| Has your grill seen better days? Is your BBQ smoker | | | | More Than the Sum of Its PartsYou can restore |
| old, worn, broken, or just not working as well as it | | | | your barbeque to a nearly brand-new condition by |
| used to? Before you go shopping for a brand-new | | | | replacing its worn parts. You'll need to know grill's |
| cooker, try giving your old one a makeover.You can | | | | manufacturer so you can shop for accessories that |
| save significant amounts of money by cleaning your | | | | are custom made to fit your machine.For example, if |
| existing equipment and shopping for replacement | | | | you own a portable grill by Coleman, you can choose |
| parts, rather than buying a whole new cooker. That's | | | | from a variety of accessories, such as cooking grids, |
| because grill parts and simple cleaning supplies cost a | | | | warming racks, knobs, lid windows, handles, and |
| fraction of what you'd spend on a whole new | | | | igniters. Or, let's say you have a full-size Broilmaster |
| barbeque. And a grill makeover is an especially smart | | | | model. You can get replacement burner assemblies, |
| idea if your cooker was inexpensive to begin with, | | | | briquette holders, burner shields, control valves--even |
| such as a small portable grill.Clean It UpThe first step | | | | a kit that converts natural gas to propane, and vice |
| in our total barbeque makeover is a good scrub. It | | | | versa. What a bargain!Other popular accessories |
| doesn't take a lot of time or money to clean your grill | | | | include specialized starter systems for lighting charcoal |
| properly, so be sure to set aside a few hours this | | | | faster, rotisserie attachments, and rolling carts for |
| weekend to take care of it. Regularly cleaning your | | | | extra storage.One important note for safety: If you |
| grill will not only make it look great, but will ensure a | | | | own a gas-powered grill, be sure to inspect the |
| long life of top performance.Here's a quick guide to | | | | cylinder of your gas tank for bulges, dents, gouges, |
| cleaning your outdoor cookers: | | | | corrosion, leaks, or evidence of extreme rusting. Also, |
| If you have a gas grill or BBQ smoker, be sure to | | | | examine the hoses on your grill for brittleness, leaks, |
| first disconnect and remove the gas tank. Then, take | | | | holes, cracks, or sharp bends. If you find any of |
| out all the removable parts such as the main grills, | | | | these problems, it's time to replace the |
| rotisseries, upper racks, and drip pans.Prepare a | | | | equipment.Don't Forget the ProtectionYou've just |
| solution of warm, soapy water, and soak those | | | | spent some time, effort, and elbow grease to get |
| removable parts for an hour or more. This step will | | | | your grill back in tip-top shape. Protect your |
| help loosen and dissolve stubborn grease deposits, | | | | investment with the all-important grill cover. Of all the |
| making it much easier to scrub them clean.If your grill | | | | barbeque parts to shop for, grill covers are among |
| has lava rocks that are a year old or more, it's time | | | | the most important--and the most overlooked. Put |
| to replace them. That's because lava rocks lose | | | | them at the top of your list, and you'll be glad you |
| effectiveness over after a while.Now take an old | | | | did.Good-quality grill covers are durable, weather |
| spatula or paint scraper and scrape off burned-on | | | | resistant, and come in a variety of sizes to fit your |
| grease from the inside of the grill chamber. Then | | | | barbeque perfectly, whether you've got a |
| vacuum up or brush out the scrapings.The next step | | | | kettle-style charcoal grill or a bullet-shaped BBQ |
| is to care for the outside of your grill. After you | | | | smoker. Often made of polyester, nylon, or canvas, |
| replace the parts you removed earlier, close the lid | | | | these protective coverings are designed to encase |
| and wipe down the exterior. If your machine is a | | | | grill shelves, trays, tanks--all the exposed parts.Look |
| stainless steel grill or BBQ smoker, you can buy | | | | for grill covers with a soft cotton inside lining to |
| cleaner that's designed for stainless steel.Finally, use a | | | | protect your grill. Also, look for coverings that have |
| glass cleaner on any glass windows or chrome parts, | | | | drawstrings at the bottom to ensure a tight fit and |
| and you're ready for your next barbeque. | | | | the ultimate protection against the elements. |