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Forgive me Eggheads for I have Sinned.

JMSetzler
JMSetzler Posts: 75
edited March 2012 in EggHead Forum
In my quest for an egg, I stumbled across a cooker that looked too good to pass up.  It's not an egg, but it's a cheap knock-off.  This is a new item in the inventory at Lowes, so I went to have a look at it and kick the tires on the showroom floor the other day and it looked too good to be true.  I decided to sleep on it and I went back and bought it the next day.

image

I have seen a lot of cheap knock-offs before but none that seemed to have the quality of build this one has.  It's not ceramic.  It's made more like a big steel keg.  It has a 19 3/4" cast iron grate grilling surface and a 13" elevated rack as well.  I bought it yesterday and put it together last night.  I did a seasoning burn for the cast iron grate this afternoon and everything looks to be really good on it so far. For a savings of $700 or so not counting a table, I had to give this a try.
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Comments

  • Interesting. I hope it works well for you!

    A muslim, a socialist and an illegal immigrant walk into a bar 

    Blogging: Never before have so many with so little to say said so much to so few.

  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    edited March 2012
    Good luck. I'm thinking that you'll find, that if it's not ceramic, that this forum will not be of any help to you, because the cooking experience will be totally different.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • It actually is shaped like an egg (like a duck lays) if you go to the Lowe's website.

    A muslim, a socialist and an illegal immigrant walk into a bar 

    Blogging: Never before have so many with so little to say said so much to so few.

  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    For your sins I want you to do four pork butts and three briskest. And the Kamado gods will forgive you. Not sure Hillybilly will, no doubt be by soon with his capital letters, but the kamado gods offer forgiveness.
  • Salty Hogs BBQ
    Salty Hogs BBQ Posts: 171
    edited March 2012
    I saw one a few weeks ago and it felt like a cheap Chinese imitation. Worth no more than $150 at most. In a few months it will cost that. You can tell it will have problems after a few months of use.

    Not a ceramic Kamado. It will not be really anything like one either besides the shape. I would of saved and got a BGE and have no regrets. Nothing like having the real thing.
  • Just remember, you usually get what you pay for.

     "Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great, Here's to "Down Home," the Old North State!"

    Med & XL

  • JMSetzler
    JMSetzler Posts: 75
    I'm aware of all the issues raised here.  I have looked at tons of cheap immitations also and this one is better than the rest.  I agree it's not ceramic and it's not an egg, but testing so far has been all positive.  It doesnt' feel cheap and flimsy like a lot I have seen.  If it proves to be useless I will then buy the egg.
  • NightwingXP
    NightwingXP Posts: 448
    Good luck with it JM. I hope it works out for you. They have those in Red at my local Menards and I have looked at them. The internal grate looks interesting and I really hope the whole thing lasts awhile. I think that that could be the achilles heel. It did seem kinda sturdy but it shares some of the same build techniques of a regular gas grill. It will eventually wither, rust and deteriorate like any other gas grill. True it's not an Egg but I wish you the best. I could never hold it against anyone for the Great Quest of BBQ. Good luck!
    Only 3 things in life matter. Family, Steelers and my BGE!!
  • AD18
    AD18 Posts: 209
    Give'r a whirl and see how it works out.  Maybe it will work out fine, hope it does.  Wouldn't go as far as a sin, boiling ribs is a sin and you're now where near that:)  Good luck!!!!
    Large BGE, Weber 22.5 kettle, Weber Genesis
    Cobourg, Ontario
  • JerkChicken
    JerkChicken Posts: 551
    edited March 2012
    "Buy Once, Cry Once"... I see more crying and buying in your future. FWIW, I own a Chargiller Duo charcoal/gas. I paid about $400 for it and it had very poor quality. It leaked air everywhere and maintaining temps was difficult. It lasted about 1.5 years before the grates started to chip and the materials began to fall apart.

