BBQ Rust Test: 12 Months Outdoors With & Without Covers (20 Models)

Furniture in Fashion has examined whether covering a barbecue outdoors prevents corrosion, and the report begins by stating what it is not: we did not run a twelve month exposure trial, and no verified independent UK test comparing covered and uncovered models is published. The chemistry gives a reliable answer without one. Corrosion needs moisture, oxygen and time, and a cover addresses only exposure to rain. Where a cover is non breathable, or fitted to a barbecue that is still warm or damp, it traps humidity against the metal and extends the contact time that drives corrosion. Material grade matters more than any accessory, with austenitic stainless such as grade 304 substantially outperforming the ferritic grades used in budget components, while powder coating and enamel protect only while intact. Coastal chloride attacks stainless by pitting, making a freshwater rinse worthwhile. Ventilated storage outperforms covering in every case....