New Blackstone Stainless Panels Already Rusting

WeberWho

Does anyone else have a 36" stainless Blackstone that's starting to rust? I'm not talking the actual griddle but the side panels. My Blackstone is maybe 3 months old and has been babied. Always stored indoors and never seen a drop of rain. Somehow it has managed to start rusting already. Blackstone has a 1 year warranty. I'm going to email them and see what their thoughts are on it. 

No issues on my stainless 18" Blackstone that's going on a couple years old. 

Has anyone else gone through warranty claims with Blackstone before? If so how did it go? 

Here's a few pics of the rust starting

bgebrent

No bueno.  I know they sent @DoubleEgger a new unit when his failed.  You should expect the same.

DoubleEgger

More than likely, it’s just cheap 400 series stainless that is going to rust over time. Check it with a magnet, if it sticks, it’ll rust. 

There’s a reason 304 and 316 stainless products are so expensive. 

littlerascal56

I would request a new one.  That’s just not right!

Canugghead

DoubleEgger said:

More than likely, it’s just cheap 400 series stainless that is going to rust over time. Check it with a magnet, if it sticks, it’ll rust. 

There’s a reason 304 and 316 stainless products are so expensive. 

I used to take the magnet test as gospel, but not so sure any more after observing the following: 
1) Broil King gasser's stainless cooking grid does not stick to magnet, but the more expensive and supposedly better Weber's ss grid sticks 
2) La Piazza pizza oven (made in PRC) does not stick to magnet, but the Italian made Fontana at double the price sticks 

nolaegghead

looks like that's rust from somewhere else that dried, maybe mixed with fat, on the SS

nolaegghead

try some oven cleaner.  it will remove it.  if the surface underneath is rough, it is rust.  if not, rusty grease.

WeberWho

Thanks guys. I thought it was maybe some grease at first. I ran my finger over a couple different areas of the rust and it has eaten away at the stainless. 

Hopefully Blackstone can make it right. I like the product. Especially the new griddle top with the drain in the back. So it's not a complete flop by purchasing this griddle. 

I'll let you guys know what I hear from Blackstone. I'll email them Sunday evening as I imagine they have typical business hours. 

WeberWho

I just received an email back from Blackstone for the rusting issue. 

Blackstone answer: CLR

"We don't cover rust. Use some CLR on it and that will fix the issue".

I'm sorry but I've spent $650+ on Blackstone products and you've sent me a product that is rusting that is months old. CLR isn't the correct answer. 

I've sent them another email back telling them that this isn't acceptable and that this is a Blackstone issue not a customers. 

Photo Egg

WeberWho said:

I just received an email back from Blackstone for the rusting issue. 

Blackstone answer: CLR

"We don't cover rust. Use some CLR on it and that will fix the issue".

I'm sorry but I've spent $650+ on Blackstone products and you've sent me a product that is rusting that is months old. CLR isn't the correct answer. 

I've sent them another email back telling them that this isn't acceptable and that this is a Blackstone issue not a customers. 

I understand your frustration but at the price point they sell these it's not going to be high grade stainless. Living on the Gulf Coast I guess I just expect all but the high dollar stainless stuff to rust. I know this before I even buy stuff. Like my BGE Bands and Nest. They get terrible in a short time.
Sorry they are not helping you. Seems like their CS has been pretty good in the past.

WeberWho

Photo Egg said:

WeberWho said:

I just received an email back from Blackstone for the rusting issue. 

Blackstone answer: CLR

"We don't cover rust. Use some CLR on it and that will fix the issue".

I'm sorry but I've spent $650+ on Blackstone products and you've sent me a product that is rusting that is months old. CLR isn't the correct answer. 

I've sent them another email back telling them that this isn't acceptable and that this is a Blackstone issue not a customers. 

I understand your frustration but at the price point they sell these it's not going to be high grade stainless. Living on the Gulf Coast I guess I just expect all but the high dollar stainless stuff to rust. I know this before I even buy stuff. Like my BGE Bands and Nest. They get terrible in a short time.
Sorry they are not helping you. Seems like their CS has been pretty good in the past.

I completely understand but only months old and best weather Minnesota sees all year. Stored in garage when not in use. It's only going to get worse. Hard to see how that's okay to pass off to the consumer and if they know it starts to rust within days of ownership. I assumed it would eventually rust but not within 3 months. Definitely frustrating...

bgebrent

BS customer service opportunity. Hopefully they get it right. 

paqman

Bar keepers friend will take care of that.  That’s what i’ve been using on my SS table for years.  It looks like surface rust to me 🤷‍♂️

I apply a product that contains mineral oil on my table after removing surface rust.  It gives it a nice shine and added protection for a little while.

