Are you tired of getting the same taste out of your grilled meat each and every single time? A flavorizer bar can do wonders for you if this is something you’re struggling with.
The ever-popular grill accessory works wonders for enhancing the flavor of food without any additives. Yet, out of the many options out there, which does one choose?
You’ll know exactly which is best for you after going through our comprehensive comparison of porcelain vs. stainless steel flavorizer bars.
Porcelain Vs. Stainless Steel Flavorizer Bars Comparison
| Porcelain Flavorizer Bars | Stainless Steel Flavorizer Bars | |
| Composition | Metal Alloy Coated With Porcelain Enamel | Solid Brushed Non-Porous Stainless Steel |
| Advantages | Supremely Easy To Clean, Stain & Corrosion Resistant, Highly Affordable, Attractive Aesthetics | Long-Lasting Durability, Leading Cooking Performance, Leading Heat Conduction, Easy To Clean |
| Disadvantages | Will Need Replacing Eventually, Will Eventually Crack, Slight Issues With Heat Conductivity At High Temperatures, Impaired Performance As Compared To Stainless Steel | Requires Dedicated Frequent Careful Cleaning, High Price Point |
| Affordability | 17.5” 3 Bars – $65.99 | 17.5” 3 Bars – $80.55 |
Porcelain Vs. Stainless Steel Flavorizer Bars
Today, you can find various flavorized bars, all thanks to Weber, who was the first company to introduce this feature through their excellent range of grills.
Ever since, you’ll find flavorizer bars on all types of grills, not just those from weber, but the basic composition remains the same. Here is a look at the two basic classifications, namely porcelain and stainless steel flavorizer bars.
Porcelain-Enameled Flavorizer Bars
You’ll find the greatest variety of porcelain-enameled flavorizer bars available. The majority of manufacturers supply porcelain-enameled flavorizer bars with packages containing both three and five-bar sets available.
Let’s take a closer look at what makes porcelain-enameled flavorizer bars the default entry-level choice.
Composition
A porcelain enamel bar is a type of flavorized bar that uses a specific metal coating composed of a glass called porcelain enamel.
A thin layer of this porcelain enamel is applied to an inner layer of metal which helps prevent the surface from incurring any physical or chemical damage.
The glass layer also improves the overall look of the flavorizer bar, making it visually more appealing and longer-lasting in the process.
Advantages
Porcelain-enameled flavorizer bars are really easy to clean. It takes barely any time at all for the food residue to wipe away.
Furthermore, these coated metal flavorizer bars are resistant to most types of stains, and both the balance of value for money (affordability to quality ratio) and performance is outstanding.
It is virtually impossible for stains and scaling to set in and take hold as long as the bars are kept clean on a regular basis.
Even with cleaning habits that aren’t up to scratch, the porcelain surface keeps looking good for a long time. The surface is also naturally non-stick and just highly resistant to scratches.
Disadvantages
Prolonged use at extremely high temperatures slowly but surely degrades the intensity of the porcelain enamel leading to diminished heat retention and eventually cracking. After years of use, scorch marks will begin to show up.
While most porcelain flavor bars will still work even when in shoddy condition, they’ll start to rust and corrode when at the end of their lifespan.
At some point, porcelain flavorizer bars will need to be replaced, and you can expect to replace them multiple times during the operation of your grill.
Unfortunately, porcelain enamel metal bars also have a bad general reputation when it comes to heat conduction.
This may even result in the grill not being able to evenly cook your food depending on the thickness of whatever you’re cooking and your control of the heat.
Affordability
Flavorizer bars are priced according to the size of the grill that they fit. This being said, porcelain-enameled bars are far cheaper than stainless steel bars.
In comparison, the standard 17.5″ porcelain-enameled flavorizer bars retail for around $65.99, whereas the equal size stainless steel flavorizer bars sell for $80.55.
Stainless Steel Flavorizer Bars
In most cases, you don’t get better flavorizer bar performance and longevity than stainless steel flavorizer bars.
They’re the number one choice for Weber grills and should be the go-to option for any grill manufacturer that has them available. Here is a close breakdown of what makes stainless steel flavorizer bars the overwhelming favorite.
Composition
Stainless steel bars are a type of flavorized bars that are made using iron alloy blended with chromium. Many different blends of metals are used, model and manufacturer-dependent.
Chromium grants an oxide layer on the topmost surface of the steel bar, which grants stainless steel flavorizer bars excellent corrosion resistance.
Advantages
Even when used for an extended amount of time, you can rest assured there won’t be any form of corrosion on your steel bars.
Compared to porcelain-enameled bars, these bars are highly resistant to heat and do not incur gradual damage over time.
Stainless steel flavorizer bars offer the greatest durability and outlast their porcelain counterparts before starting to show any signs of wear and tear. The non-porous surface is both hygienic and easy to clean.
Also, you can’t beat the heat retention and cooking performance of stainless steel flavorizer bars. They top their counterparts in everything from heat conduction to efficiency.
Disadvantages
When stainless steel flavorizer bars aren’t cleaned regularly, they will both degrade and become excessively difficult to clean. The trick to keeping stainless steel bars looking great for a lifetime is to clean them after each use.
However, the same can technically be said for both varieties. Stainless steel flavorizer bars are also typically out of reach for those shopping on a tight budget due to their considerably higher price.
Affordability
As a longer-lasting, higher-quality composition product, stainless steel flavorizer bars cost more than porcelain flavorizer bars.
You can expect to pay $80.55 for a set of 17.5″ stainless steel flavorizer bars, whereas the same-sized flavorizer bars made coated with a porcelain-enameled finish go for $65.99.
One has to keep in mind that the affordability of stainless steel always needs to be considered, along with just how long they last.
You may be paying $20 or more extra, but if well taken care of, stainless steel flavorizer bars will last for years if they ever need replacing at all.
What Is The Difference Between Porcelain And Stainless Steel Flavorizer Bars?
The main difference between porcelain and stainless steel flavorizer bars is that flavorizer bars made from a metal alloy featuring a porcelain-enamel finish are cheaper than stainless steel flavorizer bars while offering a surface that presents slightly poorer cooking performance and shorter longevity at the trade-off of being easier to clean than steel.
Which Is Best, Porcelain Vs. Stainless Steel Flavorizer Bars?
Deciding which is best between porcelain vs. stainless steel flavorizer bars is often as simple as going for the higher-priced stainless steel bars due to their durability.
However, cooking with porcelain flavorizer bars does offer its own experience, which is preferred by many chefs for various reasons. Ultimately, it comes down to your personal preferences and the grill that you’re buying the flavorizer bars for.
A Weber will always leave both options open, and all flavorizer bars will grant a more even cooking surface by effectively preventing flare-ups and dispersing the heat better.
If you own a grill and use it often or appreciate good food, flavorizer bars of some sort are a must.