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Anyone out there with a competitor kamado?

There is a dealer here in San Diego selling a large grill dome for $550 with a full lifetime warranty. I think this is a good price compared to getting a new LBGE down here for about $1k. But of course my heart belongs to the big green egg.

Does anyone have either a primo, or grill dome that can give some insight on the performance of the competitor's grills vs. THE Big green egg?

Thanks

Comments

  • BOWHUNR
    BOWHUNR Posts: 1,487
    You're probably in the wrong place to ask that question, but I have a very good friend in Augusta, GA that has a Grill Dome and he loves it.  We "trade paint" all the time talking and trading photos of cooks.  Most if not all of the BGE stuff fits it.

    Mike

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

    Omaha, NE
  • The price tag is what caught my attention.
  • canman
    canman Posts: 52
    Check the consumer reports on them before you buy. Although they say they have a lifetime warranty, the people that try to collect on it will tell you different.
    Tullahoma, Tennessee.
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    Here is a thread where people compare them:


    I have only seen one in person and it looked ok, but it did seem like the ceramics and finish were much cheaper. This was several years ago so they may have improved.  

    It is interesting now that both KJ and Grill Dome offer lifetime warranties.  This used to be a major factor that set BGE apart.  I hope they keep it coming...more competition...drive the price down.  


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Does the grill dome come with stuff(thermo, daisy wheel)? If I recall correctly, all that stuff used to be considered "extras".

    I have seen grill domes with the paint peeling off, so I would go with a primo or KJ first.
  • smokeyj
    smokeyj Posts: 340
    edited February 2014

    I have a Grill Dome.

    I have never had an issue with a warranty claim when needing a firebox or fire ring.

    The paint peeling was an issue  a few years back and has been resolved. It was with certain colors I think (red/blue maybe). So if it's a new model should be no issue with paint peeling.

    Make sure he is a dealer so you have a lifetime warranty so if its and older model and peels Grill Dome will make good.

    It is packaged with the thermometer and the top vent. 

    For $550 I would not pass. 

     

    I like the spring hinge and gasket better on the Grill Dome.

     

  • If I were going for a different make, I'd go with a Primo XL or Kamodo Joe. I actually really like the KJ red color. Primo is entirely made in the U.S.A. KJ is made in China.
    Mark Annville, PA
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    I seriously considered a Primo oval because of the indirect setup, but the price of the BGE large won.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    edited February 2014
    No help on the Grill Dome, but know of three with Primo's and at least one with a Kamado Joe. I would've bought a KJ, but no dealer close to me on either side of the border when I bought my MBGE about three years ago. 
    Primo's are very close to the same price in Canada ($850CDN) and the USA ($775) for the Oval Jr, which considering the current 10% exchange rate is pretty much the same thing. BGE's are as much as 30% more in Canada with a MBGE now over $1000. (west coast)
    If you can get a large Grill Dome Infinity Series for $550 from a trustworthy dealer, I'd really think about it if I wanted/needed another kamado. 
    Last year there was a number of posts on BGE owners picking up Vision Kubs (like the BGE mini) from Costco for <$150. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    Grill Dome is a good product, and that's a great price on them.  Kamado Joe and Primo also make good kamados.  I don't think any one of them is necessarily BETTER than the BGE or one of the others.  But the KJ is definitely the best buy when it comes to average retail.
  • I've had a Grill Dome for almost five years.  Warranty has not been a problem.  I needed a new fire box and it shipped out the same day.  I have a blue one and have experienced no paint issues.

    Based on the design, the grate is already close to "raised direct" level without having to add anything.  The top and bottom pieces are machined so the gasket is not really ever an issue.  Half of my gasket is burned off and I have no issues.

    My only complaint would be on the accessories.  They stink compared to BGE.

    I've used both the BGE and Grill Dome quite a bit and like both.  $550 would be hard to pass up for me if it's new and fully warranted.

  • flynnbob
    flynnbob Posts: 665
    BIL has a BSK.  I have cooked on it twice when visiting and it did a pretty good job.  Not sure how long it would last though.
    Milton, GA.
  • Miked125
    Miked125 Posts: 481
    I don't own either (yet) but I have been pestering people who own both.  Both groups are very happy with their purchases. Some competitors have moved their production offshore though. Where I live (Saskatchewan, Canada) there is only a $200-$300 difference in cost between the competitors and the egg & there aren't competitors dealers in my city. For both of those reason I will buy a large BGE when I get my tax return. If the price spread was greater I would consider a competitor, but for me it's not.
  • stantrb
    stantrb Posts: 156

    I like KJ, and if I were going to buy again, I might go with them.  Their new flexible cooking system for their large is incredible looking, and I wish BGE made something similar. 

    Minimax and a wood-fired oven.