Buy One of These Grill Brushes and You’ll Be Set for Life. (Or at Least Many, Many Summers.)

updated May 24, 2019
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Credit: Mia Yakel/Kitchn

I know I already said that my biggest grilling concern is that I’m going to serve someone an undercooked burger. So let’s make this my second-biggest grilling concern: the idea of serving someone a burger (undercooked or otherwise) with a grill-brush bristle stuck inside!

I swear I’m not that much of a worrier, but I’ve been hearing cautionary tales of people accidentally ingesting grill-brush bristles (and ending up in the hospital!) for years now. You’ve probably heard them, too. And maybe you just thought it was lore? Well, I’ve seen it happen! At a popular chain restaurant that shall remain nameless, my pregnant friend got a burger with a bristle in it. She pulled it out and was fine but that didn’t stop us from worrying that she ate one without noticing (she didn’t, that we know of).

All that’s to say that grill brushes scare me. Which is why I’ve spent a lot of time reading about them and testing them. And I can confidently say — based on my own experience and copious amounts of reviews — that these are the very best ones out there. Buy one of these and you won’t have to worry about errant bristles OR having to replace your brush anytime soon.

Credit: Amazon

This is the one I use on a regular basis. It is truly bristle-free — because it’s just a solid piece of hardwood. As you use it, the still-hot grates slowly burn into the wood and the scraper basically becomes custom to your grill. This one is 20 inches, which is plenty of distance to keep your hands away from the grill (it’s best to clean always — and especially with this scraper! — when the gill is on the warm-to-hot side). I’ve been using this for a few seasons now, and it just gets better and better over time.

Credit: Amazon

This is the single bestselling grill brush on Amazon and I can see why. Instead of bristles, it has stainless wires that bend and hug the grates as you clean. It’s extra-wide and has a scraper part for burnt-on gristle. Some of the reviewers suggest dipping it in water before putting it on a hot grill to get it working like a charm. Better than a charm, even.

Credit: Amazon

For just nine bucks, you’d think this brush would be rather junky but it’s not AT ALL. It’s earned the “Amazon Choice” sticker, a 4.6-star rating from more than 1,000 reviewers, and even the thumbs up from Wirecutter. It has three rows of thick-gauge wire bristles, which are well-constructed and don’t get smooshed as you use them. If you’re not looking to spend a lot of money, this is the way to go. Some people have complained that the bristles come loose, but most say that’s not the case.