Buyer Beware - Ceramic Grillworks of Pittsburgh

smokeyj

NPHuskerFL said:

smokeyj said:

Strange, I never had an issue with customer service or the rack itself. Been really satisfied.

If you've never had a problem then you've had no reason to contact customer service. Thus why you probably feel satisfied.
OTOH if you had a problem and waited over a year with many emails etc with no resolve I bet that you would feel the same way. To say there is no product to send warranty customers and then go online and order a new one with no issue is very hinky.

I had issues with other bbq accessories and they were replaced with no question asked. One was even out of warranty from the supplier and Franco replaced it for me when the supplier wouldn't.

SkinnyV

So it took OP one year to be fed up?
New user and then some folks pile on not on their own experience but what they "read".

Lets keep I mind many have been happy with the product as well. Some people out there can't be satisfied no matter what, careful who you back.
:-B

I've seen a few guys *****n about a small fire ring.... )

NPHuskerFL

@smokeyj I don't have dog in this fight. I'm only speaking from an everyday consumers pov. Whole thing seems odd to me to have to wait over a year for a warranty claim to be resolved. No bueno.

NPHuskerFL

Lit said:

The best part is the OP says he has been waiting for 12 months then CGW1 says they have been out of stock since December. What happened the first 9 months?

Agree.

DMW

SkinnyV said:

So it took OP one year to be fed up?
New user and then some folks pile on not on their own experience but what they "read".

Lets keep I mind many have been happy with the product as well. Some people out there can't be satisfied no matter what, careful who you back.
:-B

I've seen a few guys *****n about a small fire ring.... )

Good point, maybe the OP is lying and just has a beef with Franco and wants to defame him. I don't know, maybe? 

I have seen other report similar claims, however, perhaps they also were actually alternate handles for the same guy that has a beef with Franco. I honestly don't know.

SkinnyV

All I'm saying is plenty of guys have been happy. Why pile on because a few have posted issues, when its not even "your" issue.
Hell go over to yelp, read a bad review and pile.on because of how you "think" something should be...not your own experience. That makes sense.

SkinnyV

you can't please everyone. I think yelp is a garbage site also, have your own experience then judge.
Now fraud and being ripped off that's a whole different thing. That does not sound.like OP case.
He may have a working product but just not to his expectation and liking, CGW may be trying.to fix that who knows.

Lit

@SkinnyV I linked back to a post from just the other day from a fellow poster that was told the XL wasn't available for warranty but another poster here ordered one and got it a couple days later. I don't care either way I would never buy another cast iron grate unless it was for the MM so it could slide around on the mismatched fire ring

DMW

I posted originally to clear up some confusion on CGS (adjustable rig, spider, etc) and CGW ( 2 tier swing racks)

SkinnyV

Hell everyone is quick to tout CGS, I am a happy customer too but why release the MM woo and show it with the platesetter when its a pain in the ass to fiddle with?
Why was the product not made to fit the PS better? You can always find.something (I'm satisfied but just food for thought).

Legume

True, true @SkinnyV I don't know the history of this one or the OP and I've already shamed myself publicly with my Jerry Maguire moment on the appetizer class.  I've also never bought from CGW (although those complaints about the grid bending have been around for a while), but to say they've been out of stock since December while you can still order one online is, as @NPHuskerFL says, hinky. 
:-?

SkinnyV

Yeah CGW needs to come clean and explain that, that's on him.

Lit

SkinnyV said:

Hell everyone is quick to tout CGS, I am a happy customer too but why release the MM woo and show it with the platesetter when its a pain in the ass to fiddle with?
Why was the product not made to fit the PS better? You can always find.something (I'm satisfied but just food for thought).

this sucks why didn't you mention this before? I just ordered mine today and didn't get the stone.

SkinnyV

It works with it , it just took me a few more minutes than I would like to figure the puzzle out.
I posted.it yesterday.

