7 Best Grill Brushes of 2024 [Wire & Nylon Fiber Cleaners & Scrapers]

By Ben Isham-Smith

Published:

These grill brushes are safe and easy to use to get your grill clean and shining.

wire brush cleaning propane grill grates

Regular cleaning is key to keep your grill running as smoothly as possible long term. The importance of a good grill brush can’t be understated. Not all brushes are created equal, however, and there are even some out there that can do more harm than good.

A good grill brush will provide easy grease and char cleanup on any grill grate surface. Their stainless steel bristles and interwoven build make them robust and reliable, making them stand out from most other regular kitchen tools.

Here are seven of the best grill brushes to help you take perfect care of your backyard grill.

Weber 3-Sided Grill Brush

Weber 3-Sided Grill Brush

Weber’s reputation for crafting exceptional charcoal grills extends to their range of accessories, and the 3-Sided Grill Brush is no exception. This essential BBQ tool delivers efficient cleaning with nuanced features, catering to seasoned grill masters and casual barbecue fans.

With a 7-inch brush head, it allows you to make quick work of larger grill grates. In contrast, its three-angled edge enables you to maneuver easily into the inner rim of the grill as well as between your grill’s grates, allowing you to dislodge any stubbornly stuck food remnants.

The brush head features thick stainless steel bristles that didn’t bend or shed at all during our extensive testing. These bristles appeared to handle pressure well, as well as heat, when we tested them on a hot grill immediately after use. Furthermore, we didn’t notice any bristle loss, even after robust use.

A durable, comfortable-to-use wire grill brush that stood up to the most stubborn of grime and burned on food that we tested it on. We couldn’t ask for much more.

What We Liked

  • Unique Brush Head Design: The combination of the broad brush head with the 3-edge design makes the brush adept at tackling large surfaces quickly and at working into awkward angles
  • Stainless Steel Bristles: The brush’s high-grade bristles dealt with burned-on food superbly and showed no signs of bending or breaking
  • Handle Design: The ergonomic handle allows for good leverage and is comfortable to use over long periods

What We Didn’t Like

  • Performance on Porcelain Grates: The brush’s robust build means we found some light cosmetic damage on porcelain-enameled grates
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Weber 3-Sided Grill Brush
  • Wide brush head cleans large surfaces quickly and efficiently
  • Shorter sides can be used for cleaning edges and dislodging debris between grates
  • Thick stainless steel bristles resist wear

Char-Broil SAFER Nylon Bristle Grill Brush

char-broil safer nylon grill brush

Char-Broil’s entry into the grill brush game features a nylon bristle head. Seen as a safer alternative to steel wire, nylon bristles are gentler on cast iron and porcelain-enameled grill grates, easier to clean, and are far less likely to detach and pose a safety risk to your food.

Being nylon, however, the brush needed a little more work removing burned-on food in our testing. With regular cleaning after use, this isn’t too much of a problem, particularly if used in combination with a good spray.

All in all, the Char-Broil Safer brush offers a great balance between safety and cleaning performance. It features a replaceable head for when your brush wears out and a removable scraper for the most stubborn of burned-on food.

What We Liked

  • Perfect for Cast Iron & Porcelain Grates: The softer nylon material is kinder on more delicate grate materials than their stainless steel counterparts
  • Attachable Scraper Blade: Features a handy scraper blade to help tackle particularly stubborn food or grime
  • Food Safe: No risk of injecting metal bristles

What We Didn’t Like

  • Heat Warping: Nylon material is prone to warping under heat exposure, so you will need to wait for your grill to completely cool before cleaning
  • Soft Material: The nylon bristles may not handle heavy debris as effectively as stainless steel brushes
Char-Broil SAFER Nylon Bristle Grill Brush
  • Includes Char-Broil SAFER Replaceable Head Nylon Bristle Grill Brush (model 8666894) and its...
  • Nylon bristles grit-infused for increased cleaning ability; angled bristles to clean top and...
  • Removable brush head for easy cleaning and replacement; snaps into place.

GRILLART Brush & Scraper

grill art brush and scraper

Featuring a unique spin on the stainless steel bristles found on traditional brushes, the Gillart brush uses a woven stainless steel design that’s completely bristle-free. This is designed with safety in mind, with no metallic wires that can break off and end up in your food.

