A cover is the cheapest insurance you'll ever buy for a grill or smoker, and the most commonly bought wrong. The wrong cover traps moisture and rusts the cooker faster than no cover at all; the right one sheds water, breathes, fits closely enough not to sail away in wind, and survives a few winters of sun. This guide covers what to look for by material, then makes picks by cooker type — kettle, gas grill, pellet grill, kamado, offset, griddle, and pizza oven — because the best cover for one is wrong for another.
What a Good Cover Does
- Sheds water and snow without pooling on the lid. Pooled water finds seams.
- Breathes. Vents at the top or a breathable liner let moisture out. A sealed plastic bag over a grill is a rust incubator.
- Resists UV. Sun destroys cheap polyester in a season or two; the fabric chalks, cracks, and starts letting water through.
- Fits. Too big and it billows and lifts; too small and it stresses seams and leaves the bottom exposed. Measure width, depth, and height with the lid closed and any side shelves in place.
- Secures. Buckles, drawstrings, or straps keep it on in wind. Weighted hems are a bonus.
Materials Compared
| Material | Water resistance | Breathability | UV life | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polyester (300–600D) with PU coating | Good | Fair | Fair–good | The mainstream choice; denier and coating quality vary widely |
| Vinyl / PVC | Excellent | Poor | Poor | Cracks in cold, traps moisture; avoid unless vented |
| Solution-dyed polyester / acrylic | Good | Good | Excellent | Fade-proof; the premium tier |
| Canvas | Fair | Excellent | Good | Traditional; needs waterproofing treatment |
| Manufacturer OEM covers | Good | Good | Good | Exact fit; price premium |
Denier (D) is the fabric weight. Three-hundred denier is thin and light; 600D is noticeably tougher and the sweet spot for most grills. Above that adds weight without much benefit unless the cooker lives in serious wind.
Picks by Cooker Type
Weber Premium Grill Cover (kettle / gas)Best OEM
$ · OEM fit
Weber's own covers fit their kettles and gas grills exactly, with a fastening strap and a breathable fabric that has held up well over multiple seasons for a lot of owners. If you own a Weber, buying the matching cover removes the fit guesswork entirely.
Classic Accessories Veranda seriesBest universal
$–$$ · universal gas & pellet grills
A long-running line of heavy polyester covers with a protective liner, air vents, click-close straps, and padded handles, offered in a wide range of sizes. The go-to universal cover when a manufacturer doesn't make one or charges too much for it.
Pellet grill cover (brand-matched)
$–$$ · Traeger / Pit Boss / Camp Chef fit
Pellet grills have a hopper and a controller sticking out one side, so universal covers fit badly. Buy the cover made for your model or a third-party cover that names it. Look for a full-length design that reaches the ground — pellet grill electronics don't like water from below.
Kamado cover (dome-shaped)
$ · Kamado Joe / Big Green Egg fit
Ceramic kamados are weatherproof by nature but their bands, hinges, side tables, and gaskets are not. A dome-shaped cover for your size — with room for side shelves if they stay up — keeps the hardware from rusting and the gasket dry.
Offset smoker cover (extra-long)
$$ · heavy-duty
Offsets are long, low, and mostly unpainted steel inside — the cooker most in need of a cover. Measure the full length including the firebox and look for 600D fabric, a taller cut for the smokestack, and straps at both ends.
Griddle cover with hard lid or soft cover
$–$$ · Blackstone-style flat tops
A seasoned steel griddle top rusts in a single damp night without protection. Best practice is a hard lid on the griddle plus a soft weatherproof cover over the whole cart. Manufacturer hard lids fit; universal soft covers need careful measurement of the side shelves.
Pizza ovens need a cover too — see the accessory section of our pizza oven accessories guide.
Sizing Right
- Close the lid and fold down any shelves you'll fold down when covered.
- Measure the widest width (handle to handle), the deepest depth, and the height from the ground to the top of the lid.
- Add 1–2 inches to each dimension. A cover should drape, not stretch.
- For pellet grills, include the hopper in the width. For offsets, include the firebox in the length and the stack in the height.
Covering Mistakes That Cause Rust
- Covering a warm grill. Heat under a cover condenses. Let it cool fully — an hour or more for kamados and offsets.
- Covering a dirty grill. Grease and food residue hold moisture against metal. A quick brush-down first goes a long way — see our grill cleaning guide.
- A cover that touches the ground. Wicks water up. A cover that ends a couple of inches above the deck stays drier.
- No airflow. If the cover has no vents, leave a small gap at the bottom on one side.
- Leaving it covered wet for weeks. After a storm, pull the cover, wipe it, and let both dry. Ten minutes a month prevents most cover-related rust.
How Long Should a Cover Last?
A quality 600D cover in a temperate climate lasts three to five years before the coating fails. In high-UV climates, expect two to three. Signs it's done: chalky residue on your hands, water soaking in rather than beading, and cracks at the fold lines. Replace it before it fails — a leaking cover is worse than none.
Bottom Line
Buy the OEM cover if your manufacturer makes one that isn't absurdly priced. Otherwise, a 600D vented polyester cover sized 1–2 inches over your measurements, with straps, is right for nearly every grill. Offsets and griddles are the exceptions where heavier fabric and a hard lid respectively earn their keep.
Cover Features Worth Paying For
- Handles. A pair of padded handles on the sides makes a large cover far easier to pull on and off — and covers that are annoying to use don't get used.
- Vents with flaps. A vent covered by a small fabric hood lets moisture out but keeps rain from running in.
- Reinforced seams and lid corners. The corners of a lid wear through a cover first. Double-stitched or reinforced panels there double the cover's life.
- A storage bag. Trivial, but a cover that's folded and stored dry in summer survives more winters.
Do You Need a Cover Under a Roof?
A covered patio removes rain and most sun, and a cooker that lives under one can go without a cover in mild climates. Two caveats: blowing rain and morning dew still reach a grill under an open-sided roof, and pollen, dust, and bird traffic accumulate on an uncovered cooker fast. A lightweight cover is still worthwhile under a roof; a heavy-duty one is unnecessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a grill cover cause rust?
Yes, if it traps moisture. A non-breathing vinyl cover, covering a warm or wet grill, or a cover that touches the ground and wicks water can all accelerate rust. Choose a vented cover, let the grill cool and dry first, and pull the cover after storms.
What is the best material for a grill cover?
Polyester in the 600-denier range with a polyurethane coating and vents is the best balance of water resistance, breathability, and UV life for most grills. Solution-dyed polyester or acrylic lasts longer in intense sun. Avoid unvented vinyl.
How do I measure for a grill cover?
With the lid closed, measure the widest width, the deepest depth, and the height from the ground to the top of the lid. Add 1–2 inches to each. Include the hopper on pellet grills and the firebox and stack on offsets.
Should I cover my kamado grill?
The ceramic doesn't need it, but the metal bands, hinge, side shelves, and felt or fiberglass gasket do. A fitted dome cover keeps the hardware from rusting and the gasket dry.
How long does a grill cover last?
A quality 600D cover lasts three to five years in a temperate climate and two to three in intense sun. Replace it when the fabric chalks, cracks at the folds, or stops beading water.
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