# I think my grill is officially dead



## Callisto in NC (Feb 20, 2008)

Okay, I left my grill and charcoal starter out all winter and the inside of the grill is rusted and the charcoal starter is rusted all the way through.  Should I toss them (the grill isn't expensive) or will the rust burn off?


----------



## GotGarlic (Feb 20, 2008)

Rust is broken-down metal, so if it burns off, there will be holes where it was. I'd toss it.


----------



## GB (Feb 20, 2008)

Time for a new grill.


----------



## Maverick2272 (Feb 20, 2008)

I would toss it. I picked my last one up at Home Depot for $57, it is a square one with fold down legs for easy transport. Not a mini size, a full size that can lay flat in your trunk.
I also picked up a cover for it for $12 to help keep the elements off of it for now, but the plan was that since it folds down once I clean out my garage I would just hang it on a side wall for the winter.


----------



## Uncle Bob (Feb 20, 2008)

What kind? How old? By starter do you mean charcoal chimney or a can of fluid?


----------



## Callisto in NC (Feb 20, 2008)

Uncle Bob said:


> What kind? How old? By starter do you mean charcoal chimney or a can of fluid?


Charcoal chimney thingy.  It was a cheap walmart version and not the good Kingsford one my dad had.  His is rust resistant or something, he's had it for 10 years.  

The grill is also from Walmart and only cost $30 on sale.  It's almost full size but with everything going up in price lately I only want to throw it out if it might be dangerous.  Sounds like from the first couple of posts it could be dangerous.  Holes in the metal when grilling could definitely be dangerous in a drought area.


----------



## pacanis (Feb 20, 2008)

Think of them as air vents


----------



## CharlieD (Feb 20, 2008)

iS THERE HOLES,OR DID IT JUST RUST ON THE (oops) top? It really depends. If you don't mind spending money for the new one, then toss it. But when money is an issue...


----------



## Andy M. (Feb 20, 2008)

A new chimney is cheap money. If the rust on the grill is just surface rust with no holes rusted through, it will still work fine. If it's now rusted through, buy a new grill.

I'd go for a Weber kettle. They come in 2 different sizes and in silver and gold models. You can get the smaller one for under $100.


----------



## Uncle Bob (Feb 20, 2008)

Miss Calli...

For occassional grilling, (burgers, hotdogs, pork chops, chicken breast, steaks, etc.) consider the Weber Smokey Joe...it's a 14in table top model that's perfect when grilling for 2-4 people. Or the next size up 18 in. free standing for more room and flexability. 
Invest in another charcoal chimney! In the long run it pays for itself many times over, and you don't have to mess with smelly fluids....or tatse them either.

Enjoy!


----------



## GB (Feb 20, 2008)

I do not know if I would say it is dangerous. The rust will not hurt you. If there are holes though then you would need to be careful of hot coals falling out where they should not.


----------



## suziquzie (Feb 20, 2008)

Do get the Weber! Ours has been outside in MN winter weather for over 5 years now, no rusting problems. We grill all year so we dont put it away. Ok I dont grill all year, I make him do it Nov-March if at all possible.


----------



## CharlieD (Feb 20, 2008)

Hope not this year. With all that global warming it's been so called I haven't even though about grillin outside. Usually I do it, or at least did it every year in the past.


----------



## suziquzie (Feb 20, 2008)

Just once or twice in December when my oven went out and I had to stick a casserole out there..... it wasn't too bad out yet! Not at all since.... but if it gets to 40 I'm grillin!!


----------



## pacanis (Feb 20, 2008)

Man, you guys and gals gotta move your grills closer to the door.
I think I like grilling more in winter than I do summer.


----------



## suziquzie (Feb 20, 2008)

The door is flanked by 2 grills, the big gas one on one side the Weber on the other. 
Then you dont have to shovel much snow to get to it.... 
I need to move somewhere warmer.


----------



## pacanis (Feb 20, 2008)

suziquzie said:


> ......I need to move somewhere warmer.


 
HAH! Don't we all.  I think it got up to 14 today, but the sun was out anyway.
I imagine grilling in the winter is tough on a grill, that's why I went stainless with my last one.  I never looked, but I imagine there's condensation as it's cooling down, which we know isn't going to be good.


----------



## Ask-A-Butcher (Feb 21, 2008)

Most of the cheap metal grills, gas or charcoal, will rust out in a couple of years, depending on your locale and how you take care of them.

A few rust spots won't hurt any thing unless food touches them or they pose a hazard. Too many rust holes and the functionality is tossed out the window.

I live about 3 miles from salt water and any type of metal grill is a pain for me to maintain. I upgraded to ceramic in 1999 and haven't had to replace one yet.


----------



## GrillingFool (Feb 21, 2008)

There is no such thing as no grilling weather.
OK, heavy rain is, but otherwise...

Let's grill!


----------



## Jeekinz (Feb 21, 2008)

GrillingFool said:


> There is no such thing as no grilling weather.
> OK, heavy rain is, but otherwise...
> 
> Let's grill!


 
That's what umbrellas are for.


----------



## pacanis (Feb 21, 2008)

GrillingFool said:


> There is no such thing as no grilling weather.
> OK, heavy rain is, but otherwise...
> 
> Let's grill!


 
I've got a twenty-something year old photo around somewhere of myself and a friend standing in a downpour with raincoats on.  We each had a hold of a tarp in one hand that we were using to shelter our open, charcoal grill with from the rain. Steaks I remember.
Of course in our other hand was our favorite beverage 
Where there's a will..... there's an idiot who just has to grill no matter the weather  I can vouch for that.


----------



## kitchenelf (Feb 21, 2008)

I think your chimney will be just fine.  Rusted or not it will still work.  The key is, like other people have said, are there actual holes.  All of my chimneys have rusted to a degree but they still work perfectly!


----------



## Callisto in NC (Feb 21, 2008)

Okay, I'll keep the chimney and buy a new grill.  I just keep thinking the rust will effect the taste since it's where the charcoal sits.  I know, I'm just being weird about it.  

As for grilling in the rain, my father actually had a deck built on his house so he could stand under it and grill in the rain, sleet, snow, etc.  Whatever the weather, my father can grill.


----------



## Andy M. (Feb 21, 2008)

The rust will not effect the taste of anything you cook unless you actually get rust on the food.  You could sand off the rust and spray paint the bare spots with some heat resistant paint.


----------



## kitchenelf (Feb 21, 2008)

Yep, what Andy said.  Just because your chimney is rusty doesn't mean your food will taste rusty.  If your actual cooking surface is rusty - well, that's a different story!  You are only heating your charcoal in your chimney, your food never touches it.  I've never known a chimney to stay "pristine" anyway.


----------



## Andy M. (Feb 21, 2008)

When I mentioned the sanding and spray painting, I was referring to the grill, not the chimney.  I wouldn't spend that much effort on a $10 item.


----------

