The cost of a summer cookout is more expensive than ever in 2026.
Beef prices are up 16% over July 2025, according to the latest Consumer Price Index.
And the price of many barbecue grills has doubled since before COVID, according to Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan.
New grills can cost $400 or more, even when on sale.
However, there's a simple way to avoid these cost increases: restore your old grill instead of buying a new one.
WATCH: Here's how easy it can be to replace your grill's burners
Restore your grill for a fraction of the price of new
If you don't have $400 or $500 for a new grill, you may be able to restore yours for the price of one chicken dinner, as long as the outside is not rusted away.
I decided to take this route, ordering a $32 replacement burner kit from Amazon for my 5-year-old Charbroil grill. If you own a Weber grill, you’re in luck—replacement burners are free for 10 years under Weber’s generous warranty.
The burners on my grill had rusted and broken in several places, leading to frustrating hot and cold spots during cooking.
Fortunately, the installation process was straightforward.
Following the instructions, I removed the old burners and installed the brand new ones. They went on pretty easily.
There were no screws or bolts; just simple clips secured the new burners to the grill body.
After replacing the five burners, I added new heat shield tents and cleaned the grilling grates.
While the kit came with a new spark starter, my old one still functioned properly, so I opted to keep it.
Once everything was reassembled, I connected the propane tank, pressed the starter button, and was rewarded with a strong flame, just like a brand new grill, but for only a $32 investment and about 30 minutes of my time.
If your grill is completely rusting out, repairs may not be worthwhile.
But if only the burners need replacing, this simple fix can save you hundreds on a new grill.
That way, you don't waste your money.
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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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