New Grill: To Cover or Not To Cover?

[thinkxingu]

Hi!
Supposed to get 12+ inches of snow here today, so of course went out and bought a new grill!
Short story: 7-year-old Kenmore "stainless steel" grill rotted out from the inside- the base of the inside, where the grease collects, rotted around the perimeter and collapsed into the base. A bit disappointed, especially as I've had to replace a lot of parts and it was a $700 grill.
Anyway, decided this time to go cheap ("stainless" hood and burners, steel rest) as we bought a summer camp that we'll be at most of the time.
My question: we moved the grill onto a screen porch and are wondering if we should cover it. It won't receive direct weather, but water and snow is sometimes driven onto the porch in the wind.

Thoughts?

 

[Highbeam]

No cover. I've tried, the cover makes things worse. I don't think I'd even cover if it was out in the open. The hood provides cover for the important stuff.

Here's mine. It was pretty cheap, SS hood and burners. It's actually been quite good.

The BBQ got all that ice despite being under a 2 foot deep eave of the single story home.

 

[maple1]

When I got our new Broil King about 5 years ago, I went back & bought a cover for it a month later because it just happened to be pollen season and it got coated with it.

I washed the pollen off, and the cover is still in the box. That isn't really conclusive of much, except for an intermittent lazy streak. Also, the last cover I had disappeared in an overnight windstorm.

Ours is also in a screen porch. It still gets wet when the wind blows strongly the wrong way - it still seemed pretty solid on the bottom under all the crud I cleaned out last spring. If it was out in the wide open all year I would likely cover - but more likely put it under cover somewhere for winter.

 

[mass_burner]

I have 2 VC's and never have covered them. One has painted hood and the other is SS all over, the SS an older 6-burner with good SS, still looks great. The painted one is newer, smaller one. Paint starting to flake. Cover just traps moisture/dirt/leaves longer.

 

[razerface]

only cover the top just the 2 months before you burn it. Do not cover the sides, making sure the wind and sun can get to it, or put it in a shed.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I haven't had my grill covered since 04.

 

[thinkxingu]

Highbeam, that's the same grill we bought today! I assume you like it ok? And it sounds like I should leave it open since whatever moisture it will be exposed to in a covered environment is better left to dry out rather than a cover to hold it in.

S

 

[fossil]

...Here's mine.

Looks like you're fixin' to serve up some frozen food.

 

[GENECOP]

I have a Wolf, got a nice cover on Amazon, it stays covered unless I am cooking.....

 

[Highbeam]

Highbeam, that's the same grill we bought today! I assume you like it ok? And it sounds like I should leave it open since whatever moisture it will be exposed to in a covered environment is better left to dry out rather than a cover to hold it in.

S

We like it enough that my father bought one last year as well. We've had ours for about 5 years now and it really has been quite dependable. Like all grilles, there are hot spots and cold spots on the huge cooking area. Embrace this variation and use it to your advantage.

The burners look easily replacable and the coated cast iron grates are stout. I'm not a fan of ceramic coated grates since they do chip and peel but I am careful to brush the grates each time and we've never had any chunks of ceramic in the food.

I don't believe in covering. I don't cover my cars either.

If I had unlimited funds, the weber grilles of the same style are very nice. I like me a weber and own their Q grille for my portable camping grill. Honestly, for charcoal grilling, I have one of those table top smokey joes by weber and it works great too.

 

[wenger7446]

I cover my grill but I am sure to use it regularly (once or twice a week) to burn the moisture out of it.

 

[mass_burner]

that reminds me, I need to bring the VC into the basement for some winter maintenance. damn thing wieghs a ton and I can't roll it through the yard. eh, maybe I'll just do the maintenance out on the deck on a warm spring day. btw, the cover/no cover debate doesn't address rusting of the inside. I don't think there's much you can reasonably do there.

 

[KB007]

Have a Ducane all Stainless and it never gets covered and has survived Ottawa winter quite well. Never covered the Weber we had before either - that one is almost 20 yrs old now and still going strong after I gave it to my neighbour. And, btw, I don't cover my wood stacks either

 

[Lighting Up]

They last longer covered...IMHO. I'm missing this cooker however I will be cooking steaks Tomorrow on it...snow or no snow ! If I can get my wife to shovel it...

 

[Dave A.]

I feel better having it covered, but am torn. This one has lasted around 10 years so far. Replaced the burners and need to replace one of the ss flavorizer bars. But I do notice the moisture inside in the spring when I uncover it. Fortunately when I got it they were making them almost completely ss inside and out (not any more now). The solid bar rod grates are nice and looking at new grills, you only see these type of grates on the high priced models, unfortunately because I wouldn't buy another without them -- had very bad luck with cast iron.

 

[midwestcoast]

In a screen porch I would definitely leave it uncovered. Saves cash, Less hassle & I'd guess better for the grill.

Mine sits on an open deck, so I cover it, mostly to keep the the crud off of it. Grills just aren't as durable as they used to be it seems.

 

[bassJAM]

Mine's in a screened in porch, I leave it uncovered. If it was outside unprotected, I'd probably try to bring it in the shed or garage for the winter rather than cover it.

Regardless, I think most of the brands are pretty bad and prone to rusting, even the SS models, with the exception of Weber. I picked up a non-stainless Weber that's probably 15 years old for $100 2 years ago, the only part that was bad was the flavourizer bars. Those things last forever, grill very evenly/consistently, and can be had for cheap on Craigslist.