I seen to break these every year. I think they just don't hold up to liquids. Should I be covering them in foil or what?
Yes I'm also due for a good high heat clean and I need to replace the lower seal (again). Pizza will help with that tomorrow…
by OlegTheMighty
16 Comments
I’ve read a lot of people have had issues with broken heat deflectors. I’ve had mine since I bought the grill eight years ago. I had a little bit of flaking in a small area but that is it. Maybe it’s the way they make them now?
I used to wrap mine in foils the first two years but just stopped. It’s extra effort and all it does is keep the plates clean.
No prob for 8 yrs on my KJ. Grab a 13” drip pan. Line w foil every time, easy cleanup and keeps most of the liquids off stone. Best 15 bucks I’ve spent.
I use a drip pan and ceramic grill store can save you some $$ on these
I still have my original deflectors 7 years in, but have had two fireboxes crack.
I always use foil and drip pans depending on what I’m doing.
Are you suppose to put the deflectors so low? I use the accessory rack to put them slightly higher, which seems to be the only option if you have the kj charcoal basket. Perhaps unrelated but i would see how they get more heat to endure in that setup.
Broken 2 deflectors in 8 years. I got the replacements the first time but now I just wrap them in foil tightly and don’t worry about it
Get a drip pan brochacho. Especially one with an air gap between it and the shields.
These indeed do not deal well with liquids. Never wash them, they absorb water and expand upon heating. As some people have pointed out, they are too low. Use the ring you have to position them on the first level of your divider. And (disposable) drip trays are quite nice, but foil works too. Flip them over between each cook so the fire cleans the dirty side.
I had my KJ for 6 years and my heat deflectors broke 4 times with 1 time completely cracking like his and the other 3 times were all stress cracks located throughout the heat deflectors, I also had my fire box crack once. I am not sure if he has his heat deflectors too low becasue I seen YouTube Videos of KJ chefs cooking with them in both positions but I would say that moisture is what is causing these deflectors to crack.
happened to mine last week, after having them for about 3 years
I’m on my fourth set of deflectors since 2020. They crack in the upper right corner every single time.
You’re not using the X bracket to hold the deflectors. They aren’t supposed to be down there so close to the fire.
Mine cracked sitting in my propane grill in storage. I assume water got into a seam and expanded when frozen.
I cover mine in foil, and they still look new after 15 cooks
I’ve read that there is some pressure happening inside the ceramic grill when vents are shut down, after grilling. Pull the heat plate up before shutting down the vents to prevent cracking. Just pick them up and put on top of the grill grate. Less pressure, less cracking. I don’t know, but my cheap pizza stone hasn’t cracked in over 10 years now.