Thanks. The only visual difference (besides the current shine and thickness) is that the new bars don’t have the little hole at the end of them like the Weber ones do.a coating of oil wont hurt, but once washed, they should be good to go.
Point of washing to me is just to get anything off from production. Can’t hurt if I wash and dry them.What's the point of washing them? Also if you already had SS bars what's the point of buying new ones?
The new ones you bought are probably not as good as what was there. But eh to each their own. I'll keep my money for steaks and scotch
Michael,
If you got new Qlimetal 304 stainless flavorizers for $23, then you got a very good deal. I would say they are, in my opinion, better than the OEM Weber ones. I do agree with Larry that the originals would have worked perfectly well for years to come. It's your grill, though, so if shiny new ones give it more spizazz for starting out, it's all good! The main thing is to ENJOY your Weber that you have given a good home to.
Thanks. Great comparison to see.Well, those Weber OEM grates are not bad at all. In fact, they were one of the special selling points of that particular model. They will do very well for you, and as others have noted, one or two cooks and your shiny new ones will look the same. But, still if you can get a set for $30 and would really enjoy that, then why not. The Qlimetal has pretty similar spacing, but they are 304 vs. 430 stainless, so again a little better than the OEM Weber. I will say, though, I have not had any Weber 430 grates rust out in any way. I don't think this material difference matters as much for grates that are usually seasoned with baked on grease.
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If shipping weren't so crazy, I would buy the used Weber ones from you if you ever did replace them. Do take note that the Qlimetal grates are not quite as wide front to back as the OEM Weber. If your firebox has any bulging they can slide around some. You might want to measure carefully before buying or look at Hongso who makes a practically identical grate (not finished as well) that is wide enough to avoid this issue.
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Be VERY VERY careful doing that. Good way to irreparably damage your fire box. Don't be so hung up on parts being shiny. It's not important. If the bars you bought actually ARE 304 SS and the heavier gauge to boot yeah those likely are slightly better than the OEM ones. But here too. People get too hung up on this stuffThanks. Great comparison to see.
I just wish I could get them a bit cleaner. Tried soaking in vinegar and baking soda then scrubbing, twice. Also tried heat and scrub with a wire brush. And even wrapped in foil and ran hot for 20 minutes. Still has stuff I can’t get off. But as I said, I know they are clean, just wish they looked better. The edges and underneath still don’t look great.
Do have a detail sander? Using fine grit with something like that might get you closer to what you are looking for. Still, they will never shine like new unless you take down more metal than you would want. And remember, if you do buy new ones, take a bunch of pictures to remember them by. They won't too good on the underneath and will have carbon build-up in short order!