The 7 Best Grill Brushes of 2024

collage popular grill brushes — Photo:
Allrecipes / Kristin Kempa

Cooking on community grills has taught me to appreciate a well-made grill brush. More often than I like, I open a shared grill and find stuck-on bits of unidentifiable prior meals. It’s easy to fall into the same trap at home if I don’t brush the grates down properly after a grilling session. While preseasoning and regular deep cleaning keep a grill in tip-top shape, it becomes less daunting if I scrape down the grill every time I finish cooking a meal.

Nightly grill cleanup happens quickly when I grab a sturdy grill brush—and use it properly. In recent years, grill brush designs have become more varied as awareness grows about the risk of leaving bristles behind. But as Gaby Dalkin, author of What's Gaby Cooking: Grilling All the Things, emphasizes, “Here’s the thing about grill brushes—they don’t really clean the grill. Rather, they remove anything that’s stuck on the grates.” The cleaning comes after the brushing: a wipe-down with a wet towel and then an oiled one to remove the last of the food debris (and any bristles) and to precoat the grill for your next easy, seasonal recipe.

Like most things, there are different approaches to cleaning a grill after cooking. I recommend choosing the best grill brush that suits your grill surface and cleaning attitude.

Our Top Picks

My Top Pick:

SALE

Grillart Grill Brush and Scraper Cleaning Kit at Amazon ~~$23~~ $17

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Best Budget:

Weber 18 In. Detail Grill Brush at Amazon $20

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Best Bristle-Free:

Grillaholics Grill Brush Bristle Free at Amazon $24

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Best Metal:

CharGon BBQ Stainless Steel Cleaning Tool for Round Rod Grills at Amazon $20

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Best Wood:

BBQ Butler Wood Grill Scraper at Amazon $20

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Best for Steam Cleaning:

Grill Rescue BBQ Replaceable Scraper at Amazon $45

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Best for Cold Cleaning:

OXO Good Grips Nylon Grill Brush for Cold Cleaning at Amazon $22

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My Top Pick

Grillart Grill Brush and Scraper Cleaning Kit

$23 $17 at Amazon $17 at Walmart View on Grillartus.com

Why It’s Great: Three rows of firmly woven bristles; steeply angled brush head; universal scraper attachment

Grain of Salt: Bulky

I primarily use this Grillart kit on my charcoal Weber kettle grill, whose grate sits below the firebox rim. A triple row of stainless steel bristles quickly brushes down the grate, with the long, tightly packed wires reaching almost completely under the rods. The steep head angle maximizes the bristles’ contact with the grate, even when I draw the brush back against the firebox rim. Since the angle continues up the long, stiff handle, my hand stays well away from the heat.

On a gas grill with flush or raised rails, this brush is even easier to use, especially with Grillart’s recommended technique: Heat the grill, and then dip the bristles in a pan of water before every few brush strokes, always scrubbing in the direction of the bars. The ambient heat turns the water to gunk-loosening steam.

What remains can be pried off with the sturdy scraper attached to the brush head. This kit includes a separate scraper with handy cutouts for various grill bar shapes. When the grill is cold, I can simply hold the scraper in my hand and pop any debris free. For use on a hot grill, it screws securely onto the brush head.

The Details: Stainless steel bristles and scraper, plastic handle; 2.8 x 3.5 x 17.25 inches; 11.8 ounces; includes universal scraper

Best Budget

Weber 18 In. Detail Grill Brush

PHOTO: Amazon

$20 $18 at Amazon $18 at Home Depot View on Acmetools.com

Why It’s Great: Slim and portable; long no-slip handle; bristles that reach corners and edges

Grain of Salt: Minimal angle from tip to handle

This Weber grill brush is a slimmer version of my favorite design but boasts its key features: a long rigid handle, an angled head, and securely interwoven bristles that splay widely for efficient brushing. A double row of stainless steel wires makes the Weber brush less bulky and just a smidge slower than wider setups.