However, this stands out from other bristle-free brushes because the woven mesh design is more flexible, heat-resistant and durable. We found it really impressive at making light work of scrubbing the inner rims and inside grates of our grimy grates. Crucially, we found very little wear after continued pressured use over long periods.

What We Liked

  • Mesh Design: Woven mesh design means no risk of metallic bristles falling into the grill area
  • Scraper Attachment: Includes a sharp scraper to tackle more stubborn debris and grime

What We Didn’t Like

  • Mesh Clogging: The woven mesh design, while durable and effective at scrubbing, became easily clogged with food particles and grease during our tests
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GRILLART Brush & Scraper
  • Extra Strong Ergonomic Handle - Still believe that as long as the bristles are stiff enough,...
  • 5x Faster Clean - Three times more bristles than the traditional bbq grill brush, but also...
  • Scraper for Stubborn Residuals - Still stuck in the debris that sticks to your favorite grill?...

Alpha Grillers Brush & Scraper

The Alpha Grillers brush is quite the competitor as well. It has an 18-inch handle, and three – that’s right, three – heads. This allows for extremely easy and quick cleaning.

The bristles are sturdy, and they can remove any kind of grime that might be left on your grill. No matter how hard you scrub your grill, the brush will most certainly be able to take it.

This isn’t the kind of tool that breaks easily. It’s also great for cleaning porcelain-coated grates, and it will not leave any scratches on them. They will certainly not be chipped by the brush either.

The Alpha Grillers grill brush also has a scraper on it, for the residue that the brush itself can’t remove. The bristles are sure to stay on the brush as well. You don’t have to worry about them getting into your food.

Alpha Grillers also offers a lifetime 100% money back guarantee.

The Final Verdict

A solid brush that does the job well. The fixed bristles are made well but don;’t are too rigid to spread the effort around the entire brush head.

Alpha Grillers Brush & Scraper
  • GRILL BRUSH: Our grilling accessories are designed for pit masters & this grill wire brush is...
  • SAFE GRILL CLEANING BRUSH: Safe grill brush for gas grill cleaner, porcelain, stainless steel,...
  • EASY TO USE GRILL GRATE BRUSH: Effortlessly clean your bbq in seconds with a grill scrubber...

BBQ-Aid Barbecue Grill Brush

BBQ-Aid Barbecue grill brush and scraper

This brush is a bit different from the ones we’ve looked at so far. The design is pretty simple, but it does the job perfectly. It’s 15 inches long, so it’s fairly good if you don’t want to burn your hand. The head is not quite as large as the other ones we’ve looked at so far, but it’s still perfect for cleaning efficiently.

It’s also made entirely from stainless steel. The handle is made out of wood, and it’s securely attached to the metal frame. The edges can be used as a scraper, so even the peskiest pieces of residue can be removed. The quality of this brush makes up for its price.

The BBQ-Aid grill brush is perfect if you want something that is simple and easy to use. It can clean your grill perfectly, without shedding any bristles. The stainless-steel head will certainly not rust away if you take good care of it. The long wooden handle will ensure that you won’t burn yourself accidentally while cleaning. You can attach a string (or something similar) into the hole on the end to get a better hanger for yourself.

The Final Verdict

The old-school design of this brush shouldn’t be overlooked. Sturdy, strong, and built to last.

BBQ-Aid Barbecue Grill Brush
  • EFFORTLESS CLEANING - Our Grill Brush for Outdoor Grill Quickly removes burnt on residue and...
  • PREMIUM DESIGN – Our wood grill cleaner brush and bbq tools look good and function properly....
  • PREMIUM QUALITY – Don’t mess around with any other char broil grill cleaner brush with...

Kona Safe Grill Brush

Kona Safe Grill Brush

This brush from Kona show just why you need something above a regular cleaning brush to do the job.

The brush does away with standard bristles to help stop the likelihood of any stray bristles ending up in your food (it’s happened to me, it’s gross).

The lack of bristles might not sound promising, but in their place Kona use a ceramic-nylon hybrid that is still tough and durable enough to stand above most other brushes.

