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fire grate upgrade

I just received this grate off Ebay for about 20 bucks, it should help with air flow. I haven't used it yet, but will give it a review after I install and use.
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Comments

  • Hungry Joe
    Hungry Joe Posts: 1,566

    I don't want to burst your bubble but that grate won't last long. The metal is to thin.

    Maybe look into the High Que grate, it seems lots of people here like it.

    http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=high+que+grate&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=34223666507&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9487577482127735256&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_3j824pnik7_b

     

    Personally I've had the Turbo Grate since I first bought my first egg and like it a lot. It lets lots of air flow without letting the glowing charcoal fall through. It is a little pricier then the High Que and most likely in the end doesn't work all that much different. It does seem easier to wiggle ash through but that is something I never had to do during a cook and it works well with smaller chunks of charcoal.

    http://store.thebbqguru.com/weborderentry/Turbo%20Grate

  • Hungry Joe
    Hungry Joe Posts: 1,566

    Although looking at that grate I would be willing to bet that would work really well with the High Que.

  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414

    I don't want to burst your bubble but that grate won't last long. The metal is to thin.

    Maybe look into the High Que grate, it seems lots of people here like it.

    http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=high+que+grate&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=34223666507&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9487577482127735256&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_3j824pnik7_b

     

    Personally I've had the Turbo Grate since I first bought my first egg and like it a lot. It lets lots of air flow without letting the glowing charcoal fall through. It is a little pricier then the High Que and most likely in the end doesn't work all that much different. It does seem easier to wiggle ash through but that is something I never had to do during a cook and it works well with smaller chunks of charcoal.

    http://store.thebbqguru.com/weborderentry/Turbo%20Grate

    image


    (Sorry, couldn't resist 
    :D I'm just joshing you!)


    The grate pictured is made by @stlcharcoal. It is 304 stainless steel and quite sturdy. I have one and it's BOSS. Plus, almost half the cost of the Hi-Que.


  • minniemoh
    minniemoh Posts: 2,145
    I have that grate too. I have been using it for about 9 months and it's holding up just fine. It's a very heavy gauge stainless steel. I had to re-learn my temp control a bit as it gets a lot more air. 

    Don't walk away from it for long while you have the draft door open all the way. We had an incident that required recalibrating the dome thermometer! I had finished cooking and shut down the egg when the Mrs. said we should use it to make s'mores (didn't have the bonfire pit going). Fire seemed to be out as it was cooled to about 100 degrees. I opened the draft door and removed the ceramic top and I walked away for a few minutes (less than 10) and it had wrapped the thermometer back up to 300. Needless to say, I had to buy a new gasket after that one. The grate is still straight after that too. 
    L x2, M, S, Mini and a Blackstone 36. She says I have enough now....
    eggAddict from MN!
  • Hungry Joe
    Hungry Joe Posts: 1,566
    edited October 2013

    I stand corrected, I didn't realize it was stainless. I have something similar I use on my fire pit and it bends under intense heat.

    Actually that is the first one of those I've seen on here.

     

    8-}
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    PS
    I have had the Hi-Que as well when I had my MBGE. It works quite well also but I prefer the expanded steel one because the edges keep it from sliding around when stirring charcoal. This was my only complaint about the Hi-Que(the grate would slip and the charcoal would fall into the bottom requiring me to clean by hand).
  • wbradking
    wbradking Posts: 351
    I've got one and it works great. The Egg heats up faster and is more responsive. I now light the Egg by placing a few paper towels lightly soaked in cooking oil under the grate and fire her up. Works every time.
    Franklin, TN
    Large BGE+PSWoo2
  • I have had one of those grates from STLCHARCOAL in my large now for almost a yr and it is great. I have never had an issue with ash choking the fire out like I did with the OEM cast iron grage. Definately a worthwhile upgrade! Thanks stlcharcoal. BTW, I just did the weber grate upgrade for my XL. It fit great and am going to break it in this weekend cooking a couple shoulders for the neighborhood block party!
    large and XL BGE in Richmond, VA
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    vapilotda said:
    I have had one of those grates from STLCHARCOAL in my large now for almost a yr and it is great. I have never had an issue with ash choking the fire out like I did with the OEM cast iron grage. Definately a worthwhile upgrade! Thanks stlcharcoal. BTW, I just did the weber grate upgrade for my XL. It fit great and am going to break it in this weekend cooking a couple shoulders for the neighborhood block party!
    That "Weber upgrade" is the easiest and cheapest thing you'll ever do to an Egg.  I've had lots of people asking me to make a grate for one, but it's sooooo much easier to drop that 18" grate in there.  1/10th of the cost and work too.
  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
    Excuse my ignorance, but what is this "Weber upgrade" you both are speaking of?
    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio

  • YEMTrey said:
    Excuse my ignorance, but what is this "Weber upgrade" you both are speaking of?

    You take two charcoal grates from the large Weber kettle grill, crosshatch them to replace the  cast iron grate on the XL.  It provides more airflow and prevents any potential of the fire going out from the ash blocking the little holes.

    http://store.weber.com/parts/detail/charcoal/enclosed-ash-catcher/1272

    Place them 90 degrees off from each other and I secured them with some stainless bailing wire.  By crosshatching them, it makes the gaps a bit smaller so all of the small charcoal chunks won't fall through.  You can pick up the grates from lowes or home depot.

    large and XL BGE in Richmond, VA
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684

    I only run the one Weber grate in mine--but I have an endless supply of large/med chunk lump.  :)

    They're $8.97 at the hardware store, so even if you replace then every few years, it's going to be cheaper than trying to fabricate one.  Shipping alone would be over $20 for that monster due to the size and weight.

  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684

    For those interested in the Sm, Med, & Lrg grates, please EMAIL me.  Do not use the messenger here, Facebook, etc.....EMAIL.  My email address is on my profile page here, or click "Connect - Website" below and send an email through the contact page.

    Sorry to be picky, but with the 100+ emails I get a day, the way I have it set up is the only way I keep organized.  I can't keep track, nor search the private messages here.

  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684

    Update:  I'm out of mediums, but they should be fabricated and ready to ship by next week.

    Just send me an EMAIL to get on the waiting list.....thanks.

  • Charcoal_Addict
    Charcoal_Addict Posts: 227
    edited October 2013
    I've tried the weber grate a few times burring the needle on my Kamado over 1000F and it works. I was worried I would warp it the first time I took the Big Joe over 1000 F but the weber grate held up. It should be just fine for cooking hot as well but my guess is won't last more than 3-4 years. When is Hi-Que ever going to make a version for the XL Egg and other 24 inch Kamados.? 24 inch have been out for a while now.
    2x Kamado Joe Big Joes + Cyber Q Wifi + Themapen - Pizza Steel + BGE Paella Pan + BGE Ash Tools + Woo2 + Open Bar Fire Ring
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    I've tried the weber grate a few times burring the needle on my Kamado over 1000F and it works. I was worried I would warp it the first time I took the Big Joe over 1000 F but the weber grate held up. It should be just fine for cooking hot as well but my guess is won't last more than 3-4 years. When is Hi-Que ever going to make a version for the XL Egg and other 24 inch Kamados.? 24 inch have been out for a while now.

    Over the years the Weber grate has warped in my XL.......it's shaped like a bowl which I'm sure is just a result of the heat and the weight of the charcoal.  Simple solution, I just flip it over and I'm good for another year.
     
    When I looked into making the stainless grates for the XL, I was going to be into them for close to $50 just for the metal.  At that diameter it's tough to make large circles out of the 4x8 rectangle without a tons of waste.  Add the fabrication, packaging, freight, eBay fees, PayPal fees, plus a little profit to make it worth while, and it was going to be $129.
     
    I doubt I'd even run one in my XL at that price.....the Weber grate works just fine for me.
     