The long, stiff bristles scrape off the toughest gunk, especially with the benefit of steam, so I don’t miss a built-in scraper. Its slender design makes it easy to transport, so this has become my go-to tool when brushing down a lakeside community grill. I wrap it in a copper grill mat—one of my other top grill accessories—and tuck it into my picnic basket, knowing it can handle whatever grill condition I find when I arrive.

If I could change anything about this brush, I would increase the slope to the brush head. The slight stairstep works fine on flush grates but needs to be tilted against an inset grate. This extra pressure on the tip eventually wears down just the frontmost bristles. On the plus side, because grill brushes should be replaced regularly, this wear tells me it’s time to buy a new one.

The Details: Stainless steel bristles, plastic handle; 2.25 x 1 x 17.5 inches; 6.1 ounces

Best Bristle-Free

Grillaholics Grill Brush Bristle Free

PHOTO: Amazon

$24 at Amazon $37 at Walmart

Why It’s Great: Three interlocking coils; extra wide scraper; long, angled handle

Grain of Salt: Potential learning curve

The latest advance in metal grill brushes replaces wire bristles with coils made of rings wound into interlocking spirals. This Grillaholics bristle-free brush tightly twists the wire into a triple helix head that slides along and between grill slats, which reduces the risk of leaving metal behind while brushing down the grate.

If you usually rely on elbow grease to make sharp bristles scratch well-set food and drippings off a cold grill, you’ll have to modify your technique to make this coil brush last. Steam cleaning is essential; excessive pressure will only damage and wear out the coils. Short back-and-forth motion in just one direction, with the coils in line with the grill slats instead of across them, prevents the stiff spirals from snagging and pulling out of shape.

With the right technique, this brush works like a similarly shaped bristle one, thanks to its angled, full-length handle. The extra wide brush head and scraper cover large swaths of wide grills, rapidly removing the grease left by rows of perfectly cooked burgers.

The Details: Stainless steel coils and scraper, plastic handle; 6 x 3.25 x 18 inches; 10.9 ounces

Best Metal

CharGon BBQ Stainless Steel Cleaning Tool for Round Rod Grills

PHOTO: Amazon

$20 $19 at Amazon

Why It’s Great: Simple and streamlined; 360-degree scraping; doubles as grate lifter

Grain of Salt: Scrapes rods individually

All-in-one brushes and scrapers let you use one tool for grease and burnt-on chunks, but the metal scraping plate can bump against the walls of the firebox or lid, making it hard to reach the farthest edges. After using a brush without a scraper, like my favorite Weber brush, to release the initial grime, this CharGon tool scrapes free what’s left.

The simple wood-handled bar pulls off everything a brush struggles to reach—even beneath the grill rods. It scrapes down just one rod at a time, but this happens with surprising speed if I have already steam-brushed the grate and am just removing the remaining char. Since there are no wires to cause concern, it’s ideal for spot-cleaning between grill batches. I’ll be buying and wearing out several grill brushes before I need to replace this tool.

If bits of salmon skin slip through and dangle beneath the grate slats, this tool knocks them loose before they start to smoke. It also doubles as a grate lifter, poker for errant briquettes, and even an ultralong handle on my grill basket.

The Details: Stainless steel, wood handle; 1 x 0.75 x 15 inches; 9.2 ounces

Best Wood

BBQ Butler Wood Grill Scraper

$20 at Amazon

Why It’s Great: All-natural, solid wood; no bristles or plastic; fits slats perfectly

Grain of Salt: Needs to be broken in

Wood scrapers are great because they are simple and free of bristles, plastic, and other forever materials. When used correctly, this BBQ Butler scraper becomes custom-molded to your grill. This means you won’t want to swap it between your portable tailgating barbecue and a large deck model, but it will develop the right shape to get every angle of your favorite grill.

This scraper is carved from solid oak, a hardwood so durable that it’s a top choice for flooring. So even though you wear it down each time you use it (like any grill brush), its lifespan is long.

Out of the box, the paddle has eight notches to get you started. Sliding it consistently along your grill’s hot slats with firm pressure gradually shapes the grooves to match your grate. A hooked scraper on the side gets after burnt-on food and under the grate’s rods. Treating it occasionally with food-grade mineral oil keeps the wood from drying out.

