How do you make BBQ burner last Longer?

None said:

Mine only last 2 year at best. What about putting a think steel or
aluminium plate on top of the burner to protect from the drippings. It
would be a hair smaller shape then the burner, in order not to block the
flame. Any ideas?

Two years is pretty good mileage for the typical carbon steel burner,
and in fact the less often it's used the faster it will rust out....
regular heating goes a long way to dry out the condensation that
typically forms on it's inner surfaces with each morning's dew that
will actually accumulate into puddles inside those tubes... and a
coating of food grease drippings will help protect the exterior
surfaces, kinda like cosmolene. I would suspect you don't use your
grill regularly, like a minimun of twice a week during warm weather...
dew typically doesn't form at the colder winter temperatures.

For most grills there exist replacement burners that are made of
stainless steel.... they cost a bit more than the carbon steel original
equipment burners but will likely outlast the rest of the grill. Then
again for many of the el cheapo grills (like under $200) 2 years is
about the average life of the grill, so when the burner rots out you
can expect the rest of the grill parts are about ready to go to rot
too, so you may considere not to put good money after bad. If yours is
one of the low price models I'd suggest buying a new grill... and get a
good quality one... there's no saving with the bargain priced models if
you need to replace a grill every two years. Cheap is expensive.

Sheldon

Sheldon said:

For most grills there exist replacement burners that are made of
stainless steel.... they cost a bit more than the carbon steel original
equipment burners but will likely outlast the rest of the grill. Then
again for many of the el cheapo grills (like under $200) 2 years is
about the average life of the grill, so when the burner rots out you
can expect the rest of the grill parts are about ready to go to rot
too, so you may considere not to put good money after bad. If yours is
one of the low price models I'd suggest buying a new grill... and get a
good quality one... there's no saving with the bargain priced models if
you need to replace a grill every two years. Cheap is expensive.

Very true. My current gas grill has been in use for at least 15 years. I have
replaced the rocks and bottom grate twice and the burner twice over the years,
the last one two years ago, is a cast iron burner and it seems to beholding up
very well. I paid good money for a good grill and it has been great. I was
attracted to that one because of the cast iron grill and after all these years
it is still in good shape. I could have got one for half the price, like the
one I had before that which lasted only a few years.

"None" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mine only last 2 year at best. What about putting a think steel or aluminium
plate on top of the burner to protect from the drippings. It would be a
hair smaller shape then the burner, in order not to block the flame. Any
ideas?

Yep, it is not the drippings that damage the burners - it is the residual
moisture left on the burners which will cause rusting of the burners. Depending
on the part of the country and the seasons the one suggestion I have is when you
are finished grilling leave the burners on and close the lid for a few minutes -
then torn the burners off and do not open the top until the next time you're
ready to go. On the other hand if you live in Death Valley the burners should
last a very long time.

Dimitri

Sheldon said:

None said:

Mine only last 2 year at best. What about putting a think steel or
aluminium plate on top of the burner to protect from the drippings. It
would be a hair smaller shape then the burner, in order not to block the
flame. Any ideas?

Two years is pretty good mileage for the typical carbon steel burner,
and in fact the less often it's used the faster it will rust out....
regular heating goes a long way to dry out the condensation that
typically forms on it's inner surfaces with each morning's dew that
will actually accumulate into puddles inside those tubes... and a
coating of food grease drippings will help protect the exterior
surfaces, kinda like cosmolene. I would suspect you don't use your
grill regularly, like a minimun of twice a week during warm weather...
dew typically doesn't form at the colder winter temperatures.

For most grills there exist replacement burners that are made of
stainless steel.... they cost a bit more than the carbon steel original
equipment burners but will likely outlast the rest of the grill.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

He wasn't talking about the burner where you'd put a pot that's on the
side of some bbqs? I'm completely confused. What are you two talking
about???

Dave Smith said:

I could have got one for half the price, like the
one I had before that which lasted only a few years.

Isn't it better to buy an inexpensive one when it's the first, just to
make sure you like it? I'd hate to spend a lot of money on one and
then find out I didn't like gas.

