New Mini........kinda

sumoconnell

fishlessman said:

um...... a group buy for a competitors grill
) this i have to see
)

 We've done them for competitive products before.  Lump, grids, fire grates, etc.  This is the big kahuna - so I see your point.  no group buy... (shh)

StoicDude

I am in Reno, NV and have been hunting for this grill for a while. Like somebody already stated, its a test market thing and only available in select NY/ NJ and CA Costcos.
Nothing in the Bay Area. I checked.
They have a bunch in Brooklyn and Brick, NJ. The price is $69.97, which is CRAZY considering the Mini goes for $400 these days without a stand.

StoicDude

Shipping 50 pounds or 60 wouldn't be cheap, but even if it is a $100, it would be half the price of the mini. Get your east coast connections and get them shipped to you if you can.

Gogogordy

Someone said Costco has an exclusive on this item, I'll be interested in their reply to you. This is a great little product which has scratched my itch for a Mini....BGE could take note and make some price adjustments and/or bundle some accessories with them if only temporarily even though There is NO way they'll ever be in the $99 realm. For me, at 249 or even 299 with a nest and some side tables I'd been a Mini-egger a long time ago. And for the record, the lack side tables for the Mini is problematic. Heck, they could lower the price of the egg Mini and make up some profit opportunities on accessories. Im sure thats no revelation...

sodigthisbigcrux

does anyone know if the plate setter for the Mini will work on this one? If not, does Vision
offer one?

caliking

I believe the pin in the center-front is a cushioning type of mechanism to prevent the lid from slamming down hard.

And damn - $70 is a steal for that little guy.

revolver1

Vision warranty is the same as BGE.  One site I saw said they were made in USA, not so. Made in China.  Getting warranty on them might be impossible since they have such a weird distribution theory but at 100.00 who cares.  They do have a main office that appears to be in St. Louis.  You can google it - click on Contact.  Good luck, I have a mini and love it.  

SmokyBear

Gogogordy said:

The new char-smell is gone....I've lit, and used my Vision Grill KUB.  No regrets. We prepared a delicious meal for two...an Asian-styled Bento box consisting of Teriyaki-Wasabi wings, sesame shrimp, grilled home-grown okra, coconut rice, Kamoboko, and home grown corn on the cob (I know...I said Asian "style", loosely interpreted)

I know that "someday" a BGE Mini is in my future....and have no regrets for this purchase its the perfect size for two, and made for some very easy, tasty cooking.

That's an AWESOME table!  Where'd you find it?  I'd like something just like it for my Mini.

SkinnyV

Nt

Lit

The site that was selling them seems pretty legit. I got a tracking number emailed to me today and its already in Atlanta should be delivered tomorrow.

revolver1

Dan:  I'm sorry, we do not sell directly to consumers.  Costco has chosen where they want to sell them right now, we do not have any control over that unfortunately. Our hope is that they will sell them online in the near future.


Laurie Copeland
Customer Service Manager
Vision Grills
877-917-4273 X 106

sumoconnell

revolver1 said:

Dan:  I'm sorry, we do not sell directly to consumers.  Costco has chosen where they want to sell them right now, we do not have any control over that unfortunately. Our hope is that they will sell them online in the near future.


Laurie Copeland
Customer Service Manager
Vision Grills
877-917-4273 X 106

I just got the same email from the same person. She said they were test marketed in Virginia and California. Back to searching craigslist for a used egg.

jaydub58

As smart as Costco is, I wouldn't be surprised if they had them next spring. 

Gogogordy

Smoky, I found that all aluminum, powdercoated table in the closeout aisle at Target. Asked the saleskid how much since it was devoid of any tags. He checked his computer, proclaimed it an 18x18 table and told me $7.20! Obviously I snagged it, and upon gettin it home and near my own tape-measure I measured it at 36x36! its awesome, super heavy duty and I even anchored my KUB to it and added a tool rack. I smile at the table..it's perfect and I couldnt have built one for less (well, quality-wise I could have...)

stevesails

I want one of these little babies.

SmokinSoCal

Costco Canoga Park, CA had 10 this afternoon. I bought 3. $99

Hope this helps.

FYI. I ran it up to 750 degrees and melted the knob on the daisy wheel. oohh well. Everything else held together perfect. GREAT DEAL!

P.S. Some gasket burn but I expected that.

Gogogordy

750? What are you cremating in that little thing?

SmokinSoCal

Gogogordy with ll the talk on this board about how superior the BGE is I wanted to put this thing through the ringer. I run my BGE that hot every so often to do a clean burn. But it held up really well and I'm impressed. Also, with the costco return policy... Why not!