The Details: Wood, metal scraper; 3.5 x 0.5 x 16 inches; 7.4 ounces

Best for Steam Cleaning

Grill Rescue BBQ Replaceable Scraper

PHOTO: Amazon

$45 at Amazon $50 at Walmart $55 at Wayfair

Why It’s Great: Bristle-free head; high heat resistance; dishwasher-safe pad

Grain of Salt: Full brush and replacement heads are expensive

Steam cleaning is the smart way to remove buildup when using almost any grill brush, but Grill Rescue makes it so easy. The brush head is essentially a heat-retardant sponge: dip it in water, wipe it across the grill, and watch the grease steam off with minimal force.

The pad’s outer layer is made of aramid fiber, the same material its designer wears for his day job as a firefighter. It’s also the material that makes my favorite grill gloves heat-resistant up to 1,472°F. The aramid protects an inner foam core that squishes against grill rods, getting down along their sides, or slides smoothly over flat-top or nonstick electric grills. The broad, rectangular scraper attachment goes after stubborn bits on the grate’s surface but is less effective at getting around slats.

Like a sponge, the pale surface darkens as it picks up grease, but you can wash the whole brush by hand or take the head off the handle and toss it in the dishwasher or washing machine. A replacement head (sold separately) clips onto the heavy-duty handle when you wear out the initial one, so you save a bit on the cost of the entire setup.

The Details: Aramid and foam cleaning head, stainless steel scraper, plastic handle; 4.9 x 3.3 x 16 inches; 16 ounces

Best for Cold Cleaning

OXO Good Grips Nylon Grill Brush for Cold Cleaning

PHOTO: Amazon

$22 at Amazon $22 at Macys $18 at Bloomingdales

Why It’s Great: Safe for porcelain or ceramic grates; angled tip for edges; dishwasher-safe head

Grain of Salt: Not usable on hot grills

If you never bother to brush down a grill while it’s hot, you’ll have the best luck degreasing a cold grill with a nylon-bristled brush. These bristles will melt if you run them along a heated grate, but they excel at removing cooked-on food from a grill that’s cool to the touch. You can also scrub them against coated slats—even ceramic ones—with little worry about damaging the finish.

OXO densely lines its brush head with long bristles that spread around and between grate bars and angles them out the front for better access to edges and corners. Compared with hot methods, you still might need a little extra time and patience to rub every angle clean. The scraper attachment has a wide edge for the grate surface and side notches for narrow gaps.

While it can’t withstand a grill’s heat, the removable head does hold up to dishwasher temperatures for easy cleaning. When the nylon bristles look frayed, buy a new pair of brush heads and snap one into place.

The Details: Nylon bristles, stainless steel scraper, plastic handle; 3.07 x 1.7 x 18.4 inches; 9.9 ounces

My Takeaway

I use the Grillart Grill Brush and Scraper Cleaning Kit to swiftly remove burnt-on food from grills of all sizes, screwing on its universal scraper attachment to fit different grate slats. For small grates or when heading to a community grill, I tuck the Weber 18 In. Detail Grill Brush among my grilling supplies. For an equally slim, versatile scraper, I pair it with the CharGon BBQ Stainless Steel Cleaning Tool.

How to Pick the Right Grill Brush

Heat Resistance

Each tool you use around a grill needs to withstand high temperatures, but that’s especially true of items that come into contact with hot surfaces. You don’t want to grab just any old brush to scrub down sizzling grates. Every part of the brush should withstand the heat: bristles, scraper, even a plastic handle. Because it’s easiest to brush down a hot grill, heat resistance extends the life of a grill brush.

The exception is cold cleaning: nylon bristles can effectively scrub debris off a cold grill but will melt and scorch if heat still radiates from it. Dalkin points out that buying a nylon brush means committing to cold cleaning—always. She says that you “need to be sure to use it on a cold grill rather than a hot one.”

