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Grillgrates vs True Infrared

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    Grillgrates vs True Infrared

    The cast grates on my Charbroil Professional have finally given up the ghost after 4 years of heavy use. My question is, are Grillgrates really more effective, better, or that different from their True Infrared system? What would the advantage be of going with a set of them over replacing with the stock ones? Thanks in advance.

    #2
    Actually glad you asked this and am getting ready to have to consider the same thing for my char broiler commercial... further would they replace both the cast grate and the plates underneath them or just the grate?

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    • ScottyC13
      ScottyC13 commented
      Editing a comment
      I drop them in as a replacement to the top grates.
      Last edited by ScottyC13; February 29, 2020, 07:40 AM.

    #3
    I got grillgrates for my Weber Spirit. They work as advertised. I can get the surface much hotter than with the standard grates. I can also throw wood pellets on them and add mild smoke flavor when grilling. They keep the interior of the grill cleaner too because the grease catches in the channels and burns off there instead of just dropping in the cooker. You can also use the bottom side as a flat top griddle.

    If you get them, remember to season them first. Wipe them with a high heat oil on all sides (thin film) and put them in the gasser on high heat. If you do this two times, they will be easier to clean. They recommend using an onion for the tops to season, but that didn’t work as well for me.

    Comment


    • texastweeter
      texastweeter commented
      Editing a comment
      The true infrared also allows you to toss in a handful of chips/pellets. It to prevents flairups and keeps the lower well dry. The entire time I have had the grill, I have never had a flair up. The Weber spirit has a much different setup than the true infrared system.

    #4
    Just know up front that they're a PITA to clean!

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      #5
      Anyone here had real world experience between the two. Meathead I believe you do. Thoughts on the differences in the two?

      Comment


      • Max Good
        Max Good commented
        Editing a comment
        Char-Broil's TRU-Infrared burner system and GrillGrates both amplify and hold heat, both prevent flare-ups and you can toss wood chips on either. A big difference is that GrillGrates extruded aluminum construction will far outlast TRU-Infrared grates.

      • texastweeter
        texastweeter commented
        Editing a comment
        Max Good I would think (that's scary) that the increased density of the black iron would retain heat better, and not cool as fast with a cold hunk of meat on it. Is this what you have experienced? Meathead your 2008 quantum grill is what morphed into the char broil professional.
        Last edited by texastweeter; February 29, 2020, 02:49 PM.

      • Max Good
        Max Good commented
        Editing a comment
        texastweeter We haven't done side by side comparisons. While true that cast iron can hold and distribute heat better than aluminum, I suspect the real world experience in the backyard would be similar.

      #6
      Max Good So I ran through my 3nd set of tru infrared grates and emitters this month, and decided to switch to the grillgrates. They got me fixed up with a direct replacement set. I have 3 55 day dry prime aged NY strips, and 2 fresh cut prime NY strips that I will test on them tomorrow. For the record, the cot to replace is almost the same in grillgrate vs TI when you replace the emitters too. Will be an interesting experiment years in the making at my house.

      Comment


      • Max Good
        Max Good commented
        Editing a comment
        Please continue to share your observations.

      #7
      So after one cook some observations.

      What did grillgrates do better? For sure they heated more evenly, I recorded Temps with my IR gun and was astonished, almost no cold spots. They were more nonstick. I mean ZERO sticking (I seasoned them well last night). I think they had a better "grilled" flavor due to some of th grease dripping down through the holes and actually ignited (double edged sword though) Easier cleanup due to the grease draining through the holes rather than just sitting in the IR emitters and carbonizing. Can be flipped to form a makeshift griddle. Heated hip in about 1/2 the time, and cooled down faster too (I would guess they are more responsive to temperature adjustments due to this too. I'll throw this out there even though it is too early to be sure, but I feel grillgrates will far outlast the cast grates and SS emitters of the TI.

      What did grillgrates and Tru infrared do equally well? Searing was the same (even though the grill grates did not retain heat as long, and ran about 20° cooler than the TI) Inital cost was the same when you are replacing both the emitters and the grates with TI.

      What did TI do better? Better reduction with flairups. Since I bought this grill I never once had a flairup or fire with True Infrared (this is at the expense of grill flavor so far though). TI ran about 20° hotter in its hot spots. Even so, it did not seem to affect searing power. I do want to point out that prior to the grillgrates, nothing had heated as even as the TI system. TI retained heat better. I hit the spot under the steak once I flipped it and it had cooled off faster on the grill grates. Grease never once touched the grease trap with TI, it sat in the emitter valleys and burned, the grease trap was pristine until this cook. The cost of just replacing the grates is about 1/2 the price of the grillgrates, but you will have to replace them about every other TI grate replacement.

      All in all I am happy with my purchase. If nothing else due to the griddle feature (don't gave to fire up the Blackstone or camp chef if I want to grill and griddle at the same time), the heat up time, and the fact that I suspect I will never have to replace these again. Only time will tell.
      Max Good
      Last edited by texastweeter; March 26, 2022, 12:31 AM.

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