Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Youtube | Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.
Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch
Costco During KJ Road Show = Dangerous
SteelCitySmoke814
Posts: 112
Dont want to spur some "it's not a BGE" thread (assuming that happens but I don't know if that mindset exists), but couldn't pass a KJ Jr during the local Costco KJ Road Show.
I own a LBGE and after cooking on a friend's MiniMax a few times I grew to appreciate having the option for those nights you're only doing 4 burgers, pieces of chicken, pork chops, 1 whole chicken, hell even a 3-4# pork shoulder (ya - weird how much you'd use it huh), and went with the KJ Jr.
I did a cook tonight (props to it being lit about 20 minutes after unboxing), and no complaints. I look forward to having that option. Pretty excited to take it along to the park on our newfound picnic/fishing trips to the local parks.
Next up, table addition!
I own a LBGE and after cooking on a friend's MiniMax a few times I grew to appreciate having the option for those nights you're only doing 4 burgers, pieces of chicken, pork chops, 1 whole chicken, hell even a 3-4# pork shoulder (ya - weird how much you'd use it huh), and went with the KJ Jr.
I did a cook tonight (props to it being lit about 20 minutes after unboxing), and no complaints. I look forward to having that option. Pretty excited to take it along to the park on our newfound picnic/fishing trips to the local parks.
Next up, table addition!
Comments
-
Good score but i think red goes on the left for port and green should be on the right for starboard.....
-
I continually am amazed at how BGE never trademarked any of the design elements. I am not talking about patents. I simply mean trademark design (visual) elements
That thing is a red BGE. Same dimple pattern, profile, bevel at the bands, lower vent...
crazy[social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others] -
Yes Jr sized cookers are awesome! I am amazed how much food I can fit on my Jr.
You our can get a canning rack and use it as an extender rack for an extra level of cooking. -
According to the rep at Costco when I was there a couple weeks ago they're made 14 miles from one another. Damn near an exact copycatDarby_Crenshaw said:I continually am amazed at how BGE never trademarked any of the design elements. I am not talking about patents. I simply mean trademark design (visual) elements
That thing is a red BGE. Same dimple pattern, profile, bevel at the bands, lower vent...
crazy~ John - Formerly known as ColtsFan - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
XL BGE, LG BGE, Med BGE, BGE Chiminea, KJ Jr, PK Original, Ardore Pizza Oven
Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers! -
Ummm... China is not 14 miles from Mexico, the last time I checked. Someone needs a geography lesson.ColtsFan said:According to the rep at Costco when I was there a couple weeks ago they're made 14 miles from one another. Damn near an exact copycat -
Congrats, I almost got one too but resisted the temptation!
I visited a KJ roadshow recently, when asked about the capacity, features etc. the KJ rep pulled up BGE specs on her iphone and read it to a potential customerDarby_Crenshaw said:I continually am amazed at how BGE never trademarked any of the design elements. I am not talking about patents. I simply mean trademark design (visual) elements
That thing is a red BGE. Same dimple pattern, profile, bevel at the bands, lower vent...
crazy
canuckland -
i have that same combo. it will serve you well. im also trying to decide on a table design
-
Could they have even done that?Darby_Crenshaw said:I continually am amazed at how BGE never trademarked any of the design elements. I am not talking about patents. I simply mean trademark design (visual) elements
That thing is a red BGE. Same dimple pattern, profile, bevel at the bands, lower vent...
crazy
The BGE and other similar kamados are almost literal copies of kamados that existed for decades before BGE came into being.
Of course the basic design of kamados is much older but BGE literally copied kamados that were being sold in Japan to US military folks after WWII.
My dad was in the USN for 30+ years and we lived in Japan for 4 years in the 1960s. We had a "green egg" while living there and my dad bought two brand new ones to ship back to the US when he got orders stateside.
The only thing I recall being noticeably different was the surface texture. The surface texture of the KJ is possibly different enough from the BGE rounder dimples to avoid such potential concerns. Perhaps.“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk -
I've done a 9# pork butt on my KJ Jr. It was tight but airflow remained fine and it didn't even interfere with the dome thermometer.SteelCitySmoke814 said:...hell even a 3-4# pork shoulder (ya - weird how much you'd use it huh), and went with the KJ Jr....
