, when the juices from your food hit the bottom of those rails and vaporize sending that delicious Smokey goodness back into your food, it's just awesome flavor town. Grill Grates have won many Steak grilling contests and their a winner at my house.
 
I used to think the solid stainless steel rods on my summit were the best. And then my wife surprised me with a set of grill grates. Until you try the grill grates, you will not understand how awesome these are.
 
I've been enjoying the PCI grates quite a bit, the rest sound appealing too.

I think I found an easy way to oil the grates without wasting a bunch of oil. Last night I poured a little oil in my wok to fry up some potato chips like Wolgast just posted, I dragged that out to the grill today and dunked a paper towel into it & wiped it on the grates......

the paper towel did ok but it started wearing, maybe I'll try a fine steel wool or ?????? think I might just keep a small container of junk oil out there but that might be a terrible idea.
 
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