Dave Smith said:

Sheldon said:

For most grills there exist replacement burners that are made of
stainless steel.... they cost a bit more than the carbon steel original
equipment burners but will likely outlast the rest of the grill. Then
again for many of the el cheapo grills (like under $200) 2 years is
about the average life of the grill, so when the burner rots out you
can expect the rest of the grill parts are about ready to go to rot
too, so you may considere not to put good money after bad. If yours is
one of the low price models I'd suggest buying a new grill... and get a
good quality one... there's no saving with the bargain priced models if
you need to replace a grill every two years. Cheap is expensive.

Very true. My current gas grill has been in use for at least 15 years. I have
replaced the rocks and bottom grate twice and the burner twice over the years,
the last one two years ago, is a cast iron burner and it seems to beholding up
very well. I paid good money for a good grill and it has been great. I was
attracted to that one because of the cast iron grill and after all these years
it is still in good shape. I could have got one for half the price, like the
one I had before that which lasted only a few years.

What brand is yours?

I've been using my current Weber Genesis regularly since 02/99 and I
use it a lot, all year. The Weber burner is constructed entirely of
stainless steel pipe with solid brass fittings and orifices, would
probably last forever. I haven't had to replace any parts other than
converting from natural gas to propane, but that was a choice, and I
still have the natural gas conversion parts, look like brand new...
btw, the conversion kit, among a few other parts includes an entire new
burner and regulator... cost all of $24 from Weber, including shipping,
and arrived 2 day FedEx. And the mechanics who installed my propane
also did the conversions; my cental heating system, cook stove, and
Weber.... and everything properly tested for leaks with some very
sophisticated electronic leak detection apperatus.... after witnessing
how my system was checked I don't recommend for anyone to attempt doing
gas conversion/retrofitting themselves.... they showed me how my cook
stove had been leaking gas (actually what they called "weeping"😉
probably since the day I had Sears install it... the amount was so
slight no one could have smelled or detected it by the usual soap
bubble method, but their electronic sniffer caught the leak
immediately.

I used my previous Weber some 18 years without replacing anything but
the propane tank when it became outdated, until some miserable [censored]
stole it right off my patio... I suspected one of the lawn service
workers but could never prove it... another reason I left Lung Guyland,
was swiftly becoming like the Bronx.

Sheldon

"Dave Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've been using my current Weber Genesis regularly since 02/99 and I
use it a lot, all year. The Weber burner is constructed entirely of
stainless steel pipe with solid brass fittings and orifices, would
probably last forever.

I have heard great things about Webbers. When the time comes to replace my
current
unit, and if I have some money burning a hole in my pocket I would like to
get one.

Bad snipping, sorry someone.

I bought a Weber Genesis maybe 10 years ago or so? Went together like a
dream.
My husband objected because it was a little mor expensive than others, but
hey,
when did that ever stop me. (laugh)

Works like a dream all these years later, paid for itself. I had too many
cheap
grills that conked out after a couple of years. They weren't worth the
money.
My husband has thanked me for getting the Weber a few times, he loves it.

nancy

Nancy Young said:

Works like a dream all these years later, paid for itself. I had too many
cheap grills that conked out after a couple of years. They weren't worth the
money.
My husband has thanked me for getting the Weber a few times, he loves it.

You had already used gas grills... "too many" in fact, so you knew you
were going to stick with gas and the cost was justified. I haven't
ever used gas, so the cost is NOT justified for me.

sf said:

You had already used gas grills... "too many" in fact, so you knew you
were going to stick with gas and the cost was justified. I haven't
ever used gas, so the cost is NOT justified for me.

I don't anyone who was totally dissatisfied with gas and switched back totally to
charcoal. I know one person who uses both, depending on what he is cooking. He does
great legs of lamb and other roasts over briquettes, but he has it down to a
science.

For me it is partly a matter of convenience. Gas is easy. Get the tank filled once
in a while, turn it on, spark it up and a few minutes later you're cooking without
having to mess with charcoal. It is also cheaper to run. I figure I do at least
150 meals per year on the gas grill with 2-3 tanks of gas, and things turn out
nicely. We do a chicken or some other roast at least once a week.

sf said:

Sheldon said:

If the previous posts left you completely confused then any attempt to
clarify would simply send you over the edge into a catatonic state...
that's if you're serious... otherwise you're simply trolling to stir up
a crock of [censored]. There was no mention of side burners.

AHA! That's why I'm confused. You call it a side burner. Now,
what's this burner thing you're talking about?