“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk -
The kamado itself is one thing. I'm talking about the design elements that contribute to the appearanceHeavyG said:Could they have even done that?
The BGE and other similar kamados are almost literal copies of kamados that existed for decades before BGE came into being.
Of course the basic design of kamados is much older but BGE literally copied kamados that were being sold in Japan to US military folks after WWII.
My dad was in the USN for 30+ years and we lived in Japan for 4 years in the 1960s. We had a "green egg" while living there and my dad bought two brand new ones to ship back to the US when he got orders stateside.
The only thing I recall being noticeably different was the surface texture. The surface texture of the KJ is possibly different enough from the BGE rounder dimples to avoid such potential concerns. Perhaps.
the dimples are nothing more than an awsthetic design decision. They are not a part of the process like they were when clay 'slip' was slapped on the earthenware pieces originally. That element is as old as the ceramics (or earthenware, i guess) making process.
But the things are molded these days, in one piece. And the dimple pattern has changed over the years. It's purely aesthetic. And since they (BGE) came up with the dimple as a visual 'mark', they should have been able to trade mark it.
Same for the bevel of the dome as it meets the band. ...and maybe some other aspects.
I mean, grill done doesn't make them in green, right?
other kamados don't infringe (like the bubba leg for example) because they are so different
general kamado shape and fundamental elements wouldn't be trademarked. But non critical appearance related design elements and identifying marks, sure
A car company can't trademark having four wheels and a hood ornament. But they can trademark the design of their hood ornament (badge) and other elements which ID their brand
Just seems odd.
Obviously someone has done their homework though. Because a blatant ripoff wouldn't last long unless there was a loophole
i agree, can't trademark a kamado soecifically. But the appearance of it, brand-signifying stuff, shoulda been able to i'd think
[social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others] -
lol..That's funny. I never researched itEggcelsior said:Ummm... China is not 14 miles from Mexico, the last time I checked. Someone needs a geography lesson.~ John - Formerly known as ColtsFan - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
XL BGE, LG BGE, Med BGE, BGE Chiminea, KJ Jr, PK Original, Ardore Pizza Oven
Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers! -
Even better news!HeavyG said:I've done a 9# pork butt on my KJ Jr. It was tight but airflow remained fine and it didn't even interfere with the dome thermometer. -
I understood what you meant by certain design elements. The problem with trying to gain IP protection for such things is there is a lot of leeway for some features that might be considered naturally similar.Darby_Crenshaw said:The kamado itself is one thing. I'm talking about the design elements that contribute to the appearance
the dimples are nothing more than an awsthetic design decision. They are not a part of the process like they were when clay 'slip' was slapped on the earthenware pieces originally. That element is as old as the ceramics (or earthenware, i guess) making process.
But the things are molded these days, in one piece. And the dimple pattern has changed over the years. It's purely aesthetic. And since they (BGE) came up with the dimple as a visual 'mark', they should have been able to trade mark it.
Same for the bevel of the dome as it meets the band. ...and maybe some other aspects.
I mean, grill done doesn't make them in green, right?
other kamados don't infringe (like the bubba leg for example) because they are so different
general kamado shape and fundamental elements wouldn't be trademarked. But non critical appearance related design elements and identifying marks, sure
A car company can't trademark having four wheels and a hood ornament. But they can trademark the design of their hood ornament (badge) and other elements which ID their brand
Just seems odd.
Obviously someone has done their homework though. Because a blatant ripoff wouldn't last long unless there was a loophole
i agree, can't trademark a kamado soecifically. But the appearance of it, brand-signifying stuff, shoulda been able to i'd think
The angle/slope of the dome at the bands? Sure, the BGE and KJ look very similar. I'm not going to break out my angle gauge and start measuring but looking at pix of the old Imperial kamados the BGE band/dome construct looks almost identical. I think it would be tough for BGE to claim some sort of unique aesthetic there.
Dimples? BGE are roundish. KJ "dimples" are more like lima beans. Different enough? Probably. Apparently.
