The cooking grate on mine rusts like crazy and I practically have to sand it everytime I use it. I do not store it outside either. It has never seen a drop of rain. Is this normal, is there a chance mine was not seasoned properly? The cooking grate on mine rusts like crazy and I practically have to sand it everytime I use it. I do not store it outside either. It has never seen a drop of rain. Is this normal, is there a... » Read More The cooking grate on mine rusts like crazy and I practically have to sand it everytime I use it. I do not store it outside either. It has never seen a drop of rain. Is this normal, is there a chance mine was not seasoned properly? « Show Less
832816
Buy some lard at the grocery store and re-season them by puting them in your oven for about an hour at 350. Should cure the problem.
832817
I just buy a new grate every season (no pun intended) from Lodge. Costs about a sawbuck with shipping. Every 3rd year I buy a new grill because Amazon always has them about 1/3rd off (~67 bucks) a couple times a year as it is at the time of this posting. I love the grill and use it almost daily every summer and keep it in the garage "off season" but the grill top always rusts and I don't want to deal with constant seasoning after every use. Makes it too much work. It's cheap enough to replace the top for me. All the time (and oil) saved is worth it.
832818
its possible it wasnt seasoned properly use more oil after u get done scrapeing it after cooking oil while still hot so it penatrates the cast iron
832819
After cleaning the grate thouroughly coat the grate with lard and bake in the oven at 450 for about 30 minutes never use soap and only clean the grate with a wire brush after it has gotten very hot during the next use. wipe it down with a wade of aluminum foil as the scrubber.
832820
I've left mine outside for the past 6 years - sometimes with lodge's awful leaky coverthe polymerized oils from "seasoning" will burn off from the intense heat that charcoal puts out. no way around it. also, heat accelerates the rate at which rust forms. also no way around this. don't worry about it not being seasoned.just cook on it. charred food bits cover the rust very very quickly.
832821
We don't use ours very often so I had to go see if it was ok-we just bought and had only used once. However, it is fine. I greased it up just like I do my iron skillet after use before putting away. I happened to have some non-stick spray that I drowned it in! We store in the basement. I did see a couple tiny spots that rubbed right off-which was probably a spot I just didn't saturate well. The last time we used it was the last week of August-so that is how long it has been stored in the basement. Hope this helps............
832822
As with any cast iron you need to put a layer of oil on it after you use it. Never use soap just hot water to clean it and then the oil. Just wipe a little vegetable oil on with a paper towel.
368839
I will generously rub vegetable oil over the entire grate while hot every time it looks dry. I would suggest doing this before you use it for the first time. This keeps the grates conditioned and rust free. If you do this to any cast iron cooking surface it is very easy to clean. I use a cheap Dollar General grill brush. Works great. This grill is a little pricey for the size but I love it and I think you will too. Hope this helps.
947007
As long as you keep it seasoned well, it does not rust. I usually wash it with hot water and oil it right after cooking. No rust so far. But I really hate the bottom turned to round instead of flat.
2054406
I'm surprised a cast iron skillet had that problem! I have not had an issue with mine since I got it in December. I even used it in the oven a. It's been even cooking for me since the day I've used it.
250081
Since the grill is cast iron, it will rust unless it isseasoned. Which means you have to cook on some vegetable oil. Unfortunately I didn't realize this right off, and pop goes the rusty. I knew about seasoning, but for whatever reason it never popped into me head to do it.
18338
I usually cover it if it's raining but other than that I have had it a couple years now and just noticed the bowl starting to rust. I think that can be fix though. It is the only part that has rusted.
94677
Thanks Marc. I live north of Kansas City--also an area of lots of high humidity. I just hate to spend the extra $50 for stainless steel grates (I don't believe they will cook any better) just to avoid a rust issue if not necessary.
1356854
When I owned one, I would line it with foil before inserting the charcoal. When I was finished cooking, everything was allowed to cool. The foil was removed and the coals went into a metal bucket for safety. As soon as the metal of the grill was cool enough to handle, it was taken apart, cleaned in the sink and allowed to dry. I left it outside for a few days without thinking, and it quickly rusted and succumbed to the elements. Instead of cleaning it up from there, I discarded it like a foolish person. I truly will not be without another versatile, easy to use and store barbeque. It easily cooks 4 chicken leg quarters, 4 hamburger patties or a package of sausages / hot dogs at the same time. When I owned one, I would line it with foil before inserting the charcoal. When I was finished cooking, everything was allowed to cool. The foil was removed and the coals went into a metal bucket for safety. As soon as the metal of the grill was cool enough to handle, it was taken apart, cleaned in the sink and allowed to dry. I left it outside for a few days without thinking, and it quickly rusted and succumbed to the elements. Instead of cleaning it up from there, I discarded it like a foolish person. I truly will not be without another versatile, easy to use and store barbeque. It easily... » Read More When I owned one, I would line it with foil before inserting the charcoal. When I was finished cooking, everything was allowed to cool. The foil was removed and the coals went into a metal bucket for safety. As soon as the metal of the grill was cool enough to handle, it was taken apart, cleaned in the sink and allowed to dry. I left it outside for a few days without thinking, and it quickly rusted and succumbed to the elements. Instead of cleaning it up from there, I discarded it like a foolish person. I truly will not be without another versatile, easy to use and store barbeque. It easily cooks 4 chicken leg quarters, 4 hamburger patties or a package of sausages / hot dogs at the same time. « Show Less
1094563
I season ours like all our other cast iron cookware: completely scour it, dry it, heat it a little, apply light coat of flaxseed oil, and place in a 500 degree kitchen oven for an hour, let cool in the oven, then repeat the heat, oil, bake, cool 4-5x. My grate is outside a beach house 200' back from the ocean where EVERYTHING rusts. But this grate, it's lasted 7 years so far and the only rusted sections are where the heat is concentrated on the bottom. http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/
998931
Thanks for replies. The burner is usually the first thing to rust out so I will look for a different grill.
