Cue the Internet metallurgy experts in 3, 2, 1...

Just watch out for grills made of Aluminum, which the magnets will also not stick to.

My pop's and I went grill shopping about 2 years ago. He found out that true stainless steel was magnetic... we found 3 grills out of 15 that we looked at that were magnetic. This surprised both of us.

This also helps to determine if your grill has had any body work done (magnets won't stick to Bondo!)

@Asvetic: Oops, I got that backwards. It's been 2 years give me a break.

Fire pits FTW

@thesabre: Metallurgy? No, no, no, I was going to point out that here in Texas, it turns out that barbeque is serious business. ("Dig a pit 40-feet wide...")

Gas isn't barbeque. It's like oven broiling upside down.

I just burn crude oil in my back yard like the "Smokers" from Waterworld...is that bad?

And why is Al Gore circling my house in his private plane shaking his finger at me?

The only grill-shopping tip: buy a Weber.

@Ash78: No Bondo on my grill, it's made made from a recycled De Lorean.

@thesabre:

Alright, I'll bite. 300 series SS is more corrosion resistant then the 400 series. It is also true that 400 series has a higher propensity to be magnetized.

However, cold-working (such as rolling, as many grills are made of rolled steel) 300 series SS will often leave it slightly magnetic. This means there is a decent chance a magnet will stick to a grill made of 300 series SS.

@Ash78:
That's exactly what I was thinking.

@Michael Belisle: True enough for you purists, but some of use have to make do with gas :)

I gotta put in my 2-cents here though - Cast iron all the way, the thicker the better. It holds the heat far more effectively (though can take a while to heat up).

I've heard the same thing regarding buying stainless steel items for a boat.

Rusting of inferior stainless steel might not remove much metal, and the rust is easy to clean off steel, but rust stains on porous surfaces can be much harder to remove. Insist on stainless steel which is actually stainless.

Makes since that the more iron in the grill the more likely it is to rust. And a magnet is a good way to tell that. Personally I prefer ceramic to metal but it does add to the cost and subtract from the portability.

just the facts it looks like I was wrong in my previous post about the iron content the difference between 300 and 400 is the alloy. I looked it up.

Is stainless steel magnetic?

Answer: There are several "types" of stainless steel. The 300 series (which contains nickel) is NOT magnetic. The 400 series (which just contains chromium and no nickel) ARE magnetic.

@Ash78: See, this is why we shouldn't allow Jalops out of the garage...we make silly comments about bondo on a grill.

@dreamlayers: Even the "cheaper" 400 series grades the article mentions are "real" stainless steel, just of a different grade. You wouldn't want "surgical" stainless steel (300 series) for part of a hip replacement, as it has a high rejection rate, however, "implant grade" stainless steel (400 series) works quite well for these applications. One grade is not necessarily "better" for all applications than the other.

Yes, 400 series tends to be more magnetic than 300 series, but if the price is significantly different, you might still purchase the grill, just know what you're getting, and pay a price that is appropriate for it.

@B: @B:
Yes, also beware of the titanium grills which are also not magnetic.

Just buy a Weber.

@Michael Belisle: Gas is for impatient assholes. Sadly, you'll see gas grills at Arrowhead.

@Michael Belisle:
I know a guy in Texas that would take exception to your comment about gas grilling. Hank Hill is his name.

@ClayS: Although...one would think the exhorbitant price for a titanium grill would make it stand out a bit...

@HIV 2 Elway: Say what? Because some people would rather just cook instead of spending all sorts of time getting a charcoal grill up and running it makes us assholes? You need to go look in the mirror.

i usually like to bring a few frozen patties and see if they work.

@maxforrest32: You should see me on slow work days. I post on Jezebel...please kill me now.

@Geekybiker: I'll admit I'm an asshole, just not an impatient asshole. Show the meat some respect and cook it right.

@ClayS: Hank Hill is about as authentic Texan as Texas Roadhouse.

(Disclaimer: I'm just a carpetbagger here in Texas. I grew up on gas.)

Try explaining that "dinner will be ready in an hour or two, once Daddy gets the appropriate mix of smokey flavor and heat from the charcoal" to a couple hungry 3 year olds.

And to be honest, hot dogs don't care how you cook them.

@Spamwich: Yep, cast iron all the way.

A gas grill that gets used is better than a charcoal one that doesn't. I prefer charcoal, but usually don't have time, and a gas grill that gets used is better than a charcoal one that doesn't.

And just to pick a fight, I have to point out that Kansas City laughs at Texas "barbecue". I mean, it's tasty and all, but it's not barbecue.

