Improvements on the BGE over the years?

chadpsualum · May 2015

I'm new to the BGE having just purchased last month. As I read through these forums I have seen people who have had their Eggs for years. Along with that are inherent problems with any product. Whether it be cracking, fried gaskets, etc...

Does anyone have a feel for any 'improvements' that BGE has made over the years? With all of the information contained in this forum you'd think they would use it towards product improvement. Take the gasket for example...have they upgraded their stock gasket at any point or is it the same one that they've always put on?

Appreciate the input. At the end of the day I'm just looking for what things I need to watch out for on a newly purchased Egg.

aukerns08 · May 2015

I think they're still using pretty much the same gasket that they've been using for years. As far as improvements go, I know they've made some changes to certain models over time. For example the handle on the large wasn't as wide as it is now, I've heard they changed the way the XL dome opens to make the opening wider when it's open, and the nest for the mini has changed it's design. The fire box also has changed, there is now a gap in it that wasn't there before to allow for expansion and try to minimize cracking. Those are the few I know about I'm sure there's others but for the most part from what I can see they're few and far between and pretty minimal changes.

As far as things to look for on your Egg as it ages, definitely cracks, so far I've been lucky and haven't had any. The change to the firebox has basically just caused it to split in two when it does crack now from what I've seen from people who have had issues. The outer ceramics can crack as well. The other thing to look out for is the gasket. You will fry it eventually some go quicker than others. You can replace it with a stock gasket if you want or contact @RRP and get one of his Rutland gaskets which seems to be the way to go by all accounts. I'm still having no issues with my stock gasket almost 2 years in so until it starts becoming an issue with me I'll keep using it. Once it starts to go though I'll be going to the Rutland so I just have to change it once.

stlcharcoal · May 2015

The fire clay was upgraded to ceramic in the mid-90's

The nest used to be the large size only and it sat an inch off the ground on furniture casters. The raised it up on four independent legs in the early 2000's, then a few years later they adopted the current design. A few years ago they put the cross brace on it.

The daisy wheel used to be just a daisy wheel. It didn't slide to the side--that was a separate cap. Early 2000's it became the dual function.

The hinge used to be an over center one.....you used the ash tool to lock it open. But most of use would just fling the dome up hard enough to lock it (and you sometimes launch the daisy wheel off--into my fish pond 10 feet below the deck in my case). They changed it to a locking hinge with a lever in the early 2000's, but it was short lived. The current spring hinge came out about a year or two later.

The grill grate used to be a porcelain covered steel, stainless steel now.

Fire grate used to be ceramic, changed to the cast iron sewer drain in the early 2000's. They added more holes at one point.

Fire box and fire ring have changed a few times, but the expansion cut in the box, and the notches in the ring are the only things noticeable.

Draft door used to be black painted steel, now stainless steel.....mid-2000's. The screen was added after many fires.

Handle was changed in the early 2000's, then again a few years ago.

Eggmates have changed about a dozen times.

Gasket has been felt for many years, is it Nomex now?? Still room for improvement there.

THEBuckeye · May 2015

Tip of the Day:

Tighten your bolts TODAY. Especially the ones for the Dome and Hinge. Then check every few months. If you feel at anytime the handle beginning to slip or you can move it, tighten IMMEDIATELY.

fishlessman · May 2015

with the large they origionally made the spring band in mexico, you can tell the difference with the usa bands as the usa handle is bolted to the band verse welded. the welded mexican spring band is junk circa 2002/2003. any large newer than 2004 has all the upgrades that worked even though they did chang a few things like the gasket and firebox (didnt make much of a difference with those upgrades anyways). i woul be happy with any egg in good shape from 2004 onwards.

what to watch for is cracking in the base around the vent area lower corners and usually travelling underneath the egg. cracked box and ring is normally still useable for years, the gaskets are junk so dont worry about them, mine burnt off a decade ago and it doesnt stop the egg from functioning and you can always upgrade gaskets on your own

ibanda · May 2015

The basic kamado cooker design is over 3,000 years old, most of the design kinks have been worked out at this point! BGE has certainly improved the durability of the materials over the years, and backs it up with a lifetime warranty.

IMHO people get way too worked up about the gaskets, and think their egg is "broken" somehow. There was a period a for a year or two a few years ago where the glue on the gaskets was giving way in the first few cooks. That wasn't good, but BGE seems to have remedied that.

Gaskets are not made out of concrete or steel for a reason. From Wikipedia:"It is usually desirable that the gasket be made from a material that is to some degree yielding such that it is able to deform and tightly fills the space it is designed for, including any slight irregularities."

Gaskets are easily replaced in an hour for $20. IMHO they are a replaceable part, like a windshield wiper. When my original gaskets fried after 3 years I replaced with nomex and have gone another 3 years. If I ever need to replace again I may go with Rutland.

Improvements on the BGE over the years?

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