Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Do flavorizer bars on Weber Genesis grills rust out?

471 views
Skip to first unread message

mark

unread,
Jul 10, 2009, 8:47:45 AM7/10/09
to
I'm tired of my old gas grill (can't remember the name of the
manufacturer), mostly because I have to annually change out the burner
because it rusts out. I'm thinking of getting a Genesis, but don't
want to trade my current gripe with gripe(s) that are worse.

Can anyone tell me whether:

1. The flavorizer bars rust out?
2. The burner rusts out?

Denny Wheeler

unread,
Jul 10, 2009, 9:22:06 AM7/10/09
to
On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:47:45 -0700 (PDT), mark <dm...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

How close are you to the ocean or Gulf?

My lady Desideria has had her Genesis for several years. The burners
aren't rusting at all. The flavorizer bars have a bit of rust on--and
note that the last 3+ years, it's been outdoors, quite close to Puget
Sound. I don't think there's a 'rust out' issue to worry 'bout.

--
-denny-

Some people are offence kleptomaniacs -- whenever they see
an offence that isn't nailed down, they take it ;-)
--David C. Pugh, in alt.callahans

Know the signs!
http://www.heartinfo.org/ms/guides/9/main.html

KW

unread,
Jul 10, 2009, 10:14:22 AM7/10/09
to

"mark" <dm...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:6bb119b9-177a-41b5...@y17g2000yqn.googlegroups.com...

I've had my Silver B for 10 years now. Had to replace the igniter a couple
of times and flavorizer bars at year 9 but the burners are still in fine
shape. It's sat on the deck in the deep south uncovered for the last 5
years.

KW


Cleatarrior

unread,
Jul 10, 2009, 1:26:46 PM7/10/09
to

Yes, I had occasion to use one in a rental In California and the bars
were throughly rust-eaten. And I thought that was odd given they begin
life as porcelain enameled metal. But it does happen in marine environments.

> 2. The burner rusts out?

The burners are stainless and clean up well with a wire brush, unlikely.

Cleatarrior

unread,
Jul 10, 2009, 1:28:05 PM7/10/09
to
Denny Wheeler wrote:
> On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:47:45 -0700 (PDT), mark <dm...@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I'm tired of my old gas grill (can't remember the name of the
>> manufacturer), mostly because I have to annually change out the burner
>> because it rusts out. I'm thinking of getting a Genesis, but don't
>> want to trade my current gripe with gripe(s) that are worse.
>>
>> Can anyone tell me whether:
>>
>> 1. The flavorizer bars rust out?
>> 2. The burner rusts out?
>
> How close are you to the ocean or Gulf?
>
> My lady Desideria has had her Genesis for several years. The burners
> aren't rusting at all. The flavorizer bars have a bit of rust on--and
> note that the last 3+ years, it's been outdoors, quite close to Puget
> Sound. I don't think there's a 'rust out' issue to worry 'bout.
>
I used one in a coastal California rental that was completely rusted
through on the bars. Burners were OK however. It had a nat. gas
conversion, I wonder if the higher temps had an effect too.

CB

unread,
Jul 10, 2009, 2:33:30 PM7/10/09
to

1. The flavorizer bars rust out?
2. The burner rusts out?

In my experience just about all metal appliances that are used out side
in high-heat situations will eventually rust. There are some steps you
can take - to treat them as you would any cooking utensil and clean
thoroughly after each use, spritzing the grates and other cooking
surfaced with a high-temp vegetable cooking oi. And the burners and
such - protecting from moisture, etc.

Of course, no one does that.

So the only alternative is to purchase grills with grates and other
parts that a) are made with materials and processes to withstand
neglect and abuse which always = $$$
b) are warrantied to be replaced if/when they fail which is also part
of the price = $$$

lower priced products usually have either bullet-proof systems or no
warranty.


--
'CB'

Nonny

unread,
Jul 10, 2009, 4:31:51 PM7/10/09
to

"'CB'" <CB.49d53...@foodbanter.com> wrote in message
news:CB.49d53...@foodbanter.com...

