expected life of a BGE?

smoker13

About 5yrs ago I bought a BGE competitor; lets call it brand “X”.  At the time I considered several similar coookers-BGE included.  I spoke to several folks who knew far more than me and one outfit down south said "I have both, you buy a BGE if you want the community and you are going to travel with it, you buy “X”  if you aren't going to travel" -that really resonated with me-because there is no way I was going to start travelling with a smoker -although now I understand why some people do it.  Sooo I bought the GD, everything went great first yr-2.  Then it started cracking and getting surface fissures.  Now this may be my fault as I live in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Michigan and it is exposed to the snow etc.  I didn't ever think to cover it up.  Now it looks like each time I cook with it that it may be its last-base is starting to crumble, interior is shot.  I could probably stretch another season out of it but I'm not convinced.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Would a BGE in snowy Michigan have experienced a similar fate?  If you live in the North-do you cover/protect your BGE during the winter months?

 

thanks very much,

 

-paul

Hillbilly-Hightech

Well, let's start looking @ this from another perspective - first, what type of warranty does your Brand "X" cooker have? 

The reason I'm asking is - IF you'd have gotten an Egg, and IF the Egg would've started falling apart like what you've described, then you could get it replaced via warranty.  So the point is that, even IF the Egg would develop cracks, you'd be able to get a NEW one for FREE. 

Next, there are many ppl who have Eggs in nearly every State, as well as colder climates (Canada, etc), and many of those ppl cook on their Egg in the dead of winter w/ snow that is "A-hole deep to a 10-foot Indian" (don't mean to offend anyone by that non-PC saying, it's just that's the term my Dad used to use growing up when talking about something like snow being deep or tall). 

Anyway, the point is that many folks use their Egg in the snow, in the rain, in all sorts of inclement weather w/ no problems (I say that the Egg can take the weather better than you can)!! hehe

As far as how long it'll last - I'd say that a properly cared for Egg will last longer than you :P

fishlessman

i have 3 eggs, this one is my newest, about 7 years, it absorbed some water this winter and cracked from the freeze/ thaw. theres a bge replacement base on the way, its covered.  its covered for as long as i own it and as long as they are in business i figure

Millsy

I live in Canada and have had no troubles with mine and i use it more in the winter than the summer.To be honest i think it works better in the winter for some reason.I do cover it as soon as I can after i use it.

GK59

 You must live in the UP.We in Bay City didn't have a winter so to speak.

Of course I grill year round anyway.Needs to be below zero before I stop. If we go more then a week I start to get the DT'S.

Bill

Little Steven

My first, a large, is still in great shape after 14 years in the Canadian sun. I still have the cover I bought for it in the original packaging in the garage

OMG Eggs

I assume GD means Grill Dome and Grill Dome = Brand X.  I looked into them when I got my egg, I thought they had pretty good customer service & warranty.  Maybe not a lifetime warranty, but something like 20 or 30 years on the ceramic parts.

odie91

 "I have both, you buy a BGE if you want the community and you are going to travel with it, you buy “X”  if you aren't going to travel" -that really resonated with me-because there is no way I was going to start travelling with a smoker -although now I understand why some people do it. 

Why would the BGE be better for traveling vs a GD?   Honestly, if you have to travel with a large-sized kamado, go with a BSK.   I own a BSK and BGE.... both serve their purposes, and I love both.

SandBilly

He's talking about the "community" traveling to Eggfests I assume.

gdenby

I'm in northern Indiana, about 20 miles from Lake Michigan. I get lots of snow. My older Egg is pretty new, about 6 years. I rarely cover it. I've cooked with snow more than half way up its body, and in -17F (without windchill.) The worst thing that happens is sometimes it gets coated with ice, and I have to melt it open with a weed burner. A couple of the nuts and bolts are showing a little rust.

There have been plenty of Eggers from Minnesota, Vermont, Canada, etc. I don't recall anyone having problems.

odie91

I assume GD means Grill Dome and Grill Dome = Brand X.  I looked into them when I got my egg, I thought they had pretty good customer service & warranty.  Maybe not a lifetime warranty, but something like 20 or 30 years on the ceramic parts.

Just checked out their website.  Looks like a pretty legit piece, I have to admit. 

twlangan

I live in Canada and have had no troubles with mine and i use it more in the winter than the summer.To be honest i think it works better in the winter for some reason.

This makes good sense to me. We've been burning wood with an indoor boiler since the late 70's and I can attest that it is much easier to get a good fire going on cold days in the winter vs "cool" days in the fall. I think the heat rises up the chimney better the colder it is, creating a better draft. Makes sense that the concept would work the same way in an Egg.

smoke_monster

I considered a GD but decided on a BGE because I had concerns about durability. You have to baby the GD - special shut down procedures and there is a indirect heat limit. Worst yet GD would never directly answer my questions. That said, if you contact them they will provide replacement parts. They are good with their warranty.

GD makes a great product with stainless hardware, thicker ceramics, deeper dome, better warranty than BGE but I think their ceramics are weaker and moisture is a problem with their painted units. I love my BGE and I'm glad I went with the original.

ChokeOnSmoke

better warranty than BGE

Curious.  How can GD have a better warranty than BGE's lifetime warranty.  Or are you talking about non-ceramic parts?

smoke_monster

Yep - BGE's metal parts are 10 years (or so I can't recall exactly) while GD's metal parts are lifetime. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Mine was outside uncovered for 4 years in WI and has been outside uncovered for 3 years in the TX sun. Still looks and works perfect. You cannot treat it any worse that I do and it just keeps on cookin.

smoke_monster

That's exactly why I bought an egg.

Eggcited Bravesfan in Minneapolis

I have not had any issues with mine and I leave them uncovered.

smoker13

thanks everyone for the info.  Yes I bought a Grill Dome, I had meant to edit that out-I didn't want to smack another brand.  From my speaking to GD last year I don't see them replacing it-if they don't I'm done with them as I wouldn't think a new one would be any different from the first.

 

I appreciate all the color.

 

-paul

 

smoker13

i have 3 eggs, this one is my newest, about 7 years, it absorbed some water this winter and cracked from the freeze/ thaw. theres a bge replacement base on the way, its covered.  its covered for as long as i own it and as long as they are in business i figure

 

 

Fishless-I'm curious, does BGE pay to ship it to you or are you paying the shipping?  thanks

 

fishlessman

its taken several weeks, but the distributer dropped it off at a place near me for no charge on shipping. im picking it up today. its the strangest cracks, half way thru, no cracks on the inside, ive never seen one posted that looked like this.