How Many Rebuilds On Your Gas Grill ?

[Spankey]

I have a Weber Spirit. I use the heck out of mine. In the winter as much if not more than in summer. I think grilling in winter comes out better. I’m twice around (not counting original parts) so far on burners, deflection baffles, igniters and grates. Feeling this thing owes me nothing and might not wanting to sink into it. Weber is a good grill. Their parts are steep and universal parts do not work out well. 
 

Are you guys into rebuilding your gas grills? Have or are you using a grill other than a Weber that you like?

 

I have and use a charcoal smoker/Griller all year also. 
 

Appreciate your thoughts. 

[Tennessee Boy]

I got 14 years out of my last gas grill.  It was made by Vermont Casting.  I don't think they are making grills any longer.  I replaced a few parts including the burners.   I got rid of it in 2020.  I don't think I will ever get another gas grill.  I have a gas Blackstone Griddle and a charcoal Weber Kettle.  They seem to meet all my needs.   A griddle is fast and much more versatile than a grill.  They are also much cheaper.  When I want to grill I go all out and use charcoal. The best move I've made was replacing the grates that came with the Weber with cast iron ones.  They cook great and are extremely easy to clean.

[A-Jay]

I've got a Ducane stainless steel model bought new right after I got married,

(the second time) so like 2000-ish.  My dogs ate the first vinyl cover right of it.

I got another one that I still have, but I have replaced 'the guts' (burners, deflectors and the grill) 

I'd say 5 times.  Sort of lost track.

The 'shell' is in really good shape but the guts are about ready again pretty sure.

A-Jay

 

[gim]

1 hour ago, Spankey said:

have a Weber Spirit

I’ve got one too. Mine is 2016. Still using all the original parts. I clean the grates every fall and replace the drip pan twice every season. Bear in mind that I don’t use my grill in the middle of winter here when it’s butt cold out. I’ll use it on a “warm” 40 degree day. It’s a nice grill, I’d buy another one.

 

How long did the original parts last, may I ask?

[TOXIC]

4 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

I got 14 years out of my last gas grill.  It was made by Vermont Casting. 

If I’m not mistaken, when we lived in Plainville, Massachusetts on 5 acres on the side of a mountain, our house had a Vermont Castings wood stove in the lower level.  That thing would heat the entire house if you wanted it to.  

[VolFan]

I’m soon to be on my third grate and heat deflectors for my Spirit. I need to do the starter too but I just light it. We’ve had it over 7 years and it gets used 2-3 times a week year ‘round.

[DaubsNU1]

My Dad is still grilling on Ducane he purchased 20+ years ago...ran gas from house...can't wear that darn thing out.  

 

I'm on 3rd re-build of my Broil King. Still running strong. 

[Deephaven]

Ive got a 54" lynx.  Nothing to wear out but the lava rocks.  Putting it up for sale though as my charcoal is faster, hotter and more controllable.  Most importantly it tastes better as well.

[CountryboyinDC]

Not entirely sure what would wear out on my grill, it's a kamado-style grill (Green Egg).  The 'rig' (stainless steel stacking grid system) cost a couple hundred bucks about a decade ago.  Maybe the pizza stone that goes between the fire and whatever you're smoking?  I think I'll be stuck with this thing forever.  It does do good on the smoking.

[BrianMDTX]

My current Weber Genesis is 6 years old. No rebuilds as of yet. I do clean and inspect it religiously every spring. I used to have Char-Broils that needed overhauls every 2 years and would eventually rust out. 
 

I will say that I purchased a 4-burner w/sideburner Nexgrill for work cookouts this spring. All stainless steel except the side panels. Don’t know how long it will last but it cooked food great and it lit easier than any propane grill I’ve ever used. I was impressed. Especially for the cost. 

[TnRiver46]

You can make those burners last a little longer by poking out all the holes with a thin nail or piece of wire. It does take way longer than driving to Home Depot and getting more burners tho haha

[padlin]

I had a 2000 Weber Genesis till 2020 when the frame rotted apart, I had newer heavy duty SS grates and flavorizers on it as well as newer burners. After 20 years I felt good enough about it that I bought a used 2001 Genesis C that had no rust after being disappointed with the quality of new ones. Rebuilt it including striping and repainting. I got lucky where some of the good parts of the old one fit the new one. 
 

My opinion is if you have a good grill with a good solid frame it’s worth putting out for good quality after market rebuild parts. There’s a forum for old Webers where one can go and find sources for high quality parts and even instructions for bringing the old back to life.

 

[Spankey]

13 hours ago, gimruis said:

I’ve got one too. Mine is 2016. Still using all the original parts. I clean the grates every fall and replace the drip pan twice every season. Bear in mind that I don’t use my grill in the middle of winter here when it’s butt cold out. I’ll use it on a “warm” 40 degree day. It’s a nice grill, I’d buy another one.

 

How long did the original parts last, may I ask?

I’ve had it 9+ years. I don’t remember the first time around on the original parts. But the intervals have been about equal. I think I’ll do the burners and deflectors one more time. 