>
> 1. The flavorizer bars rust out?
> 2. The burner rusts out?

IMHO and IMHO only, one of the killers of bars, non-SS grates and
even burners is the salt we use for seasoning. If you put it on
while cooking, you have salt juice drippings going onto metal
surfaces. When cool, the salt never evaporates; the salt stays
there drawing moisture and causing rust.


--
Nonny

Giving money and power to
liberals is like giving
whiskey and car keys
to teenage boys.

Dave Bugg

unread,
Jul 10, 2009, 4:46:20 PM7/10/09
to

Yes and yes. I have replaced the burner on my old Genesis once in 15 years,
and I am getting ready to replace the flavorizer bars for the third time. I
have also replaced the piezo-electric ignitor twice. The body and lid of the
grill are going strong, and there is no reason to replace the whole grill.
The parts are fairly inexpensive and easy to replace.

Do they rust out quickly: NO. When you have a good, sturdy grill like the
Genesis (or should I say the early Genesis, since mine is older than one of
my teens) I don't see infrequent parts replacement as any big deal.

--
Dave
What is best in life? "To crush your enemies, see them driven before
you, and to hear the lamentation of the women." -- Conan


Dave Bugg

unread,
Jul 10, 2009, 4:54:42 PM7/10/09
to
Dave Bugg wrote:

> Do they rust out quickly: NO. When you have a good, sturdy grill like
> the Genesis (or should I say the early Genesis, since mine is older
> than one of my teens) I don't see infrequent parts replacement as any
> big deal.

I should also add that I don't think that it is like rust rust. It is an
oxidation process which at the very end, looks like a metal eating termite
has had its way with the bars; but it never looks like the kind of rust one
associates with the word 'rust. Hell, now I'm even confused.

I use our grill at least six days a week. During the hot weather of summer
it is frequently used every single day, (along with our big, heavy three
burner camp stove). The Genesis is better-than-great value for the money.

Cleatarrior

unread,
Jul 10, 2009, 8:48:32 PM7/10/09
to
Dave Bugg wrote:
> Dave Bugg wrote:
>
>> Do they rust out quickly: NO. When you have a good, sturdy grill like
>> the Genesis (or should I say the early Genesis, since mine is older
>> than one of my teens) I don't see infrequent parts replacement as any
>> big deal.
>
> I should also add that I don't think that it is like rust rust. It is an
> oxidation process which at the very end, looks like a metal eating termite
> has had its way with the bars; but it never looks like the kind of rust one
> associates with the word 'rust. Hell, now I'm even confused.

You're right on the money, it looks like sort of white blisters - on the
one I used.

> I use our grill at least six days a week. During the hot weather of summer
> it is frequently used every single day, (along with our big, heavy three
> burner camp stove). The Genesis is better-than-great value for the money.

Always.

Btw, how's the PT coming, feeling better?

Dave Bugg

unread,
Jul 10, 2009, 10:02:09 PM7/10/09
to
Cleatarrior wrote:

> Btw, how's the PT coming, feeling better?

It's now 3.5 weeks post-op. Things are moving slower than I like, but they
seem to be improving daily. Saw the surgeon yesterday and he Rx'd
hydro-therapy. he also Rx'd a tapering 6 day round of prednisone. The major
concern, I guess, is whether or not some nerves have been permanently
damaged as a result of prolonged compression. The surgeon was almost
bemoaning the fact that I have a very high pain threshold which allowed me
to keep going for almost 8+ months with the herniations comprssing the
various nerve bundles.

Well, Piss on the Pessimism. If Lance Armstrong can overcome cancer with
metastises to become the greatest bicyclist of all time (a tip of my hat to
the Tour DAY France as a rabid fan), then I will dam well overcome this. I
intend to be back in a truck within the next four months.

I appreciate your asking.

