Weber has recalled about 3,200,000 metal wire bristle grill brushes, due to posing and ingestion hazard and risk of serious internal injuries.
Metal bristles can detach from the brush during use, adhere to grill grates or food, and be ingested. Ingested bristles may cause serious internal injury requiring medical treatment, including surgery.
The recall affects select models of grill brushes that were sold between 2011 and 2026. That’s 15 years of metal bristle grill brushes.
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Here are examples of the different types of wire grill brushes that Weber is recalling.
There were at least 38 reported incidents where small wire bristles detached from the grill brushes, and 4 reports of users seeking medical treatment after swallowing metal bristles.
Affected model numbers are 6277, 6278, 6463, 6464, 6493, and 6494. As the model numbers can be found on product packaging – which I assume most consumers no longer have – you’ll have to go by the images.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled grill brushes.
Contact Weber for a cold cleaning nylon bristle grill brush replacement. Their phone number is 877-597-9588 (M-F 8-5 ET), and you can also register for a replacement via the website.
More Info via US CPSC
More Info via Weber
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I’ll dig mine out from under the grill after the snow melts and will let you know how the recall process goes.
Ray
I had never thought that these would be hazardous, in spite of the fact I have had that material left on the grill or on a piece of meat. The YouTube channel smarter every day attempted to manufacture a grill cleaning device here in the United States and it’s a good tie in to see how difficult it is to do so. In that video, he highlighted the injuries that are caused by ingestion of these bits of wire. The video is titled. I tried to make something in America, the smarter grill scrubber something like that. Excellent video.
mark w
+1 fantastic video about us manufacturing. Well worth a watch. Heck of a grill brush too.
Chuck R
Yup; I bought one of those too just to support them.
Another Bob
Happened to me. I found a loose bristle in my hamburger. Tossed the brush. Works perfect cleaning the grates but not worth the risk.
Alternatively crumpled tin foil cleans well.
Been using a stainless brillo pad attached to a handle. Doesn’t work as well but also doesn’t kill you so there’s that.
Flip the grates over and turn the grill to hi and burn the grease, food bits off.
MikeK
Many years ago, at a Chinese restaurant, I picked a tiny piece of wire from between my teeth. Wife and I presumed it came from the steel wool pad they used to clean the woks. Nothing is really safe. We use the foil on our grill.
Stuart
We found a metal coil on my wife’s egg McMuffin when she was pregnant. She hasn’t eaten anything from McDonalds since. Well, she had the salads, which were all discontinued 6 years ago.
Other than that, I found a small coil in Chinese food once too.
It’s not just wire bristles, but the steel coil scrubbers too.
James F
Chinese people have some talent when it comes to eating food. They can pick bits like that and small microscopic bones out like its cakework
Bonnie
A wooden grill scraper works pretty well. Doesn’t need to be one of those overpriced ones either, just an offcut of something domestic.
Eric
These wire brushes should really be banned outright. I don’t think people realize how dangerous and common the injuries really are from them.
I’ve really enjoyed using one of the wooden scrapers on a hot grate – it will burn it’s way into a custom fit over a while, and there’s no risk of ingesting any steel.
Grady
I came across a you tube video awhile back that delved into this subject. The channel is Smarter Everyday. title is The Smarter Scrubber. The man made a grill scrubber that was Safe and Made 100% in the U.S.A. A Very Interesting Watch. I highly recommend this video .
You may have already seen it, but I thought I would share.
mark w
Says Grady from Practical Engineering channel! 😉
Mike
I love watching Grady’s videos!
Tom
I just submitted a picture of mine for the recall notice. I haven’t used it in years. I started reading about them and the horror stories about getting a piece of that metal stuck in your throat. I bought a different type of grill scrubber that is a one piece of coiled metal. I’m not looking at it right now, so that may not be the best description of the new one.
MattT
I just use a crumpled up ball of aluminum foil held by tongs. Works fine if you don’t crumple the ball too tight.
Josh R
I just use a knotted wire wheel on an angle grinder, works fine.
WastedP
Wait, you’re supposed to clean the grates? That’s where that special flavor comes from.
TomD
That’s what I do – if I need to clean I run all the burners to maximum and when it’s cooled down I drop it on the concrete.
Jason Watkins
I use steel wool to clean my grill. any left overs just burn up.
fred
Thanks for the alert. I can see how an errant piece of wire stuck in your hamburger would make for a bad day.
My brush is a Weber #6686 – bought in 2014 – that doesn’t seem to be part of the recall.
https://www.weber.com/CA/en/accessories/grill-cleaning/grill-brush-6686/6686.html
My cleaning method was taken from watching a PBS cooking show (Cook’s Country):
1) Heat the grill
2) Use the wire brush to scour the surface
3) Use tongs with a pad of cloth or paper towel dipped in cooking oil to clean off any residual gunk on the surface
Step 3 should help to remove or push off any remaining burnt bits or wire bristles left on the grill. This is probably useful no matter what brand of brush you use – or even if you use a pumice stone or non-woven abrasive (aka Scotchbrite) cleaner.
Adam
After reading reports over the years, and my sister always hating the wire brush she saw, I had a feeling this would happen. When I was using it, I’d typically follow up with another non-wire cleaner. And I finally picked up one of the wood paddle cleaners, but I have my doubts.
DrDoug
I have and use both the coil steel (no loose pieces) grill cleaning tool (performance – meh), and some straight, and bound wire bristle brushes (clean great – but can leave bristles) when I have something really stuck on the grill.
I also have a tool with a steel hook, that gets all around the rods/grates to clean off hanging stuff, when that’s needed.
But most of the time, and definitely after using one of the above, I heat up the grill and use a “Grill Rescue” aramid fiber pad on a handle, soaked in water, to go over the grates. This basically uses the rough fibers to clean along with the steam generated by the wet pad on the hot grates to clean the grill surfaces. I got it a couple of years ago, and have been surprised at how well it works, when the grates are hot enough. But I do still sometimes need to go back to a metal tool for something more substantial stuck on the grates.
fred
At the end of the season, I put the grates in the dishwasher.
Scott K
Thanks for posting about! I’ve been using the bamboo handled version for over a decade (with no known issues). I found the recall process annoying- completing the web form was expected, but having to download an app just to submit a picture?
Called in and they shared an alternative method- Email [email protected] with “5687 Weber grill brush recall remedy request” in the subject line. In the body include your name, phone number, email address, confirmation number from web form, mailing address, and picture showing brush with logo.
Scott F
… The same one for 10 years?!?!
Scott K
I’ve heard about bristles coming loose, but I’ve never had an issue. Bummed that I need to give it up because it’s been awesome for us. I’ve used the jet setting on my hose to clean gunk from the bristles and I’ve straightened them a few times with a tool. I bought this when I bought my grill (closer to 11 years) and a set of longer Weber grills tools.
fred
Mine is 12 years old – shows little wear – but I grill infrequently
Yadda
“Due to posing and ingestion”
Are they guilty of posing? 🙂
Nathan
Gave up wire things years ago and I second the wood paddle. Made my own. Wallnut 4/4 piece no treatment cut down and flared sort of like a thick spatula. Let the hot grate gradually make the indentualons. And 2 years later still using it. If I make another I might use something else but wallnut is what I used. Wouldn’t use a sappy wood like pine. But oak or hickory or ? Alder might be good