One common worry when purchasing a grill brush is whether it will scratch your cooking grid. The last thing you want is to scrape the grates of your pricey Weber BBQ. Fortunately, with just a bit of study it is very simple to ensure you get the best grill brush for your BBQ.

How delicate you grate is, and how vulnerable it could be to damage and scratching, is based upon the material the grate is made from. The most resilient material that is commonly used is stainless steel. These grates are very strong and resistant to rust and corrosion. Porcelain covered grill grates, on the other hand, are a lot more delicate. The porcelain coat is relatively brittle and can chip and split. No only does this decrease the non stick capability of the grate, it also exposes the metal underneath the enamel to moisture. Cast iron grill grates are very tough, yet have to be kept oiled to prevent rusting.

A lot of grill brushes are completely safe for use with the majority of grills, yet there is one notable exception. NEVER use a scraper on porcelain coated grill grates! That will definitely lead to you chipping the porcelain enamel. Apart from that, the majority of brushes are fine with the majority of grates.

The 2 most common materials used to make the bristles for BBQ grill brushes are brass and stainless steel. Brass is softer, so less likely to scrape the grates, yet this softness also means the bristles become flattened much more quickly. Because of this, brass grill brushes need to be replaced regularly. Stainless steel grill brushes are a lot more tough, because of their stiffer bristles. Nevertheless, this added stiffness means that they can sometimes scrape the grate. This is why people frequently recommend brass grill brushes for porcelain enamel coated grill grates.

So which type of brush should you get to clean your porcelain enamel coated grill grate?

My advice is to choose a stainless steel grill brush with bristles thin enough that they don’t cause damage. The common belief that you can only use brass bristled grill brushes for porcelain enamel coated grates is not really true. Lots of stainless steel grill brushes are completely safe to use. Since they will last much longer compared to brass grill brushes, my suggestion is to choose one of these. That way, you get a grill brush that will not only safely clean your barbecue, but will also last a very long time. To get even more life out your BBQ brush, only use it when the grate is hot. This will make it easy to clean, allowing you to use less pressure, which ultimately means that your bristles will remain in excellent condition much longer.