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:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Gift return, money to burn: what would you do?

Allright, my wife generously got me a few EGGsessories for a late valentines day... but she missed the bullseye and I wanted to get your opinions.

So she got be the BGE grid extender ($26) and the BGE wire vertical chicken roaster ($16).  

I usually do spatchcock or just whole chicken laid horizotal, never done a vertical bird... it is worth hanging onto as an accessory to try?
 
The grid extender I see as 'worthless' only because I plan on getting a adjustable rig in the future and from what I heard there is little value in the BGE grid extender... (not stable, little lift from standard grid, etc)

So I have at least $26 to burn at the retailer around the corner... what would you do with it?  I'm thinking pit mit (single glove), ash rake, or putting up another $40 and picking up a cast iron grate.  I also need more lump... hate to burn a gift on that, but I don't know how she will feel about burning cardboard for our next meal :)

let me know what you all think!

Welcome!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
«1

Comments

  • Posts: 14,544
    I would vote cast iron. I don't think the items you got are too bad. Others will vehemently disagree, I'm sure. I do spatchcock also, but many still prefer the vertical roasting. The grid extender works fine, @RRP has demonstrated this several times. Good luck. You will probably end up with tons of these gadgets in the end. 
  • Posts: 1,009

    @bull_dog

    I would send your buddy Bill here....the grate extender and the vertical roaster 

    The Dude..a Mini and a Large Egg..a DigiQ DX (BGE Green)..some Cast Iron...a Thermapen.............and an Ol' Fashion

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    Glenbeulah, WI

  • Big fan of vertical inverta-birds. Legs up in the hotter part of the grill. Spatch is nice, but if you need to fit more on a smaller grill, the vertical racks work well. Family likes the chicken on his head when served. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • This is the voice of a wife--since she took the effort to buy BGE related gifts, she was doing her best to choose something you'd like.  Both accessories can be used and are helpful tools in your pantry.  Have you asked her what she thinks about making the return?  If your set on returning things, I'd seek her understanding before acting!!  

    As to the cast iron grate, it's the absolute best accessory on all three of our grills.  So much easier to clean than the stainless steel grates!! 
    Knox, PA, Medium, Mini Max, Mini, Large KJ, grandma, handcyclist, eagle watcher, always in search of good chocolate.  
  • Couldn't agree more with @DMV . Only thing my wife has ever bought me that I returned was a DVD or a Video Game 15 years ago when we first met. I don't remember which it was but I already had it.  Unless you are serious about burning cardboard for your next cook give the things a try and see if you can enjoy them. Thank her either way. 
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • Posts: 1,009
    I gotta get a CI10 for the mini

    The Dude..a Mini and a Large Egg..a DigiQ DX (BGE Green)..some Cast Iron...a Thermapen.............and an Ol' Fashion

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    Glenbeulah, WI

  • Posts: 9,053
    I would not get cast iron. Its good if you have it but not worth it to buy. If you don't have a good thermometer get a thermapop.
  • Posts: 18,477
    Missed the mark? A tie is missing the mark. Seems like a good woman to me. You better keep those accessories. 
  • Posts: 1,813
    You should probably invest the money in pork belly futures, knowing this crowd. =)
     Using a MBGE,woo/w stone,livin' in  Hayward California," The Heart Of The Bay "
  • Posts: 10,458
    Keep what she got you. Consider it an investment in family happiness.   Go buy the other stuff you want but don't return what she got you, that would be bad..,

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • Posts: 15,564
    edited February 2015
    Even if you're not thrilled with the choices, at $26 I'd experiment with them rather than say poor choice on the gifts.  $200 is another story, besides, you can use them on your second egg when she gives you one.
  • Wow - thanks for making me feel like a POS...  :s

    Honestly - returning things is not a big risk to our relationship or my happiness.  My wife and I are pretty brutally honest with each other.  She has returned gifts of mine, and vice versa.  She asked me about 5 times if I can use the gifts she got and I was pretty open saying 'I can, but its not inclusive of my plans for purchasing other accessories'  She gave me the receipt and told me she would rather I get what I wanted and can use vs not saying anything just to keep her happy...

    I'm still left wondering if I should just shut up and quit being so controlling.  Even if I use the grid extender for a small percentage of cooks, in the life of the product, would I get $26 worth of use out of it?  I guess so...

