BARBECUE GRILLS:
Housing Materials and Cooking Grates

Sterling™ II
from TEC®

The housing material is what the grill is constructed of:

Cast aluminum is best for all-around durability and strength.
Cast iron is expensive but the most durable and long-wearing.
Stainless steel is the least likely to rust, and the most expensive. Look for heavy-gauge 304 stainless steel.
Some grills combine the cast aluminum housing with a stainless steel lid.
For rust-free, durable color, look for porcelain-coated commercial-grade steel.
Some Smoker/grills are made of ceramic heat through radiation.

Cooking grates or grids are what the food rests on. Available in a choice of materials and coatings, they each offer desirable features:

Stainless steel grids are extremely durable; they won't rust and are easy to clean. These grids will hold heat well, making searing possible. They tend to be the most expensive.
Porcelain-coated grids resist food sticking and are easy to clean, but can scratch or chip.
Cast iron grids offer great heat retention, so they can sear foods well, but require regular seasoning with cooking oil to prevent rusting.
Porcelain-coated cast iron grids combine excellent heat retention and searing features with easy cleaning.
Some manufacturers use anodized aluminum cooking grids — and like the professional cookware, they clean easily.
Nickel-plated finishes resist rust but may flake over time.
Adjustable grates allow greater control over the cooking.
Open-channel grates catch grease and juice to send the flavor back into the food.
Reversible grates offer larger channels for meats and smaller ones for vegetables.
Grids with smaller channels and larger, flatter surfaces will cook fish and smaller vegetables more easily.
A rounded bar design will lend the classic thick cooking marks.

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BARBECUE GRILLS:Housing Materials and Cooking Grates