Wire grill cleaning brushes have developed a bad wrap recently. From the risk in ingesting wire bristles to the damage they can cause to porcelain coatings, there is a growing demand for something better. To be honest, I still like many of the wire bristle grill brushes, but I understand people who want to minimize the risk of a hospital visit because they have a wire bristle sticking through their stomach. These grill brush alternatives are innovative, effective, and certainly capable of doing the job of cleaning your grill grates. This list is in no particular order, so look for the one that best fits your needs.
The Great Scrape
Thompson Brothers & Company, LLC
When it comes to cleaning grill grates there are brushes and scrapers. Metal scrapers are not a good idea because they can chip or scratch porcelain coatings or the metal grates. This scraper is make from oak so it won't damage anything. While using wood to clean your hot grill might sound strange, this is actually a very good solution since it will actually conform to the cooking grates over time. This is a craftsman product and will require occasional coatings of food grade mineral oil to preserve the wood. Well taken care of, the Great Scape can last for many years and is a great tool for the grill or smoker.
The Grillion
Product Prophet, Inc.
An old grill (or griddle) cleaning trick is to take an onion, cut it in half and use the cut side to scrub the hot surface clean. The moisture in the onion steams the surface clean, while onion enzymes breakdown tough, grilled on food. The Grillion is built on this idea and comes with a special onion cutting knife to give the onion grooves to fit the cooking grates. The cut onion then goes into a handle so it is easier to hold onto. The handle is certainly easier to work with than a fork. At the very least you can say that this is a unique product, of course, cleaning your grill is going to cost half an onion.
Grillstone Cleaning Block
Earthstone International
Grillstone Cleaning Blocks look like pumice stones, but they are actually made from recycled glass, though they work just like pumice. This means that the Grillstone Cleaning Block is very good at getting tough deposits off cooking grates and is a good product for serious cleaning. The manufacturer says that these stones (which are replaceable in the special handle) will ultimately conform to the pattern of the grill grates you use them on. I had one of these that I used for a long time, and I found that this grooving takes a long time if you have smooth finish grate and you have to consciously work to go over the grates the same way every time.
Grillfloss
Mpact Products
Grillfloss might just be the most thorough grill grate cleaning tool on the market. Basically a metal rod with a swivel mounted hook on the end that cleans not just the top of the grate, but all the way around. The limitation is that Grillfloss is designed for metal rod grates, typically of a heavy gauge, and while methodical, it requires that each rod be cleaned individually. This means that it takes more time to get the grates clean. This is the perfect product for the patient person, serious about getting every bit of grime from their cooking grates.