I just got one of the cheaper 28 inches ones and love it so far.  I regret not getting the newer ones with the included hard cover and storage cabinet but I’m in Canada and that wasn’t available...

What do you guys use to prevent water from pooling on the soft cover?

WeberWho

bgebrent said:

BS customer service opportunity. Hopefully they get it right. 

I hope so. I really like their products. So it gets a little frustrating when they try to pass off their inferior product to the customer and say it's their responsibility now. Hopefully they can see this is an issue. Not just for me but in general. 

WeberWho

paqman said:

Bar keepers friend will take care of that.  That’s what i’ve been using on my SS table for years.  It looks like surface rust to me 🤷‍♂️

I apply a product that contains mineral oil on my table after removing surface rust.  It gives it a nice shine and added protection for a little while.

I just got one of the cheaper 28 inches ones and love it so far.  I regret not getting the newer ones with the included hard cover and storage cabinet but I’m in Canada and that wasn’t available...

What do you guys use to prevent water from pooling on the soft cover?

Thanks for the tips paqman

WeberWho

I received an email back this morning from Blackstone. The technician said, "I understand where you're coming from". He's going to talk with his supervisor and see what they can do. He will get back to me next week. 

Hopefully they can see my concern and I hear something positive.  I brought my wifes vehicle into the dealership last fall and had them look at some rust bubbling in a pocket of the tailgate where water tends to build up under the spolier. The dealership admitted that it was a design flaw, took responsibility, and had a plan of it being replaced before we walked out the door. Something I'll remember for future purchases. 

I wish it was this simple with Blackstone. Never imagined I'd have an easier time replacing 1.5-2k worth of warranty on a vehicle than I would a griddle. Tells you something about the company and how they handle issues. Hopefully Blackstone comes in clutch for the customer and sees the overall issue with the product. We shall see....

SonVolt

It's kinda hard to get mad a Blackstone b/c you go into it knowing you're not getting a quality product. You're getting a solid griddle at a particularly low price-point.  

For what it's worth, I have high grade stainless for all my outdoor appliances and I still get an occasional spot of surface rust. Typically it's something ELSE that has corroded on the surface, not the stainless itself. Bar Keepers Friend will take it right off. 

thetrim

No offense, but they probably know with your skills, you could rehab it and have it 10x better than new in a single weekend.

:-)

Photo Egg

SonVolt said:

It kinda hard to get mad a Blackstone b/c you go into it knowing you're not getting a quality product. You're getting a solid griddle at a particularly low price-point.  

For what it's worth, I have high grade stainless for all my outdoor appliances and I still get an occasional spot of surface rust. Typically it's something ELSE that has corroded on the surface, not the stainless itself. Bar Keepers Friend will take it right off. 

I have a very small high end $2000 gasser in my BBQ Island. It gets surface rust. I have to keep it clean and coated on a regular basis. Which sucks because I have only used it twice. Even stainless needs maintenance and it really shows compared to a darker surface. I just expected my stainless Blackstone to rust and it has. 

TEXASBGE2018

Prior to selling mine it did that. Stainless Steel cleaner took it off. The SS looks way nicer than the black finish but you gotta deal with this kinda stuff. That's part of the reason I sold my 36" SS and bought the 22". I didn't need that kinda space so it made sense. I didn't like having to wipe down the entire Blackstone after each cook to prevent this. Let us all know the outcome

buzd504

You should just take it back to Costco.

WeberWho

SonVolt said:

It's kinda hard to get mad a Blackstone b/c you go into it knowing you're not getting a quality product. You're getting a solid griddle at a particularly low price-point.  

For what it's worth, I have high grade stainless for all my outdoor appliances and I still get an occasional spot of surface rust. Typically it's something ELSE that has corroded on the surface, not the stainless itself. Bar Keepers Friend will take it right off. 

I knew it wasn't going to be perfect but it hasn't seen any harsh weather conditions and stored indoors. I would understand the upkeep if kept outdoors and seen something other than perfect conditions and weeks old. I have 5-6 areas rusting in perfect weather. I'm concerned what it would be like after seeing some serious use and winters here in Minnesota. It's partially my fault for upgrading to the stainless but I can't take full blame for a product that is rusting straight out of the box. 