What are you trying to pull here, you know very well about side
burners, you're the one who brought up the topic of side burners not
two posts ago (just prior to my posting the above), you just seem to
have trouble expressing yourself succinctly, if you absorb information
with the same obliqueness you express yourself it's no wonder you're
easily confused, to wit:

sf wrote about side burners thusly:
"He wasn't talking about the burner where you'd put a pot that's on the

side of some bbqs"

Well, DUH!

Now stop with the smarmy double talk already, it won't fly with me...
and for the record the only reason I'm accusing you of smarmy double
talk is because I'm still allowing for that maybe you're truly not
mentally deficient... but we're very close to that cusp.

Ya know, you're the one who asked for assistance in choosing a gas
grill, and here you are behaving like a totally unapreciative,
disagreeble, whiny, obnoxious juvenile towards those who are offering
you good advice. I've met misers, every minute decision is based
*entirely* on whether it costs money, and they can concoct a zillion
fercocktah rationalizations for why they shouldn't buy something they
really want because their illness won't permit them to part with a
penny without their suffering exquisitely painful anxiety/withdrawal
symptoms... cheap [censored] are the very worst kind of people to be in
the company of... and it's not that they haven't the money, in fact
just the opposite is more likey to be true, they typically have more
money than those they purpetually harrangue with their constant
pettiness... I bet you're one of those who won't phone your loved ones
because it's long distance and won't spring teh few bucks for the
unlimitied long distance plan... but instead you know they have the
plan so you tell them to call you. Oy!

Why don't you check with your neighbors to see how many will permit you
to mooch the use of their grills, perhaps ten years later you'll
decide, but I doubt it, not so long as you can use their gas for free.

You know darn well that gas grills have a burner, and you've been
reading rfc for many years, had to be a zillion threads on "which
grill"
.... why are you so intant on playing stupid... perhaps you're not
playing.

I bet if I offered to pay for your grill then a gas grill would
immediately become a wonderful thing to have... fergeddaboudit!
Ahahahahaha. . . .

Sheldon

Sheldon said:

sf said:

Sheldon said:

If the previous posts left you completely confused then any attempt to
clarify would simply send you over the edge into a catatonic state...
that's if you're serious... otherwise you're simply trolling to stir up
a crock of [censored]. There was no mention of side burners.

AHA! That's why I'm confused. You call it a side burner. Now,
what's this burner thing you're talking about?

What are you trying to pull here, you know very well about side
burners,

What burner was the OP talking about?

Quoted message said:

you're the one who brought up the topic of side burners not
two posts ago (just prior to my posting the above), you just seem to
have trouble expressing yourself succinctly, if you absorb information
with the same obliqueness you express yourself it's no wonder you're
easily confused, to wit:

sf wrote about side burners thusly:
"He wasn't talking about the burner where you'd put a pot that's on the
side of some bbqs?"

Well, DUH!

I was asking about what YOU were calling a burner because you weren't
talking about a side burner.

Quoted message said:

Now stop with the smarmy double talk already, it won't fly with me...
and for the record the only reason I'm accusing you of smarmy double
talk is because I'm still allowing for that maybe you're truly not
mentally deficient... but we're very close to that cusp.

Ya know, you're the one who asked for assistance in choosing a gas
grill, and here you are behaving like a totally unapreciative,
disagreeble, whiny, obnoxious juvenile towards those who are offering
you good advice.

While I appreciate your advice, but I didn't ask for it.

Quoted message said:

I've met misers, every minute decision is based
*entirely* on whether it costs money, and they can concoct a zillion
fercocktah rationalizations for why they shouldn't buy something they
really want because their illness won't permit them to part with a
penny without their suffering exquisitely painful anxiety/withdrawal
symptoms... cheap [censored] are the very worst kind of people to be in
the company of... and it's not that they haven't the money, in fact
just the opposite is more likey to be true, they typically have more
money than those they purpetually harrangue with their constant
pettiness...

I guess you've never heard the saying: Take care of the pennies and
the dollars will take care of themselves.

Quoted message said:

I bet you're one of those who won't phone your loved ones
because it's long distance and won't spring teh few bucks for the
unlimitied long distance plan... but instead you know they have the
plan so you tell them to call you. Oy!

