Salvageable SS grates


 
J

JohnS NJ

TVWBB Fan
Picked this set up from a free grill. Have always used CI so I know what to expect. But this SS has rust on it. Is this salvageable? Or junk it?
BTW, don’t mind those flavor bars. Pulled them out of my main grill after replacing them with rcplanebuyer ones.
 

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Try putting a magnet to them. If it sticks strongly they are 430 stainless and probably OEM Weber stainless rods. You should be able to bring them back. I doubt the rust is that bad. You will just have to decide if it is worth the effort vs. buying a middle of the road 304 stainless set.
 
It does stick. But wasn’t sure If it was safe to cook on. I know when a CI grate goes bad. Just not familiar with SS
 
They look similar to the rusted grates I pulled out of a Spirit S330 some time ago. Salvageable but not great to resell the grill.
 
Oh they are save to cook on. Clean them with some steel wool. Rinse and oil and heat again. They may not look nice but they are good to use.
 
Yep, I wouldn't hesitate to do just as Stefan says. If you use them with any regularity and keep them a little bit oily you probably won't have that problem again.

Sure, they will turn almost black but that is actually good for everything but reselling. For that, many people swoon over cheap new grates while well seasoned thicker grates are actually way better to cook on. It's that "someone else's seasoning is crud, while my crud is seasoning" kind of thing :LOL: .
 
Can't believe a set of SS grates would rust like that, even if they are a lower grade stainless.
 
There are actually several articles on this subject. The consensus seems to be that cooking one meal on rusty grates is unlikely to harm you. But doing so regularly probably isn't the best idea from a health standpoint.

survivalfreedom.com

Is It Safe to Cook on a Rusty Grill? (With 8 Fixes)

Rust (iron oxide) can be found on neglected and poorly maintained grills, raising the question of whether cooking on this surface is safe. Regardless of the potential health risks, the transfer of the flaky disintegrated
survivalfreedom.com survivalfreedom.com
 
Yah, a bit of rust in your food is no big deal. We all need some iron in our diet. Seriously. Just clean them up, throw a coat of oil on them and if you use them regular, they should never get like that again.
 
I'm not sure if anyone can make this out, but on the top part of the grates it looks like either burnt food or a metallic coating. Not sure if it's stamped/coated metal of some type. I tried scrubbing off most of that but didn't want to dedicate too much time if this was a junker.
 
If you have an indication that they are elcheapo chrome coated steel, then dump them and get set off Amazon. You can replace those with good aftermarket SS solid rod grates for around $50 to $60 that will last into the next decade and beyond. If you want cream of the crop, you can get a set that will outlast you from Dave Santana for about $130 and there are variation in price and quality available between those two choices.
People tend to spend a lot of time, attention and money on the outside of the grill. The inside is where all the business is done and the grates are one of the most important parts of that system. Don't deal with some crapped up, neglected grates when that is the one part that your food comes into contact with in the grill and have a direct impact on how well your grilling turns out.
 
agreed. If it was CI, I would have junked it. Not worth cooking on something if it's going to spoil the food.

Guess I'll add those grates to my stockpile of part to build out my pig roaster.
 
Are those actually OEM Weber grates? I can't believe Weber would use 430 stainless for grates, as 430 is so prone to rusting. I have 304 stainless grates on my non-weber grill and they have zero rust even sitting all winter in humid air.
 
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