Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Why are the Eggs so Darn Expesive in Canada?

Charcoal_Addict
Charcoal_Addict Posts: 227
edited October 2011 in EggHead Forum
I have been thinking about buying an egg for a while. The price of the XL is nearly 50% more in Canada than in the US. I already own a 22 inch Weber kettle and find myself wishing it had a few inches more room. The XL is the only choice for me. The Lge Egg is too small.

I could understand a $200 price difference but $400-$500 price difference seems ridiculous. Primo is shipping to Canada and they only have $150 USD price difference on US vs Canadian Price list for the Oval XL. Both companies ship from Atlanta.
2x Kamado Joe Big Joes + Cyber Q Wifi + Themapen - Pizza Steel + BGE Paella Pan + BGE Ash Tools + Woo2 + Open Bar Fire Ring
«1

Comments

  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102
    edited October 2011

    That is the joy of living in Canada ... haggling is about all we can do!

    I managed to save $221 from list with taxes in on a large.

    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • LDD
    LDD Posts: 1,225
    it's because its green :)
    context is important :)
  • Shawn
    Shawn Posts: 356
    edited October 2011
    The big problem is the Canadian distributor likes to raking in the cash (Coporate greed lol)! I also noticed the past year or so that there customer service has drop ten fold in Canada. Also this is might be why lots of people are selling there eggs and going with Kamado Joe. I have lots of friends that have eggs and had to get service/warranty issue resolved trough the US office since there was no customer service in Canada. This is my two cents worth! 

    I have a Green Egg and love it but wish that BGE Canada would clean there act and listen more to there customer. I also have a Kamado Joe and there service is beyond excellent! I had minor issue with mine and sent them a quick email and within minutes of sending the email the owner of Kamado Joe called me and quickly resolved the issue and that is service!!! 

    Cheers! Shawn My Blog: http://hrmcreativebbq.blogspot.com/ My Dads Custom Handles Blog http://dannyscarvings.blogspot.com
  • I don't know about KJ. BGE and Primo have great track records for service and have been around for years. KJ could be a flash in the pan operation.

    BGE has done a great job standing by their customers. The Grill Dome and KJ folks have left some people hanging on issue BGE or Primo would have easily stepped up on.

    I love the BGE XL and it's my first choice. The Oval XL would be my second.

    The Oval XL retails 1199 CAD vs 1099 USD list

    The BGE XL is 999.99 USD to 1099.00 USD list in US and $1499 CAD to 1599.99 CAD.

    As much as I want a BGE this price point makes a Primo more attractive. I honesty wish BGE would step up and correct this disparity.

    If it was 20% more, I could live with it. It's the 50% price hike that's killing me.
    2x Kamado Joe Big Joes + Cyber Q Wifi + Themapen - Pizza Steel + BGE Paella Pan + BGE Ash Tools + Woo2 + Open Bar Fire Ring
  • NC-CDN
    NC-CDN Posts: 703
    Komodo Joe promised a free gasket.  Gasket never came.  I won't buy ANYTHING from them.  Their loss.

    Why not drive to the US?  How far is it for you?  Buy it down there and drive home.  Not sure if that will nullify the warranty, but not too much really happens to the EGG aside from the grate and firebox cracking, which really don't hurt things much.  Negotiate otherwise.  IF they want the sale.....

  • LDD
    LDD Posts: 1,225
    If you buy it from the us it has to be registered in the us for warranty issues I believe
    context is important :)
  • Charcoal_Addict
    Charcoal_Addict Posts: 227
    edited October 2011
    I am about 700 KM away from the nearest US dealer and buying in the US does nullify the warranty. I wish BGE would change their pricing practices. I am sure they would sell a lot more units of they were about $300-400 less.

    The BGE Canadian customer service said the price gap is due to shipping cost and population. 36 Million vs 310 million.

    The problem with this explanation is the following:

    Alaska is charged 1199 USD for a BGE XL with a Population of 650 thousand and a greater travel distance than 95% of Canada's population.

    90% of Canada's Polutation lives in 32 cities of which are 80-600 KM of the US boarder.

    BGE is the only Ceramic Grill Manufacturer charging a 50% premium for their product. All of it's competitors are 10-18% more than their US list.

    Maybe Canadians need to send a petition to BGE in Atlanta to make them aware of this issue.

