Grill materials Aluminium vs. Steel?

Cuebie · May 27, 2014

I'm sure there's a reason all the heavy-duty pro smoker's and grills are made of steel, but is there a reason more grills/smokers aren't made of heavy guage aluminium?

Strength? Cost? etc...

Best Regards,

Ian H.

Mklade · May 27, 2014

Oxidation of aluminium is nasty.

Cuebie · May 27, 2014

Thanks Mklade,

What if it were anodized, powder-coated or painted with high-temp stuff like steel is?

Mklade · May 27, 2014

Aluminium also dissipates heat quickly, that is why it is used as a heat sink in electronic components such as cpu/memory coolers, automobile engine controllers etc...did you ever notice how quickly an aluminium pot or pan cools more quickly than an iron or stainless steel pan? Aluminium also warps easily.

smoke ninja · May 27, 2014

I read a really interesting article about why aluminum is bad but I can't remember what it was about.

buccaneer · May 27, 2014

smoke ninja said:
I read a really interesting article about why aluminum is bad but I can't remember what it was about.

ound:
Damn Alzies!

landarc · May 27, 2014

I would think the cost of an anodized aluminum BBQ would be pretty high, considering what even a small pan costs.

GT-Q · May 27, 2014

Standard steel starts to lose strength at around 750 F. Standard aluminum starts loosing strength at about 400F.

oifmarine2003 · May 27, 2014

landarc said:
I would think the cost of an anodized aluminum BBQ would be pretty high, considering what even a small pan costs.

From a scrap value perspective, steel is a fraction of the value of aluminum.
0.13 per pound vs 0.70 per pound.

tb80 · May 27, 2014

What about the portable kitchen grill? Isn't it all aluminum?

captndan · May 28, 2014

If you wouldn't use aluminum for your still don't use it for your grill.

dizzyBBQ18 · May 28, 2014

Would it still be ok to put aluminum pans for a baffle and tuning plates?
im seeing lots of people do that instead of using steel wether they cant weld or cant cut the steel to size.

Grill materials Aluminium vs. Steel?

Cuebie

Knows what a fatty is.

Mklade

Well-known member

Cuebie

Knows what a fatty is.

Mklade

Well-known member

smoke ninja

somebody shut me the fark up.

buccaneer

somebody shut me the fark up.

landarc

somebody shut me the fark up.

GT-Q

Knows what a fatty is.

oifmarine2003

Babbling Farker

tb80

Take a breath!

captndan

Quintessential Chatty Farker

dizzyBBQ18

Knows what a fatty is.

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