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big green egg knock off

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gdawgs24
gdawgs24 Posts: 21
edited March 2012 in EggHead Forum

a while back someone posted on a big green egg knock off at lowes. i my self have the xl. but a friends wife was wondering if it was worth the 300 dollars they were asking for it. i know this is really a question regarding the egg but any feedback would help. she is going to buy it for him for his birthday and cant afford the egg.

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  • odie91
    odie91 Posts: 541
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    I'd buy one at $200, but probably not $300 (maybe look for a coupon?).  Surprisingly, people on other forums have said their customer service has been good.  Make sure she gets the new version that has a cast iron upper vent, instead of the cheap sheet metal vent.
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  • BOWHUNR
    BOWHUNR Posts: 1,487
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    I looked at one this weekend.  Not an egg, but not bad.  I have seen worse knock offs.

    Mike









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

    Omaha, NE
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  • smokeyj
    smokeyj Posts: 340
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    Also if you go to your local post office I think they have 10% off cpupons for Lowes.

    http://www.lowes.com/cd_Coupon+Registration_253641591_

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  • OLD NORTH STATE BBQ CO.
    OLD NORTH STATE BBQ CO. Posts: 412
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    I recently saw one at lowes that was metal not ceramic. The ceramic is what makes "an egg an egg". I wouldn't waste $300 bucks on a significantly inferior product.

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

    Med & XL

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  • OLD NORTH STATE BBQ CO.
    OLD NORTH STATE BBQ CO. Posts: 412
    edited March 2012
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    Sorry, duplicate post. iPad issues.

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

    Med & XL

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  • NightwingXP
    NightwingXP Posts: 448
    edited March 2012
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    Got an excellent link to a very extensive youtube video review of this cooker. I don't think you could go wrong with it if you are trying to save some cash and want a Kamado style cooker. This guy was on our blog for awhile and I haven't heard from him in about a month so not sure where he went. He was saving up for an Egg but in the end just couldn't afford it. He has a 3 part video review for this cooker and he is VERY detailed about its use and has great video and demonstration. Check it out. Very informative ! I liked his approach.

    He has now added numerous reviews from baking bread to pizza and smoking butts so this appears to be a good kamado style cooker.
    It's not a BGE but hey....the economy sucks right now

    http://www.youtube.com/user/ManCaveMeals?ob=0&feature=results_main

    :D
    Only 3 things in life matter. Family, Steelers and my BGE!!
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  • egger ave
    egger ave Posts: 721
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    I looked at the BGE clone Louisiana Bayou Cooker (ceramic) at Lowes last Saturday. It was $699.They got the geometry wrong on the hinge. The top is too heavy for the first 30 degrees. The cap does not have a shutter assembly and it pivots on the front not the back which so it closes every time the top is opened. The shutter on the bottom does not fit flush so it would leak air unless you sealed with something like high temp gasket silicone. It did come with a water pan, extra grills, a nest with table. No lifetime warranty.Wait a couple of years and pick one up cheap at a yard sale.
    1 Large BGE, 1 Mini BGE, 1 Minimax BGE, Original wife and 3 dogs living in the heart of BBQ country in Round Rock Texas. 

    "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."

    Albert Einstein
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  • Hillbilly-Hightech
    Hillbilly-Hightech Posts: 966
    edited March 2012
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    OK, so I watched that video regarding the char-griller "kamado" and it's got some interesting features.  I like that the bottom comes apart to allow you to dump your ashes. 

    However, all-in-all, I've got to agree w/ OLD NORTH STATE BBQ CO.

    The guy doing the review never said what the actual material the thing was made out of, but from the looks of it, it looks like maybe some sort of powder-coated metal?  And maybe there's 2 layers (inside & outside) - if they were smart, Char-Griller should put some sort of insulation between the 2 layers of metal.

    W/out the ceramic, it won't cook like an Egg, it most certainly won't hold heat like an Egg, and unless there's some sort of insulation between the inner & outer layer, it just won't allow you to be able to do a 24-hr burn on ONE lump of coal. 

    Ain't gonna happen...  

    To the OP (gdawgs) - my opinion is that your friend's wife would be better off watching Craigslist & eventually she'll find someone selling a used Egg (or used Kamado Joe, etc).  If budget is an issue, that's the way I'd go - because the thing is, she might save some $$ up front due to NOT buying an Egg, but in the end, I think that the Char-griller (and other knockoffs that aren't ceramic) will end up using MORE lump, and you'll end up fussing w/ it MORE often trying to get it to maintain temp. 

    As I said, I don't know how well these things are insulated - maybe they're VERY well insulated, I dunno - but that's the KEY... w/out the ability to retain the heat, it will escape (just like it does in a traditional metal / stainless steel grill) & you'll have to keep shoveling lump into it, and the additional air flow required to keep it up to temp might affect the food...

    Just my $0.02...
    Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. - Bruce Lee
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  • NightwingXP
    NightwingXP Posts: 448
    edited March 2012
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    Good point HH. It is insulated but to what degree I don't know. In the videos he mentioned he smoked a pork butt and I believe that he mentioned he only used one load of charcoal. Here is a link to grills direct.com that states that it is insulated, but like I said, to what degree it's insulated I'm not sure.

    http://www.grillsdirect.com/kamado-and-pellet-grills/kamado-grills/chargrillerkamadokooker.cfm


    Only 3 things in life matter. Family, Steelers and my BGE!!
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  • NightwingXP
    NightwingXP Posts: 448
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    Here too is a link to its manual in pdf format


    http://ftp.chargriller.com/manuals/6719OM.pdf

    Only 3 things in life matter. Family, Steelers and my BGE!!
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