    2x Kamado Joe Big Joes + Cyber Q Wifi + Themapen - Pizza Steel + BGE Paella Pan + BGE Ash Tools + Woo2 + Open Bar Fire Ring
  • LDD
    LDD Posts: 1,225
    I may actually suppliment with. Non egg when the time comes to do so
    context is important :)
  • LDD
    LDD Posts: 1,225
    @Charcoal_Addict I think we can agree that the size of population argument is somewhat bogus.... To some degree anyways. Unfortunately it's a numbers game. The cost of cars didnt drop up here until enough people when down to the US to buy when the dollar was at par 4years ago. There is still a gap... But just enough to make it seem not worth while
    context is important :)
  • Shawn
    Shawn Posts: 356
    NC-CDN I received my gasket from them. You should email bobby and I bet he will send you one ASAP. 
    Cheers! Shawn My Blog: http://hrmcreativebbq.blogspot.com/ My Dads Custom Handles Blog http://dannyscarvings.blogspot.com
  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102
    The other thing about us Kenucks shopping south is a little thing called duty ... that can eat up any saving in a heart beat ... as well as warranty BS! The difference is so glaring now due to the fact that our dollar is so close to par with the US dollar ...
    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102
    You can be such a ******* Tweev ... what did we ever do to you?
    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • LDD
    LDD Posts: 1,225
    He's bittter that we have better beer.lol even though he probably pays less for it . Damn it !!! Haha
    context is important :)
  • gerhardk
    gerhardk Posts: 942
    Squeezy there would be no duty, the Green Egg is manufactured within NAFTA, so all you would get hit with is HST, just like if you bought it in Canada.  If there is a 4 to $500 difference I would take my chances without a warranty.  In any case I will gladly pay more for the egg for the privilege of living in Canada.

    Gerhard
  • Jasper
    Jasper Posts: 378
    I thought you lived in Cali Tweev...

    I have to agree with Captain Insensitve Tweev though, shopping (prices anyhow) here are lame. We get over charged by these corporations because they can. And what are we going to do about it? **** and moan....but that's about it. As consumers we just don't the pull (by numbers) as Americans.

    In my experience, BGE Canada has useless customer support. I emailed them about my fried gasket when my egg was only a few months old and was basically told tough luck for you figure it out yourself. The kind of response I got from them would never have happened in the U.S.

    Don't get me wrong, I love my egg but if I buy another cooker to go with my egg, it probably won't be another egg. The price difference really ticks me off.
  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102
    Squeezy there would be no duty, the Green Egg is manufactured within NAFTA, so all you would get hit with is HST, just like if you bought it in Canada.  If there is a 4 to $500 difference I would take my chances without a warranty.  In any case I will gladly pay more for the egg for the privilege of living in Canada.

    Gerhard




    Nafta doesn't mean squat ... we still have restrictions as to how much we can spend. Less than 48 hrs. $50

    48 hrs. up to two weeks $400 ... anything over that is subject to effing duty ....!!!

    So... try and bring an egg back without paying duty ... it can be done, but it's called smuggling!

     

    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102
     I live in Canada.  It doesn't mean I have to like it.

    Because everything is stupid expensive here I have a US drop point where I go across every couple months to get stuff.  Cheaper, no tax - what's not to like (besides the irritating need to have do that trip).

    Anyway, I miss the days when I could buy super cheap stuff online and it was delivered to my house free and tax free in 2 days.  So awesome.

    Seriously guys, Canada really sucks for buying stuff.  That's NOT debatable.

    Just when I thought we'd never agree on something ... we do!
    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • Jasper
    Jasper Posts: 378
    edited October 2011
    Under NAFTA bringing an egg across the boarder is duty exempt. You will only have to pay the HST if you were in the U.S. under, I think, 48hrs.

    In my opinion, if you can get a good deal on an egg from the States, go for it. Warranty swarranty...the feeling I got from BGE Canada is they'll try anything to get out of a warranty claim.
  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102

    Oh goody ... it I can afford to just hang out in the states for a week, I can bring home my very own egg without paying duty ...

    I don't how I'm going to contain my excitement over all the money I am going to save ...

    ^:)^
    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • gerhardk
    gerhardk Posts: 942
    You don't pay duty on an egg period, the confusion here is the personal exemptions that apply when you are out of the country for a minimum period of time.  Those amounts mentioned are exempt from HST as well.


    Gerhard
  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102
    I bow to your superior knowledge, however others have stated that there is no warranty for cross border purchases ...
    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • Charcoal_Addict
    Charcoal_Addict Posts: 227
    edited October 2011
    I have spoken with the Canadian customer service and they were pretty good for the most part. One issue is shipping. BGE ships everything out Ontario.

    Gaskets are not covered very well on any ceramic cooker. Honestly the felt is horrid and you would be better off to look at a Rutland or Contronics gasket.

    The ability to use a Wok and Bread baking accessories are unique to the egg. I love fit and finish of the product. Primo and KJ fall short in this regard.

    BGE should realize their biggest competitor does not have this issue in Canada and they are also shipping from Atlanta.

    What I find more fustrasting is if you buy the Egg in Canada and move to the US, you have no warranty in the US. That one is more puzzling. Especially after paying a 40-50% premium.