Cleatarrior

unread,
Jul 11, 2009, 12:43:57 AM7/11/09
to
Dave Bugg wrote:
> Cleatarrior wrote:
>
>> Btw, how's the PT coming, feeling better?
>
> It's now 3.5 weeks post-op. Things are moving slower than I like, but they
> seem to be improving daily. Saw the surgeon yesterday and he Rx'd
> hydro-therapy. he also Rx'd a tapering 6 day round of prednisone. The major
> concern, I guess, is whether or not some nerves have been permanently
> damaged as a result of prolonged compression. The surgeon was almost
> bemoaning the fact that I have a very high pain threshold which allowed me
> to keep going for almost 8+ months with the herniations comprssing the
> various nerve bundles.
>
> Well, Piss on the Pessimism. If Lance Armstrong can overcome cancer with
> metastises to become the greatest bicyclist of all time (a tip of my hat to
> the Tour DAY France as a rabid fan), then I will dam well overcome this. I
> intend to be back in a truck within the next four months.
>
> I appreciate your asking.

Hey, you're welcome driver - keep a steady course and I bet it all works
out just fine.

For sure you are miles ahead of the grim outlook they gave you going in.

Your head is set on the road ahead, the body will inevitably follow!

The in-between can sure be a clutch-burner, no?

;-)

Desideria

unread,
Jul 11, 2009, 1:34:30 AM7/11/09
to
On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 06:22:06 -0700, Denny Wheeler
<den...@TANSTAAFL.zipcon.net.INVALID> wrote:

>On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:47:45 -0700 (PDT), mark <dm...@hotmail.com>
>wrote:
>
>>I'm tired of my old gas grill (can't remember the name of the
>>manufacturer), mostly because I have to annually change out the burner
>>because it rusts out. I'm thinking of getting a Genesis, but don't
>>want to trade my current gripe with gripe(s) that are worse.
>>
>>Can anyone tell me whether:
>>
>>1. The flavorizer bars rust out?
>>2. The burner rusts out?
>
>How close are you to the ocean or Gulf?
>
>My lady Desideria has had her Genesis for several years. The burners
>aren't rusting at all. The flavorizer bars have a bit of rust on--and
>note that the last 3+ years, it's been outdoors, quite close to Puget
>Sound. I don't think there's a 'rust out' issue to worry 'bout.

The grates are rusting, but are still quite usable. I just spray
cooking oil on 'em occasionally, just in case.


Desideria

Theron

unread,
Jul 11, 2009, 5:32:18 AM7/11/09
to

"Dave Bugg" <dave...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:l8OdnTcR9Lk6NcrX...@giganews.com...

> mark wrote:
>> I'm tired of my old gas grill (can't remember the name of the
>> manufacturer), mostly because I have to annually change out the burner
>> because it rusts out. I'm thinking of getting a Genesis, but don't
>> want to trade my current gripe with gripe(s) that are worse.
>>
>> Can anyone tell me whether:
>>
>> 1. The flavorizer bars rust out?
>> 2. The burner rusts out?
>
> Yes and yes. I have replaced the burner on my old Genesis once in 15
> years, and I am getting ready to replace the flavorizer bars for the third
> time. I have also replaced the piezo-electric ignitor twice. The body and
> lid of the grill are going strong, and there is no reason to replace the
> whole grill. The parts are fairly inexpensive and easy to replace.
>
> Do they rust out quickly: NO. When you have a good, sturdy grill like the
> Genesis (or should I say the early Genesis, since mine is older than one
> of my teens) I don't see infrequent parts replacement as any big deal.
>
> --
> Dave
>
>
Same here. Just replaced my ignitor for the second time in 15 years. The
biggest difference my Silver B made for me was getting porcelein covered
cast iron grates for it. Grill with the flat side up and you get a good
sear. I wish Weber had made that grill, as well as most grills, so you could
easily partially raise and lock the hood. This would let you better control
the heat over what's being grilled. I do this with a foil wrapped chunk of
2X2 wood. On a cool day the lid is propped up about 30 degrees, depending
on the outside temp, and what you're grilling..

