Key Takeaways

There’s a moment every June when you pull the cover off the grill for real cooking, not the rushed Memorial Day session, and you notice the grates. The cast iron that looked fine in the dark is flaking at the edges, and the seasoning you swore you’d keep up is mostly gone. That’s the week half my inbox fills with the same question, so it felt right to build this Berry Basket around it. Prices verified June 7, 2026.

What stood out across the garden deals this week was how many of them solve the boring problems instead of selling you a new grill. Cast iron grate replacements from Utheer and Coleman, a universal temperature gauge from Charbroil, a Pit Boss hopper extension. These are the parts that quietly keep a grill alive for another five summers. Pellets and wood chips came in heavy too, with Pit Boss and Weber both running real markdowns rather than the inflated-original-price routine.

Father’s Day lands in a couple of weeks, so the timing works if you’re shopping for someone who already has the grill and just needs it running right. Heavy on cast iron and replacement parts this week, with a few fuel buys and one full pellet grill at the end for anyone ready to start over.

Which cast iron grill grates are worth replacing yours with?

If your grates are rusting through or warping, a direct-fit cast iron replacement beats babying old ones. The two below cover a popular gas grill series and the Coleman camp lineup, and both give you a griddle side.

Utheer Cast Iron Grate & Griddle Combo

This Utheer set is the one to know if you own a Nexgrill 4-burner, since it fits the 720-0925, 720-0925P, and 720-0925S models at 24.2 by 17.1 inches. The grates are reversible, so you flip from ribbed grilling bars to a flat griddle for smash burgers or breakfast without buying a separate accessory. Cast iron holds heat better than the thin coated grates most grills ship with, and at this price the upgrade makes sense even if your old ones aren’t dead yet. Just plan to season it before the first cook.

  • Fits Nexgrill 4-burner 720-0925 series
  • Reversible grate and griddle, 24.2 x 17.1 in
  • Cast iron holds heat better than coated grates

Coleman Swaptop Cast Iron Griddle & Grate

The Coleman Swaptop drops into RoadTrip grills and gives you 142 square inches of cast iron cooking area that’s easy to scrub down. It’s a griddle and grate, so campers and tailgaters get a flat surface for eggs and a grilling surface in one piece. If you’ve been running the stock grate and want better heat retention on the road, this is a clean swap. Coleman parts tend to fit exactly as described, which is half the battle with replacements.

  • Fits Coleman RoadTrip grills
  • 142 sq in cooking area
  • Easy-to-clean cast iron construction

What grill replacement parts should you grab?

The cheapest way to make a tired grill feel new is fixing the small broken pieces. A dead temperature gauge, a cracked hose, or a too-small hopper all have easy fixes here.

Charbroil Replacement Temperature Gauge

A grill with a fogged or stuck temperature gauge is basically guessing, and this universal 3-inch Charbroil replacement solves it for the price of a side dish. It fits a wide range of gas grills, not just Charbroil models, so check your lid cutout and you’re likely covered. This is the kind of part I’d keep in the drawer before it actually breaks. Nothing fancy, just useful.

  • Universal 3-inch fit
  • Replaces fogged or stuck gauges
  • Works across many gas grills

Coleman Propane Hose & Adapter

Coleman’s 5-foot high-pressure propane hose comes with a Type 1 or POL fitting, so it works across grills, stoves, lanterns, and heaters. If your old hose is cracking or you want to run a appliance off a bulk tank, this is the safe move rather than nursing aging rubber. Five feet gives you enough reach without a tangle. It’s a trusted-brand part doing an unglamorous job well.

  • 5-foot high-pressure hose
  • Type 1 or POL fitting
  • For grills, stoves, lanterns, heaters

Pit Boss Pellet Hopper Extension

The Pit Boss 76950 hopper extension is for the long-cook crowd who’s tired of refilling pellets mid-brisket. It bolts onto compatible Pit Boss pellet grills and adds enough capacity to get through an overnight smoke without setting an alarm. If you’ve ever had a cook stall because the hopper ran dry, you already know why this one’s worth it. At half off, it’s an easy add for anyone smoking big cuts this summer.

  • Model 76950
  • Adds pellet capacity for long cooks
  • Bolts onto compatible Pit Boss grills

What are the best wood pellets and chips this week?

Pit Boss and Weber both ran legitimate fuel markdowns, with the Pit Boss hickory bag taking the deepest cut. Stock up now, because pellets don’t go bad if you keep them dry.

Pit Boss Hickory Blend Pellets

This is a 40-pound bag of all-natural hickory hardwood pellets, and it’s the best fuel value in the batch. Hickory is the workhorse smoke for pork and beef, strong without going bitter the way mesquite can. At this price the cost per cook is low enough that I’d grab two bags and not think about it again until fall. Keep them sealed and off a damp garage floor and they’ll last.

