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Review: BBQ Dragon

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  • SmyrnaGA
    SmyrnaGA Posts: 438
    edited September 2014
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    Picked up at dollar store. Uses 2 AA and lasts 20+ cooks per set of batteries. I only use it for 5 mins until temps get to 400. It'll likely get to 700 but since it's plastic, I didn't want to push it.

    Large BGE, Small BGE, KJ Jr, and a Cracked Vision Kub.

    in Smyrna GA.


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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    @McStew - question is, have you used your stoker to start, regardless of wether the cook was L&S or grill?
    I ask because know a guy who has the big Primo Oval, he uses his 10 cfm stoker to get things going, once pit temps hit 400º (think the pit range is to 500º) he unclips it and lets natural airflow take over. 

    Always nice to have new toys, just wondered if you had tried your stoker. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • McStew
    McStew Posts: 965
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    Yah I have tried it before and it works but it is just takes time to set up as I don't keep it next to the egg all the time.  The dragon takes five seconds to set up and have it going 
    Hermosa Beach CA 
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  • SmokyBear
    SmokyBear Posts: 389
    edited September 2014
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    Did you leave the Egg open after lighting the first piece of charcoal while the Dragon was running?

    Seems like that'd blow hot ash and sparks all over the place..

    I have one of these also but have not been able to get the hang of it..tried it a couple of times (albeit on the KJ Classic) and have not really been that impressed.

    I bought it for the same reason - get fires going more quickly to 400+ during the week. 

    I must be doing something wrong, because I haven't noticed any overall improvement in time to get to 400 - but I'm also lighting with an electric and there's a bunch of lump going by the time I pull the starter out (10 min in)..  Using the Dragon at that point made no diff for me in getting to 400..still around 20 minutes total from plugging in the lighter to 400, Dragon or no Dragon.

    I thought I must have it angled badly, so tried a bunch of different positions..but always felt the hot air from the Dragon blowing out the top of the chimney, so...weird.
    Mini BGE, KJ Classic - Black, Cookshack SM025, Weber Gasser (mostly for Kamado storage!)
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  • McStew
    McStew Posts: 965
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    No I always close the egg after lighting 
    Hermosa Beach CA 
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  • Aviator
    Aviator Posts: 1,757
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    Well, what can I say. might as well have another doodad. :D

    ______________________________________________ 

    Large and Small BGE, Blackstone 36 and a baby black Kub.

    Chattanooga, TN.

     

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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    Skiddymarker said:

    Understand the concept - I guess I have the time to get the egg going so never really interested me. Did you consider a stoker? Kinda like the way an AR has more flexibility than a setter, would it be wise to put the money towards a stoker? 


    Thanks for sharing your review. 
    @Skiddymarker‌ - I really don't feel the need to get a temp contoller. I would only use it for overnight cooks and the egg is usually able to maintain temps all day/overnight when I set it. The only benefit for me would be the ability to check the temp remotely. I will probably not use the dragon on the weekends but on weeknights it will be great. I used it twice this week. Diner cooked on the egg ready to eat literally 20 minutes after getting home. It alreadt paid for itself because I would have had diner at the restaurant those two times...

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    @SmyrnaGA‌ - That's a good idea but my egg is in a nest so I don't have anywhere to place a fan like this.

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    McStew said:

    Yah I have tried it before and it works but it is just takes time to set up as I don't keep it next to the egg all the time.  The dragon takes five seconds to set up and have it going 

    @McStew‌ - that's one of the benefits, just clio it and it's done.

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    @SmokyBear‌ - I close the lid after igniting the charcoal. The draft door is fully open and the dfmt is completely open. No sparks at all, the airflow is not powerful enough to move ashes when blowing from the bottom vent.

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    @paqman - sounds like it fits the bill for you, and that's all that counts. Friend with a Primo uses his briquette charcoal chimney, takes minutes and his grill is ready to go. VOC's seem to be gone in <5 minutes. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    I used fresh lump and got similar results as with used lump.

    Used lump:
    -No white smoke at all
    -Ready to cook at 400F after 6 minutes

    Fresh lump:
    -White smoke stopped after 2 minutes when the temp reached 200F
    -400F after 5 minutes. Stopped the BBQ Dragon. Temp dropped to 350F and white smoke started again. Temp climbed back to 400F and white smoke stopped 1 minute later exactly 6 minutes after starting the egg exactly like with the used lump.

    I purchased a set of 4 NiMH rechargeable batteries and the battery cover broke when I removed it. Fortunately, there was an extra one in the box. I was wondering why, I guess that it is a weakness in the design and that they are probably doing it to save on warranty claims. I don't expect it to be a problem because there is a micro Usb battery charger built in the dragon so I will probably never remove the batteries again.

    Overall, I am satisfied and I would buy again. 40$ would be more appropriate in my opinion and would probably attract more buyers but the 60$ was worth it for ***me***. It's a good thing that there was an extra battery cover in the box because I would have been pissed off when the first one broke.

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,535
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    my low tech bbq dragon  ;)

    image

    used by folks in south east Asia to stoke this:
    image

    canuckland
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  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
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    I tired my wife's hair dryer to see what it would do. It had my egg up to 400 in about 7 minutes. I figured if I didn't want to hold it I could change it from one wire then another tied to the egg to hold it up to the bottom vent. I was told today by another egger to leave the lid up at least 5 minutes after getting a fire going and the fire will start to roar. I will give this a try tomorrow.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    @Ladeback69‌ - Be careful with the lid open. Stay arround the egg because you can get a firework without notice. Everything will look fine and then the lump will start sparking...

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • Stacyk
    Stacyk Posts: 19
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    Neat idea.  I have a cyberQ and when I want to heat things up quickly, I just remove the temp probe from the pit (so temp remains constant) and the blower just keeps going.  It's not 700 Degrees in 7 minutes, but it's pretty fast...
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  • cactusjk
    cactusjk Posts: 14
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    Has BBQ Dragon fixed their faulty battery latch?
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
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    cactusjk said:
    Has BBQ Dragon fixed their faulty battery latch?
    I don't know if they changed anything but I have had one for months and no battery latch issue.  

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
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    What's the rush?  I've been using the red dragon 500k btu and I'm up to temp faster than I can prep the protein.

    Phoenix 
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
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    I really like this product. Sure it's a variable speed hair dryer with a clamp, but it is great for reverse sear and for a quick high temp meal. It's one of those I am surprised I like so much. As always, not a must have, but it's more useful than one might think. 
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