I’m not an expert in stress on steel but grilling in very cold weather may be harder on components. 
I know people who have less expensive grills that don’t use them that often, that have had them a long time. When I was younger I’ve had the Sunbeams and Kenmores.  
I don’t want to come off as being cheap or anything because I use it so much, I can’t live (the way I want to) without one. 
Mine have all been homeowner types. Maybe I’ll check into one that is commercial built. Rebuild it, or a new one, got to have it. 

2 hours ago, CountryboyinDC said:

Not entirely sure what would wear out on my grill, it's a kamado-style grill (Green Egg).  The 'rig' (stainless steel stacking grid system) cost a couple hundred bucks about a decade ago.  Maybe the pizza stone that goes between the fire and whatever you're smoking?  I think I'll be stuck with this thing forever.  It does do good on the smoking.

You got my belly growling right now. 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

You can make those burners last a little longer by poking out all the holes with a thin nail or piece of wire. It does take way longer than driving to Home Depot and getting more burners tho haha

I’ve used a cutting torch tip cleaner a few time over the years. That’s a good maintenance idea to keep heat even. 

[Spankey]

1 hour ago, BrianMDTX said:

My current Weber Genesis is 6 years old. No rebuilds as of yet. I do clean and inspect it religiously every spring. I used to have Char-Broils that needed overhauls every 2 years and would eventually rust out. 
 

I will say that I purchased a 4-burner w/sideburner Nexgrill for work cookouts this spring. All stainless steel except the side panels. Don’t know how long it will last but it cooked food great and it lit easier than any propane grill I’ve ever used. I was impressed. Especially for the cost. 

I’ve seen them at Home Depot or Lowe’s. They have a lot of models. I have not looked at reviews on them. But I don’t trust all reviews. Sometimes you just have to try for yourself. 

[gim]

16 minutes ago, Spankey said:

I don’t want to come off as being cheap or anything because I use it so much, I can’t live (the way I want to) without one. 

There is an appliance store chain here in the Twin Cities that has an annual "Grill Fest" sale on all grills.  Its the first week of May every spring.  They are all 10% off, you get free assembly, free delivery, free haul away of the old grill, and $50 worth of gift cards for No Name food products.  I have the 3 burner Spirit model.  My brother has the Genesis one.  Its more expensive and bigger.

[Spankey]

14 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

I got 14 years out of my last gas grill.  It was made by Vermont Casting.  I don't think they are making grills any longer.  I replaced a few parts including the burners.   I got rid of it in 2020.  I don't think I will ever get another gas grill.  I have a gas Blackstone Griddle and a charcoal Weber Kettle.  They seem to meet all my needs.   A griddle is fast and much more versatile than a grill.  They are also much cheaper.  When I want to grill I go all out and use charcoal. The best move I've made was replacing the grates that came with the Weber with cast iron ones.  They cook great and are extremely easy to clean.

Both my daughters have the Blackstone Griddles and love them. They use the heck out of it. I liked what I’ve eaten off of them. They are trying to sell me on the idea. The kids are all into the stir-fry type of eating. That griddle surface is great for that. 

7 minutes ago, gimruis said:

There is an appliance store chain here in the Twin Cities that has an annual "Grill Fest" sale on all grills.  Its the first week of May every spring.  They are all 10% off, you get free assembly, free delivery, free haul away of the old grill, and $50 worth of gift cards for No Name food products.  I have the 3 burner Spirit model.  My brother has the Genesis one.  Its more expensive and bigger.

I’m leaning toward another Weber, the 3 burner Spirit. I have no issue with Weber, they put out a good product. 
To repair/rebuild a propane grill is not hard to do. But if you are not able to a Weber is pretty expensive to put curbside prematurely. 

[TOXIC]

My home grilling setup is a propane for everyday and a Masterbuilt Smoker for special days.  My house is on a cliff in the forest with a small pond and 2 streams behind it.  We are under a canopy of 100 foot trees and have a very severe problem with high humidity, moss, lichens and mold.  Every grill I have bought totally disintegrates the guts in 2 years.  Some I can rebuild, some I can’t.  I brought a cast iron offset firebox, double barrel smoker/grill that was pristine after me using it for 2 years in Florida back home and within 1 year it rusted to the ground. Went to my daughters the other night and planned on doing some old fashioned charcoal grilled chicken and discovered she hadn’t unloaded the 20 year old Weber Kettle charcoal grill we had given her, so I dug around and found an old grill in the barn.  After some creative repair and evicting the 10 hornet nests and burning a 1,000 degree fire to sanitize the grates and scrape all of the old grease off, we did some of my favorite old school barbecue chicken.  My daughter had some friends over that we also fed and after we left, they told my daughter that was the best bbq chicken they had ever eaten.  Made me feel good. 