Ed

Desideria

unread,
Jul 11, 2009, 12:22:36 PM7/11/09
to
On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:32:18 -0700, "Theron" <an...@rocketmail.com>
wrote:

Thanks, Ed. That's an idea I hadn't considered. Can you tell me more
about how this would work? I'm barely beginning to play with grilling
beyond just following recipes to the best of my ability (even that's a
stretch sometimes...)


Desideria

Dave Bugg

unread,
Jul 11, 2009, 2:53:29 PM7/11/09
to
Theron wrote:

> Same here. Just replaced my ignitor for the second time in 15 years.
> The biggest difference my Silver B made for me was getting porcelein
> covered cast iron grates for it. Grill with the flat side up and you
> get a good sear. I wish Weber had made that grill, as well as most
> grills, so you could easily partially raise and lock the hood. This
> would let you better control the heat over what's being grilled. I do
> this with a foil wrapped chunk of 2X2 wood. On a cool day the lid is
> propped up about 30 degrees, depending on the outside temp, and what
> you're grilling..

LOL. That's my technique as well. Maybe we could get Weber to add foil
covered chunks of wood to their accessories cataloge

Ken Blake

unread,
Jul 11, 2009, 4:55:49 PM7/11/09
to
On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:47:45 -0700 (PDT), mark <dm...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

> I'm tired of my old gas grill (can't remember the name of the

I'm new to this newsgroup, and your question is very similar to the
one I was just about to ask.

I have a Weber Genesis 2000, and I've had it for 16 years now. The
flavorizer bars are getting badly decomposed (from rust, I assume),
and have lots of holes in them, getting pretty big. I live in Tucson,
AZ, where there's not a lot of humidity, and that's probably why they
have lasted as long as they have.

So, I guess I need to replace them. I have three choices, and I'd like
some advice from the group here:

1. Replace them with the Porcelain-Enameled Flavorizer� Bars ($54.99)

2. Replace them with the Stainless Steel Flavorizer� Bars ($99.99)

3. Replace the entire grill ($700 and up, if I stay with Weber).

Most of the rest of the grill seems to be in decent condition, so it's
probably unlikely that it makes any economic sense to replace the
whole thing, but if you agree with that statement, should I get the
Porcelain-enameled or the Stainless Steel? What's the difference
between the two? Is it just that the Stainless Steel lasts longer? How
much longer should they last? Are the Stainless Steel ones worth the
extra money?

And which of the two kinds is the kind that I got with the grill when
I bought it 16 years ago? I don't even remember what they looked like
then.

One more related question: the cooking grates aren't rusted, but they
are encrusted with dirt and very hard to clean. I can also replace
those with either new Porcelain-enameled ($44.99) or Stainless Steel
ones (74.99). Should I do that (and if so, which type should I get),
or can someone recommend a really good way to clean them?

--
Ken Blake
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Cleatarrior

unread,
Jul 11, 2009, 11:51:40 PM7/11/09
to
Ken Blake wrote:
> On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:47:45 -0700 (PDT), mark <dm...@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I'm tired of my old gas grill (can't remember the name of the
>> manufacturer), mostly because I have to annually change out the burner
>> because it rusts out. I'm thinking of getting a Genesis, but don't
>> want to trade my current gripe with gripe(s) that are worse.
>>
>> Can anyone tell me whether:
>>
>> 1. The flavorizer bars rust out?
>> 2. The burner rusts out?
>
>
>
> I'm new to this newsgroup, and your question is very similar to the
> one I was just about to ask.
>
> I have a Weber Genesis 2000, and I've had it for 16 years now. The
> flavorizer bars are getting badly decomposed (from rust, I assume),
> and have lots of holes in them, getting pretty big. I live in Tucson,
> AZ, where there's not a lot of humidity, and that's probably why they
> have lasted as long as they have.
>
> So, I guess I need to replace them. I have three choices, and I'd like
> some advice from the group here:
>
> 1. Replace them with the Porcelain-Enameled Flavorizer� Bars ($54.99)

Most definitely, easier to toss in the home oven on the self-clean cycle
and save yourself all kinds of hand labor, but do it before they gunk up
too bad, or hand-scrub the big stuff off first.

