Why a grill made of real stainless steel – isn’t one made of sheet metal, cast iron or… enough?

This type of decision about purchasing a grill is purely a matter of taste when grilling in itself is not a factor.

The fact that you want you use your grill, and only that should be of interest to us here, is relevant when considering the financial aspects.

The original look of a sheet metal grill in terms of color has little significance after just a couple of uses. Usually the finish is scorched or flaking off. Soon the raw sheet steel becomes visible and starts to rust in a very short period of time outdoors. On top of that, every form of grease or fat that is inevitably released during grilling starts to stick to the rough surface of the grate. After several uses, the surface of the grill is crusted over with a mixture of grease and rust such that we can forget about hygiene and esthetics. At that point you start to wonder whether you should just throw the grill away immediately or keep it for a couple more months to spite yourself.

So you go and start to shop around for a new grill. Do you now take the financial aspects into consideration for your purchase decision and decide in favor of a “genuine” stainless steel grill?

One thing to think about here is that grills are subject to different product innovations than, say, computer software. That’s why it is worthwhile striving to achieve and expecting a useful life of ten years or more for a grill.

How true:

There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey. It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money, that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing that you bought it to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot…it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better.
John Ruskin, (1819-1908), English social reformer

What should be taken into consideration when purchasing a stainless steel grill?

Customers usually associate “stainless steel” with low maintenance, elegance, exclusiveness and longevity thanks to its resistance to rust. These expectations prompt customers to open their wallets a bit wider than normal. In such case, it is a good idea to balance one’s personal expectations and the characteristics of the product offered in order to ensure that one’s purchases are reasonable and not cheap. In the latter case customers do realize after some time that magic also comes with a price when it comes to grill production.
As the saying goes, quality does have its price. Anyone who buys cheap actually pays dear.

Grills manufactured using glossy finished stainless steel sheeting are probably best suited only for show in a salesroom. That’s why we recommend keeping a magnet handy as a purchase decision. Iron or low-quality stainless steel is magnetic, while highly tempered stainless steel is not. Due to the high heat impact, i.e. just after a couple uses, the stainless steel takes on the typical, metallic temper colors, and the glossy finish is quickly no longer visible. Deciding in favor of a grill made of natural stainless steel results in more subtle temper colors and the entire grill will still look well-maintained.

You have to decide whether you will be satisfied with a material thickness of less than 1mm. The high heat impact that grills are subject to does cause thin stainless steel sheets to buckle considerably, leaving the grills to resemble a scrunched tin can.

Using steel bolts in stainless steel is considered a deadly sin in the steel industry. Rust developing at the steel bolts (including processed steel bolts) will damage the stainless steel material at the same time. Even “high-grade” steel grills deserve a closer examination for such difficulties.

Grills are subjected to forces like contraction and expansion due to the considerable heat that they generate.  That’s why sturdy joints are important. Joints do not only comprise bolts and nuts but also include washers in order to be complete and satisfy the generally accepted rules of the industry. If these are missing, your trust should not be misplaced. Saving material here may result in unpleasant surprises that you will most probably have to deal with after the warranty expires.

It goes without saying that grills, which are completely welded or which contain only 2 or 3 parts requiring assembly with bolts and nuts, i.e. with the minimum threaded connections, are sturdier and better. Note that threaded connections made of steel do rust quickly and can no longer be tightened when necessary. The recipe for a “shaky grill” in the making.

Say, you want to purchase a stainless steel grill. Should you be satisfied with a cooking grate made of chrome-plated iron?The regulatory authorities for “commercial” food processing normally accept only materials made of V2A stainless steel. The reason is simple—only stainless steel is suitable for food applications and does not pose any health risks. Thus, it is safe to ask: “Are you prepared to spend money on looks and convenience—but not on health?” That’s a good reason to insist upon stainless steel when it comes to the most important part of your grill!