Unlimited long distance? I'm over paying the telephone company for
that "service". I use my cell phone for long distance these days.

Quoted message said:

Why don't you check with your neighbors to see how many will permit you
to mooch the use of their grills, perhaps ten years later you'll
decide, but I doubt it, not so long as you can use their gas for free.

My neighbors don't do backyard bbqs and we don't hang over the
backyard fence smoozing.

Quoted message said:

You know darn well that gas grills have a burner, and you've been
reading rfc for many years, had to be a zillion threads on "which
grill" ... why are you so intant on playing stupid... perhaps you're not
playing.

I'm not playing. I'm a complete idiot when it comes to gas grills.

Quoted message said:

I bet if I offered to pay for your grill then a gas grill would
immediately become a wonderful thing to have... fergeddaboudit!
Ahahahahaha. . . .

It's simply amazing that you really expect me to go out and spend way
too much money on something I've never used just because you say I
should. You had LOTS of experience with crappy gas bbqs before you
finally decided to spend real money on one, so why is that hard for
you to understand that I don't want to pony up $500-600 on my first
one?

I'd rather throw out a well used $300 gas grill than give away a
barely used $600 one. After the first one either falls apart or is
given away, I'll decide if I want to replace it. If I replace it (and
I'm not convinced I will), that will be the appropriate time to decide
to what features I want and spend serious money on a new one.

Dave Smith said:

Sheldon said:

What brand is yours?

Broil King. Heavy duty body and cast iron grill.

Quoted message said:

I've been using my current Weber Genesis regularly since 02/99 and

I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

use it a lot, all year. The Weber burner is constructed entirely

of

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

stainless steel pipe with solid brass fittings and orifices, would
probably last forever.

I have heard great things about Webbers. When the time comes to

replace my current

Quoted message said:

unit, and if I have some money burning a hole in my pocket I would

like to get one.

Quoted message said:

We have a compact gas barbeque made by Weber called a Baby Weber, I
think. I ordered it from LLBean because it was a compact size and
advertised for camping purposes. It is perfect for our small 8 X 8
deck. Many of the other grills are huge or have those wide
outstretched supports ---visualize a big X-- Our Baby W. Works
perfectly and we love it.
aloha,
Thunder
smithfarms.com
Farmers of 100% Kona Coffee
& other Great Stuff

As others have said, buy a stainless steel burner. In my area, Menards
(midwest home center) puts them on clearance in the fall for practically
nothing. The cheap ones are made out of aluminized steel (ie. carbon steel
coated with aluminum for low cost corrosion resistance) and don't last very
long.

This spring I replaced my horrible Sunbeam grill with a Weber. The
difference is like night and day.

"None" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mine only last 2 year at best. What about putting a think steel or
aluminium plate on top of the burner to protect from the drippings. It
would be a hair smaller shape then the burner, in order not to block the
flame. Any ideas?

One other thing. If you don't have the money to buy a $500 Weber, look for
a used one. I've seen used ones in my area on Craigslist going for less
than $50. Parts are easy to come by if needed at all.

"AL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As others have said, buy a stainless steel burner. In my area, Menards
(midwest home center) puts them on clearance in the fall for practically
nothing. The cheap ones are made out of aluminized steel (ie. carbon
steel coated with aluminum for low cost corrosion resistance) and don't
last very long.

This spring I replaced my horrible Sunbeam grill with a Weber. The
difference is like night and day.

AL said:

As others have said, buy a stainless steel burner. In my area, Menards
(midwest home center) puts them on clearance in the fall for practically
nothing. The cheap ones are made out of aluminized steel (ie. carbon steel
coated with aluminum for low cost corrosion resistance) and don't last very
long.

This spring I replaced my horrible Sunbeam grill with a Weber. The
difference is like night and day.

I've been trying to get a straight answer out of Sheldon all day, but
he's dodging the issue... now you're talking about a "burner" too, so
what IS a burner? The BBQ itself or part of it? I know you're not
talking about a "side" burner because some models don't have them.

TIA

On Wed 15 Jun 2005 10:47:11p, sf wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

AL said:

As others have said, buy a stainless steel burner. In my area,
Menards (midwest home center) puts them on clearance in the fall for
practically nothing. The cheap ones are made out of aluminized steel
(ie. carbon steel coated with aluminum for low cost corrosion
resistance) and don't last very long.

