Stainless Steel Charcoal Baskets

[mcdev]

My Weber charcoal baskets have served me well for about ten years, but they are now rusting/burning through.  I use them about twice a week, they are kept outside and I live near the ocean, they have held up well.  I am looking to replace them and some "heavy duty" stainless steel options caught my eye.  Does any have any experience with them?  Are they worth the added cost?  Thanks!

[Easy]

I would be interested in this type of info as I am in the market for another set of baskets.

My Weber charcoal baskets have served me well for about ten years, but they are now rusting/burning through.  I use them about twice a week, they are kept outside and I live near the ocean, they have held up well.  I am looking to replace them and some "heavy duty" stainless steel options caught my eye.  Does any have any experience with them?  Are they worth the added cost?  Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G991U using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[Darko]

If you got 10 yrs out of a set of baskets, is it really worth  spending the extra money for stainless?

[HoosierKettle]

If you got 10 yrs out of a set of baskets, is it really worth  spending the extra money for stainless?

My thoughts exactly! 


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club

[mcdev]

If you got 10 yrs out of a set of baskets, is it really worth  spending the extra money for stainless?

That is a fair and reasonable question: One that I have asked myself a few times.  The stainless ones are about $10 more than the regular ones, not that I am looking to spend money needlessly, but if they lasted 15 years instead of 10, that would be worthwhile.

[Darko]

So, if Weber Baskets are 20 bucks and last 10yrs, and you get the stainless ones for 10 more which is 30 bucks and they last 15yrs, your net spend per year is the same....2 bucks a year.

[Darko]

Overall, I think it would be good to know what options you have; Weber vs stainless.

I have the option of new Weber for 21.99.  Onlyfire stainless at 29.99 , Stanbroil  stainless at 21.99 and GFTIME stainless at 30.99.

This is all from Amazon.ca in Canadian dollars.

[mcdev]

Overall, I think it would be good to know what options you have; Weber vs stainless.

I have the option of new Weber for 21.99.  Onlyfire stainless at 29.99 , Stanbroil  stainless at 21.99 and GFTIME stainless at 30.99.

This is all from Amazon.ca in Canadian dollars.

Good points.  Amazon here in the US: Weber $19.99, Onlyfire stainless $24.29 with a 10% off promtion today, and then some other random named brands for between $24 and $29.  The Onlyfire is looking decent for the $4.30 premium over Weber, they are also curved to better fit the kettle shape and don't have the cutouts on the front, which is where my current ones are rusting/burning through. 

[mcdev]

Correction: I took a closer look and the Onlyfire ones do have the cutouts on the front.

[JEBIV]

Weber for the money and the win in my humble opinion

[bamakettles]

If I lived in a beach environment, I'd opt for SS.  But I tend to go with SS grates and accessories when the option is there, worth the money in my opinion.  That being said, I do have and use Weber charcoal baskets - currently using a set that came in a used kettle/rotisserie setup I bought for cheap.  They are rusty and I spray them with canola oil before and after use and will probably last for years.  I'd say it's your personal choice - just like cooking with a set of All Clad SS cookware that's heavy and expensive and will last forever or a set from Target that will get the job done for less $$ and may rust and need replacing. 

I also have SNS SS baskets and the SS slow n sear which is much like a basket, only larger that both work well and will outlast me for sure.  They're pricey though.

[MANCHAS2020]

My SlowNSear Plus has replaced the use of Weber Charcoal holders that came with my Weber Grill over the last five(5) years.

[mcdev]

If I lived in a beach environment, I'd opt for SS.  But I tend to go with SS grates and accessories when the option is there, worth the money in my opinion.  That being said, I do have and use Weber charcoal baskets - currently using a set that came in a used kettle/rotisserie setup I bought for cheap.  They are rusty and I spray them with canola oil before and after use and will probably last for years.  I'd say it's your personal choice - just like cooking with a set of All Clad SS cookware that's heavy and expensive and will last forever or a set from Target that will get the job done for less $$ and may rust and need replacing. 

I also have SNS SS baskets and the SS slow n sear which is much like a basket, only larger that both work well and will outlast me for sure.  They're pricey though.

The canola oil trick never occurred to me; it seems like a great idea.  If I go with the regular Weber baskets, I'll definitely do that.  Thanks.

[HoosierKettle]

Are we spraying old charcoal baskets with canola oil now? LOL.  That’s a new level of grill OCD.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club

[bamakettles]

Are we spraying old charcoal baskets with canola oil now? LOL.  That’s a new level of grill OCD.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club

Yes, admittedly OCD down here LOL.... I used to clean the cooking grates after each cook back to the silver new shine before I said "F it".  It was a major breakthrough for me.  ; )