I've been drooling over a new gas grill and can't decide if I like the heavy duty stainless steel rods cooking grate, or the traditional cast iron cooking grate. It seems that Weber is offering too many choices for me to make up my mind. Which cooking grate do you like, and why?
Stainless steel or cast iron grate
- Thread starter tim leo
- Start date
Tommy Scarano
TVWBB Member
I pulled the trigger on the SS rod and internals and am glad i did.grill hits 600(310)deg and have no problem with sear marks- I actually over cooked my first staek as my old silver did it in 8 min. this one does it in 6
.... rare. 1 1/2 inch 3 min each side at 600 = home run
ill have this grill and its inside for the next 7-10 years. its a beauty
SS rods from the ebay guy. Require no maintenance at all (which is good because sometimes I go months where I only use charcoal), the sear is amazing, and I'm pretty certain they will be the last set of grates I buy until my Genesis dies 20-25 years from now.
LOL.
Downside is they were pricy (but still cheaper in the long run.)
Downside is they were pricy (but still cheaper in the long run.)
Dave_S
TVWBB Member
I debated SS vs CI for a while before going SS for the ease of care. I too was worried about heat retention, sear marks, food sticking, and all the other negative things you hear about SS grates. I've encountered none of them. SS rod grates are freaking awesome.
Regarding flavor bars, SS is a no-brainer better option.
Regarding flavor bars, SS is a no-brainer better option.
Doug Ashby
New member
I am a cast iron guy, I don't have any issues with sticking. It's a personal preference. You will get excellent grill marks with either one.
SteveF (Alpine)
TVWBB Fan
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John Ford:
If I had my drat hers I'd get cast iron grates & SS flavorer,but don't think that's an option. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Same here. I love the grate on my 220. Probably sacrilege, but if Weber made cast grates for the Summit, I'd buy 'em.
If I had my drat hers I'd get cast iron grates & SS flavorer,but don't think that's an option. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Same here. I love the grate on my 220. Probably sacrilege, but if Weber made cast grates for the Summit, I'd buy 'em.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Justin W:
SS rods from the ebay guy. Require no maintenance at all (which is good because sometimes I go months where I only use charcoal), the sear is amazing, and I'm pretty certain they will be the last set of grates I buy until my Genesis dies 20-25 years from now.
LOL.
Downside is they were pricy (but still cheaper in the long run.) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I'll second that. Fit my Gen Silver perfecly.
SS rods from the ebay guy. Require no maintenance at all (which is good because sometimes I go months where I only use charcoal), the sear is amazing, and I'm pretty certain they will be the last set of grates I buy until my Genesis dies 20-25 years from now.
Downside is they were pricy (but still cheaper in the long run.) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I'll second that. Fit my Gen Silver perfecly.
Doug Ashby
New member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Gary McD:
Doug are you from the Buffalo,NY area? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
No , I am in Northern Virginia
Doug are you from the Buffalo,NY area? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
No , I am in Northern Virginia
My $0.02
I have two gassers. The first, an '00 Silver A came with a cheap third party steel grate which I immediately replaced it with a cast iron grate that was on our property when we moved in in '87. That grate has narrow spaced bars which are about 3/4" in height. As a result, there is a relatively large mass of cast iron and it produces great grill marks:
It also fits a 22" Kettle perfectly and this picture is actually from a cook on that.
More recently I've acquired an '01 Silver B with stainless grates. I've only done one cook on that but it performed well too.
I did notice some minor sticking but I attribute that to lack of proper seasoning following a pretty thorough cleanup. The Weber SS grate is formed sheet metal and doesn't have nearly the mass of my CI grate. The pitch (distance between adjacent bars) is about twice as wide so the grill marks are different. The wider marks look better crossed than the narrower ones but that's an aesthetic difference that makes no difference to the flavor of the result.
I have two gassers. The first, an '00 Silver A came with a cheap third party steel grate which I immediately replaced it with a cast iron grate that was on our property when we moved in in '87. That grate has narrow spaced bars which are about 3/4" in height. As a result, there is a relatively large mass of cast iron and it produces great grill marks:
It also fits a 22" Kettle perfectly and this picture is actually from a cook on that.
More recently I've acquired an '01 Silver B with stainless grates. I've only done one cook on that but it performed well too.
I did notice some minor sticking but I attribute that to lack of proper seasoning following a pretty thorough cleanup. The Weber SS grate is formed sheet metal and doesn't have nearly the mass of my CI grate. The pitch (distance between adjacent bars) is about twice as wide so the grill marks are different. The wider marks look better crossed than the narrower ones but that's an aesthetic difference that makes no difference to the flavor of the result.
Brian Moriarty
TVWBB All-Star
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Justin W:
SS rods from the ebay guy. Require no maintenance at all (which is good because sometimes I go months where I only use charcoal), the sear is amazing, and I'm pretty certain they will be the last set of grates I buy until my Genesis dies 20-25 years from now.
LOL.
Does anyone have a link to the e-bay seller of the Stainless steel rod grates? I want to replace the CI ones that came with my Genesis Silver C. The Pacific Northwest climate and the CI grates just don't mix.
Downside is they were pricy (but still cheaper in the long run.) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
SS rods from the ebay guy. Require no maintenance at all (which is good because sometimes I go months where I only use charcoal), the sear is amazing, and I'm pretty certain they will be the last set of grates I buy until my Genesis dies 20-25 years from now.
Does anyone have a link to the e-bay seller of the Stainless steel rod grates? I want to replace the CI ones that came with my Genesis Silver C. The Pacific Northwest climate and the CI grates just don't mix.
Downside is they were pricy (but still cheaper in the long run.) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Here is the local Craigslist ad. Craigslist Ad He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. He ships all over.
He is also on eBay as RCPLANEBUYER
I can neither endorse or critique hos work, but he has a good reputation and I would buy from him.
If you go with SS, I like the bars similiar to whats on a Summit. The look beastly.
I actually have cast iron and really like those.
Maintenance is not an issue, but we use it enough that it doesn't just sit around and rust.
He is also on eBay as RCPLANEBUYER
I can neither endorse or critique hos work, but he has a good reputation and I would buy from him.
If you go with SS, I like the bars similiar to whats on a Summit. The look beastly.
I actually have cast iron and really like those.
Maintenance is not an issue, but we use it enough that it doesn't just sit around and rust.
I TOTALLY endorse him. I had a weird transaction due to the US post office which I don't really want to go into just because it would take longer to explain than it's worth, but let me sum up with this.
He's a nice guy. He's an honest businessman. He makes a good product and stands behind it.
He's a nice guy. He's an honest businessman. He makes a good product and stands behind it.
James Trapp
TVWBB Fan
I bought some flavorizer bars from rcplanebuyer and they were well made.
George Curtis
TVWBB Olympian
what are you not happy about ?
Kevin L (NKY)
TVWBB Diamond Member
I bought a gensis E330 SS inside and out 2-3 years ago and it works great. The only thing I was wanting which was not offered then was front contol knobs and front to back burners, for better slow cooking,now all are made like that.This unit is easy to clean the grates are real simple to keep up. The cooking temp is very even, and very controlable. This is my second Weber gaser,had a 80's model, and had a kettle, want another kettle or smoker.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by george curtis:
what are you not happy about ? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Overall performance vs price. Heat retention is poor (ss grates), uneven heat... I was expecting a lot from an $800 S330 grill and was let down compared to the performance of my <$200 Q grill.
what are you not happy about ? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Overall performance vs price. Heat retention is poor (ss grates), uneven heat... I was expecting a lot from an $800 S330 grill and was let down compared to the performance of my <$200 Q grill.