Anybody still use lava rocks?

[Maylar]

My gas grill is probably 20 years old, and it has a lower grate above the burners that support some lava rocks. I see the new grills at the box stores and they don't do that any more. How do they diffuse and distribute the heat evenly without the rocks? Is there a better method nowadays?

 

[bigwheel]

Havent seen lava rocks in a gasser in quite a while..though do still use them in my electric brinkmann. Think the smart move would be to buy more lava rocks when them you have go kaput.

 

[Max1]

I have them in my Weber gasser. I think they retain heat or something like that lol.