    If you still want a stainless fire grate for a XL, just buy a Medium COOKING grate and set it in the bottom of the XL.  They used to be the same size.
  • So far the stainless fire grate is working great. Also I was ableto start a fire quickly using a few paper towels lightly soaked in cooking oil.
  • +1 on @stlcharcoal's grate.  I've had one in my large for a few months now and have no complaints.

    Damascus, VA.  Friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail.

    LBGE Aug 2012, SBGE Feb 2014

  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
    Stlcharcoal grate is better than the high q in my mini. IMO I would choose it if available for other sizes. High que moves around too easily should I poke at the lump.
    Seattle, WA
  • I've tried the weber grate a few times burring the needle on my Kamado over 1000F and it works. I was worried I would warp it the first time I took the Big Joe over 1000 F but the weber grate held up. It should be just fine for cooking hot as well but my guess is won't last more than 3-4 years. When is Hi-Que ever going to make a version for the XL Egg and other 24 inch Kamados.? 24 inch have been out for a while now.

    Over the years the Weber grate has warped in my XL.......it's shaped like a bowl which I'm sure is just a result of the heat and the weight of the charcoal.  Simple solution, I just flip it over and I'm good for another year.
     
    When I looked into making the stainless grates for the XL, I was going to be into them for close to $50 just for the metal.  At that diameter it's tough to make large circles out of the 4x8 rectangle without a tons of waste.  Add the fabrication, packaging, freight, eBay fees, PayPal fees, plus a little profit to make it worth while, and it was going to be $129.
     
    I doubt I'd even run one in my XL at that price.....the Weber grate works just fine for me.
     
    If you still want a stainless fire grate for a XL, just buy a Medium COOKING grate and set it in the bottom of the XL.  They used to be the same size.

    I can check with my local dealer. It should be 13 inches and I'm pretty sure the grate on the XL Egg and Big Joe are same size.
    2x Kamado Joe Big Joes + Cyber Q Wifi + Themapen - Pizza Steel + BGE Paella Pan + BGE Ash Tools + Woo2 + Open Bar Fire Ring
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    I've tried the weber grate a few times burring the needle on my Kamado over 1000F and it works. I was worried I would warp it the first time I took the Big Joe over 1000 F but the weber grate held up. It should be just fine for cooking hot as well but my guess is won't last more than 3-4 years. When is Hi-Que ever going to make a version for the XL Egg and other 24 inch Kamados.? 24 inch have been out for a while now.

    Over the years the Weber grate has warped in my XL.......it's shaped like a bowl which I'm sure is just a result of the heat and the weight of the charcoal.  Simple solution, I just flip it over and I'm good for another year.
     
    When I looked into making the stainless grates for the XL, I was going to be into them for close to $50 just for the metal.  At that diameter it's tough to make large circles out of the 4x8 rectangle without a tons of waste.  Add the fabrication, packaging, freight, eBay fees, PayPal fees, plus a little profit to make it worth while, and it was going to be $129.
     
    I doubt I'd even run one in my XL at that price.....the Weber grate works just fine for me.
     
    If you still want a stainless fire grate for a XL, just buy a Medium COOKING grate and set it in the bottom of the XL.  They used to be the same size.

    I can check with my local dealer. It should be 13 inches and I'm pretty sure the grate on the XL Egg and Big Joe are same size.

    Actually, it's closer to 18" for the XL BGE fire grate. 


    The stainless BGE Large cooking grate is 18.5" and just slightly larger than the BGE cast iron fire grate.  With the way the firebox flares out, it only sits above an inch higher than the stock--you don't lose any capacity.   (I mistakenly said "Medium BGE grate" earlier......you need the large.)

    Also, the Weber "22 inch" grill grate is actually 18.5", so it fits about the same.  That's what I use.

     

  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684

    Heads up......the Mediums will be ready to ship on Monday.  Look for an email over the weekend, so if I miss you, PLEASE post here or send me another email.  Thanks.

