Best Grill Covers

Last Update: October, 2023

You just bought a great grill to kick of the season. Of course, you’ll probably be using it all summer, but what happens when you’re not using it?
It’ll likely be sitting outside waiting until you use it once again. During these intervals, all sorts of dirt and weather can harm your grill, which is why you might want to consider buying one of the best grill covers to protect it.

More About The VicTsin Gas Grill Cover

You can use the VicTsin Gas Grill Cover on almost any grill. This heavy-duty cover is made to fit all grills, with its dimensions clocking in at 58 x 24 x 44.
It’s designed to be very durable as well, made of 600D polyester fabric that’s weather-resistant, dust-proof, and completely rip resistant and UV protected.
All the seams on this cover are bound for strength, with high-density seams that keep your grill completely covered even in harsh sunlight. Fit it on your grill and use the padded handles to secure it on the grill, tightening it so that there’s no way for it to blow off.

More About The Homitt Gas Grill Cover

The Homitt Gas Grill Cover, measuring 58 x 24 x 48 will cover most brands and is made of tough material to boot. The 600D Oxford fabric is weather-resistant, water-resistant, and rip-resistant too. It's built to last through all the seasons, not to mention that it's easy to clean too. Just hose it down with water and let it dry.
What makes the Homitt cover unique is that it's wind-resistant as well. There are straps on the two sides of the cover. All you have to do is slip the cover over to the grill before you tie the straps to tighten the cover and keep it settled no matter how strong the wind gets.

More About The Classic Accessories Veranda Grill Cover

The Veranda Grill Cover is bound inside with seams made for strength. The high-density stitching is made to stay strong, while the padded handles are easy for you to grab and adjust whenever you need. As a bonus, the matching webbing gives the cover itself a good look too.
This grill cover measures 64 x 24 x 48 and will fit most popular brands. Make sure that you measure your grill before you buy, but once you have your cover in hand, you'll notice the water-resistant fabric top with the protective guard skirt in case there's any splashing.
Thanks to the adjustability of the cover, you can tighten it to custom fit any grill. Do keep in mind that it’s not designed to entirely cover the wheels or the legs.

More About The Grillman Premium BBQ Grill Cover

The Grillman Premium grill cover is a popular brand with its dimensions clocking in at 60 x 24 x 48. It’s made out of heavy-duty materials that will keep your grill dry and protected from the sun.
Tighten the fabric loops to get a perfect fit for any grill. If there are any problems, rest assured that you do have a lifetime replacement guarantee. Contact Grillman with any problems to get a replacement in no time.

More About The Tadge Good BBQ Grill Cover

Use this black grill cover by Tadge to block out all UV rays to keep your grill protected from the sun. That black coloring will stay overtime to protect your grill from even the toughest weather, including rain, sleet, snow, and water. Just fasten the straps to protect your grill from the wind and pull the handles on top to keep it perfectly tightened throughout any storm.
Use this cover on any grill, since it's made to fit a wide range of models. No matter what model you put it on, the 600D polyester fabric will keep your grill safe. And if you do notice any problems, check out the warranty to stay covered.

Why you should have a Grill Cover

You might look at a grill cover and wonder if you really need it. But remember that your grill sits outside all the times. When it’s raining, windy, or snowing, your grill needs to be able to withstand all these elements like a champ. A grill cover goes a long way to help.

Fighting the Elements

Since your grill sits outside all the time, you need a heavy-duty cover to protect it from all the elements, and from rust. A good grill cover will keep all the water away from the metal, lengthening the life of your grill.
This is especially true if you live somewhere with lots of rainfall, so try choosing a cover that is water repellant.

Protection from Critters

All kinds of bugs and small rodents might want to crawl into your grill to live during the winter especially. When you're turning your grill on again after the cold season, you don't want to have to clear out all sorts of critters.

Avoid Corrosion

Especially if you live in a coastal area where you’re dealing with a lot of salty air, you’ll want a cover to protect the grill. Spray coatings might protect the grill, but not as completely as any one of these grill covers could.

Dust and Debris

 It doesn't matter where you live when winds can kick up all sorts of dust and debris right into your grill. Even falling leaves, twigs, and other outdoor elements can cause problems and make it difficult to use your grilling surface. Dust can do this too. All of this is difficult to clean if you simply leave it to accumulate.

Storing your Accessories

A BBQ grill is only one part of the barbequing life. You need all your accessories too, which you might attach to the side of your grill. Of course, you’ll want to cover those up to keep them safe, but some grill covers even have pockets for storing all these items.

How to Choose the Right One

Material

Grill covers are designed to be the shield between your grill and the elements. Since their purpose is to protect your grill, these covers need to be made of durable, heavy duty material.

Believe it or not, your grill cover is going to go through a lot over its lifetime, so you need to ensure you purchase a grill cover with a material that can hold up over time. You want to find thick enough material with strong stitches. Most grill covers are made of polyester fabric, which is an ideal material for grill covers.