This makes it a great fit for people who want something that’s just as safe as it is effective. And because it’s less corrosive, it’s a great fit for cleaning cast iron grill grates.

It has a long handle to help you clear any flames or hot embers, while also helping you to clean it far more easily.

The Final Verdict

Perhaps the brush of the future. Everything about this brush is geared towards safety and comfort, while still being up to job for cleaning.

Kona Safe Grill Brush
  • SUPER FAST LOW EFFORT GRILL CLEANING - FOR BEST RESULTS: Turn Grill To Low, Close lid & Wait 4...
  • LONG LASTING SOLID CONSTRUCTION - 60% more rigid tool than a conventional brush. Will not bend...
  • RECOMMENDED FOR ALL GRILL TYPES - Safe for Porcelain, Ceramic, Infrared, Weber, Char-Broil,...

Grillinator BBQ Grill Brush

Grillinator 18” BBQ grill brush

The Grillinator is quite possibly the best brush you can buy. It ticks all of the boxes a great brush needs, and it even adds more to it.

The Grillinator is 18 inches long total. Out of this, the handle takes up 14 inches. That is more than enough to ensure that you won’t burn yourself while cleaning your grill.

The head has quite an interesting and unique design, that cleans 50% faster than other ones. It’s also important to mention that the head is replaceable. You don’t have to buy an entirely new brush every time they wore out, you just need to order a replacement head.

Speaking of wearing out, the bristles are incredibly tough, and they last for a long time. The Grillinator even has a bottle opener on the other end of it, in case you feel like cracking open a cold one. It also functions as a hanger, of course.

The Final Verdict

The brush works with all grill types. It was designed by three grilling enthusiasts, and after much personal testing, they found the best working combination of ideas. You can be sure that this brush will be good for all your cleaning needs.


Why Do I Need to Clean My Grill?

The old adage that if you take care of your grill then it’ll take care of you is at its most evident when talking about cleaning your grill.

After every use of your grill, a little bit more grease and oil builds up on your grill grates, burners, and chamber walls.

You might not have to clean these after every use, but they do start to build up very quickly.

If you leave these alone then the quality of your outdoor grill will start to degrade, and ultimately the taste of your food will be negatively impacted.

It doesn’t just stop at grease though. Charcoal particles will start to adhere to your grill, which means that safety starts to become an issue. These particles can harm your food, and even pose as a fire hazard.

The best way to limit the risk of this is by cleaning your charcoal grill thoroughly after every few uses. And the best way to this is by getting yourself a good grill brush.

What Does a Good Cleaning Brush Need?

I wouldn’t say that all of these qualities are essential to a good brush, but if you find one that has any or all of these then you’re on to a winner.

A Long Handle

Grills are best cleaned when they are hot. If your brush’s handle is too short, you could accidentally burn yourself. Of course, you could try cleaning your grill cold too, but it would take you more time that way.

Strong Bristles

Second, look for a brush with sturdy bristles. With most brushes, the more worn out it gets, the more likely it is that the bristles start falling off. This could result in them getting into your food, which is just horrible to even think about.

Added Scraper

A scraper integrated onto the brush is a very big plus as well. It can be used to remove residue that the brush itself can’t handle, and it’s also good for cleaning surfaces it can’t reach.

Avoid Plastic

There is one thing you should absolutely avoid with brushes, and that’s plastic. No part of it should be made out of plastic because – as mentioned before – grills should be cleaned when they’re hot. Plastic could potentially melt, and that would be horrible.

Consider Going Bristle-Free

As we’ve seen with the Kona Safe brush, brushes that don’t feature bristles are becoming more and more popular.

And for good reason: Bristles can sometimes come loose during use and find their way on to your grill. If they then find their way to your food this can pose a health risk.

While it’s true that ceramic brushes aren’t quite as abrasive as stainless steel bristles, they are becoming increasingly efficient. I predict any difference in performance will be zero within a couple of years.

Last update on 2024-03-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About the Author

Ben Isham-Smith

A BBQ obsessive, Ben is behind 250+ of The Online Grill’s recipes, as well as countless barbecue guides to help barbecue newbies get to grips with the world’s best form of cooking.


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