> 2. Replace them with the Stainless Steel Flavorizer� Bars ($99.99)

I like the idea, in a dry climate, but then you're down to hand scrub -
not ideal.

> 3. Replace the entire grill ($700 and up, if I stay with Weber).

If the rest of it hasn't failed you it's your call - only necessary if
you want more burners or a fresher face on the porch.

> Most of the rest of the grill seems to be in decent condition, so it's
> probably unlikely that it makes any economic sense to replace the
> whole thing, but if you agree with that statement, should I get the
> Porcelain-enameled or the Stainless Steel? What's the difference
> between the two? Is it just that the Stainless Steel lasts longer? How
> much longer should they last? Are the Stainless Steel ones worth the
> extra money?

I'd go porcelain and use the home oven to nuke those bars to ashes,
always works for me - but you may need a longer cycle or even two.

> And which of the two kinds is the kind that I got with the grill when
> I bought it 16 years ago? I don't even remember what they looked like
> then.

Porcelain for sure.

> One more related question: the cooking grates aren't rusted, but they
> are encrusted with dirt and very hard to clean. I can also replace
> those with either new Porcelain-enameled ($44.99) or Stainless Steel
> ones (74.99). Should I do that (and if so, which type should I get),
> or can someone recommend a really good way to clean them?
>

Again, porcelain if you want your home oven to do the work, stainless if
you favor hand scrubbing.

Mostly manufactures will not tell you you can introduce other porcelain
enamel racks or grills into your home oven for cleaning.

My experience is it's the same basic goods, steel with a similar finish.

Try one or two bars or a single grill set for the first run, if they
don't work, no major problem.

I just keep my convection oven's enamel grills in place, put the others
on top, and set a 4 hr clean cycle.

So far, so good.

Anyone else here try the high heat easy way out?

Ken Blake

unread,
Jul 12, 2009, 9:41:35 AM7/12/09
to
On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:51:40 -0600, Cleatarrior <nos...@xx.block>
wrote:


Thanks very much for your advice.

Ken

Brick

unread,
Jul 12, 2009, 11:46:18 AM7/12/09
to

On 11-Jul-2009, Cleatarrior <nos...@xx.block> wrote:

> Ken Blake wrote:
> > On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:47:45 -0700 (PDT), mark <dm...@hotmail.com>
> > wrote:

. . .

> Mostly manufactures will not tell you you can introduce other porcelain
> enamel racks or grills into your home oven for cleaning.
>
> My experience is it's the same basic goods, steel with a similar finish.
>
> Try one or two bars or a single grill set for the first run, if they
> don't work, no major problem.
>
> I just keep my convection oven's enamel grills in place, put the others
> on top, and set a 4 hr clean cycle.
>
> So far, so good.
>
> Anyone else here try the high heat easy way out?

Just once I cleaned my smoker grills in the self cleaning oven. Too much
gunk. Set off all the smoke alarms and drove us out of the house
temporarily.
Very acrid fumes. Since, I have cleaned them several times in my gas grill.
Same for the grill grates. My grill exceeds 700�F with the hood down. More
then enough to burn the gunk off its own grates as well as my smoker
grates.
Just hose them off in the drive to finish up. Sparkling clean everytime.
--
Brick (Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess.
They always run out of other people's money.
Magaret Thatcher, 5 Feb 1976)

Ken Blake

unread,
Jul 12, 2009, 1:31:28 PM7/12/09
to
On Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:46:18 GMT, "Brick"
<hrbrick...@verizon.net> wrote:

>
> On 11-Jul-2009, Cleatarrior <nos...@xx.block> wrote:
>
> > Ken Blake wrote:
> > > On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:47:45 -0700 (PDT), mark <dm...@hotmail.com>
> > > wrote:
>
> . . .
>
> > Mostly manufactures will not tell you you can introduce other porcelain
> > enamel racks or grills into your home oven for cleaning.
> >
> > My experience is it's the same basic goods, steel with a similar finish.
> >
> > Try one or two bars or a single grill set for the first run, if they
> > don't work, no major problem.
> >
> > I just keep my convection oven's enamel grills in place, put the others
> > on top, and set a 4 hr clean cycle.
> >
> > So far, so good.
> >
> > Anyone else here try the high heat easy way out?
>
> Just once I cleaned my smoker grills in the self cleaning oven. Too much
> gunk. Set off all the smoke alarms and drove us out of the house
> temporarily.


