WeberGourmet BBQ System Hinged Cooking Grate

Cook with vortex or not , sturdy well made.

Quality replacement grill. I like this style.

While I love the idea of this grill grate, and the utility of being able to add different accessories is wonderful, there is a flip side to that utility.......(pun intended) The center grill insert that you use when not putting an accessory in the middle, has a tendency to either flip over or fall into the coals area when trying to clean. When you apply pressure to scrape the grill, if you do so at the two edges that are unsupported, (the edges that are parallel with the grate direction, the grill insert can flip over and land on your hand or wrist potentially causing a nasty 500 degree burn should it land high enough to miss your BBQ mitts. Secondly, if it does not flip up it may fall into the charcoal below, and allow your grill brush to plunge into the coals along with your hand should you be unaware or of slow reaction times.This will be a "permanent scar" level of burn folks, and cleaning your grill of your own melting flesh will be the next part of your clean up chore right after a trip to the E.R. I was lucky enough to have had my extra long mitts on at the time or I would probably not be able to type this today, or for a few weeks after this.I know it says to brush the grate when it is HOT because it is easier to clean, but if you do you better be wearing really long grill mitts. A few bucks spent and a hard and fast rule of using them EVERY time you clean your grill will keep you out of the hurt locker.That being said, it is a well made and durable item, that I will continue to use with caution.

I've used this accessory all season in conjunction with the 8838 Poultry Roaster (beer can chicken tray) and the 8836 Pizza Stone, both of which I've been quite pleased with. The grate itself is a fantastic upgrade for any Weber grill, and I am incredibly pleased with both the design and the construction. The grate uses much heavier steel than either the standard or hinged cooking grates. This alone is worth the price of admission if you're ready to replace your existing grate. Moreover, the hinged sides are a god-send for me as I had the standard static grate previously. I like to add wood (mesquite, hickory, or pecan) to the grill after I've let it come up to temperature right after I put the food down, and the hinged sections let me do this without removing the hot grate from the grill. I can also add fresh charcoal to the grill when doing longer cooks without disturbing the food.The only complaint I have about the grate has more to do with the gourmet BBQ system's accessories than the grate itself. Some accessories fail to take advantage of the grate opening. With the opening removed, certain accessories such as the beer can chicken tray would seemingly benefit from sitting lower in the grate, thus bringing them closer to the coals and providing more height between the food and the lid. Unfortunately, most of the accessories are designed to just barely sit inside of the opening, placing them perhaps 1/4" to 1/2" lower than they'd be if you just set them on top of a regular grate. That said, the opening does securely hold the accessories and perfectly positions them in the middle of the grill, which is an excellent method of ensuring a nice, even cook.

There is nothing to hate about these. They are strong and steady and same design as the original Gourmet bbq sys. They weight the same and fits perfectly and functions well.

It is thicker than alternatives. It works.

I bought this stainless steel grate to use with my 22 1/2 inch-diameter Masterbuilt kettle grill. The grate is 21 1/2 inches in diameter and is designed for use in 22 1/2 inch-diameter Weber kettle grills. The grate is manufactured out of sturdy, thick-gauge steel. The quality of the construction is evident; the grate is made in Taiwan. If you have owned cooking grates in the past that were made out of thin-gauged, flimsy steel which sagged under the weight of heavy foods such as brisket or large steaks, rest assured, sagging simply won't happen with this grate -- the thick-gauge steel bars and the circular insert in the middle of the grate allow for increased structural support as compared with the steel bars of flimsier grates.The feature which increases the utility of this grate as compared with standard cooking grates are the two hinged sections on the left and right sides of the grate, which allow the grate to flip upwards so that one can add additional charcoal or smoking chips/chunks, as needed. In addition, the center of the grate features a circular section approximately 12 inches in diameter, which is entirely removable, and, which can be removed to add charcoal and/or smoking woods, or, replaced with one of Weber's modular replacement sections, such as a griddle or a cast iron searing plate. Cleaning the grate is as easy as using hot water, dish soap and a steel wool scouring pad to scrape away fats and grease. The steel will acquire a patina over time from smoke and oil, but, that is to be expected, and, it doesn't affect performance in any way. This is a quality product which will last a long time.

Much better than original grate that came with the Weber. This is my second one. The first one last 6 years. I used to replace my grate with OEM grate every 2 years.I do not use the special feature of being able to remove the center grate. The sturdiness of the grill warrants the purchase. I would like to see it made of stainless steel to cut down on the rust.