Materials

After reports of wire bristles flaking dangerously off cheaply made grill brushes, the range of materials used to form brush heads has widened: stainless steel, brass, nylon, heat-resistant fibers, wood, and more. When choosing the best material for your grill, start with the manufacturer’s recommendations to ensure you don’t buy a brush that could damage the grates, especially if they have a coating or flat-top surface that readily scratches and chips. From there, choose the brush head material that works best for the way you plan to clean your grill.

Size

Large brush heads cover more area, making them a faster choice for oversized grills, but you’ll still want to use short motions to keep them from catching on crossbars. Smaller brush heads might need more passes but fit better into narrow gaps and tight corners.

Look for a long, rigid handle that won’t bend and flex as you apply firm pressure, and that keeps your hands far from the grill’s radiant heat. Even if you’re cold cleaning a grill, a long, angled handle provides leverage, especially when using an attached scraper.

Common Questions

How do you use a grill brush safely?

Grill brush safety starts with buying a well-made brush designed for grilling. Look for densely packed, tightly woven bristles or coils and a long, stiff handle. When you’re running a grill brush along a hot grate, be sure to grip it at the top of the handle, keeping your hands as far from the heat waves coming off the grill as possible. Steam can be just as hot, so angle the brush as needed to keep your hands away from its natural rise, as well as off hot sidewalls and any upper grates. Use firm pressure and short strokes.

It never hurts to put on grill gloves before you start brushing a hot grill, especially when scraping heavily soiled grates. It also pays to replace a grill brush as soon as it shows signs of wear and before loose bristles or fibers become an issue. Dalkin says she replaces her grill brush annually just to be sure it isn’t deteriorating.

How do you clean grill grates?

A grill brush preps grill grates for cleaning. Unless you choose a nylon brush safe only for cold use, brush down the grill slats while they’re hot, wetting the brush often to create steam that helps loosen food. Doing this after I lift the last shrimp skewer off the grill takes just a minute or so.

The actual cleaning happens once the grill has cooled. “After I run the brush over the grates, I always wipe it down (once it's cooled) with a wet kitchen rag, and then with a towel with a touch of oil on it. This ensures no bristles are left behind,” says Dalkin. “Before grilling, I'll take half an onion and run its cut side over the grates for both flavor and to ensure it's clean.”

When I’m facing someone else’s mess on a cold grill, I use the same techniques: Get the grill hot enough to burn off the leftover food and then brush with steam. An onion rubdown picks up any residual debris. Instead of oiling the hot grill, I coat the food I’m placing on it with high smoke point oil—or flop down a copper grill mat.

How should I clean my grill brush?

Burnt-on food inevitably gets trapped in a grill brush head. The tool will last longer if you clean it after each use. Whisking it around in a bucket of hot, soapy water until bubbles form usually does the trick; you can soak it for a few minutes or scrub it against a second brush made of the same material if resistant bits remain. Rinse the brush until completely free of soap and let it air dry before storing it in a dry place out of weather and baking sun. Dishwasher-safe brush heads should be checked for missed bits of food and then fully air-dried before they’re reattached to their handle and stored.

How do you clean a grill without a brush?

In a pinch, you can use a wad of aluminum foil to scrub down hot stainless steel or uncoated cast iron grates. Be sure to tuck any ragged edges into the center of the ball so that they don’t become loose scraps, and put on a heatproof glove before you start scrubbing. As another option, a small block of oak or other dense hardwood can become a handheld scraper (again, in a gloved hand) that will conform over time to your grates’ shape.

Why Take Our Word for It?

Julie Laing has been a writer and editor for 25-plus years, focusing on original recipes, kitchen tools, and the stories around them. She is the author of “The Complete Guide to Pickling,” the Flathead Beacon food columnist, and a reviewer and recipe developer for numerous other publications. She’s streamlined her grill cleaning steps over the years as she’s learned more about the best tools for and approach to the task. Her favorite grilled foods are her homegrown vegetables, from thin spears of asparagus to corn in its husk, and the sea scallops and black cod she buys directly from fishing families when she visits the West Coast.