JSaus
TVWBB Wizard
Looks like a fun way to do it. Actually, with the sear station you get much more of an overall sear rather then just grill marks.
Buying New Weber - 7mm vs 9mm
- Thread starter Mitchel T
- Start date
Jim C in Denver
TVWBB Wizard
Personally, I'd always pick the cast iron over either SS.
I ditched my prior SS grates because SS is shiny. When used, the SS grate picks up black.
So the Mrs was constantly on me to clean the black off the SS. Has never once asked me about the always black cast iron grate.
Total no brainer for me.
P.S. But what you really should do is keep your old grill and just swap in a set of...wait for it...GrillGrates!! I was going to ditch my 2000 Silver B until I sprung for the GGs. Fixed every complaint I had with the Silver B, which is now my grill for life. Bonus 1 is that the GGs sear like a mother when you use the flat side. Because hot metal sears more than hot air ever will. Bonus 2 is that you get a de facto griddle with the GG flat side.
But when I soon buy a new grill for our weekend place, I plan to spring for a new four burner Gen 2 which will have cast iron grates, north/south tubes, plus a sear burner.
I ditched my prior SS grates because SS is shiny. When used, the SS grate picks up black.
So the Mrs was constantly on me to clean the black off the SS. Has never once asked me about the always black cast iron grate.
Total no brainer for me.
P.S. But what you really should do is keep your old grill and just swap in a set of...wait for it...GrillGrates!! I was going to ditch my 2000 Silver B until I sprung for the GGs. Fixed every complaint I had with the Silver B, which is now my grill for life. Bonus 1 is that the GGs sear like a mother when you use the flat side. Because hot metal sears more than hot air ever will. Bonus 2 is that you get a de facto griddle with the GG flat side.
But when I soon buy a new grill for our weekend place, I plan to spring for a new four burner Gen 2 which will have cast iron grates, north/south tubes, plus a sear burner.
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Greg M
TVWBB All-Star
I'll offer a different opinion on the grates. I have 2 vintage weber grills that I rehabbed about 5 years ago. I put 9mm rcplanebuyer ss grates on one. And 7mm stainless grates from bbqparts on the other. I can tell absolutely no cooking or quality difference between the two. Both are awesome and I doubt I wear either out in my lifetime. But the 7mm bbqparts were significantly cheaper. If I had it to do over I would have bought both sets from bbqparts.
But I love both sets. I always had cast iron before but would never go back now that I've had stainless. I agree with lmichaels that they cook equally well. But the stainless is way easier to maintain and more durable than porcelain coated cast iron because it is prone to chipping.
But I love both sets. I always had cast iron before but would never go back now that I've had stainless. I agree with lmichaels that they cook equally well. But the stainless is way easier to maintain and more durable than porcelain coated cast iron because it is prone to chipping.
Bruce
TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
Greg. I have to agree with you on all accounts. The one thing I might mention as a big benefit of the 9MM grates over the 7MM grates is that the spacing is significantly larger on the 7MM grates. Most of the time, for burgers, steaks, chicken, even dogs and brats, it doesn't make a big difference, but I even loose a stalk of aspargus on my RCP grates once in a while. It is tough to always keep them perpendicular and the smaller stalks will try to slip though. I am sure there are other foods that might be prone to falling through as well.
Yup, you get a fantastic seared crust BETWEEN the grill marks
Shane - glitchy
TVWBB Super Fan
The 9mm will probably last around 20% longer 
All I know is I want solid SS over any other type of grate on my grills. If you grill has the power and you buy into the science part of it, you want thinner grates so you get less conduction. However, there‘s other factors such as spacing too. If you want better grill marks, thicker are probably better as they’ll retain more heat. I started down this same rabbit hole trying to decide between the SE-335 and the S-345 and finally decided they were both SS and picked the better deal/overall package.
All I know is I want solid SS over any other type of grate on my grills. If you grill has the power and you buy into the science part of it, you want thinner grates so you get less conduction. However, there‘s other factors such as spacing too. If you want better grill marks, thicker are probably better as they’ll retain more heat. I started down this same rabbit hole trying to decide between the SE-335 and the S-345 and finally decided they were both SS and picked the better deal/overall package.
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Greg,
I believe those BBQParts.com grates are actually 8mm. In my review from a couple years ago they were very close to Dave Santana/rcplanebuyer, certainly equal in quality of construction. They were well above the various 7mm offerings that I tested, some of which weren't at all half bad but not up to the heavier "mass" that has been discussed here.
Greg M
TVWBB All-Star
Jon thanks for clarifying that. The spacing is pretty good on the bbqparts grates too. Really similar to the rcplanebuyer set.
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Yep, Dave's are definitely the heavy-weights. That's of course due to the well over 9mm diameter rods. The spacing between the bars, as Greg notes, is actually extremely close in comparison with BBQParts.com. But, if you are interested in having the most "mass" for heat retention, etc. then Dave's are off the charts. On the other hand, Greg has told us he already has and uses both. He doesn't see any notable difference in performance. So, to some extent, it is driven by taste and what you are willing to spend.
It is noteworthy that the BBQParts.com are USA made using 304 stainless, as compared to the various imported ones that I reviewed. However, some of the imported ones also tested out essentially non-magnetic and presumably 304 stainless as well.
Joe Anshien
TVWBB Honor Circle
Wow - I have never seen one of those. Way cool. Of course the hood on that is basically ornamental as with the IR burners there is almost no convections and by the time you put the hood down your food is done;-)I lucked into this lightly used Prestige 750 a couple years ago for only $400. It has 2 ceramic sear burners under a separate hood, so no mess. Apparently Napoleon only did this for a couple model years, then went back to the current ‘side burner’ layout. I agree that open sear burner would be messy, but the separate hood on mine keeps it contained. Claimed to heat up to 1800° for a great crust, at about 90 seconds per side. I have an IR thermometer that maxes at 1000° and it flys right past that. She sure makes awesome steaks