  • 40 lb bag
  • 100% all-natural hardwood
  • Strong smoke for pork and beef

Weber Grillmaster Blend Pellets

Weber’s Grillmaster Blend comes as two 20-pound bags and leans milder than straight hickory, which makes it a good everyday pellet for chicken and vegetables. The blend burns clean and the bestseller rank backs up that people keep rebuying it. If you run a Weber pellet grill or any standard hopper, this is a safe house pellet. Versatile is the right word here.

  • Two 20 lb bags
  • All-natural hardwood blend
  • Mild everyday smoke flavor

Weber Apple Wood Chips

These Weber apple wood chips come as a 2-pound pack of two and give you that sweet, light smoke that suits poultry and pork beautifully. Chips are for gas and charcoal users who want smoke flavor without a pellet hopper, so soak a handful and toss them in a foil pouch. It’s a number-one bestseller for good reason. Cheap enough to keep on hand for whenever you want a softer smoke than hickory.

  • 2 lb, pack of 2
  • Sweet, light smoke
  • For gas and charcoal grilling

Cooking tools and a grill worth a look

Rounding out the week, a thermometer I’d buy without hesitating, a cover to protect a serious grill, and one full pellet grill carrying the biggest dollar savings here.

ONFIKY Instant Read Thermometer

The ONFIKY instant read thermometer claims a 0.3-second reading with half-a-degree precision, and at a number-two bestseller rank plenty of people seem to agree it delivers. A fast probe is the single tool that fixes overcooked chicken and underdone burgers, and this one costs less than the meat you’ll save. It works for grilling, air fryer, and smoker duty. This is the one I’d grab for myself this week.

  • 0.3-second reading
  • Half-a-degree precision
  • Works for grill, air fryer, smoker

Traeger Pro 780 Grill Cover

If you own a Traeger Pro 780, this full-length cover is the cheap insurance that keeps rain and UV from chewing up an expensive grill. It’s the proper-fit factory cover, so you avoid the sagging and pooling you get from a generic one. Summer sun is as hard on a grill as winter, so don’t skip the cover just because it’s June. Straightforward protection from a brand that knows its own dimensions.

  • Full-length fit for Pro 780
  • Protects against rain and UV
  • Factory dimensions, no sagging

Traeger Pro 34 Pellet Grill

The Traeger Pro 34 is the full grill for anyone whose old one is past saving, with 884 square inches of cooking area, a 450-degree max temperature, and a built-in meat probe. This is a 6-in-1 pellet grill, so it bakes and roasts as readily as it smokes. The dollar savings here are the largest in the post by a wide margin, which makes the timing right ahead of Father’s Day. It’s a real commitment, but a justified one if you grill most weekends.

  • 884 sq in cooking area
  • 450-degree max temperature
  • Built-in meat probe, 6-in-1 cooking

Frequently asked questions

When should you replace cast iron grill grates?

Replace them when the metal is cracked, warped, or rusting through in spots that won’t re-season. Surface rust can be scrubbed and re-oiled, but pitting that flakes into your food means it’s time for new grates. A warped grate that no longer sits flat is also worth replacing for even heat.

How do I make sure a replacement grate fits my grill?

Match the exact model number, not just the brand, since dimensions vary across lines. The Utheer combo here lists the Nexgrill 720-0925 series, and the Coleman Swaptop is built for RoadTrip grills. Measure your existing grate and confirm the listed inches before buying.

What should I do with new cast iron grill grates?

Wash off any factory coating, dry them fully, then season with a thin layer of high-smoke-point oil and heat the grill until it stops smoking. Repeat the oiling a couple of times to build a base layer. After that, a light oil wipe after each cook keeps them from rusting.

Are wood pellets and wood chips interchangeable?

No. Pellets are the fuel and smoke source for pellet grills like Traeger and Pit Boss, while chips are meant to add smoke on gas or charcoal grills. The Pit Boss and Weber pellets here go in a hopper, and the Weber apple chips go in a foil pouch or smoker box.

The discounts this week ran from around 32 percent on the Traeger Pro 34 grill up to the mid-50s on the Pit Boss hickory pellets, and most of them looked like honest markdowns rather than inflated list prices reset for a sale. Fuel and replacement parts carried the steadiest value, which is usually the case in early summer before the holiday-weekend pricing games start. The cast iron grates landing at half off is the detail I’d point to, since those rarely move much.

This was a solid week, not a blowout. The ONFIKY instant read thermometer is the standout for me because it’s cheap, fast, and fixes the mistake everyone makes at the grill, and the Pit Boss hickory bag is the smartest stock-up buy. I’d skip the Traeger Pro 34 unless your current grill is genuinely done, since a big purchase like that deserves a wait-and-compare. The cast iron grates are the right grab if yours are flaking now.

Heading into next week, watch the pellet and chip category closely, because the Father’s Day run-up tends to push fuel deals a little deeper before the 21st. Traeger and Pit Boss both showed they’re willing to discount, so a covered grill or a hopper extension may dip again. If you missed anything, you can browse all deals while these are live. I’m seasoning the new grates on mine this weekend, rain permitting.