This spring I replaced my horrible Sunbeam grill with a Weber. The
difference is like night and day.

I've been trying to get a straight answer out of Sheldon all day, but
he's dodging the issue... now you're talking about a "burner" too, so
what IS a burner? The BBQ itself or part of it? I know you're not
talking about a "side" burner because some models don't have them.

TIA

There are different configurations, but a burner is the component within
the grill (under the grate and/or flavorizer bars or ceramic brickets) that
is connected to the gas and emits the flame. They can be made of various
materials including plain steel, stainless steel, cast iron, etc. Webers
typically have stainless steel burners. My Brinkman has heavy cast iron
burners. The number of burners a grill may have varies among brands, size,
and design. Most Webers have 3 burners, aligned in horizontal rows of
front, middle, and back.

====================

====================

====================

Brinkman's burners are arranged front to back.

|| || || ||
|| || || ||
|| || || ||
|| || || ||

There are other shapes as well, such as horseshoe shape

HTH

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

The thingy under the grate where the flames come out.

"sf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

AL said:

As others have said, buy a stainless steel burner. In my area, Menards
(midwest home center) puts them on clearance in the fall for practically
nothing. The cheap ones are made out of aluminized steel (ie. carbon
steel
coated with aluminum for low cost corrosion resistance) and don't last
very
long.

This spring I replaced my horrible Sunbeam grill with a Weber. The
difference is like night and day.

I've been trying to get a straight answer out of Sheldon all day, but
he's dodging the issue... now you're talking about a "burner" too, so
what IS a burner? The BBQ itself or part of it? I know you're not
talking about a "side" burner because some models don't have them.

TIA

Regarding the side burner, they are designed to produce a small amount of
heat and are supposed to be used to heat sauce (barbeque sauce for example).
This might be useful if you want to make your own bbq sauce outdoors, but is
useless if you want to do something that produces a lot of smoke or odor
(eg. using a wok, or boiling a lobster). I think side burners are useless
and a good way to save money by not getting one.

"AL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The thingy under the grate where the flames come out.

"sf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

AL said:

As others have said, buy a stainless steel burner. In my area, Menards
(midwest home center) puts them on clearance in the fall for
practically
nothing. The cheap ones are made out of aluminized steel (ie. carbon
steel
coated with aluminum for low cost corrosion resistance) and don't last
very
long.

This spring I replaced my horrible Sunbeam grill with a Weber. The
difference is like night and day.

I've been trying to get a straight answer out of Sheldon all day, but
he's dodging the issue... now you're talking about a "burner" too, so
what IS a burner? The BBQ itself or part of it? I know you're not
talking about a "side" burner because some models don't have them.

TIA

NG, LP, or charcoal? It sounds like you mean gas grills.

For your info, as to longevity

I have had mine for about 30 years - big one, aluminum cast housing (same
casting the big ones today still use, so I can accessorize with layered
grills and rotisseries no sweat), 40-50,000 btu twin burner "permanently"
mounted on a post, from the gas company, natural gas. I use it once a week
minimum in the summer.
It gets 10 minutes on high both sides for warm up, 10-15 minutes on hi
both sides after cooking to clean -I don't clean the epoxied grates when
they are hot, never use water on flame.

1) flame spreader - I replaced the original (stainless, I'm pretty sure)
flame spreader with a stainless one a couple years ago. The seam had split.

2) grates - I replaced the original cast iron reversible grates after about
15 years with a stainless grate that lasted a few years, and then I went
back to an epoxy coated cast iron reversibles that have held up well for the
past 10 and it looks like it will go a fair amount more.

3) rocks - I have used stone, lava, and ceramic. The lava seemed to last
the longest for me. Rocks seem to last about 5-6 years before breaking.

If you get heavy stainless and cast iron, it lasts a lot longer than thin
stainless replacements from the home store.

My neighbor has had at least three LP cart models in the same 30 years, and
he kept it in the garage when not in use.

Two of the bbqs at the lake are charcoal - those have plates on the bottom
to protect them, and they aren't used that much, and are ok after 15 years.

hope it helps

"None" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mine only last 2 year at best. What about putting a think steel or
aluminium plate on top of the burner to protect from the drippings. It
would be a hair smaller shape then the burner, in order not to block the
flame. Any ideas?