  • Ragtop99
    Ragtop99 Posts: 1,570
    I think the medium grate is going to be a holiday present. I can't see how someone can choke the XL grate. The holes are big and plentiful.
    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.
  • Ragtop99 said:
    I think the medium grate is going to be a holiday present. I can't see how someone can choke the XL grate. The holes are big and plentiful.
     
    I've had it happen in the middle of the night on a low and slow.  Not fun to have the old maverick screaming at you at 2AM.  Kind of smokes the wife off when she has to go to work in the morning after that.

    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    Ragtop99 said:
    I think the medium grate is going to be a holiday present. I can't see how someone can choke the XL grate. The holes are big and plentiful.


    My XL choked several times......at sub-250F temps in cold weather that thing needs extra fire to support all of that surface area losing heat.  I found it getting hot spots--the fire would localize in a corner, then when that spot burned out, the fire went out.  I "upgraded/downgraded" to a Weber cooking grate in the bottom, and now that doesn't happen anymore.

    Either way, while the grate helps, the temp controller is ultimately the best tool.  It keeps that fire force fed with O2, so you don't get into a situation where you scurrying to catch up.

  • Ragtop99
    Ragtop99 Posts: 1,570
    edited November 2013
    I dunno.  I agree with that when the fire goes out on a low and slow the cause can be that it burned itself into a corner where it can't jump from one piece to another.  The fire can draw air from underneath and from the side.  It's hard to picture an XL that is plugged so that no air is entering or there is such a pressure drop that the fire can not pull air from somewhere.  A pit controller can boost pressure to overcome a nearly plugged grate if that is the real reason the fire went out. 

    In any case if it helps get a successful cook; it's a worthwhile mod.  :)

    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    Ragtop99 said:
    I dunno.  I agree with that when the fire goes out on a low and slow the cause can be that it burned itself into a corner where it can't jump from one piece to another.  The fire can draw air from underneath and from the side.  It's hard to picture an XL that is plugged so that no air is entering or there is such a pressure drop that the fire can not pull air from somewhere.  A pit controller can boost pressure to overcome a nearly plugged grate if that is the real reason the fire went out. 

    In any case if it helps get a successful cook; it's a worthwhile mod.  :)


    Just remember how spread out the XL is, and how much more air it needs.  The XL firebox is only 8" deep with a 18" fire grate; the Large's is almost a foot deep, with only a 10" grate.  I'm an aerodynamics guy, not a thermodynamics guy, so I can't come up with the numbers of why it's so different.......but it is.    :-?
  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,188
    edited November 2013
    All I can verify is that in fact the fire did go out in my XL with the original grate on a L & S and I always disassemble and clean the Egg before I charge it with large pieces of charcoal (in this case it was WGWW, the older good stuff).  Since I added the two Weber grates the problem has not reoccurred even with less L & S friendly charcoal.  On my particular XL, the lower door is only open about 1/8" in order to maintain 250° cooking grid temp and the daisy wheel is shut down to about 1/8" also.  In my experience a worthwhile mod.  After checking back in my cook log, it was a rather chilly evening, 34°.
    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    All I can verify is that in fact the fire did go out in my XL with the original grate on a L & S and I always disassemble and clean the Egg before I charge it with large pieces of charcoal (in this case it was WGWW, the older good stuff).  Since I added the two Weber grates the problem has not reoccurred even with less L & S friendly charcoal.  On my particular XL, the lower door is only open about 1/8" in order to maintain 250° cooking grid temp and the daisy wheel is shut down to about 1/8" also.  In my experience a worthwhile mod.  After checking back in my cook log, it was a rather chilly evening, 34°.

    Another quirk in the XL I noticed.......

    If I have four pork butts or two turkeys, I always have to rotate each 180 degrees halfway through the cook to get them to cook evenly.  Since the air flow and smoke come up around the sides of the plate setter, that middle [dead] spot must be much cooler than the rest of the dome.

    Now that I have multiple Mavericks, I'm going to drop probe right smack in the middle and see the temp difference of that dead spot vs. the grate level temp vs. the dome temp.

    I thought it might be my fault for cramming too much meat in there, but they have adequate space around them for air flow.