My grills are cleaning in the oven now. They'll be done in about half
an hour. No problem. I'll report back in a little while as to how well
it worked.

Cleatarrior

unread,
Jul 12, 2009, 1:32:13 PM7/12/09
to
You're welcome, let me know how it goes for you.

Cleatarrior

unread,
Jul 12, 2009, 1:33:00 PM7/12/09
to
Brick wrote:
> On 11-Jul-2009, Cleatarrior <nos...@xx.block> wrote:
>
>> Ken Blake wrote:
>>> On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:47:45 -0700 (PDT), mark <dm...@hotmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>
> . . .
>
>> Mostly manufactures will not tell you you can introduce other porcelain
>> enamel racks or grills into your home oven for cleaning.
>>
>> My experience is it's the same basic goods, steel with a similar finish.
>>
>> Try one or two bars or a single grill set for the first run, if they
>> don't work, no major problem.
>>
>> I just keep my convection oven's enamel grills in place, put the others
>> on top, and set a 4 hr clean cycle.
>>
>> So far, so good.
>>
>> Anyone else here try the high heat easy way out?
>
> Just once I cleaned my smoker grills in the self cleaning oven. Too much
> gunk. Set off all the smoke alarms and drove us out of the house
> temporarily.

Good point, I scrape mine down and pre-wash aa bit fiorst, but that can
sure happen.

> Very acrid fumes. Since, I have cleaned them several times in my gas grill.
> Same for the grill grates. My grill exceeds 700�F with the hood down. More
> then enough to burn the gunk off its own grates as well as my smoker
> grates.
> Just hose them off in the drive to finish up. Sparkling clean everytime.

Sweet.

Cleatarrior

unread,
Jul 12, 2009, 1:33:19 PM7/12/09
to

Awesome.

Nonny

unread,
Jul 12, 2009, 1:52:44 PM7/12/09
to

"Ken Blake" <kbl...@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote in message
news:o3uh55lqeeso761cp...@4ax.com...

>
> I'm new to this newsgroup, and your question is very similar to
> the
> one I was just about to ask.
>

Several observations, Ken. Before you do too much replacing,
consider an old self cleaning trick for gas grills. Light the
burners, set them to the highest temperature and lay heavy duty
aluminum foil on the cooking grates, shiny side down. Let it go
until there's no more smoke- around a half hour. The foil
reflects the heat back into the tub and it's far hotter than even
an oven on self-clean. When it cools, toss the foil and wire
brush away the white ash.

Secondly, you'll find disagreement here in the ng., but I prefer
SS. We live in the desert, where things "don't rust" normally.
However, the salt in seasoned meats and veggies cooked on a grill
will still attract the occasional moisture and will cause
corrosion and rust. There's a big and positive step up when you
get porcelain coated cast iron grates and innards, but IMHO the
ultimate is still the SS innards with the biggest bar stock
cooking grates you can find.

On my own grill, it had all SS interior, except for the 3 burners.
Those were cast iron and within 5 years, I had first to clean rust
and crud out of the burner holes and then toss them. They were
replaced with very expensive cast SS burners and the difference
was very positive, with no further concern for corrosion.

