Are Porcelain Grill Grates Good?

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Purchasing a grill and accessories for a grill can be a major investment.  As with any other investment I tend to do a ton of research before I make a new purchase.  When it comes to your grill grates, they are something you will be using very frequently - at our house we grill almost every single day!  

Today, I want to talk about one of the most popular types of grill grates out there - porcelain grill grates.  

I'm going to teach you everything you need to know about porcelain grill grates, because I have been through many many grill grates, and there are pros and cons to each of them.

What is a Grill Grate?

Grill grates are one of the most important components of our grill, since they are what we cook our food on.  They are also one of the easiest components to switch on your grill, since they simply sit on top no mater what type of grill you have.

Your grill will come with a set of grill grates, and the material will depend on what the manufacturer has included. 

You may choose to have another set handy to make cleanup easy during a long day of grilling, or it may simply just be time to replace your grill grates

When I have ended up a grill that has been given to me by someone else in the past, the first thing I did was to buy new grill grates! Replacing the grill grates is a great option to spruce up a used grill since who knows how well the previous owner maintained it.

What is Porcelain?

Have you ever heard of porcelain or ceramic tiles for your kitchen or bathroom?  Porcelain grill grates are made out of the same material on the outside.  This means that they are somewhat delicate.  If you drop them, hit them, or scrape them, you may damage them and chip off the porcelain.

The grill grate is not completely made out of porcelain.  If you drop your grill grate it won’t shatter into a thousand pieces, but it the porcelain may chip off of the metal.

A porcelain grill grate is a metal grill grate that is coated with porcelain, similar to the porcelain you would find in other areas of your home that are tiled.

Are Porcelain Grill Grates Good?

If you are looking to purchase new grill grates, or your grill came with porcelain grill grates, you may be wondering “Are Porcelain Grill Grates Good?”. This answer, like everything else depends on a couple of different factors.

The most important aspect of your porcelain grill grate is the metal underneath the porcelain coating.  The metal component of a grill grate is very important, since it is what controls the heat distribution of your grate.

The best porcelain grill grate to get would be a cast iron enamled one.  Cast iron is hands down the best type of grill grate around, but does require maintenance, which can be a drawback.

With a cast iron enabled or porcelain grill grate, you get the best of both worlds, great heat distribution, and easy cleanup.

Stainless steel grill greats add an extra layer of heat retention to your stainless steel grates, but can be more difficult to clean.  If you are grilling at high temperatures (600 F+), the porcelain will not get you an additional value.

Drawbacks of Porcelain Grill Grates

The main drawback of a porcelain grill grate is how delicate its is.  Remember, it is essentially a tile coating.

Porcelain grill grates can be susceptible to:

• Dropping
• Scraping
• Chipping

This means they do require a bit more care than other grill grates.

Make sure to be careful when flipping food, silicone coated tongs and spatulas will be your best friends.  Also be careful when cleaning your grill, do not use a brush that is too stiff or you may damage the grate.  A soft wire grill brush or wireless grill brush is an essential tool for cleaning porcelain grill grates.

How to Clean Porcelain Grill Grates

When it comes time to clean your porcelain coated grill grates, there are a couple of things you really need to be aware of.

First and foremost is do not scrape porcelain grill grates with metal, EVER!  This goes for metal bristled brushes, or metal scrapers.

Check out our guide to the best brushes for porcelain grill grates here for the brushes you need.  These brushes won't damage your grates.  You can even skip the brushes all together and use good old fashioned elbow grease and rags for a deep cleaning.

The next thing to remember is to be cautious when cleaning them, and never clean them hot!

Use extra care and do not drop, bang, or drop your porcelain grill grates, or they may chip!

Benefits of Porcelain Grill Gates

When properly maintained and cared for, porcelain grill grates can last longer than their plain cast iron counterparts since they will never rust.

They can be a good way to get nice lines on your grilled food, without the hassle of caring for cast iron.

They really are a great all around grill grate, as long as you are willing to be a little more careful when you are cleaning it.

Are Porcelain Grill Grates Right for You?

If you are looking for a great all around grill grate that won't rust, porcelain grill grates are a great choice.  The only downside is you do need to be a bit careful so you don't chip the enamel coating.

Porcelain grill grates are a great choice if you are replacing your old rusty grill grates!

Check out our complete guide to Weber Genesis grill grate replacement and Weber Spirit grill grate replacement.  We cover all the different types of grates and options, including porcelain.