Bottom vent? The "original" Japanese kamados also had lower sliding ventsThe only significant difference with the BGE lower vents is the inclusion of a sliding fire screen which I think BGE may have patented - not sure. KJ does not have a sliding fire screen (perhaps because of a possible BGE patent?). Instead their two larger models have incorporated a fire screen with their removable ash catcher. Their Jr. has no ash catcher or sliding fire screen (I've never had a problem with sparks flying out of the bottom vent on my Jr.).
Grill Dome may not make green versions but I think that may have more to do with marketing and trying to avoid being confused with the BGE rather than any potential legal problems (tho of course in the USA the threat of litigation is always in the background).
Kamado Joe used to sell their kamados in black and red but they made the decision a year or so ago to just stick with red as their branded color.
BGE pretty much had the entire kamado market to themselves for so long that perhaps they just didn't think they needed to try and protect any aesthetic differences of their models. Beats me.“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk -
I wish KJ had kept the black. The red is ugly and makes me want to beat it like... What's that stepchild phrase?
-
What's the cost of a Joe Jr.?
-
Should have bought all their lump.
-
Costco Roadshow price was $399.99 with everything you need to cook (grill, ceramic for indirect, etc). They had 2 packs of 20lb charcoal for $29.99 as well which is a good price IMO for any decent lump.Texag06ish said:What's the cost of a Joe Jr.?
I have no complaints at all after a single cook, and I've learned my BBQ Guru can work on it simply by me picking up a $20 adapter, so I'm totally satisfied thus far. -
Louisiana Grills makes a green kamado grill.HeavyG said:I understood what you meant by certain design elements. The problem with trying to gain IP protection for such things is there is a lot of leeway for some features that might be considered naturally similar.
The angle/slope of the dome at the bands? Sure, the BGE and KJ look very similar. I'm not going to break out my angle gauge and start measuring but looking at pix of the old Imperial kamados the BGE band/dome construct looks almost identical. I think it would be tough for BGE to claim some sort of unique aesthetic there.
Dimples? BGE are roundish. KJ "dimples" are more like lima beans. Different enough? Probably. Apparently.
Bottom vent? The "original" Japanese kamados also had lower sliding ventsThe only significant difference with the BGE lower vents is the inclusion of a sliding fire screen which I think BGE may have patented - not sure. KJ does not have a sliding fire screen (perhaps because of a possible BGE patent?). Instead their two larger models have incorporated a fire screen with their removable ash catcher. Their Jr. has no ash catcher or sliding fire screen (I've never had a problem with sparks flying out of the bottom vent on my Jr.).
Grill Dome may not make green versions but I think that may have more to do with marketing and trying to avoid being confused with the BGE rather than any potential legal problems (tho of course in the USA the threat of litigation is always in the background).
Kamado Joe used to sell their kamados in black and red but they made the decision a year or so ago to just stick with red as their branded color.
BGE pretty much had the entire kamado market to themselves for so long that perhaps they just didn't think they needed to try and protect any aesthetic differences of their models. Beats me. -
I like Red so it is not ugly to me. Green is not my favorite color, but I have gotten used to it with the Egg, but I thought they still sold both red and black?Eggcelsior said:I wish KJ had kept the black. The red is ugly and makes me want to beat it like... What's that stepchild phrase?
I wanted to by Joe Jr a year ago for around $360, but SWMBO said no so I got a Kahuna for $200 and lets just say it you get what you paid for and it is not worth $200. It takes about the same amount of time to get to temp as my XL, but uses less lump. I haven't used it in a long time.
@SteelCitySmoke814, good buy and happy cooking.XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas GrillKansas City, Mo. -
I very well could be wrong, but I seem to remember Ed trying diligently to put a squash on Primo in the early days. They popped up right down the street from him. I'm sure some of the 'homework' done on that paved the way for others.
Apollo Beach, FL -
Isn't the person who started Primo a former BGE employee? That's what I heard.Wardster said:I very well could be wrong, but I seem to remember Ed trying diligently to put a squash on Primo in the early days. They popped up right down the street from him. I'm sure some of the 'homework' done on that paved the way for others.
XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas GrillKansas City, Mo. -
XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas GrillKansas City, Mo.
-
nope i preferred the black look but the rep told me they discontinued them. might be some older ones still in stores thoughLadeback69 said:
if it were as simple as dimples golf ball manufacturers would be having a heyday with each other -
I wish costco had the KJ road show in Canada.
Large BGEBBQ Guru DigiQ IIMartensville, Saskatchewan Canada -
Two ex-employees I think how the story goesLadeback69 said:Isn't the person who started Primo a former BGE employee? That's what I heard."The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan
Minnesota -
They dobigalsworth said:I wish costco had the KJ road show in Canada. -
Looking at the Costco Canada Special Events calendar it doesn't appear that there are any KJ Roadshows in Canada in the next few months.chuckytheegghead said:They do
http://www.costco.ca/wcsstore/CostcoCABCCatalogAssetStore/Attachment/special-events/SE_JUNE_ENGLISH_02-160616.pdf
“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk -
While back I was taking a road trip to AZ. Was asked to pick up and deliver some rather heavy car parts to a member of the Military who was in Pendleton. When I was picking up the parts I couldn't help but notice a very old Kamado style cooker. Starting talking to the owner. Mike was in Vietnam and found it in anew abandoned village. He managed to get it to the states without wrecking it. He had no idea what it was or how it worked. It was missing both grates. Sent him to the Egg dealer in Spokane Valley, the grates from a Large Egg fit it perfectly. Couple years later I received a Thank you card...Mike discovered the "World of Egging" as he called it.Darby_Crenshaw said:The kamado itself is one thing. I'm talking about the design elements that contribute to the appearance
the dimples are nothing more than an awsthetic design decision. They are not a part of the process like they were when clay 'slip' was slapped on the earthenware pieces originally. That element is as old as the ceramics (or earthenware, i guess) making process.
But the things are molded these days, in one piece. And the dimple pattern has changed over the years. It's purely aesthetic. And since they (BGE) came up with the dimple as a visual 'mark', they should have been able to trade mark it.
Same for the bevel of the dome as it meets the band. ...and maybe some other aspects.
I mean, grill done doesn't make them in green, right?
other kamados don't infringe (like the bubba leg for example) because they are so different
general kamado shape and fundamental elements wouldn't be trademarked. But non critical appearance related design elements and identifying marks, sure
A car company can't trademark having four wheels and a hood ornament. But they can trademark the design of their hood ornament (badge) and other elements which ID their brand
Just seems odd.
Obviously someone has done their homework though. Because a blatant ripoff wouldn't last long unless there was a loophole
i agree, can't trademark a kamado soecifically. But the appearance of it, brand-signifying stuff, shoulda been able to i'd think -
Look at Lowes. Price is about $550 Cdn. Lots of times they have 10-15% off sales on everything in store and with the exchange on $399 USD and state sales tax you are probably about even without the drive plus get Canadian KJ warranty support...bigalsworth said:I wish costco had the KJ road show in Canada.
Toronto, Canada
Large BGE, Small BGE
-
I have never seen it in Saskatchewan, or on the special events calendar. But I don't go every day or check the calendar all that oftenchuckytheegghead said:They doLarge BGEBBQ Guru DigiQ IIMartensville, Saskatchewan Canada
Categories
- All Categories
- 183.4K EggHead Forum
- 15.8K Forum List
- 459 EGGtoberfest
- 1.9K Forum Feedback
- 10.4K Off Topic
- 2.2K EGG Table Forum
- 1 Rules & Disclaimer
- 9K Cookbook
- 12 Valentines Day
- 91 Holiday Recipes
- 224 Appetizers
- 520 Baking
- 2.5K Beef
- 88 Desserts
- 162 Lamb
- 2.4K Pork
- 1.5K Poultry
- 30 Salads and Dressings
- 320 Sauces, Rubs, Marinades
- 547 Seafood
- 174 Sides
- 121 Soups, Stews, Chilis
- 40 Vegetarian
- 100 Vegetables
- 315 Health
- 293 Weight Loss Forum