Ken Blake

unread,
Jul 12, 2009, 1:54:13 PM7/12/09
to
On Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:33:00 -0600, Cleatarrior <nos...@xx.block>
wrote:

> Brick wrote:
> > On 11-Jul-2009, Cleatarrior <nos...@xx.block> wrote:
> >
> >> Ken Blake wrote:
> >>> On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:47:45 -0700 (PDT), mark <dm...@hotmail.com>
> >>> wrote:
> >
> > . . .
> >
> >> Mostly manufactures will not tell you you can introduce other porcelain
> >> enamel racks or grills into your home oven for cleaning.
> >>
> >> My experience is it's the same basic goods, steel with a similar finish.
> >>
> >> Try one or two bars or a single grill set for the first run, if they
> >> don't work, no major problem.
> >>
> >> I just keep my convection oven's enamel grills in place, put the others
> >> on top, and set a 4 hr clean cycle.
> >>
> >> So far, so good.
> >>
> >> Anyone else here try the high heat easy way out?
> >
> > Just once I cleaned my smoker grills in the self cleaning oven. Too much
> > gunk. Set off all the smoke alarms and drove us out of the house
> > temporarily.
>
> Good point, I scrape mine down and pre-wash aa bit fiorst, but that can
> sure happen.


I should have mentioned that mine were scraped as usual before they
went into the oven. Not pre-washed, though.

Ken Blake

unread,
Jul 12, 2009, 2:36:52 PM7/12/09
to
On Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:52:44 -0700, "Nonny" <some...@cox.net> wrote:

>
> "Ken Blake" <kbl...@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote in message
> news:o3uh55lqeeso761cp...@4ax.com...
>
> >
> > I'm new to this newsgroup, and your question is very similar to
> > the
> > one I was just about to ask.
> >
>
> Several observations, Ken. Before you do too much replacing,
> consider an old self cleaning trick for gas grills. Light the
> burners, set them to the highest temperature and lay heavy duty
> aluminum foil on the cooking grates, shiny side down. Let it go
> until there's no more smoke- around a half hour. The foil
> reflects the heat back into the tub and it's far hotter than even
> an oven on self-clean. When it cools, toss the foil and wire
> brush away the white ash.

Yes, the instructions tell you how to do that. I've done it several
times. It always helps, but it's far from perfect.

In a few minutes, I'll see how the self-cleaning oven did.


>
> Secondly, you'll find disagreement here in the ng., but I prefer
> SS. We live in the desert, where things "don't rust" normally.
> However, the salt in seasoned meats and veggies cooked on a grill
> will still attract the occasional moisture and will cause
> corrosion and rust. There's a big and positive step up when you
> get porcelain coated cast iron grates and innards, but IMHO the
> ultimate is still the SS innards with the biggest bar stock
> cooking grates you can find.


OK, too late now, since I ordered the porcelain-coated flavor bars
earlier today. If they last the 16 years the first ones did, I'll be
happy.

Thanks.

Ken Blake

unread,
Jul 12, 2009, 3:32:44 PM7/12/09
to


OK, they're done. No smoke alarms went off, and we weren't even close
to being driven out of the house by the smoke or the smell.

It worked *extremely* well. *All* the gunk was removed, and there was
no effort on my part. When they finished, they were covered with a
light coat of gray ash, and all I needed to do was rinse it off.

To my surprise, there was a substantial amount of rust on the grills
that I had never seen before, since it had been covered with gunk. Now
that they are clean, the rust is easy to see.

So, with that rust, I'll have to replace these, too, but there's not
so much rust that I need to be in a big hurry to do this

My plan is now to repeat this cleaning in the oven about once a year,
and do the same with the flavorizer bars. When the cleaning reveals
enough rust on the set of grills that it looks like they are about to
fall apart, I'll order new ones. I see that the set of them costs
$44.99.

The flavorizer bars I ordered this morning were $54.99 and even if I
ordered the grills now, that would be a total of $100 for the bars and
grills (Bars and grills! They sound like places to buy drinks <g>).
The unit is 16 years old, so $100 divided by 16 is $6.25 a year. Not
bad at all, and since I'm postponing buying grills, it will be even
less.

Thanks again, Cleatarrior. Your advice was great!

Cleatarrior

unread,
Jul 12, 2009, 3:48:43 PM7/12/09
to

You're very welcome, I'm happy you replicated my results so well.

I _hate_ cleaning grills, so laziness was the mother of invention on
this one.

Now if I could just teach the raccoons to clean out my drip tray without
leaving little greasy footprints on the deck ;-(

Cheers!

0 new messages