I'm probably making it a bigger issue than what it is but hate seeing my hard earned money rusting away with a product with very little use. 

WeberWho

thetrim said:

No offense, but they probably know with your skills, you could rehab it and have it 10x better than new in a single weekend.

:-)

You're too nice thetrim! I wish I had half the skill others have here on the forum. 

speed51133

FYI, any stainless will rust if it comes in contact with mild steel. Even turning a 316 SS nut with a mild steel wrench can put micro deposits of mild steel on the SS that seed rust. Keeping the SS clean and not in contact with any mild steel, like steel wool for example, from manufacturing through distribution and installation is important if a small fleck of rust is going to be a concern. 

for this reason welders keep a dedicated stainless wire brush for cleaning off material for welding prep. If you use it on mild steel it will cause contamination of the weld.

WeberWho

Photo Egg said:

SonVolt said:

It kinda hard to get mad a Blackstone b/c you go into it knowing you're not getting a quality product. You're getting a solid griddle at a particularly low price-point.  

For what it's worth, I have high grade stainless for all my outdoor appliances and I still get an occasional spot of surface rust. Typically it's something ELSE that has corroded on the surface, not the stainless itself. Bar Keepers Friend will take it right off. 

I have a very small high end $2000 gasser in my BBQ Island. It gets surface rust. I have to keep it clean and coated on a regular basis. Which sucks because I have only used it twice. Even stainless needs maintenance and it really shows compared to a darker surface. I just expected my stainless Blackstone to rust and it has. 

I'm probably making it more of an issue than what it is. My black Blackstone is 3-4 years old and it looked like new when passing it onto my sister in law. Weeks later my stainless Blackstone is full of rust and has only 5 cooks on it. Should have known better and frustrating to know Blackstone sells these things knowing that is going to become rust bucket in a few weeks of ownership and now it's the consumers issue. That's what makes me want to say something to Blackstone. 

WeberWho

TEXASBGE2018 said:

Prior to selling mine it did that. Stainless Steel cleaner took it off. The SS looks way nicer than the black finish but you gotta deal with this kinda stuff. That's part of the reason I sold my 36" SS and bought the 22". I didn't need that kinda space so it made sense. I didn't like having to wipe down the entire Blackstone after each cook to prevent this. Let us all know the outcome

I'm glad you like your 22" Blackstone. I have the 18" Blackstone in stainless. That thing gets used and abused weekly feeding my softball team. Not a lick of rust on it.

fishlessman

speed51133 said:

FYI, any stainless will rust if it comes in contact with mild steel. Even turning a 316 SS nut with a mild steel wrench can put micro deposits of mild steel on the SS that seed rust. Keeping the SS clean and not in contact with any mild steel, like steel wool for example, from manufacturing through distribution and installation is important if a small fleck of rust is going to be a concern. 

for this reason welders keep a dedicated stainless wire brush for cleaning off material for welding prep. If you use it on mild steel it will cause contamination of the weld.

this happens often

also, if an abrasive sponge is used on the griddle top then used on the ss, steel contamination can also occur.  mine has no rust, its greasy as hell

WeberWho

buzd504 said:

You should just take it back to Costco.

Maybe I'll just push it off my truck bed in Costco parking lot and drive away. 

WeberWho

speed51133 said:

FYI, any stainless will rust if it comes in contact with mild steel. Even turning a 316 SS nut with a mild steel wrench can put micro deposits of mild steel on the SS that seed rust. Keeping the SS clean and not in contact with any mild steel, like steel wool for example, from manufacturing through distribution and installation is important if a small fleck of rust is going to be a concern. 

for this reason welders keep a dedicated stainless wire brush for cleaning off material for welding prep. If you use it on mild steel it will cause contamination of the weld.

Thanks for the explanation. It's only the panels that are rusting. Which is strange as nothing comes in contact with those areas. I'm careful when wheeling it in and out of the garage as I don't want to scrape it up and cause potential rust. I assumed I'd see rust issues on the legs or base but I haven't seen any issues other than the panels. 

DoubleEgger

I wouldn’t worry about it. The stainless is going to bow anyway... 

Photo Egg

DoubleEgger said:

I wouldn’t worry about it. The stainless is going to bow anyway... 

Those panels are just about the thinest metal I have ever seen used in this manner.