     The grid extender works fine, @RRP has demonstrated this several times. Good luck. You will probably end up with tons of these gadgets in the end. 
    Was this in a eggheadforum post or elsewhere on the intertubes?  I, going to see what I can find in favor of using it... I just haven't seen anything good about it from the light research I have done so I assumed its usefulness is limited.
  • Posts: 1,050
    +1 on keeping them. I've always said the best gift is something you would never buy yourself but something you will use. Both work and they are good accessories. I do love my cast iron grate though.
    Fish, Hunt, Cook....anything else?

    1LBGE, 1MMBGE, somewhere near Athens GA
  • Posts: 15,564
    Not trying to make anyone feel bad - you asked the question.  Just don't by lump.
  • Posts: 10,458
    hey_bulldog - I have one and use it every once in a while but when I need it it works fine for an extra raised grid.  Here's where I did a CI skillet chicken using it 

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1173417/ci-skillet-chicken#latest



    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • hey_bulldog - I have one and use it every once in a while but when I need it it works fine for an extra raised grid.  Here's where I did a CI skillet chicken using it 

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1173417/ci-skillet-chicken#latest


    Nice!  thanks for that reference.  So its stable enough to hold a piece of CI, hu?  I was reading a lot of posts (here and elsewhere) that it was pretty flimsy and wouldn't hold much weight.  It also looks like there is room between the grates enough for maybe a couple spatched chickens, no?
  • Posts: 205
    I agree that exchanging isn't worth having fight over.  Keep it and experiment.  
     I know everyone here loves to spatch - and I do too, but when space is a premium I do enjoy a vertical chicken.  

    Eat, drink and be merry

    Huntsville, AL ~ LBGE noob
  • Posts: 10,458
    Nice!  thanks for that reference.  So its stable enough to hold a piece of CI, hu?  I was reading a lot of posts (here and elsewhere) that it was pretty flimsy and wouldn't hold much weight.  It also looks like there is room between the grates enough for maybe a couple spatched chickens, no?
    If you spread the legs as far as you can than yes you could get a spatch or 2 under there or a pan of veggies 

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • Posts: 10,458
    I've also used it to cook 14(I think, it's been a while) chicken quarters on my large. 

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • I don't think any of us were trying to make you feel like a pos. Most of us understand charcoal and meat better then we do women and were just trying to pass on our past experiences with the fairer sex. If you are certain she won't be offended do your thing and try to get something you feel you will actually use.  Best of luck man. 
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • I don't think any of us were trying to make you feel like a pos. Most of us understand charcoal and meat better then we do women and were just trying to pass on our past experiences with the fairer sex. If you are certain she won't be offended do your thing and try to get something you feel you will actually use.  Best of luck man. 
    Sorry for the confusion, I guess the technology hasn't caught up yet where my sarcasm can come though to a forum post... I know no one was setting out to act malevolently.  I will choose my words or associate more appropriate smilies to my posts in the future in order to better convey my non-verbals.

    If for nothing - I think some positive feedback has me now leaning on the side of keeping the grate and throwing some meat on it this weekend...
  • Trust me sarcasm is hard to convey on a forum, wasn't meaning to criticize, just didn't want you thinking we are all pricks, there's a select few of us that reserve that right...
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • Posts: 11,357
    edited February 2015
    I use to have the BGE grid extender.  To be completely honest it's a terrible overall design and cheap.  I ended up giving mine away.  I definitely recommend saving the $26 and putting it towards the Adjustable Rig or a Thermapen. Me personally would probably pass on 90% of BGE accessories.  You can find much better quality products outside the BGE name when in comes to accessories. 
    "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
  • Trust me sarcasm is hard to convey on a forum, wasn't meaning to criticize, just didn't want you thinking we are all pricks, there's a select few of us that reserve that right...
    I can most probably be added to that short list as well then ;)
  • Posts: 17,629
    +1 keep the gift from MaMa. 
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • Posts: 18,477
    edited February 2015
    Go buy a bird and throw it on that vertical for mama
  • Posts: 3,515
    I have the vertical roaster thingy and it works good. Fill up some of your favorite roote vegetables in a cast iron pan and place VR with bird in the center and voila! Just as good as spatch IMO. 
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

  • NEVER return a gift from the boss
  • You could have gotten a sweater


Welcome!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.