Gogogordy

Gotcha. But even with a BGE they don't recommend ramping 'er up quite that high right off the bat? 

Yeah, between Costco's policy and reputation, and Vision Grill's stated warranty, why not? If she blows, she blows!

SmyrnaGA

mwraulst said:

http://usabestdealz.com/home-3/vision-grills-kamado-classic

Anyone ordered from this site and received their cooker yet?

fishlessman

ordered and the postal tracking system has it in new jersey with a delivery of tomorrow. we will see

SmyrnaGA said:

mwraulst said:

http://usabestdealz.com/home-3/vision-grills-kamado-classic

Anyone ordered from this site and received their cooker yet?

mwraulst

yes! got it in the mail yesterday. the seller must have taken a hit on shipping bc my label on the box when it came in said 37 dollars for the shipping and i only paid 7 when i placed the order.

put it together and assembled last night and did the first cook.

some observations:

1. no it is not fully egg quality but it's not far off and the price alone makes this a winner. I do have a mini so i performed a side by side comparison evaluation and cook.

2. it comes with the stand (table nest for egg) and shelves, boom! awesome!, thank you very much for not having to buy a stand for the grill i just paid for. and the shelves are so awesome, they attach easy, are super sturdy, clean easily and foldup or come off in seconds.

3. bc of space i immediately took the thermometer off. i found a rubber type gasket up by the thermometer. i couldn't help but think the first 800 degree cook or mistake would melt this, so i removed it. I would recommend that to any of you who bought the kub.

4. the fire box is slightly misshapen at the bottom. so here is where i think the quality of the egg comes into play. the ceramic firebox is not exactly round at the bottom where the fire grate sits. It does not affect anything that i've been able to tell. the thickness of the ceramic on both the firebox and egg appears to be the same between the 2.

5. top vent is not castiron or heavy metal. the top vent on kub is thiner metal. it has a clip so it stays attached to the top, although never been a problem with the egg. there is also gasket up there holding the top cap on. I must admit i had no problem lighting the egg with the cap on and open, whereas i've never tried it on my eggs. I always remove top cap to light them. if the cap rusts or fails i'm pretty sure the egg one will fit or i will fashion one of those fancy stainless ones.

6. with royal oak in mini egg and in kub and a piece of chicken, brat, and burger on each i have yet to tell any difference in taste. Even had swmbo mix them up on me for a blind taste test. there you have it, my $140 mini tastes the same as my $400 mini.

my conclusion: sorry bge you're now priced out of the market in regard to the mini. I'd purchase this again any day. Oh and with the kub, the warranty information states lifetime on all ceramic parts, so please don't attack this thread based on the value of the warranty. I paid 140 including shipping, got a mini with shelves and a stand deliverd to my door. Bands were already in place and tight. Couldn't be any happier with this find.

jaydub58

I just jumped on to the "usabestdealz" web site out of curiosity and guess what?

Kub is OUT OF STOCK!

 

:P

qprhooligan

Mine is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

Gogogordy

mwraulst-great review with comparison. Thank you.

I don't have a Mini (and likely wouldn't gamble the $400 on it for size questions which this has answered) but am also delighted with my KUB...as delighted as I am with my MBGE, and YES the food tastes the same.

BGE needs to do something pricewise with regards to the Mini...since many of us have had our eyes opened now in relation to a super compact ceramical-grill-Kamado-ish unit.

SmyrnaGA

I get mine Sat.

mwraulst - Can it use Mini BGE accessories?  According to both specs, the grates should be interchangeable.  Options for indirect could be mini Woo, mini platesetter or DIY?

cookingdude555

Not to throw a wrench in this, but my experience with food tasting the same spans the sizes. My bubba keg cooks exactly like my large egg (except the bubba keg is more efficient with fuel). Kamados really do cook the same.

Griffin

sodigthisbigcrux said:

does anyone know if the plate setter for the Mini will work on this one? If not, does Vision
offer one?

If the grates and diameter are the same size as the Mini, I'd skip the placesetter and get the mini woo from ceramic greill store and two pizza stones off amazon.

fishlessman

usabestdealz called to tell me mine will be delivered to the billing address, they missed the note about my shipping address so probably will have to pick it up at the post office wednesday. not sure how they worked the deal with the postoffice at $ 7.50 shipping with added insurance but you cant beat that

Lit

Got mine today looks nice. Wish the top of the fire ring/box was a little larger there is about an inch wasted space all the way around but still the same cooking area as the mini BGE. Also happy it looks like I can swap the bands to put the shelves on my mini. It was packaged really well also.