After writing about cleaning for almost a decade, there are some times in my professional year that I look especially forward to: The tales of debauchery and vomit that flow in on January 1; in March, we make our beds and make [groan] a grand old time of it; and, most excitingly, the early part of summer when, each year, I get to tell you that your grill brush is trying to kill you!
“Hmm, what now, Jolie?”
Hmm, yes indeed, your grill brush is trying to kill you.
Here’s the jam: Grill brushes have a lifespan. Yup! The thing is, the lifespan of grill brushes is a thing most people don’t know about because they’re not told that it’s a thing. But! You have me and so now you know that grill brushes have a lifespan—and that it’s important to check it regularly for signs of wear and tear. And now I shall tell you why! Over time, a grill brush’s bristles will become frayed or start to come loose. And then one will end up in your food. You will ingest it. And I can probably leave it at that and move ahead to the part where I offer new grill brush recommendations!
A Top-Rated Budget Choice
Weber Grill Brush | $10 | Amazon
While some very expensive grill brushes exist in this world, on the whole, grill brushes don’t tend to be overly pricey—but since you now know that they need to be replaced, cost is certainly a factor when choosing a new one. At under $10, this Weber grill brush is a great buy. It has three bristled sides: The main brush head, for cleaning the surface of the grates, is wide, and the smaller bristled sides allow you to scour the area in between the grill grates.
A Grill Daddy Knock Off
Stainless Steel Grill Brush | $10 | Amazon
When I mentioned that there are expensive grill brushes out there, the Grill Daddy brushes were what I had in mind. The thing is, they’re very good grill brushes—but they’ll cost you between $30 and $80, and that’s a lot of money for a grill brush I think! (They’re also currently sold out because I guess we’re having a shortage of grill brushes now?) This knock-off features the key, um, feature of the Grill Daddy: A water chamber that allows you to spritz the grill when it’s hot, creating steam that will loosen stuck-on food and char, making it super easy to scrape off the grates. And, it’ll only run you about $10, so replacing it when it shows signs of wear and tear will be much less painful on your wallet.
A Bristle-Free Option
Cedar Grill Scraper | $20 | Amazon
Maybe my gleeful grill brush fearmongering has instilled such terror in your heart that you don’t ever want to look at another grill brush in your life. Fair enough! But still, your grates, they need cleaning … enter, the grill scraper. This red cedar scraper is paddle-shaped, with a beveled edge that will wear down over time and shape itself to the contours of your grill’s grates; it can also be turned on its side to clean in between the grates.
Grill Stones
Grill Cleaning Stones | $14 | Amazon
Grill cleaning stones—which are about the size of a kitchen sponge—are basically pumice stones for your grill. Truly, they’re made of the same stuff you use to scrub dead skin off your feet! To use it, just run it over the grates and it will scour away stuck-on food and greasy residue. A nice thing about grill scouring stones is that, unlike most other grill cleaning tools, they’re meant to be used on only slightly-warm or cold grills, so there’s less of a burn risk than there is with products designed to be used on a hot grill.
Put Some Power Into It
Grill Brush Drill Attachment | $10 | Amazon
The shortage of grill brushes has come for the grill cleaning robot, the Grillbot, which is currently sold out on Amazon, but it is in stock at Home Depot, and can be ordered direct (with shipping delays, fair warning) on Grillbot’s site. So look, a grill cleaning robot probably isn’t in the cards for you in 2020, but if the idea of using machinery to clean your grill appeals to you, please know that our beloved DrillBrush makes a brush head that can be used on grills!