    I hope you have a good experience but you do get what you pay for. I've been seeing some of your posts and I am disappointed you settled for a cheap imitation that's not even ceramic. 
    LBGE, Weber OTG w/ Rotisserie, Weber Genesis S-330, Chargriller Duo, AR-15, AK-47
  • smokeyj
    smokeyj Posts: 340

    Looks like a nice buy JM. Can't wait to see it in action. Could be a real good deal.  Here are some good reviews. I think the only question will be the longevity. I don't blsme you buying one for the price.

    http://www.hayneedle.com/sale/chargrillerkamadokooker.cfm?source=channel_intelligence_gbase&afsrc=1&tid=CG035-1&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=CG035-1

     

     

  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
    Any good recipes on the Lowes forum? I haven't checked over there.
    Cookin in Texas
  • SandBilly
    SandBilly Posts: 227
    Good deal. If you don't have any regrets I dang sure don't.
  • EazyE
    EazyE Posts: 67
    Yeah I saw one of these at our local Dillons for $299 as well. It was only in the box so I couldn't get a real good look at, but I took some pics of it to do research later. Well, this whole time I thought it was made of ceramic, but after going back and looking at the pics closer, it sure isn't. It says double wall insulated steel grill, and porcelain coated interior and fire bowl. So, this whole time I thought it was a great buy, but now seeing that it is not ceramic, I do feel that this is a cheap imitation. That's no knock on the OP as this still is probably a better grill than many, but I really feel it is the ceramics of the Eggs that seperates them from every other grill and smoker. Good luck with it though and be sure to report back your results!
  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    DUDE, where is HILLBILLY to CRUSH him for posting that PIC?   WHAT is the DEAL?   THIS is a BGE forum    
  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
    Fear not, for you shall serve but a short time in purgatory before you return to the Egg.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • Rzeancak
    Rzeancak Posts: 193
    edited March 2012
    JM,
    I also saw this today at Lowes,  Keep us up to date and take some pics of your cooks,  you never know you might start something here.  For me, a good long term reviews might be all it needs and it could be a great grill or a secondary grill.  Lets us know,



    A child can ask questions a wise man can't answer!!!
    Canada
    Large @ Small BGE 

  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    OH no, here comes the HILLLBILLY....
  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    Yikes, that thing looks pretty suspect to me. Good luck I guess.
    Don't lose the number of your local BGE dealer.
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • My neighbors have been talking about this one let us know howit works out for you
    Good luck
  • JMSetzler
    JMSetzler Posts: 75
    I want to thank everyone here who gave me advice during my search for a kamado.  I'm sorry that I didn't buy the egg, and I may still buy one in the future.  I'm making up a set of video reviews for this cooker that I'll post on my blog and at the Brethren forum.  Since this is not a forum for other cookers, you may want to check there if you are interested in first-hand reviews of this cooker.

    Thanks!
  • mustgrill
    mustgrill Posts: 141
    JM you'll do good. You will buy more as the years go by.
    Located in Western North Carolina
  • John Ross
    John Ross Posts: 49
    Good luck with your cooker, JM. I know the Big Steel Keg has a lot of loyal followers out there  who think highly of their grill. Perhaps this might fall into that same category.
  • NightwingXP
    NightwingXP Posts: 448
    Please post pics so we can see how your doing. Would like to see what its capable of. Thanks JM
    Only 3 things in life matter. Family, Steelers and my BGE!!
  • Gato
    Gato Posts: 766
    @JMSetzler No need to apologize here. I hope you stick around.
    Geaux Tigers!!!
  • hogsfan
    hogsfan Posts: 128
    Congratulations! 
  • MaskedMarvel
    MaskedMarvel Posts: 3,136
    If it brings inexpensive compatible accessories then I'm all for it.
    Large BGE and Medium BGE
    36" Blackstone - Greensboro!


  • piney
    piney Posts: 1,478
    JMSetzler good luck with your new cooker keep me posted with your cooking results. I don't live far away might want to check it out sometime.
    Lenoir, N.C.
  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    Smokey - just checked that link you posted.  I saw a bunch more high-end kamados on the site, amazing how many are coming to and already in the market.  
  • BOWHUNR
    BOWHUNR Posts: 1,487
    Just remember, you usually get what you pay for.
    It's been my experience over the last thirty-five years of my adult life that when it comes to grills and cookers, you ALWAYS get what you pay for!

    Mike

    I'm ashamed what I did for a Klondike Bar!!

    Omaha, NE