Mini help?

Cactus Doug

My wife just bought me a mini for our anniversary. I have now cooked on it several times and have been tipping it over to remove the ash. There has to be a better way to clean ash out. What do all you other mini users do?

Photo Egg

I either carry it to the middle of my yard and hit it with an air hose or I have a very old shop vac that I use for my Eggs. Both done well after lump is cold.
darian

Pork Butt Mike

Shop Vac. Only way to fly.

AZRP

My mini came with a mini ash tool, works fine. You have a keeper wife there. -RP

Photo Egg

Hey Mike,
Do you have a little piece of that gasket material that you use left over? If so, could you bring it to the Plano event. Just wanted to scope it out.
I have a couple that I need to work on and would like to see it first.
Thanks a bunch,
darian

Pork Butt Mike

I am not going to the Plano Event. Wish I could but not in the cards.

Photo Egg

My bad, sorry.

HungryMan

Just send it to my house.

Photo Egg

How long is your Egg cleaning service taking now days?
darian

Wise One

I just reach in and grab a handful or two of the ash and toss it out (before starting to cook - could be painful if done right after cooking). It leaves a bit in there but that never seems to be a problem. The only time I really clean it out (with a ShopVac) is when I'm carrying it in my car.

Frank from Houma

I bought a $2.00 aluminum ladle and bent the spoon to 90 degrees. I simply stir the lump to get all the ash and small bits of lump to fall through the grate, then with fingers in vent holes on opposite sides of the fire box I lift the entire guts out at once, then scoop. Do the same with my small.

[Deleted User]

You don't have to remove all the ash all the time. Think control rather than elimination.

On my mini I scrape it out with a homemade ash tool before a cook just to make sure there's plenty of room for airflow. You've heard some good ideas for ashtools. I made mine with a coathanger wire inserted into a wooden handle. The wire was too thin so I beefed up the hook end by wrapping it with aluminum foil. Works as both an ash tool and a wiggle rod.

every once in awhile I'll take the mini apart and scrape it out (into a shovel). I originally used a shop vac for cleaning out ash in my LBGE, but it clogged the filter too well. Then I had to clean out the Egg AND the shop vac. :laugh:

hayhonker

I just pull the grate out and go dump it in the flower garden.
Love the mini, but can't take it too seriously :woohoo:

emilluca

Wooden spoon

HungryMan

About 1 year. But I do a good job.