Your membership has expired

The payment for your account couldn't be processed or you've canceled your account with us.

Re-activate

Save products you love, products you own and much more!

Save products icon

Other Membership Benefits:

Savings icon Exclusive Deals for Members Best time to buy icon Best Time to Buy Products Recall tracker icon Recall & Safety Alerts TV screen optimizer icon TV Screen Optimizer and more

    We Tried It: The Grillbot Automatic Grill Cleaning Robot

    Cleaning a grill is the worst, according to my dad, so we tried a robotic grill brush to do the task

    When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. Learn more.

    Grillbot Automatic Grill Cleaning Robot on a grill.
    The Grillbot Automatic Grill Cleaner rolled around my dad's grill, knocking the gunk off its grates.
    Photo: Jodhaira Rodriguez/Consumer Reports

    As soon as temperatures in New York City hit the low-60s, my dad is firing up the grill. And if he’s craving a steak in the winter, as long as there’s no snow on the ground, he’s in a puffer jacket grilling one. More than once, I’ve watched him turn meat with one hand while holding an umbrella with the other as he grilled in the rain. Nothing stops him.

    In this article Arrow link
    More on Grilling

    There’s only one thing about grilling he hates: cleaning the grill. Because of the high heat produced by the flames, food is burned onto the interior of grills and can be very hard to clean. The process usually requires a good grill brush and a bit of elbow grease. Until now, maybe.

    The Grillbot Automatic Grill Cleaning Robot is a hands-free, rechargeable grill cleaner. It comes with three rotating nylon-bristle brushes (also available in stainless steel and brass) that clean grill grates for 10, 20, or 30 minutes. The robot moves over them as the brushes rotate, scrubbing the gunk off. I ordered the device for my dad to try just in time for Father’s Day. Spoiler alert: It worked, but didn’t totally solve his grill cleaning woes.

    How We Tested the Grillbot

    We wanted to see if the Grillbot would do anything to the years’ worth of burnt-on gunk on our grill grates. The device arrived equipped with three nylon brushes. We turned the grill on until it reached an internal temperature of 200° F, then turned it off and placed the grill cleaning robot on it.

    After 30 minutes of rolling around the closed grill, we removed the device, inspected the grates, and decided to run it again. After 30 more minutes, we moved on to our second and final test. 

    We charged the Grillbot before conducting the final test because after 60 minutes of cleaning, the battery had depleted to just one of three bars. After grilling some spicy sausages and hot dogs, we allowed the grill to cool for 20 minutes, then placed the Grillbot on it to clean for 30 minutes. 

    At the end of our tests, I removed the nylon brushes and placed them on the top rack of my dishwasher to clean for two full cycles. They were much cleaner than before they went into the dishwasher, but not totally clean.

    Where to Buy

    Shop for the Grillbot Automatic Grill Cleaner at Amazon, Grillbot, and Walmart

    Become a member to read the full article and get access to digital ratings.

    We investigate, research, and test so you can choose with confidence.


    Jodhaira Rodriguez

    Jodhaira Rodriguez is a senior multimedia content creator at Consumer Reports. Before joining CR, she tested and wrote about cleaning and organizing products and major appliances like washing machines and dishwashers at Good Housekeeping. In her free time, you’ll find her reading, listening to true crime podcasts, or working on her latest hobby of the month.