[TnRiver46]

18 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

My home grilling setup is a propane for everyday and a Masterbuilt Smoker for special days.  My house is on a cliff in the forest with a small pond and 2 streams behind it.  We are under a canopy of 100 foot trees and have a very severe problem with high humidity, moss, lichens and mold.  Every grill I have bought totally disintegrates the guts in 2 years.  Some I can rebuild, some I can’t.  I brought a cast iron offset firebox, double barrel smoker/grill that was pristine after me using it for 2 years in Florida back home and within 1 year it rusted to the ground. Went to my daughters the other night and planned on doing some old fashioned charcoal grilled chicken and discovered she hadn’t unloaded the 20 year old Weber Kettle charcoal grill we had given her, so I dug around and found an old grill in the barn.  After some creative repair and evicting the 10 hornet nests and burning a 1,000 degree fire to sanitize the grates and scrape all of the old grease off, we did some of my favorite old school barbecue chicken.  My daughter had some friends over that we also fed and after we left, they told my daughter that was the best bbq chicken they had ever eaten.  Made me feel good. 

Lemme hold a leg 

[PourMyOwn]

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

You can make those burners last a little longer by poking out all the holes with a thin nail or piece of wire. It does take way longer than driving to Home Depot and getting more burners tho haha

Guitar strings work too- I also use them to snake carb jets.  

[Choporoz]

I got my first gas grill two years ago.  Had always been a charcoal guy. New house had line from gas right to the deck, so I figured I'd get a gas capable Weber Spirit and join the gas crowd.  I have not had one perfectly satisfactory grilling experience since.  I wonder if maybe I should try a propane tank before I give up on the gas grill altogether.  I was thrilled about the convenience of hooking into gas line, but the heat is low and uneven. 

[BrianMDTX]

4 hours ago, Spankey said:

I’ve seen them at Home Depot or Lowe’s. They have a lot of models. I have not looked at reviews on them. But I don’t trust all reviews. Sometimes you just have to try for yourself. 

That’s where I got it. Less than $300.00. Already assembled. It truly surprised me. It lit faster than the gas stove in the house.  Very even flames front to back. Did a great job. Time will tell, of course. 
 

Does anyone make gas grills using lava rocks anymore? ??

[Spankey]

1 minute ago, BrianMDTX said:

That’s where I got it. Less than $300.00. Already assembled. It truly surprised me. It lit faster than the gas stove in the house.  Very even flames front to back. Did a great job. Time will tell, of course. 
 

Does anyone make gas grills using lava rocks anymore? ??

Good luck with it. We were just talking about the lava rocks the other day. I swear those old thing had a nice even heat. They might be a thing of the past. 

[Spankey]

2 hours ago, TOXIC said:

My home grilling setup is a propane for everyday and a Masterbuilt Smoker for special days.  My house is on a cliff in the forest with a small pond and 2 streams behind it.  We are under a canopy of 100 foot trees and have a very severe problem with high humidity, moss, lichens and mold.  Every grill I have bought totally disintegrates the guts in 2 years.  Some I can rebuild, some I can’t.  I brought a cast iron offset firebox, double barrel smoker/grill that was pristine after me using it for 2 years in Florida back home and within 1 year it rusted to the ground. Went to my daughters the other night and planned on doing some old fashioned charcoal grilled chicken and discovered she hadn’t unloaded the 20 year old Weber Kettle charcoal grill we had given her, so I dug around and found an old grill in the barn.  After some creative repair and evicting the 10 hornet nests and burning a 1,000 degree fire to sanitize the grates and scrape all of the old grease off, we did some of my favorite old school barbecue chicken.  My daughter had some friends over that we also fed and after we left, they told my daughter that was the best bbq chicken they had ever eaten.  Made me feel good. 

Are properties are not identical but up here in PA I’m under a canopy of 100-130 foot oaks and hickorys. Have the humidity, moss and mold. I get pretty good air flow under them. Years ago I took off most of my lower limbs. 
 

That Char-Griller sure looks familiar. Mine is a beast as well. A yard bird cooking machine. Like to have 10 cents for every piece that came off of it. Found a broom handle out in front of the house a couple of weeks ago and made a new handle for mine. 
 

Not sure if you tried it yet, I’ve been using the Blues Hogs BBQ sauce and liking it. Never got into making my own. I’ve tried them all. I basically like them all honestly. 

My daughters and son-in-laws use these Treager smokers. Stuff does come out great. Good brisket. Smoking is not my strong point. My side smoker box for the Char-Griller works great for thick cut pork chops. 

[J Francho]

Most of my gas grills were second hand and rebuilt by my oldest son. I've been rocking a basic Weber kettle charcoal grill for about 10 years now tho. I replaced the grate this spring and put a rubber foot for a crutch on the leg. Darn thing will last another decade I figure. 

[Spankey]

2 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Most of my gas grills were second hand and rebuilt by my oldest son. I've been rocking a basic Weber kettle charcoal grill for about 10 years now tho. I replaced the grate this spring and put a rubber foot for a crutch on the leg. Darn thing will last another decade I figure. 

My neighbor has always been a gas Griller. Earlier in the year his wife came home with the Weber Kettle with the a custom color on it. She’s alway out there doing something different on it. Trying different mfgs of charcoals. Experimenting with direct and indirect heating. Cooking around the edges with it. She’s having a good time with it for sure. They last forever.