A confession: Despite the fact that I’ve just finished twocookbooksdevoted togrillingand smoking—and I habitually clean my grill before every cook—I hadn’t really given grill brushes (as in the wide scope of styles and possibilities) a lot of thought. A couple years ago, when I dove into recipe development for my cookbook with Food52,Any Night Grilling, I dashed out to my local hardware store and grabbed a moderately-priced brush that appeared to be functional. It worked well enough, so I hit the ground running and didn’t look back. I suspect I’m not alone here.
Since then, I’ve geeked out on plenty of barbecue-centric details—like smoking beans four different ways, and the nuances of cooking with, say, olive wood versus almond wood—but cleaning tools wasn’t among them. And kind of like avoiding Fox News, I remained blissfully unaware of random hazards likediscovering metal tines in food(more on that later).
All that changed when Epicurious reached out with this assignment, and a dozen or so varieties arrived in the mail. After test driving all of them, I discovered the diverse array of styles and promised attributes on the market, potential safety hazards, and so forth. Needless to say, I’ve added a new layer of consideration to my grilling regime: the very best tool for keeping my cooker clean.
My favorite brushes for clean grill grates are listed directly below. For more about the testing process and what to look for in a grill brush, scroll to the bottom of the page.
Best All-Around Grill Brush: BBQ-Aid Grill Brush
At first glance, there aren’t many bells and whistles about this brush, though the ergonomic, 16-inch wooden handle (long enough to use two hands for satisfying back-and-forth cleaning) was immediately appealing. Upon using it, I loved the flared brush that covers a broad surface of the cooking grid, and stainless steel bristles that are durable, but flexible enough to sink into the grates, cleaning both the top and sides. In short, it’s a satisfying scrub that delivers clean results. I asked my neighbor, a fellow grilling enthusiast, to give it a spin and he responded, “Simple design, efficient, and well-thought-through. No nonsense.” It’s inexpensive, and the brush I’ll reach for most often.
Best Alternative for the Obsessive: Grill Floss
Let’s face it, most of us don’t floss our teeth as often as we should—is it reasonable to give your grill a similarly meticulous attention? If your answer to this is "Yes!", and "I floss two times a day, thank you very much!" I have the tool for you. Dubbed as “the ultimate grill cleaning tool,” Grill Floss is a stainless steel rod that cleans all sides of round grill grates. First, you tailor the adjustable head to fit snugly around the grate, then use a back and forth motion (rotating the rod to clean all sides) to shave off past gunk. You can use to tool on a hot or cold grill, before or after cooking (or both). The tool promises to save you “tons of money on brushes and scour pads,” but I’m not sure that’s a pressing concern for most backyard pitmasters? Then again, if you’re spending loads of money on cleaning tools—you’ve found your match!
Best Brush for Safety-First Grillers: GrillBadger
If you equate wire bristles with an emergency waiting to happen, The Badger brush is for you. It’s strong and durable, and made from all natural biodegradable materials (no plastic) with naturally stiff and abrasive Palmyra bristles (stiff fibers from India palms) instead of the metal tines that you find on most of the commonly available grill brushes. What’s more, the bristles actually absorb oils as you clean and become seasoned, which will help your grill surface stay seasoned too. A metal scraper attachment helps shave off debris. The Badger brush cleans best when your grill is slightly hot, but don’t use it over direct flames—the bristles are heat resistant, but they can catch fire.
A Note on Grill Brushes vs. Scrapers
As a general overview, grill brushes tend to fall into two categories: scrapers and brushes. As the names implies, the former relies on a metal or wooden tool to scrape burnt-on debris off your grill grates. Brushes include a range brushes (metal or natural fibers) or coils attached to handles of varying lengths that allow you to clean a grill in a back-and-forth movement. The goal in both cases is removing charred-on debris and potential carcinogens that make food unhealthy and give it a range of sooty, unpleasant flavors. There are benefits to both models that ultimately might depend on your preference. My routine is to carefully wipe down a hot grill with a paper towel, brush it thoroughly, and then follow up with a damp grill rag or a paper towel dipped in oil.
