How Much Smoke?

gordonsjackson

Hi All, I am thinking of puchasing an egg. I live in an apartment in London and intend to get a medium egg and place it on the open balcony. However the neighbors balconies are not too far away (maybe 8 ft vertical separation to the one above, and 12 ft horizontal separation to the ones to the side) and it is important that I do not annoy my neighbors. Is the level of smoke produced by an egg in normal use compatible with these requirements? How do they compare in this regard to a regular Barbeque, either charcoal or gas? Also is it possible for hot ash to blow out of an egg?

thank you

Gordon

EggSimon

Well,

grilling w/o an gas grill means always smoke production...

But, the egg is fired with lump not with charcoal. Lump produces much less bad somoke, compared with charcoal. That means, you are generally on the right way with the egg :-)

But of course, the egg produces also smoke. Especially during the lighting and warm upp process. And of course, when you add wood chunks.

A burning, warm egg produces nearly zero smoke. The construcion allows the lump to burn very good and clean.

I think, the egg is the best solution for your situation. But it definitive produces smoke. But much less than others...

Invite your neighours to a BBQ quite often, and they´ll accept the causally smoke... ;-)

Cause it will be the best BBQ they ever had :-)

4Runner

Forget the smoke......I would be more concerned with a spark shooting from the top of the Egg and landing on something flammable.   See post here:  http://www.eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/1137194#Comment_1137194

 

I would think your apartment complex would have a rule pertaining to grills.  Might check there first.

gordonsjackson

Thanks for the advice so far. I looked up the apartment rules. They say "Barbeques are ok so long as you dont annoy anyone.". Hence my query.

4Runner

that is pretty subjective...I find that there is always something that annoys someone. 

 

Sharing the BBQ could go a long way for sure.

The Naked Whiz

Gordonsjackson, I'm quite surprised that you would be allowed to do that.  Most fire codes in the US prohibit using barbecues of any sort on balconies. 

NC-CDN

Good luck.  I would think it would piss people off.  I really do.  That is really close, unless they rarely use their balconies.  You don't need to use wood (very smokey), but even lump is going to give off plenty of smoke and odour.  Albeit an odour I enjoy.   They might not so much. 

When I lived in an apartment (ground floor) we had to be like 15 feet away or something.  Fire code and regulations and such.  That is surprising, but there isn't much room in London. 

JeffM

I would check and see if my neighbors like great BBQ.   There will be smoke.

Squeezy

Well,

grilling w/o an gas grill means always smoke production...

But, the egg is fired with lump not with charcoal. Lump produces much less bad somoke, compared with charcoal. That means, you are generally on the right way with the egg :-)

But of course, the egg produces also smoke. Especially during the lighting and warm upp process. And of course, when you add wood chunks.

A burning, warm egg produces nearly zero smoke. The construcion allows the lump to burn very good and clean.

I think, the egg is the best solution for your situation. But it definitive produces smoke. But much less than others...

Invite your neighours to a BBQ quite often, and they´ll accept the causally smoke... ;-)

Cause it will be the best BBQ they ever had :-)

In reference to the highlighted text in white above, please explain to me what the difference is between charcoal & lump? Both are black and made from wood......

srq2625

There's hardwood lump, lump charcoal, hardwood lump charcoal, etc. Then there's charcoal briquettes. Anything is the first category is good for the Egg.

But, if there's the word "briquettes" in the name fo the product, you dont' want that in your egg. There's no such thing as pure, natural briquettes charcoal - there's always some sort of binder or filler or something that will either cause more ash or strange flavor smoke or both.

Squeezy

There's hardwood lump, lump charcoal, hardwood lump charcoal, etc. Then there's charcoal briquettes. Anything is the first category is good for the Egg.

But, if there's the word "briquettes" in the name fo the product, you dont' want that in your egg. There's no such thing as pure, natural briquettes charcoal - there's always some sort of binder or filler or something that will either cause more ash or strange flavor smoke or both.

Please explain the difference between 'Hardwood lump' and 'lump charcoal' ???

wolfsburg18

Gordonjackson,

I would believe you also need to consider the following:

1. Direction the patio faces?

2. Direction the wind is typically blowing?

3. How far from the ground you are?

4. Is the patio slightly enclosed or a jut out from the building?  (IE. the patio sides are part of the apartment building so only 1 side is open or are 3 sides open)

5. Distance from your patio door to the nearest smoke detector?

I ask the above questions because an apartment building I lived in allowed grills on second floor patios but no smokers.  The patios were slightly enclosed, brick building with a concrete patio.  They also had rules that you could only have 10lb propane tank which was a shortly vs the normal 20lb tank and if you could not control the smoke from grilling or set off the fire alarm they would issue a fine on your rent and ask you to stop grilling.  

Just a few items to consider but otherwise I would say go for it and enjoy an egg.   Just be smart and if you have combustible materials have a large bucket of water or sand available to take care of an issue quickly.

best of luck and happy egging

srq2625

There's hardwood lump, lump charcoal, hardwood lump charcoal, etc. Then there's charcoal briquettes. Anything is the first category is good for the Egg.

But, if there's the word "briquettes" in the name fo the product, you dont' want that in your egg. There's no such thing as pure, natural briquettes charcoal - there's always some sort of binder or filler or something that will either cause more ash or strange flavor smoke or both.

Please explain the difference between 'Hardwood lump' and 'lump charcoal' ???

No difference. All the names in the first paragraph reference the same stuff. Different companies will, sometimes, use a different name - maybe in an attempt to make their product sound different/better/etc.

The important thing is that you want lump charcoal, regardless of what it's called.