    Warranty is important. A fire box is 200 plus shipping and a fire ring 150 plus shipping. If either of those items fail, that could easily erase any savings buying the BGE in the US.
    2x Kamado Joe Big Joes + Cyber Q Wifi + Themapen - Pizza Steel + BGE Paella Pan + BGE Ash Tools + Woo2 + Open Bar Fire Ring
  • Most people make fire box claims yet still cook on their cracked on and 'save' the replacement for no reason. Stupid actually.

    I can't understand that either. I'd be worried about damaging the replacement in storage. I doubt they would warranty one of the kids dropping a can of paint on the fire box sitting in the garage.

    I actually found BGE Canada's service to be excellent over the phone. They had no trouble answering my questions about Primo vs. BGE over the phone. They did it without running down their competitor.

    I am choaked about the price; pice aside I still think it's a sold product. The BGE ceramic is as smooth as Ice on the inside. You cannot feel any air bubbles in the BGE ceramics. This can't be said for their competition.

    All the other brands seem to have very porus ceramics. (I am not sure about the KJ. I have never seen one in person).

    Does the price difference upset me. Yes! But with the lifetime warranty, I would like to think it's a lifetime purchase.

    A car cost 15-20x more and it won't last me a lifetime. I guess I will have to take solace in that fact...
    2x Kamado Joe Big Joes + Cyber Q Wifi + Themapen - Pizza Steel + BGE Paella Pan + BGE Ash Tools + Woo2 + Open Bar Fire Ring
  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
  • There is a place in Amherst, NY who sells the XL for 989. I may have to make the trip over the boarder and pick it up. I can't see the duty being anywhere close to 500 buck Canadians will save. The warranty, could one not just go thru the US BGE and have the parts sent to the store or a US postal address?
  • My parents live in PA and I could have bought south of the boarder but time, energy and gas, not worth it.  I have been debating for 3 year and I sucked it up and payed the price.  Why is more in Canada, because we will pay the price!  Look at the price of cars in Canada, its crazy.

    About BGE service, I called and they were really helpful. 

    After buying a big purchase I always wonder if I could have bought for cheaper but I think this is the first product I don't care because I am enjoying.  I hope that for others the price will be more in line.  The more people own a BGE the better.

    Cheers
  • gerhardk
    gerhardk Posts: 942
    What per cent-age of your income do you pay for health care, can you be refused coverage because of a pre existing condition, or because you have a child with disabilities.....  Do you feel the need to own a gun so you can feel safe in your home?  We sleep with our doors unlocked and windows open, apparently to the south of us they worry if they have enough ammo to protect their home.  
    Hey I am happy to pay a premium on consumer goods for the privilege of living in Canada.  Over all the the difference in the standard of living between the U.S. and Canada is not that great it is just that somethings are more expensive here and some are cheaper here.

    Gerhard
  • I ended up going with the Big Joe in the end. There's no real honest excuse for the price difference either than profiteering at the expense of Canadians. Canadians need to "Stop the Rip" by punishing retailers that overcharge us and rip us off for products.
    2x Kamado Joe Big Joes + Cyber Q Wifi + Themapen - Pizza Steel + BGE Paella Pan + BGE Ash Tools + Woo2 + Open Bar Fire Ring
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Is BGE Co. anti-Canadite?!
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    There is a place in Amherst, NY who sells the XL for 989. I may have to make the trip over the boarder and pick it up. I can't see the duty being anywhere close to 500 buck Canadians will save. The warranty, could one not just go thru the US BGE and have the parts sent to the store or a US postal address?
    Yep. I live in Delta BC, my dealer is in Bellingham Wa. For warranty claims I can (and have) contacted my dealer who handles everything for me. The week I bought they sold to 4 other Canadians.
    We bought a MBGE with setter, cast grid and some other stuff, tax, for $750, the price in Canada was almost $1200. With our new 48 hour duty free allowance of $800, and what we saved on the egg, we spent two days in Tulalip and brought it back duty and tax free. 
    There is no duty on an egg, just GST/PST or HST, so in Ontario, convert the $US (tax included) to $CDN, then calculate HST. The entire item is subject to HST, you cannot buy any one item more than $800 and apply your exemption. I think a MBGE is the largest you can get tax and duty free. Even so, an XLBGE might cost you $150 HST.  
    Canadian retailers need the support of government to level the playing field, Notice how government changed the 48 hour tax free limit from $400 to $800 yet there was no change to the amount of alcohol? Because alcohol is the government's business. 
    All the extra taxes we pay does not all go to health care. It pays for our politicians. We have 308 MPs, the US has only some 435 Congressmen and they have ten times more people. Hell, we have more senators than they do and we don't even elect them. Our cost of government is ridiculous, and you pay for it with everything you buy. 

    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!