It could just be me and my "small fire ring" moment. Not a big problem but an annoyance.

bweekes

Don't mean to pile on here (and certainly not pointing fingers), but I've been waiting for my replacement XL 2 tier swing rack from CGW since October. Spoke to Franco live in October and he assured me he would send a replacement. Weeks went by and nothing, despite sending several emails. About a month ago, I finally got a hold of Franco via telephone and he claimed that they were having "production issues" with the XL. Not saying there isn't some truth to that, but I found it strange that another forum member ordered an XL swing rack in January and received his a couple weeks later. See thread below:

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/1679527/#Comment_1679527

 

All in all, I feel it's a decent product, but (from a customer service perspective) I would have liked to be kept more informed during the process. We're now headed into March and still no replacement, so maybe it's the frustration talking here. 

BYS1981

Haha busted

SkinnyV

Franco.......? What say you.

caliking

I'm kinda with @SkinnyV on this one. I mean, believe me, I'm all ready to throw **** out in the open and air my customer service grievances along with the best of them, but there may be more to this story.

OP has a couple of posts under his belt, basically to complain about his situation. He waited a YEAR for a replacement? The CGW fella claims production has been iffy for the past couple of months. We're not privy to the details, obviously.

And I know the OP is mad, but come on - you essentially  came to the forum to piss in the beer? No contributions, but a PO'ed customer complaint.

Biggreenpharmacist

I wasnt piling on, but Ive contemplated buying one. Ive just seen enough negativity towards the product that its hard to be willing to pay 135 bucks for something that may or may not have good customer service. So for the time being I will simply hold off buying one.

NPHuskerFL

@caliking (:| been in bed sick all day. Ya just noticed OP only has this thread with no other contribution. Pissing in the beer on a Monday night. Party Foul.

johnkitchens

The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Where is the guy with the mini cooper for sale and the girl that calls corporate to complain? I love this frigging place. 

Lit

I know if I owned a company and someone was making claims like that on a forum like this and there was no truth at all to them I would make sure everyone knew the truth. CGW responded and didn't deny anything just made excuses.

bweekes

Yep last thing I want to do is implicate Franco when his claims could be 100% accurate. I've said many times, I think the product is good, and Franco (when I have spoken to him live) seems like a stand-up guy. I"m sure he'll make good on his promise to replace my swing rack. My only feedback is that he could have done a better job of keeping me apprised of the reasons for the delay. I don't have a lot of posts up here, but been egging (and on this forum) for a long time, so certainly didn't join just to dump on CGW. I just want to get back to using what has proven to be a pretty useful product that I miss. 

cazzy

caliking said:

I'm kinda with @SkinnyV on this one. I mean, believe me, I'm all ready to throw **** out in the open and air my customer service grievances along with the best of them, but there may be more to this story.

OP has a couple of posts under his belt, basically to complain about his situation. He waited a YEAR for a replacement? The CGW fella claims production has been iffy for the past couple of months. We're not privy to the details, obviously.

And I know the OP is mad, but come on - you essentially  came to the forum to piss in the beer? No contributions, but a PO'ed customer complaint.

Don't ever piss off Cali! ]

http://youtu.be/DivypvHzPww

blasting

2+ months for a warranty replacement (or a year as per the op).  Either way this is too long.  A refund is in order.  Then the customer can repurchase when the production problems are worked out.

Also, Franco, give the customer a date and then call them back when the date approaches - don't ever make customers chase you.  Once you do that, it is the beginning of the end, IMHO.

BOWHUNR

I sold my CGW 2 tier on this very forum at less than half price because of the problems mentioned above.  Sagging, warping, big thick unsightly grill marks and rust problems did it for me.  Some guys love them though, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Mike

Givengold3

I've had my two tier rack for at least a year, And it works great for me.  I guess mine was made before the bad batch.  I would recommend it to others, but hope that the truth comes out and resolutions are made.

fishlessman

there has to be more to the equation, you could order a hundred of those plates cut and have them in shop within a week. there are thousands of shops that would make those

johnkitchens

fishlessman said:

there has to be more to the equation, you could order a hundred of those plates cut and have them in shop within a week. there are thousands of shops that would make those

Yep. We have a plasma and any fab shop could handle that. 

NPHuskerFL

^^^^^ agree Even the small shop I use could do this with a template. There has to be more to it than meets the eye.