A grill brush is one of the must-have grill accessories. You will need it almost every time you cook, if you just want your grill to be clean, the food to have an aesthetic appearance and no extraneous taste. In addition, it is much more pleasant to put products on a clean grill. The selection of grill brushes is not small. Their lengths, materials, handles and even more so the price differ. So how do you choose, if you can buy this grill accessory for both 3 and 30 euros?
Length
When choosing, it is worth starting with measurements. The size of your grill will determine how long the brush should be. Small barbecues - e.g. for the owners of the smallest kamado, tourist or other compact grills, a short brush of 20-30 cm will be enough. Meanwhile, if your grill has a diameter of 40 centimeters or more, choose the longest tools (about 50 cm). For owners of gas grills, we recommend brushes 40-50 cm long.
How do you know which brush you need? You will need to scrape the surface of the grate furthest away from you. And do it safely, heating your hand as little as possible (a brush is the best way to clean a heated grill). Therefore, the optimal solution would be to choose a brush with a GRILL diameter (not the outside of the grill) - +10 cm long.
For example The diameter of the Proflame kamado grill is 45 cm, so the optimal length of your brush is 55 cm
Of course, you can also choose a shorter brush. In this case, it will take up less space in your work area, and you can put more effort into cleaning. However, in practice, heat still plays a decisive role and preference should be given to a brush with a long and strong handle.
The strength of the handle and the brush itself
It is on this very important criterion that the choice will be much smaller than at first glance. Many manufacturers, trying to entice the buyer with a very good price, use the cheapest raw materials. And the majority, especially inexperienced buyers who have nothing to compare with, become easy victims of savings. So in this place, we have to remember the proverb - stingy pays twice...
The strength is necessary so that when you press the brush (which you will have to do) during cleaning, its handle does not bend and all your force is transferred to the grate. This is especially important when choosing longer brushes, over 30 cm.
Brush head area
In stores you can see brushes that consist of one, 2 or even 3 parallel strips of bristles. If your grill area is large, the 3-band brush is an ideal choice. You will clean the grates very quickly, so this uninteresting part of the grilling process will be much less tiring. In addition, 3-bar brushes usually have a very strong handle, and the brush head is angled to the handle, so you can apply much more force when cleaning.
Brushes with one or two stripes have their own advantages. With them, you will clean every space between the grills much easier. Also worth mentioning is the V-shaped brush end. With such a tool, you can clean both the grill and the gaps very conveniently.
In stores, you can sometimes see brushes that resemble shoe cleaning brushes. They will be extremely convenient when you want to see clean flat surfaces - for example, the inside of the grill, metal surfaces, deflectors or other dishes. Of course, if such a tool has long bristles, it will be quite convenient to clean the grill itself and its gaps.
Bristle material
Stainless steel
Stainless steel brushes are most appreciated. Their metal does not rust, they are strong, resistant to environmental influences. After all, the most common place to store the brush is by hanging it on hooks near the grill shelves or grill table. And the barbecue is outside all year round. Such metal brushes are particularly suitable for cleaning stainless steel, cast iron and other metal grills.
Brass
Brass grill brushes are softer than stainless steel, so they are recommended for use on porcelain or ceramic coated grills.
Plain metal
Their advantage is a much lower price. However, at the same time, compared to stainless steel brushes, the service life is also shorter. They are much softer, often thinner, so they are not so good at cleaning the burnt-on grill. So, is it worth wasting time and driving often to buy the same thing?
Another disadvantage of these brushes: they can "contaminate" stainless steel. It is through the simple contact of metal with steel, damage to the protective layer and exposure to moisture that your stainless steel grill grates can begin to rust.
Nylon
These brushes are new in Lithuania, while abroad they are widely used. Their bristles are not as strong as metal bristles, but they do the job.
Cleaning with this type of tool will take much longer than e.g. with stainless steel brushes. It should also be noted that they can only be used to clean cold or cool grills: nylon is not resistant to heat. Well, if the dirt is difficult to clean, you can spray the cold grill with natural cleaners. You can see how to do it in the video link:
However, these brushes also have their own advantages: they will not damage metal, porcelain, enameled grills or dishes. They can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher. In addition, they are safe.
Attachment of bristles
This is one of the aspects that is traditionally appreciated only by grill fans and professionals who have accumulated a lot of experience. And yet it is extremely important.
In America, Germany and other countries with deep grilling traditions, there were cases that ended in disaster. The reason for this is the metal bristles loosened during cleaning. It sticks to the grill itself, and then to the product being baked. Well, if it gets into food, it can damage the esophagus, stomach or other organs.
However, it is really not worth it to start panicking and rush to throw away all the brushes you have. Just choose quality tools from reliable manufacturers. Also check from time to time how firmly the bristles are held in the anchorage. And perhaps the most important point: a good brush costs a dozen euros. Change it like you change the oil in your car. Don't use them until they can no longer be cleaned...
Well, if you are really afraid - choose brushes with nylon bristles or with twisted wire loops.
Scraper
Some brushes have a scraper attached to them with a smooth or serrated edge. If it's convenient for you, it's definitely worth buying such a brush. We also recommend purchasing a scraper recommended by the manufacturer of your grill. Its border, dimensions are usually specially selected according to the size, shape, diameter, etc. of your grill.
Other criteria
The ergonomics of the handle is certainly not the most important criterion, but if the brush is comfortable to hold in the hand, cleaning will be really more comfortable. In addition, pay attention to what material it is made of, whether it does not slip out of your hands.
Quality. It's worth just touching the brush in your hands and seeing its strength, the connections of the parts. More than once I have seen brushes with the end with the hanging hole/hanging strap sticking out of the handle so easily that the brush doesn't even hang on the hook in the store. Speaking of using…
Although it seems simple, not all brushes have a way to hang it: there is no hole in the handle, no hook, and there is no loop attached to the end of the brush. We can guarantee that if you didn't notice it right away, you will definitely notice it the very first time after cleaning. The standard place for a grill brush is on the hook next to the grill.
Some manufacturers offer brushes with replaceable heads. So if you buy a good, high-quality brush with a strong handle and a comfortable handle, you will definitely save money by buying replacement parts instead of the whole tool.
Price
After getting acquainted with the above possible differences between brushes, there should probably be no more questions about why the prices of brushes differ. There are no miracles here, and as with all things grilling, the price matches the quality.
Therefore, we wish you not to rush to buy the first tool you come across, but to choose something with which grilling will not be a chore, but a pleasant, comfortable and safe process.