My Texan husband swears by gas. And Texas is chock fucking full of Hank Hills.

@HIV 2 Elway: you say that because your a Donkey fan. don't talk crap just because your a fan of one team over another. besides, what do people think of when they think of BBQ? it sure as hell isn't Denver thats for sure. its Kansas City or texas

@MikeT: Good statement! Outdoor cooking is better than nothing. And I've had great food come from gas grills.

With that being said, hardwood logs are better than charcoal :)

I agree with buying a Weber. Their customer support is amazing as well.

@Michael Belisle: Damn straight!

@ClayS: Hank Hill only pretends to be a Texan.

@Geekybiker: Getting charcoal burning is about a ten minute process. I prefer to wait rather than have food that tastes like it's from Burger King.

Kansas City for barbecue. Period.

Weber grills. Saw them being built on How It's Made. Cold-rolled sheet metal, powder-coated epoxy finish that rivals your vehicles' finish, each individually inspected before boxing and shipment.

Buy Weber, enuf said.

Oh, and made in the USA too.

@dman19: Donkey fan? Try Chief's season ticket holder. Its a crying shame that people in the BBQ capitol of the world would use gas grills, especially at Arrowhead. Also, what about "HIV 2 Elway" and an avatar of DT owning Elway suggests being a donkey fan?

I've had a Weber for years and even though the rack had to be replaced once the grill itself has stood up to about 8 hot florida summers with blasting rain and 95 percent humidity. I leave it out all the time and it's amazing how the grill itself hasn't rusted.

Paid like $60 for it, and I want to get some buckets of the ceramic coating they put on it for other things :)

@Geekybiker: The gas:assholes joke didn't seriously go that far over your head, did it?

Or, am I the only one that thought it was punny?

Never mind. Fight on, kids.

Never heard the magnet tip before, so I just went outside and tested my grill. Sure enough, the magnet jumped out of my hand to latch tightly to the metal. I suspected as much. :-)

For what it's worth, magnets love my grill (charcoal, by preference, but whatever), and the only things showing some rust after 10 years in the midwestern elements are some grommets.

This is mostly a non-issue.

@Major-General:
Maybe once you've perfected your technique or something. Gas I walk out and turn a know and hit start. Ready to cook. Charcoal I need to prep the coal in a chimney, light it, wait, stick it in the bottom. Probably wait some more, then clean up all the ash afterwards. Its simply not worth the difference to me when all I'm trying to do is cook dinner. I've found charcoal frustrating at best in windy/wet conditions. My gas grill fires right up every single time though. No coals going out before they properly ash. Yes there is some validity to charcoal tasting better, but its marginal in my experience unless you're going all out and using special wood chips, etc.

Charcoal tastes better but it's way to inconvenient... from the setup to the cooking to the cleanup. Gas grills win!

As for stainless steel, the higher quality usually has 304 grade and the lower one is 420--something like that. If you really want to buy a quality grill, don't go to one of those home improvement stores--only a BBQ/grilling store will do but do your research before stepping into one.

By the way, there are great grill reviews on [bbq.about.com] (look under buyer's guide on the left column).

@beercheck: Grills only need basic cleaning (and a grill cover) to last a long time. You probably clean it regularly.

@egosub2:

Good advice. We sell Weber grills at the hardware store I work at. The packaging they're shipped in is perfect, never any dings or scratches. And they go together so easy, no misaligned or mis-cut pieces. And lots of the screws/bolts used to hold them together are SS as well, to resist corrosion.

I can't wait til I have my own place and a little money saved up to buy a Genesis series Weber Grill

Everyone knows the best BBQ is cooked with a cut-in-half-and-spray-painted steel drum.

Rust resistant? Check.
Made in America? Check.
Affordable? Check.

Now, if we could just do something about the pesky lead poisoning...

@ceejeemcbeegee (AKA!): Consequently, ever see a anorexic hobo? That's why :P

I'll throw my .02 on the charcoal/gas debate. My wife and I got the Char Broil Charcoal/Gas grill for a wedding present a while ago. I love it. It's not your high dollar grill, but it can do gas when I don't have much time, and it has a tray that you use for charcoal when I do have time. Makes for easy cleanup, and you can light the charcoal with the gas, then turn it off. I like it because you don't get lighter fluid taste you sometimes get with briquettes.

I just put all the meat on my intake manifold before I leave from work to home. Who needs gas (oops, the car does) or charcoal? I just use my buick.

The only real way to cook meat is to slow smoke it.