New Egg disappointment

Unknown

I think I'm going to love my Egg. I got it for my b'day. I turned 51 http://www.eggheadforum.com/components/com_simpleboard/emoticons/cool.png. Family and friends came over for what was quite simply the easiest bbq steak-fest I've had. The grilling was perfect, what a party. The next morning, Sunday, I started to clean up. Oh oh, the lid's stuck. No, the lid is glued. No 'Egg' follow through on Sunday, this baby is sealed tighter than Fort Knox.http://www.eggheadforum.com/components/com_simpleboard/emoticons/sad.png. Call Big Green Egg on Monday...."Did you read the manual?", "Yes", "Did you watch the DVD?", "No." "Well sometimes the glue on the gasket hasn't cured, and if your bbq is too hot the glue will melt through the gasket. We recommend the 1st few uses should be lower temp. items no more than 400 degrees." Hold it, that's not in the manual and its not in the DVD.

The resolution, buy acetone to dissolve the gasket glue. Remove the gasket, and replace the gasket. Green Egg will pay for the gasket, but not the shipping. That may be extra. Oh, you'll have to buy some high temperature silicone adhesive to glue the replacement gasket. Be careful, use no abrasives, sanding or anything that will scratch the ceramic when removing the old gasket. You are required to use acetone and elbow grease exclusively. And, as a last point, once glued don't use the Egg for 3 days to allow for curing. (I'm still waiting to find out if High Temp. Silicone is appropriate as it is only rated to 400 degrees.) Likely that means I won't get to 'Egg on' till Fridayhttp://www.eggheadforum.com/components/com_simpleboard/emoticons/sad.png

This is a known but undocumented fault in the Egg. I know this, because the very nice lady was quick to point out the likely cause and immediately emailed me instructions to fix it.

Hold it, hold it. I thought I had the world's best Smoker and Grill, and certainly not an inexpensive present. I'm spending my time fixing a product defect and I have to buy materials to do it. Does that sound like a warranty?

Read the warranty! Quote "Defective Eggs will be replaced upon return, or shipment (F.O.B point of Shipment) to the offices of the Big Green Egg. The Big Green Egg will not be liable for any transportation charges, packaging costs, export/import duties or levied taxes."

I live in Canada. You live in Georgia, USA. Safe bet that Big Green Egg has covered all their angles in that single clause. It'll cost me more to ship it 2 ways than buy a new one.

By that point I was intrigued, so I continued to read the warranty. The quote above is in the first part of the Conditions, Item 1. Items 1 through 8 then go on to further limit, exclude, deny. defray, avoid and otherwise limit any liability for anything to do with failure of the Egg.

I will fix my Egg, and I am sure that it will be a great product. I just find it disappointing that instead of standing behind a product, North American (Canadian and US) manufacturers prefer to have their Marketing team stand behind it, followed by a cadre of lawyers who deny that the company even exists, and then hide in the shadows, simply manufacturing what will likely be a terrific bbq.

Happy with my Egg (when I get to use it), disappointed in Big Green Egg.

Florida Grillin Girl

Sign on as a member and we will be happy to talk to you about it.

Faith

Steelers252006

I would be upset, too.

Florida Grillin Girl

Forgive me. We have many gasket complaints here, many that are posted by trolls. If you want to be considered a regular egg user, and not a troll, it is suggested you sign up as a member.

Also, you will not double post if you don't hit the back arrow.... that will make you double post everytime, don't know why.

Sorry you are having trouble with your egg - I have had mine for 14 years with no issues.

Faith

Grand Oeuf Vert

Like FGG said, join the forum as a member and there will be lots of help for you here. But I'm curious, I'm in Canada. Where are you?
Your BGE will work just fine without a gasket. Keep on cooking. When you got 2-3 days of down time coming, put your new gasket on then. No Worries.

Scotty's Inferno

There's nothing as scary as a cadre of lawyers!! :woohoo:

CYarb

It is a shame the OEM gaskets fail, but when mine did after a pizza cook, BGE replaced it with a Nomex gasket at N/C. Really great customer support. Replacement was simple and it allowed me to correct the mistakes I made when first assembled!

Florida Grillin Girl

No kiddin, Scott!

Faith

highpress

Craig,
Sorry to hear about the troubles with your Egg... There's nothing more aggravating than the purchase of an expensive tool and it doesn't function properly. Not sure if your lid is still sealed shut, but one of the things i might suggest doing a forum search for "stuck lid".

One solution is to put a couple starter cubes in the lower vent and taking DFMT (daisy wheel) off to try to ignite any leftover charcoal to raise temps. Sometimes this helps loosening the glue. Or just try to take a putty knife and wedging between lid, work your way around and pry lid open. Even if the gasket is ruined, just run it as is. Some people use there eggs with no gasket at all. I did for quite some time before replacing with rutland gasket. Yes it sucks that your gasket is ruined on your brand new egg, but you can bet i'd still be cooking with or with out a gasket. Then replace at your leisure.. Good luck , HTH, here's a link to stuck lid threads...

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?searchword=stuck+lid&option=com_simpleboard&Itemid=112&func=search

Jasper

BGE in the U.S. has great support. BGE in Canada...not so much. When my gasket failed I emailed them asking for a replacement. They pretty much told me to go out and buy one myself.

Phrettbender

My gasket didn't fuse shut and I did do the 4-5 low cooks. Then I did pizzas and the gasket kinda turned hard and crispy like the material melted. It still seals OK so I'm not worried about it and I'll replace it somewhere down the road. I do agree that with the number of issues that have surfaced on new units the BGE people would have addressed it by now.

deepsouth

my large egg still has the original gasket. (i actually have a great dealer that told me not to blow it out the first couple times i cooked.) i guess it's seasoned pretty good. my small i bought second hand has an offset lid and a fried gasket, but it doesn't leak a drop of smoke. i'm not EVEN thinking of adjusting the dome OR replacing the gasket. sometimes it isn't broke even if it looks broke. ask Celtic Wolf.....

Deckhand

It's part of the Egghead initiation... Like replacing the electrics on old British sports cars. My egg sealed itself on the 6th cook... and I had kept temps low until then. Looks like you've read the related posts. Now you must decide on the replacement... Original, Nomex, Rutland (fiberglass) or Coltronics (ceramic fiber weave). Sounds like you've already discovered Permatex (High temp sealant). Here's the good part...after you've scraped, glued and squished the new gasket into place, you will learn the secret of opening charcoal bags with the tug of a string. Your friends will be amazed...unless, like the original gasket, it doesn't work. You will, however have a great smoker and grill...and lots of great food.
Welcome aboard.