Grill mats/pads??

[fracmeister]

Meathead Anyone have their smoker/grill on a surface you want to protect or at least clean easily? I know there are plenty of grill mats/pads out there but I don't think I have seen the reviews. Anyone use them and have a recommendation??

Now that the Yoder will be sitting on travertine I am thinking maybe I should consider it.

[Frozen Smoke]

Don't know what brand but I get mine from Menards. They are the grey colored soft ones you can roll up like a rug. I use them when I go to other places to cook so I don't leave a mess on their driveway or lawn. They work great and you can pressure wash them and the last awhile.

[HawkerXP]

I cook on grass. I follow the shade with my performer. Park the PBC under a tree or on the walkway under an umbrella as needed. sorry no help from me

[CaptainMike]

Hardibacker works well. You can paint it too.

[jlazar]

I have a large heat resistant pad I bought from Lowes in the BBQ dept. $35.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/The-Original-Grill-Pad-30-in-L-x-42-in-W-Fiber-Cement-Rectangle-Textured-Earth-Tone-Brown-Grill-Mat/999904481

Bought a 2nd one to use two under the Chubby where the charcoal tray gets inserted and added to and where the meat grates slide in and out. Easy to hose off and can dump a chimney of hot coats in the coal pan sitting directly on the pad. No issues with my wood deck.

When I had a Yoder 640, I used one but place it on the end under where the grease bucket hangs. Isn't a big problem but you need to be careful if you remove the bucket for any reason. Also, don't move the Yoder abruptly.

Never had issues taking food from the 640 and placing in a pan or on a cutting board place on the front shelf due to the open/easy access of the Yoder. The Yoder is much less messy than the Chubby, WSM or, in my opinion, even the Kettle. Personal experience with all.

[klflowers]

I have one of those too. Had it for probably 10 years now, no problems with it. On a wood deck under a WSM.

[Spinaker]

I have one under all of my grills/smokers. (The same one jlazar posted above)

They stop the grease and coals from damaging anything. And you can take them with you if you are cook remotely.

[(Arrow)]

We have one under every one of the grills on our patio. Bought cheap ones when Sears was going out of business, but they work fine.

[Mosca]

I have the same as jlazar and Spinaker have, under and in front of both my cookers.

[Rod]

I like to think I did extensive research on this and concluded that the Rec Tec pads suit me best. Thickness (they lay perfectly flat), top side is smooth for easy cleaning, quite large (30" x 60") and the cheapest I've found for all these features. Of course you would have to be okay with having the Rec Tec logo on them.

[Troutman]

I'm just a freaking cheap skate, I go down to Home Depot or Lowes and buy the cheapest indoor/outdoor carpet or pad and throw it under the cookers. They come in a variety of colors or textures and are relatively cheap. If they get all buggered up over time you just replace them. Mine cleanup pretty well with a pressure washing.

[jfmorris]

All of my grills and smokers live on concrete. I kind of WISH I had something under the Genesis when it overflowed the grease catch pan last year, staining the concrete under the grill.

[HouseHomey]

Troutman I bet I’m cheaper. I’m with jfmorris and I use nothing. I don’t even wish I did. The only thing I have fall is ash.

[jfmorris]

Yeah ash or a stray chunk of charcoal ground into the concrete are all my Performer ever yields me. The offset can sometimes miss the grease bucket I set on the ground underneath it, if the wind is blowing. And that grease trap on the Genesis is fine unless I forget to empty it!

[fzxdoc]

I use the same concrete-type pads that jlazar and Spinaker use. I have 2 of them under my PBC, since the charcoal basket is so close to the deck floor. My smokers and grills are on my deck and I don't want to damage the Trex.


When I moved my PBC this year while sweeping the deck, I noticed that the top pad was cracked and decomposed in the area under the PBC itself, providing no protection. It's been there for 4 years or so. I was happy to have had a second identical pad under the first one, which I had originally thought to be redundant. It may have saved my deck in that area.

Kathryn

[jlazar]

Similar experience. Overlapped but never stacked them. They seem to begin breaking down after 3-4 years. But for what comes to $10 a year, you can't beat them. Do wish they offered some larger sizes.

[Spinaker]

Yep, this is the one I use.

[(Blake)]

I had a local Sheet Metal contractor bend up a pirce of stainless steel and I set my grills on that. If anything drops it wipes off very easily

[jlazar]

What did that cost? Not sure how that would work in 100 degree temps during Texas summers.

[(Blake)]

Nothing as they do a lot of work with us. It would work in the heat

[Harry]

For a few years, I've used two Klutch 4' X 6' welding blankets ($80 each but I've seen others cheaper) under my WSCGC on a new Azek (non-wood) deck (and the original blankets are still in good shape). The Azek replaced a 15 YO pressure treated pine deck which, in addition to rot and splinters, had multiple spot-charred areas. Wife did NOT want a "permanent" pad (like we used two decks ago) OR pads leaning against the house when not in use. After a cook when stuff cools down, I shake them then roll them up and put them under the grill cover which helps rain and snow run-off. Shortcomings - wheels occasionally bunch up the fabric; wind flaps the edges, drizzle or rain make them really soggy quickly, and sometimes they trip this old faht if he doesn't pay attention to his feet. So, THANKS to you commenters who mentioned concrete type pads. At least one would be nice for where I stand.

Link to the place I bought the blankets (and from whom I have bought non-BBQ stuff for 30+ years) -
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...3007_200673007