Fire Grate Replacement - Large BGE

Carolina Q · June 2016

My OEM fire grate is almost 7 years old and has been on it's last legs for a while now. Went out to fire it up last night and discovered a rather large pile of lump UNDER the grate. Not just the usual ash, but smaller chunks of lump. A good sized chunk of the grate had finally broken off, making it impossible to keep the lump where it is supposed to be.

So, I removed all the lump, then the original grate, bless it's heart, then even the fire ring and broken fire box. Cleaned all the crap out (a rare occurrence!) and put it all back together with a Weber Smokey Joe charcoal grate. Perfect fit. Same idea as the High Que grate, but thinner wire and it's not stainless. But it's also $7, not $35!! And it's FAR from the $60 cost of a KAB! I don't know how long it will last, but Weber's warranty is for two years. I have a 25 year old kettle and I think I may have replaced the charcoal grate once! Will a High Que last 5 times longer? Will I last 5 times longer?!

So... last night, after installing the Weber grate, I lit 'er up to cook chicken and roast some potatoes. I have always been happy enough with my OEM grate, and I'm not ready to claim a miracle after one cook... but wow, the egg got to temp faster and stabilized more easily (@400°) than I ever remember before. And no wiggle rod needed. This evening, I stirred last night's lump to see whether or not the relatively flimsy grate (compared to the heavier cast iron original) was going to flop all over the place or not. It did not. The only issue I found so far is the small chunks of lump that were laying, unburned, on the bottom below the grate. I have always raked out the ash after every 2-3 cooks - and that's all there was... ASH. This will possibly need cleaning out more often. Then again, maybe I can just leave it there and let it ignite on it's own. Regardless, if getting to and controlling temp is going to be this much better, cleanout may be a small price to pay. And I sure was pleased with the first cook!

Jstroke · June 2016

I don't think you are seeing things. I think you simply get better airflow. I don't think it will last as long, but for 7.00 bucks I wouldn't even bother with the warranty unless that's easy.

Carolina Q · June 2016

LOL, I wasn't concerned with the warranty. Just pointing it out as that's how long Weber will cover it for. Which means... it'll probably last even longer!

Jstroke · June 2016

LOL that's probably true.

bigbadben · June 2016

I have done the same thing. The charcoal grate will warp and bent quickly. I have seen some people get two and wire them together at 90 degree angles.

I do think the hique will last 7 times longer.

Carolina Q · June 2016

Yep, I've heard of the double arrangement, even with the high que. Not to make either last longer, just to prevent lump from falling through. But $70 for two High Ques?! That's worse than the KAB!!!!!

For the moment, the Weber was what I happened to have on hand. I'll see how long it lasts and go from there.

Carolina Q · June 2016

Ok, cook number two on the Weber fire grate. It is GRATE!!!

Up to temp in no time. If it lasts a while I'm good. If not so long, I'll buy a High Que. Performance should be pretty much identical. And I REALLY like the performance!!!

Tony_T · June 2016

You can also get a SS fire grate from http://michaelscustomgrillworks.com/products.htm

SmokinTiger81 · June 2016

I have Hi que grate and love it. Whatever lump falls through mostly ends up burning in the bottom

McStew · June 2016

Some might say $21.95 for a bag of lump is expensive. In my eyes the HiQ and KAB are well worth the money just like a good bag of lump.

Jeremiah · June 2016

KAB. You won't regret it.

Jupiter Jim · June 2016

We always have he Dollar store option! Just makes me wonder why we bought a Big Green Egg only to equip it with the Dollar store options????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

blasting · June 2016

Agreed on the performance. The stock grate really chokes it down.

The thing I like about the KAB is the ability to remove lump. I keep a bucket of used lump for when I want to fire up and go quick. KAB makes this easy.

KAB, Smokeware cap, and Rutland gasket should be standard issue with the egg.

Eggcelsior · June 2016

Michael, just flip the grate over every so often, and it will bow back in the other direction. If you'd like, I have an extra expanded steel grate I could let you have.

Carolina Q · June 2016

Jupiter Jim said:

We always have he Dollar store option! Just makes me wonder why we bought a Big Green Egg only to equip it with the Dollar store options????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

@Jupiter Jim , I don't know why you bought an egg, Jim. I bought one so I could enjoy the good food, not so I could see how much I could spend on accessories. So, you're saying that anyone who is able to afford an egg is forevermore required to buy the darling products of the forum or risk ridicule? Sorry, I didn't know. I broke that mold on day one.

And for the record, I hate dollar stores.

Eggcelsior said:

Michael, just flip the grate over every so often, and it will bow back in the other direction. If you'd like, I have an extra expanded steel grate I could let you have.

@Eggcelsior, thanks for the tip. And the offer, but it's not necessary. If my $10 option doesn't last long, I'll just buy a High Que grate.

lousubcap · June 2016

Great audible right there. I haven't had the LBGE OEM grate failure yet but will definitely go that route should it happen. Thanks for the heads-up.

Jupiter Jim · June 2016

Carolina Q said:

Jupiter Jim said:

We always have he Dollar store option! Just makes me wonder why we bought a Big Green Egg only to equip it with the Dollar store options????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

@Jupiter Jim , I don't know why you bought an egg, Jim. I bought one so I could enjoy the good food, not so I could see how much I could spend on accessories. So, you're saying that anyone who is able to afford an egg is forevermore required to buy the darling products of the forum or risk ridicule? Sorry, I didn't know. I broke that mold on day one.

And for the record, I hate dollar stores.

Eggcelsior said:

Michael, just flip the grate over every so often, and it will bow back in the other direction. If you'd like, I have an extra expanded steel grate I could let you have.

@Eggcelsior, thanks for the tip. And the offer, but it's not necessary. If my $10 option doesn't last long, I'll just buy a High Que grate.

I did not say everyone that has bought an Egg needs to have every high dollar in your opinion accessory, you said that. You are very frugal and that's OK with me. I bought my Egg for the same reasons as you. I just will never like it when you are putting other options down and you have never had them and in your world are not good options because of the cost. I have Hi Q and Kick Ash Baskets, they are both great products as is your option for a very low cost fire grate. When you have tested other products then you will have a first hand experience with the product and have a real world opinion based on real product review, like you now have with your current fire grate. Just don't think you should make it sound like other product are bad based what you think is to much money. I wish you no harm and I'm very happy that you are happy with your fire grate choices.

Fire Grate Replacement - Large BGE

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