Steel Gauge and Why It Matters on a Portable Grill

What 10-gauge and 12-gauge mean, why thicker steel holds up better in a collapsible grill, and how gauge affects weight.

Sheet steel thickness is often given as a gauge number. The counterintuitive part: a lower gauge number means thicker steel. 10-gauge is thicker than 12-gauge, which is thicker than 16-gauge, and so on. Slot Grill's Full Size page puts 10-gauge in everyday terms: about the thickness of two stacked quarters.

Why thickness matters in a collapsible grill

• Rigidity. A flat pack grill's strength comes from the plates themselves. Thick plates don't flex when you load coals and a heavy pan.
• Warping. Thin steel heated unevenly tends to warp. Thick steel is far more stable.
• Heat holding. Thick steel stores heat, which helps a grate stay hot when cold food hits it.
• Life span. Thin steel can burn through in a hot firebox over years of use; thick steel has more to give.

The weight trade-off

Thicker steel is heavier. The two Slot Grills show it clearly:

The Compact is the same design at 80% scale in a slightly thinner gauge, to make it lighter to carry while staying strong enough for cast iron. The Full Size uses the heavier steel for larger cooks and heavier loads. See Compact vs Full Size.

The two Slot Grills at a glance

Figures from SlotGrill.com. For the full breakdown, see Compact vs Full Size.

Fire safety on any collapsible grill

• Outdoors only. Burning charcoal makes carbon monoxide, which you can't see or smell. Never use it in a garage, tent, camper, vehicle, boat cabin or under a roof or awning.
• Non-combustible, level ground. Soil, gravel, sand, concrete, pavers or a fire-safe pad.
• Clearance. Away from walls, vehicles, tents, overhanging branches and dry grass. Kids and pets kept back.
• Seated tabs. Check every tab is fully in its slot before you add fuel.
• Water and gloves at hand. Hot steel looks exactly like cold steel.
• Leave it alone until cold. Don't move or take apart a lit or warm grill.

Mistakes new flat pack owners make

1. Too much charcoal. A small firebox gets very hot. Start with half a chimney and add.
2. No cool zone. Without an empty end, a flare-up has nowhere to go.
3. Cooking on black coals. Wait for gray ash.
4. Old ash left in. It blocks airflow; empty it before every cook.
5. Heavy oil when seasoning. Thin coats cure; thick coats turn gummy.
6. Packing it warm. Wait until steel and ash are cold, every time.

Questions people ask