I'm a big fan of high air flow grates. I haven't used the KAB but I have used other high airflow grates. The KAB has that add feature of being able to shake the ashes into a garbage can.

You're going to love it @RRP. I have one S, one M, and one L. Need to get another one for the other L. I have the same bucket too. Last winter, I burned 13 bags of Rockwood before it got full. 

RRP said:

Maybe someone with a metallurgical background such as @fishlessman will jump in here to discuss rust. The thing I don't quite follow is where is the moisture coming from inside a hot egg sufficient enough to cause anything more than just surface rust? I'd think (but don't know) that to cause structural damage then the basket would have to be constantly exposed to a lot of water and never dried out which certainly isn't the case. I also wonder - is there anyone here whose KAB has in fact rusted through and fallen apart?

I thought the same thing. Mine is never exposed. Always keep the dome and ceramic cap on when not used. Once cooled it's under a cover until the next use. I do this every time. I'll go take a pic of it today. Maybe mine is aging normally and I think it looks bad. But if others look like metal like it was originally, mine us definitely not the norm. 

No it should not look like your cooking grates.  That looks like a typical fire grate to me.  I have never seen a fire grate that looks like a cooking grate after it has been used for a while.  It gets exposed to much higher heat and is in direct contact with ash between cooks.

Most bare metals will oxidize on the surface (think patina). Most people live in an area where the relative humidity will provide sufficient moisture to aid in that oxidization.

I'd be really surprised if a Kick Ash Basket would ever really fall apart due to rusting alone. But repeated heating/cooling cycles do wear away at the metal rods. I'm sure they changed to a thicker rod in order to give more material to have to wear away before they fall apart.

They could use different alloys which are more heat/corrosion resistant but then they would be more expensive.

It's one of those tradeoff things. How much more would most folks be willing to pay for a basket made of say, 9mm 304 stainless that would likely last a lifetime?

A5firearms said:

It appears by the angle of the picture at least that there is some sagging in that grate?? Is that correct or just illusion from the pic? How old is it? You should not be seeing sagging or fatigue of the metal, should you?

Yes there is sagging. 
its never been dropped or misused. 
Is the look of this normal?

HeavyG said:

hondabbq said:

RRP said:

Maybe someone with a metallurgical background such as @fishlessman will jump in here to discuss rust. The thing I don't quite follow is where is the moisture coming from inside a hot egg sufficient enough to cause anything more than just surface rust? I'd think (but don't know) that to cause structural damage then the basket would have to be constantly exposed to a lot of water and never dried out which certainly isn't the case. I also wonder - is there anyone here whose KAB has in fact rusted through and fallen apart?

I thought the same thing. Mine is never exposed. Always keep the dome and ceramic cap on when not used. Once cooled it's under a cover until the next use. I do this every time. I'll go take a pic of it today. Maybe mine is aging normally and I think it looks bad. But if others look like metal like it was originally, mine us definitely not the norm. 

My guess is that keeping your egg covered/sealed like that would not really be helpful in keeping it from continued rusting.

Just like an egg that has been sealed that way for a long time it's not unusual to find it full of fuzzy mold. If it is "sealed" it is going to trap moisture.

How is this practice different than any other egg owner? Plus it's not like it goes weeks on end without a cook. 

It's a fantastic product! With the KAB I've seen my MM hold L&S and high temp za baking effortlessly. Now I'm thinking the LG would like to have one too.  
I know you'll enjoy it Ron. Cheers!

Botch said:

The manufacturer did enlarge the wires in their products recently, I think he posted about that here at one point.  I can definitely see the difference, the Small I just got is beefier than the Large I've been using.
I toyed with buying the upgraded Large when I ordered the Small, since I was already paying Shipping, but decided to keep using what I had until I need to replace it, it'll probably outlast me.  
 
EDIT:  Removed both of mine to give you an idea:
 

 
I still think the original will last me many more years.  

How long have you had the large one?  Yours looks smooth where mine looks roughed up

You've got too much free time @RRP

I just picked one up from my local store. The guy talked me into it. Going to fire it up tonight with a new set of grill grates and some Rockford lump for some bourban bacon goat cheese burgers - yum!

hondabbq said:

How long have you had the large one?  Yours looks smooth where mine looks roughed up

I think I bought it sometime last year, when they were first discussed on this forum.  
Someone above asked about rusting.  The ambient environment is always going to get into your Egg, and if you live in, say, Florida, your KAB will probably rust quicker than mine in the high desert; I have no issue with my cast Daisy Wheel while others do have rusting issues.  

RRP said:

... As I returned home with a 10 gal metal garbage pail which @Jeepster47 recommended the mailman was delivering my basket. ...

Hey Ron, you're going to love the KAB ... I'm jealous 'cuz you have the new thicker material basket.  Both of mine are the thinner first production units.  I've retired my OEM grate and have seen no sagging with my thinner unit, so you should be good to go for many years.

Oh yes, on the measuring of degradation ... you're going to record the number of cooks, temperatures maintained, and duration of cook aren't you?

Now we're even on deviating from directions.  My recommended pail was the one with a bail handle to hold the lid on securely.  It's $2 cheaper than the one you bought.  I also applied RTV to all of the mounting holes ... then went overboard and sealed the side seams and the bottom seam.  Wasted effort ... just do the mounting holes.  With the moisture we have in our area and the cohesiveness of ash, the inside of the pail catches hell.