Briquettes and Briquette Trays: Why They Matter and When It’s Time to Replace Them

When most grill owners think about maintenance, they focus on grill grates or burners. But briquettes and briquette trays play an equally critical role in how your BBQ performs. These components sit between the burners and the cooking grates, managing heat, protecting internal parts, and helping create the flavor you expect from a properly functioning grill.

Over time, briquettes and trays wear out. When that happens, you may notice uneven cooking, more flare-ups, or longer preheat times. At SoCal Grill Masters, we inspect these components during professional service visits and frequently recommend replacement when they show signs of failure. We also carry replacement briquettes and briquette trays for virtually all BBQ brands and models through store.progrill.com.

What Are Briquettes and Briquette Trays?

Briquettes (sometimes called heat briquettes, ceramic briquettes, or heat stones) are designed to absorb, radiate, and evenly distribute heat across your grill. They also catch grease drippings, which vaporize on contact and contribute to classic grilled flavor.

Briquette trays are the metal or ceramic supports that hold those briquettes in place above the burners. Together, these components serve several important purposes:

• Even heat distribution across the cooking surface
• Protection of burners from grease and debris
• Reduction of direct flare-ups
• Improved fuel efficiency and temperature stability

Most gas grills — including premium and built-in models — rely on some form of heat distribution system. Whether your grill uses ceramic briquettes, lava rock-style stones, or metal trays, their condition directly impacts performance. This is something our technicians frequently address during grill repair services and full system inspections.

How to Tell When Briquettes and Trays Need Replacement

Because these components sit inside the grill, many owners don’t realize they’re failing until performance drops noticeably. Here are the most common warning signs:

Uneven Heat or Cold Spots

If one side of your grill runs hot while another struggles to cook food properly, worn briquettes may no longer be dispersing heat evenly. This often leads to inconsistent cooking results.

Frequent or Aggressive Flare-Ups

Broken trays or missing briquettes allow grease to fall directly onto the burners. This increases flare-ups and makes temperature control difficult.

Visible Damage or Deterioration

Ceramic briquettes that are cracked, crumbling, or turning to powder should be replaced. Metal trays that are rusted through, warped, or sagging are no longer providing adequate support or protection.

Burners Getting Dirty or Failing Early

When trays fail, burners take the brunt of grease and debris. This leads to clogged ports, uneven flames, and premature burner replacement — a common issue we see during professional inspections and deep grill cleanings.

Why Replacing Briquettes and Trays Is Important

Cleaning can extend the life of these components, but it can’t reverse structural damage. Replacing worn briquettes and trays provides real benefits:

• Restores even, predictable heat
• Protects burners and internal components
• Improves safety by reducing grease fires
• Enhances grilling efficiency and performance

High-quality replacements — properly sized for your specific grill — make a noticeable difference. At grill masters, we carry almost all grill brands, briquettes, and briquette trays, and can install them for you, usually at the same time as we perform a full grill cleaning. Additionally, if you prefer the DIY replacement, you can source exact-fit parts from trusted suppliers like store.progrill.com, which carries briquettes and trays for nearly every BBQ brand and model.