Top pick
The basket’s large perforations allow veggies to get sufficient contact with grill grates, so they’re charred to perfection.
Kitchen editor Marilyn Ong and writer Lesley Stockton, the author of our guide to the best grill tools and accessories, recently conducted a side-by-side test comparing a grill basket and a sheet pan. And the results were notably in favor of the basket.
They discovered that the broccoli in the grill basket browned beautifully, while the florets on the sheet pan remained vibrantly green. “Food steams on a sheet pan, whereas it cooks much faster on a grill basket due to the perforations and better contact with the heat,” Lesley explained.
So even though it’s a bit clunky, the Grillaholics Grill Basket is best for grilling chopped veggies that could easily fall through the grates, such as rounds of zucchini or squash.
The basket’s perforations are big enough that steam can escape while the veggies cook on the hot metal — creating that nice browning we saw in our tests — but they’re not so large that food will fall through the holes. This stainless steel grill basket can also withstand the rigors of high-heat grilling, and it’s dishwasher-safe (ideal for easy post-grilling cleanup).
If burnt-on grease does build up on your stainless steel veggie basket, cleaning writer Caroline Mullen recommends treating it as you would any other stainless steel piece of cookware. “Give it a sprinkle of Bar Keeper’s Friend, and scrub it with a wet sponge in circular motions until all the grime is gone,” she said.
If you have trouble getting into small crevices and holes with a sponge, Caroline suggests using a little scrub brush, with a simple mixture of Bar Keeper’s Friend and water. Then wipe the whole thing down with dish soap and water, and let it dry before you start grilling.