Size (and Fit)

Finding the right size grill cover isn't like shopping for a new size in clothing, but you still want to find a good fit. An oversized grill cover could let the elements in and as a result, your grill will get dirty or corroded anyway. However, if the cover is too tight, you spend more time than is reasonable for putting it on.

Knowing the size of your grill before you look for a cover saves a lot of time and hassle, so measure it if you need to.

Some grill brands make custom fit grill covers for their various models. Different types of grills will need covers that fit their specific build.

A cover for around charcoal grill, naturally, won't work for a large, rectangular gas grill. This is mostly a common sense issue; but if you're not able to look at the grill cover in person before purchasing it, check the type of grill it's designed for, and pay attention to the measurements.

Waterproofing and Weatherproofing

If you need a grill cover because you intend to store your grill outdoors, you need a solid cover that can stand up to the task. Waterproof material will help keep moisture away from your grill and prevent rust.

Many grill covers are water resistant, but you should always check the product details rather than risk corrosion on your grill. When you're looking for a grill cover to keep the weather out, check to see how far the cover extends. Does have straps to ensure the wheels are covered, or does it leave the bottom exposed? If you want to keep water damage away from your grill, it's better to find a cover that keeps water off your entire grill, not just the top.

Features and Accessories

Basic grill covers cover and protect the grill, but don't offer much outside of. That said, many grills covers now offer extra features to make using them easier and more effective.

Things like velcro straps help tighten and secure the grill cover, much like an elastic hem does. Other grill covers may include air vents, tie down straps and anchors. These are the most common and classic accessories since they cover the wheels too.

Price

Price shouldn't be the only determining factor when you look at grill covers. Realistically though, many of us are on budgets and plan purchases accordingly. Never buy based on the price tag alone, because you could end up with a cover that does little to protect your grill (and end up with a corroded grill anyway).

There is plenty of budget-friendly grill covers available, but you need to weigh what features you consider essential such as waterproofing or an elastic hem at the bottom. You need to figure out which features would be nice but you can live without, such as optional air vents).

Which features you need, and which you can skip (and save money by skipping), also depends on where you live. For example, if you live in a fairly humid area, air vents are a key feature to look for, while if you live in a dry climate, air vents only add to the price tag. 

Grill Cover’s Maintenance Tips

A good bbq grill cover can last several years. Most last at least 2 or 3 years. This is provided that you take care of it and perform proper maintenance, of course.

Now, if you simply toss the grill cover on and forget about it until the next time you grill, your grill cover is going to deteriorate a lot quicker.

In turn, that means your grill won't be as protected for as long. To take care of your grill cover and get a longer life it out of it, follow these maintenance guidelines:

Keep your grill cover clean. You don't need to do deep, spring cleaning every time you take your grill cover off, and it doesn't take much time. You can use a soapy mixture of water and gentle dish soap to clean it up, or even hose it down when you're done. Just make sure it's completely dry before putting it back.

If your grill cover hasn't gotten very dirty, you can skip some in between cleanings by giving the cover a wipe down. Use either a damp, soft washcloth or a microfiber cloth.

Every few months, depending on use and exposure to the elements, you'll want to do a more thorough cleaning. You can use the same soapy solution as with the less intense cleaning, but you have to get more detailed. Make sure you clean in cracks and crevices, as well as around stitching where dirt and grime can accumulate. 

If you leave your grill cover outside, consider spraying it with a spray to prevent or eliminate mildew. This will keep your grill cover in good shape for longer, especially if you have a softer cloth lining or felt on the inside of the grill cover. This only needs to be done a few times a year, but it could extend your grill cover's longevity dramatically.

When Do You Not Need It

When do you really need a grill cover, and when can you hold off on that purchase? This is one of the more common questions grill owners have.

Here's the deal:

When you keep your grill outside, year-round through wind, rain, heat, and snow, you almost definitely need a grill cover.

What about if you store your grill indoors and take it outside only when you're grilling? Chances are, you'll be fine without a grill cover. That is to say, in most cases. If you have a cool, dry area to store your grill, don't worry. Just dust it off and keep it clean.

However, if you're storing it indoors, but in a less regulated climate, even a light duty grill cover can increase your grill's longevity. 

In humid climates, it's actually better to leave a grill cover off. That's because humidity can seep underneath the grill cover and become trapped, leading moisture issues no grill owner wants. Alternatively, you can use a grill cover with air vents to help let trapped moisture out.

Conclusion

Not every situation calls for a grill cover, but in those situations where one is needed, your grill can suffer if you don't prepare. Grills that are left outside quickly deteriorate and show damage when left without the protection of a grill cover.

In these situations, a weatherproofed grill cover is a wise investment. However, grills that are stored indoors can go without in certain conditions. That said, it's better to err on the side of caution rather than to get excited for a big cookout only to find your grill is rusted and damaged.