Two summers. That is about how long an uncovered barbecue lasts in a beachside street before the hood fasteners start weeping rust and the trolley shelves bloom white. If you live within a few kilometres of the water — Fremantle, Wollongong, the Sunshine Coast, Adelaide's western suburbs — a BBQ cover is not an optional extra. It is the cheapest maintenance you will ever buy for an appliance that cost you four figures.
This guide explains what salt air and ultraviolet light do to a barbecue, and how to measure yours so the cover fits. It also covers when a model-specific cover is worth the extra over a generic size. Everything mentioned sits in our BBQ Accessories range.
What salt air and UV actually do to a barbecue
Salt does not stay at the beach. Onshore wind carries a fine salt aerosol several kilometres inland, and it settles on every horizontal surface it lands on. Salt is hygroscopic, meaning it pulls moisture out of the air, so a salted barbecue stays faintly damp even on a dry day. That thin, conductive film turns a scratch on a hood or a bare fastener into a rust bloom in one season.
Ultraviolet light does the other half of the damage. Australian UV levels are high enough through summer to chalk a powder-coated finish, fade dark surfaces to a patchy grey and make plastic knobs, wheels and shelf trims brittle enough to snap. Rubber gas hose perishes faster in direct sun too, which is a safety issue rather than a cosmetic one.
Then there is water. Rain sitting in a firebox mixes with cooking grease and does not evaporate cleanly, and dust and leaf litter give it something to hold on to. A cover breaks all three cycles at once.
How to size a BBQ cover so it actually fits
Width is the number that matters. Measure your barbecue at its widest point, with the side shelves in the position you actually leave them. A cover that is too small will not close at the bottom. One that is far too large flaps in the wind, wears through at the corners and holds pooled water on top.
The Coleman Premium BBQ Cover - Small ($63) is cut for a two-burner up to 105 cm wide. The Coleman Premium BBQ Cover - Large ($75) steps up to a three or four-burner up to 155 cm. The Coleman Premium BBQ Cover - X-Large ($69.95) handles five to six burners or a dual fuel model up to 170 cm. All three use an enhanced 100% polyester with a PU coating, Velcro straps to pull the cover tight, and a limited 12-month warranty.
| Cover | Size (W x D x H) | Suits | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coleman Premium Small | 110 x 65 x 120 cm | 2 burners, to 105 cm wide | $63 |
| Coleman Premium Large | 162 x 65 x 120 cm | 3–4 burners, to 155 cm wide | $75 |
| Coleman Premium X-Large | 175 x 65 x 120 cm | 5–6 burners or dual fuel, to 170 cm | $69.95 |
If your measurement lands between two sizes, take the larger one and let the straps do the work. Height is rarely the problem, because most trolley barbecues sit well inside the 120 cm these covers allow.
Generic sizes or a model-specific cover?
A generic size is the right call for most households. It is cheaper, it copes with a barbecue you might replace in a few years, and a strapped cover on a correctly measured barbecue behaves almost as well as a tailored one.
Model-specific covers earn their keep on bigger, more expensive barbecues, where the pattern follows the shelves and the cart instead of draping over them. The Rogue 625 Cover ($175) is a good example. Adjustable straps with buckles pull it in tight, the water-resistant fabric will not crack, and UV inhibitors give it fade resistance. A vent lets air move through so mildew does not build up underneath, and hanging loops keep it off the ground while you cook.
The same logic applies further up the range. There are covers cut for the Rogue 365, 425 and 525, plus half and full-length covers for the Travel Q PRO285. If your barbecue is built into an outdoor kitchen, the Crossray Kitchen Full Cover at $210 is fully waterproof and goes over the bench and cabinetry as well as the cooking gear.
The coastal routine that makes a cover work
Covering a barbecue badly can be worse than not covering it at all. Two rules do most of the work. First, let the barbecue cool completely before the cover goes on, because residual heat becomes condensation trapped against warm steel. Second, get the cover on dry, or accept that you are sealing moisture in for the week.
Near the coast, add a fresh-water rinse to the routine. Hosing salt off the hood, the cart and the cover itself every few weeks costs nothing and interrupts the corrosion cycle before it starts. It is the same principle we set out in our guide to outdoor furniture in coastal homes, and it applies just as squarely to a barbecue.
Autumn is the sensible moment to sort this out. Cooking slows down through April and May across most of the country, so the barbecue sits idle for longer stretches under rain and dew. That is exactly when the damage accumulates unnoticed. If you are in an apartment, check what your body corporate allows for appliances and gas bottles on balconies. The rules vary by building, state and council, so ask your strata manager or local authority rather than assuming.
Looking after the cover and what is under it
The Coleman covers clean up with a damp cloth, which is all a PU-coated polyester needs. Do it before you fold the cover away rather than after, and let it dry fully so you are not putting a damp cover back over clean steel.
A cover is only half the job. Grease left on the cooking surfaces goes rancid and attracts vermin no matter what is over the top, so the plate still needs a clean once things have cooled. Our Cleaning Products ($79) cover the consumables side of that routine, sitting alongside a brush or a scraper. Ten minutes after a cook beats an hour of scraping in September.
BBQ covers — frequently asked questions
Should I cover my BBQ in summer or only over winter?
Cover it year-round. Summer is when UV damage is worst, so a cover does more for the finish and the plastics between November and March than it does in July. Winter covering matters too, but for rain and damp rather than sunlight.
Can a BBQ cover trap moisture and cause rust?
It can, if you cover a wet or still-warm barbecue. Let it cool fully and get it dry first, and choose a vented cover if your area is humid, as the Rogue covers are. Lifting the cover on a dry, breezy day every few weeks is cheap insurance.
How do I measure my barbecue for a cover?
Measure the width at the widest point, including side shelves in the position you normally leave them. Then check depth and height against the cover's listed dimensions. If you land between two sizes, size up and tighten the straps.
Do I need a cover if the barbecue is under a pergola?
Yes, though the urgency drops. A roof stops direct rain and most UV, but wind-blown salt, dust and moisture still reach the barbecue. Coastal homes see all three.
Shop the range
Browse the full cover line-up in BBQ Accessories, from generic Coleman sizes to model-cut covers for Napoleon and Crossray barbecues. If the rest of your outdoor area needs the same treatment, our Outdoor Furniture Covers collection has dining setting, lounge and pod chair covers in matching sizes. We deliver Australia-wide, delivery is free over $100, and most orders are dispatched within 3–10 business days.
