Regular Grill or Stainless Steel Grill? Which you should Use?
You will notice no tangible differences between a regular cast iron grill and a stainless steel grill if you are not keen. However, if you wish to take your grilling to the next level, you need to know how they stack up against each other.
You need to understand how each performs, how effective they are, and the costs that come with them. If you are looking to purchase a grill or make an upgrade, you are in the right place.
We have compiled a comparison between a regular cast and a stainless steel grill. Let’s dive right into how the two grills take on each other.
What is the primary composition difference between cast iron and stainless steel grills?
First things first, both cast iron and stainless steel grills are alloys of iron. Cast iron contains more carbon than stainless steel. Chromium is dominant in stainless steel. Cast iron does not contain
Heating abilities
Cast iron grills grates take longer to heat than those of the stainless steel grills. However, once those of cast iron grills heat up, they will stay hot for a more extended period than those of stainless steel.
Stainless steel grills heat up quickly. They are your go-to option if your impatient foodie side cannot wait for cast iron grates to heat up.
Food flavor
Stainless steel will carry the day when it comes to giving you the natural food taste that you yearn. With cast iron, you are likely to taste rusty hints in your food. You will never experience this with stainless steel, for they do not rust. Besides the rusty taste, cast iron tends to transfer the flavor of one food from another. It absorbs the flavor of meals while you are cooking it.
It will later transfer the flavor to the next food you cook. Besides, there will always be a hint of a metal taste when it comes to casting iron.
If you value the original taste of your food, you will have to take the stainless steel grill.
Durability
Stainless steel will not suffer corrosion and rust, unlike cast iron grills. The material of the stainless steel grill is also heavier and stronger than that of cast iron. The heaviness makes stainless steel last longer than cast iron grills. If you are looking for a grill that will serve you for decades, then you should go for stainless steel.
The ability of stainless steel to resist extreme conditions such as rain, sun and salt is exemplary. You have to continually protect your cast iron from such situations because their resilience ability is not strong enough.
Cleaning
The way you clean your grill will determine how effective it will be in your subsequent barbeques. Well, cleaning a stainless steel grill is more relaxed than cleaning a cast iron grill. Stainless steel always has a smooth finishing. The casting iron has a rough finish.
Cleaning it would require some special attention than cleaning a stainless steel grill. On the other side, the grates of stainless steel are usually nonstick. You have to oil the beds of the cast-iron grates to create a nonstick effect. Cleaning the oiled grates is quite hectic. If you have the right materials that won’t scratch the surface of your stainless steel grill, you will have more relaxed cleaning sessions.
You should, however, know that stainless steel grates will darken with time. There is nothing to worry about when they start to darken. This is normal.
To be able to choose your ideal grill better, you need to know the pros and cons of both of them. We have reviewed the pros and cons of both of these grills to help you choose your best option easily.
Pros of Cast iron
- Heats up quickly
- Lets you season the grates with your desired flavors
- Mostly cheaper to purchase
Cons of cast iron
- Rusts over time
- Unnatural food flavor
- Difficult to clean
- Shorter lifetime compared to stainless steel
Pros of stainless steel grills
- Superior heat retention ability
- Natural food flavor
- Low maintenance because they are already nonstick
- Durable and long-lasting
- Consumes less fuel
Cons of stainless steel grates
- Expensive to purchase
- Needs special attention especially while cleaning to avoid making scratches
- Takes a lot of time to heat up
Final thoughts
With the face-off for the two grills above, you can easily choose what suits you best. The best grill for you depends on what you are looking to achieve.
If you know what you are looking for, you will have an easier time settling for a grill. For instance, if you are looking for a natural food flavor, your go-to grill would be the stainless steel grill. If you are looking for a grill that heats up quickly, a cast iron grill is your perfect choice.
