How Long Does A Grill Last?

If you're looking at picking up a grill or completing a new outdoor kitchen project, then you may be wondering how long a grill should last.

Our hope with this article is to shed some light on how long an average grill lasts, so you can plan accordingly with your outdoor kitchen design!

How Long Does A Grill Last?  The Short Answer

The shelf life of a grill depends largely on which material the grill is made out of, how often you use it, and how well you take care of it.

With that said, entry level grills typically last 3-5 years, mid-tier grills can last about 10 years, and high-end or luxury grills can last for 20+ years.

Why Do Grills Usually Break Down?

First let’s take a look at why grills usually break down.  Reasons can differ from grill to grill, but here’s a short list of many common reasons why a grill loses performance over time:

• Grill is hard to light or won’t light at all
• Gas Leaks
• Low flame
• Broken regulator, so control of gas flow is all over the place
• Too much smoke produced 
• Grease buildup
• Debris buildup
• Fuel lines damaged or cracked
• Exterior erosion
• Damage
• Low temperature 
• Uneven heating

And that’s just to name a few.

As you can see, there’s just tons of things that can go wrong with your bbq, but don’t fear, there’s ways that you can stop, or at least slow the effects of wear and tear down. So whatever grill you have, you can keep for longer. 

Ways To Prevent Wear And Tear On Your Bbq

Obviously over time your grill is going to get progressively older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to get worse! Here’s a quick list of ways that you can treat your grill, and increase its longevity:

Clean The Grates Regularly

Once you’re finished using your BBQ for that particular time, keep your heat going and scrape off any of the debris that’s formed on your grill. Wire brushes are perfect for this and are dirt cheap (if you pardon the pun).

Try to rub the grill while it’s still hot, as the pieces of metal will clean much easier, and use some standard fairy liquid.

Not only does this increase the lifespan of your grill but it’s also going to make cooking on it so much easier, and the food you produce is going to taste way better too!

It’s a great idea to get into a habit of this every time you finish cooking. 

Wipe Down The Exterior Of Your Grill

Similarly it’s a great idea to wipe down all of the exterior surface of your grill once you’re done using it, rust is attracted to the surface of your grill, and over time no matter how clean it looks it will rust, so giving it a quick and simple wipe is an easy way to prevent this.

Ensure Burning Tubes Are In Good Condition

Obviously burning tubes are key to your grill, without them there’s no fire, and without fire it isn’t much of a grill now is it? So make sure you frequently check your tubes condition, and if you see any damage replace them.

Keep The Cover On Your Grill Once You’re Done Using It

After you’re finished using your grill, it’s a good idea to throw its cover over it. Even though grills are designed to be used outdoors over time they will perish if you don’t use your cover.

So every time you’re finished make sure you make good use of your grill’s cover, you paid for it!

Remove Any Grease When You See It

Grease has a tendency to build up on grills over time, so if you see any forming, then your best bet is going to be to clean it as soon as it appears.

Grease can stagnate and become difficult to clean once it’s really ingrained within your grill, so like the other tips on this list it’s always a good idea to keep regularly cleaning your grill.

So How Long Can I Expect My Grill To Last?

The average American throws their grill out after only 3 years, but actually, most grills these days can last up to 15 years!

This is most likely due to a combination of not maintaining your grill well enough, and simply becoming bored of the same rusted, greasy grill that you use occasionally every month around summertime.

Obviously though, all grills are not made equally, and this shows.

While cheap, many low end grills give up really easily, and you can only expect 5ish years from it, whereas high end grills are great if you’re wanting to buy a grill and then (with the correct care of course) never worry about buying another grill.

These can last for many decades, but you can stretch that even further with regular maintenance and upkeep to the grill. 

How Much Should I Be Spending On A Grill To Get My Money's Worth?

This question is always going to have a different answer for everyone, but there’s some things you should consider before purchasing a grill. Let's take a quick dive into them.

Fuel Type

This is all preference, but the fuel type you go for is always going to affect the price. Generally, charcoal grills tend to be the least expensive type.

Than your gas grills, but maybe the convenience of gas outweighs the price difference for you, or maybe you like the rustic charm of a charcoal grill, or maybe you’d prefer both and would want a hybrid grill, which is going to be the most expensive of the bunch.

This is something of course you should weigh up in your head before you make your decision, but there’s loads of choice on our website, which has every grill you might need. 

Take A Look At Any Special Features Your BBQ May Have

Everyone cooks a little differently, so choosing the special features that are right for you is always a fun part of buying a grill. These can be anything ranging from LED lights or side burners so you can multitask on your grill. 

How Much You Enjoy Grilling!

When every other point is weighed up, there’s always one that’s going to mean more than others. This is how much you enjoy cooking on your grill! If you’re not a huge fan of grilling then maybe a cheaper grill would be perfect for you.

But if you’re a self proclaimed or even title winning grillmaster then maybe you want to treat yourself to a luxury high end grill! Both are available on our website for you to browse and choose from at your own convenience.

Difference In Longevity Of Grills

No matter what grill you go for, you’re always going to see differences between different grills and their cost.

Simply enough, this is due to the higher quality materials, and extra steps that have been taken to ensure that these higher quality grills are set up to last an extremely long amount of time, which is understandable considering the price tag that you pay. 

There’s also warranties to think about, many high, and medium end grills will offer warranties that can last up to 10 years for the various grates, burners and any extra features and equipment that different grills may have.

So even though you’re paying a higher price, you can be rest assured that the money will be worth it as every part of your grill is secured with a warranty. 

But regardless of the difference between grill prices and burner types, it’s how you treat your grill that’ll determine how long it lasts.

Yes these higher end grills offer much more protection from being left outdoors at all times, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to take care of them.

Follow the steps we outlined above regularly with your grill and whatever the cost you’ll see the durability of your grill shoot up. 

Final Words

To round off, no matter what grill you go for, you’re always going to have to service it and keep it well maintained in order to get the best out of it.

People have kept cheap grills well past their guarantee date, and people have ruined higher end, luxury grills in just a year. In saying that though, the general advice that’s best suited to buying a grill is ‘you pay for what you get.’

If you like eating outdoors in the summer months and don’t want anything too expensive or serious, then maybe a low or medium end grill is perfect for you, or maybe you’re a master griller that loves eating outdoors using their grill even in the winter!

Both are completely acceptable answers, just make sure that you regularly maintain your grill to get the best effect out of the money you spend!