1005654
I bring mine in during the winter months. It was outside for 1 summer and now has a different appearance than when I first bought it. Its more of a dirty rust now. Can't imagine what a winter would do to it. I live in WI. and we have some pretty harsh winters. I guess it's your call!
409621
I have used mine sporadically. After 1 winter, the pizza grate itself is pretty rusty (stored in the unit when not used). Some other rust areas showing up around the edges. There is touch-up paint for that, which I haven't used yet. Can't say for sure what I am going to do about the rusty grate. It was working nicely for pizza, but I may have to use a pizza stone on top of the grate.
953200
I've had mine now for a couple of months and love it. I would be surprised if it does rust, though I haven't had a lot of time to really answer definitively. It cleans wonderfully though and even the baked on drips slide right off. Thanks
258242
Interesting question-------one I would have never thought of. It has a shiny finish that with time and use has become not so shiny anymore. It is a black porcelain look. True, when cleaned, it doesn't come completely clean, but, most of the stuck on food comes off. I do wish I had started spaying the grate--from the very first--with a non stick spray. The grate size is good for soaking in the sink before cleaning.Oh! I absolutely love this grill! It gets much hotter than any I have ever had and cooks quickly and more evenly than any I have had before. It is ideal for searing a steak and leaving the center rare--very rare, the way I like it. Interesting question-------one I would have never thought of. It has a shiny finish that with time and use has become not so shiny anymore. It is a black porcelain look. True, when cleaned, it doesn't come completely clean, but, most of the stuck on food comes off. I do wish I had started spaying the grate--from the very first--with a non stick spray. The grate size is good for soaking in the sink before cleaning.Oh! I absolutely love this grill! It gets much hotter than any I have ever had and cooks quickly and more evenly than any I have had before. It is ideal for searing a... » Read More Interesting question-------one I would have never thought of. It has a shiny finish that with time and use has become not so shiny anymore. It is a black porcelain look. True, when cleaned, it doesn't come completely clean, but, most of the stuck on food comes off. I do wish I had started spaying the grate--from the very first--with a non stick spray. The grate size is good for soaking in the sink before cleaning.Oh! I absolutely love this grill! It gets much hotter than any I have ever had and cooks quickly and more evenly than any I have had before. It is ideal for searing a steak and leaving the center rare--very rare, the way I like it. « Show Less
2210032
No, you do not have to season it. It will rust. Applying some cooking oil to the grate before/after cooking will do a lot towards keeping the rust off. In time, it will develop a "seasoning" coating on the grill sort of like what develops on a cast iron skillet.
94675
My 7 year grill has cast iron grates (that is one reason I bought the grill). I live in humid Columbus, OH and the grates are essentially the same as when I bought the grill. I really think they would last a 100 years (sorry you will be on your 15th grill by then). Besides that, they really retain heat evenly, which means you can slap on a cold piece of meat and it will sear evenly and darkly. Stainless steel for grates, I think, is a bad idea. That is why stainless steel pans have been either copper bottomed or copper or aluminum sandwiched to even out the heat for decades. Stainless does not distribute heat evenly and does not retain it. I think they should pay "you" $50 to take it. My 7 year grill has cast iron grates (that is one reason I bought the grill). I live in humid Columbus, OH and the grates are essentially the same as when I bought the grill. I really think they would last a 100 years (sorry you will be on your 15th grill by then). Besides that, they really retain heat evenly, which means you can slap on a cold piece of meat and it will sear evenly and darkly. Stainless steel for grates, I think, is a bad idea. That is why stainless steel pans have been either copper bottomed or copper or aluminum sandwiched to even out the heat for decades. Stainless does... » Read More My 7 year grill has cast iron grates (that is one reason I bought the grill). I live in humid Columbus, OH and the grates are essentially the same as when I bought the grill. I really think they would last a 100 years (sorry you will be on your 15th grill by then). Besides that, they really retain heat evenly, which means you can slap on a cold piece of meat and it will sear evenly and darkly. Stainless steel for grates, I think, is a bad idea. That is why stainless steel pans have been either copper bottomed or copper or aluminum sandwiched to even out the heat for decades. Stainless does not distribute heat evenly and does not retain it. I think they should pay "you" $50 to take it. « Show Less
1468216
Are you washing it only with plain hot water and either a steel pad or brush (no soap, ever), then heating the pan back up to dry it and recoating it with a light coating of oil? I have not had any off-flavors with anything I've cooked. It there is any rust be sure to scour it out with a steel brush and recondition.