Kick ash bucket....worth it?

bhedges1987 · January 2016

Is this necessary? I was thinking about grabbing one for my new large coming next month. Does it really help the egg breathe and control temps better for low and slow and hot and fast?

Thanks

Jeepster47 · January 2016

Necessary for a large ...nope. Helpful enough to offset the cost ... yep.

I have one on both my large eggs. When one of them dies, I'll buy another.

eggnewtoy · January 2016

love mine. have them on both eggs

ckali7 · January 2016

Love mine!

DeltaNu1142 · January 2016

Jeepster47 said:

Necessary for a large ...nope. Helpful enough to offset the cost ... yep.

This echoes my feelings about it exactly. I don't remember what I paid for it; now that I've used it for several months, I would probably go back and pay up to, but not more than, $25 for one. What do they cost?

4Runner · January 2016

$60

Ozzie_Isaac · January 2016

For XL? probably not

For a medium? I wish I had one.

YEMTrey · January 2016

Doubt I'll put one in my XL Egg, but I'm liking the one I bought for my Mini Max.

WeberWho · January 2016

You'll find one in my large egg

SciAggie · January 2016

What @Jeepster47 said. I have a large egg. Is it necessary? No.
Does it help control temps? I got mine for Christmas so I've had it a short time. I don't have much trouble with temp control now, but I didn't before either.
What I LOVE though is the ease of dealing with ashes and refilling the egg. I'm definitely a fan and would recommend one.

badinfluence · January 2016

I have not taken notice in temp control, but I leave the cast iron grate at the bottom anyways. I bought them for the cleaning aspect. Love them for that perpose alone.

jaydub58 · January 2016

One each on my Large BGE and KJ Jr.
Love 'em both.

stompbox · January 2016

I have no issues with my stock xl. Cannot imagine this as a necessity, especially at the price.

Tbent · January 2016

The thing I like most about it in my large is that it keeps the side holes in the firebox box from getting clogged up. Not completely necessary, but nice to have.
I could see it being much more useful and necessary on my small, which is more of a pain to clean out. Planning to buy one soon for it.

bluebird66 · January 2016

Yes!

jhl192 · January 2016

I went 4 years without one but now that I have one, it has made life easier. Easier to clean and replenish the egg without getting my hands dirty or using a ash pan and ash tool.

DeltaNu1142 · January 2016

DeltaNu1142 said:
This echoes my feelings about it exactly. I don't remember what I paid for it; now that I've used it for several months, I would probably go back and pay up to, but not more than, $25 for one. What do they cost?

4Runner said:

$60

There's no way I paid $60 for the one in my LBGE.

Oh, they're in SS now. Mine's the old chrome-plated steel. Right... well, I don't think they're quite worth $60.

DoubleEgger · January 2016

I bought one for the medium because my fire grate kept getting knocked around when I was using the ash tool. I can't really see a reason to buy one for the XL. Unless I put a full size metal trash can on my deck, it would create a big mess.

NPHuskerFL · January 2016

Necessary? No
Worth the $ ? Yes
Difference in temp & lessens clog ups? Yes

Jupiter Jim · January 2016

YES! it will not help in LG with temp control, that's all on the person adjusting the vents. It will for sure make your life easer in the cleaning of the Egg and it will for sure help with air flow. I have 4 Eggs 1- Mini that has a High Q fire grate and it works well, 1- small with Kick Ash Basket much improved air flow and much less cleaning out ash, 2- larges each with Kick Ash Baskets and again much improved air flow and less often cleaning of ash. I'm a little OCD about cleaning out the ash very often and I also like to take the old lump out and put it on top of new lump before I light the fire, so I take the Kick Ash Basket out shake it to remove the ash, dump old lump in a small cardboard box, put new lump in the KAB dump old lump on top of new and light the fire. Ok very OCD about the cleaning of the ash!!!!!!

WAHOO_EGGER_CVILLE · January 2016

I received one as a gift for Christmas and have only used it once due to holiday travel. It seemed to increase the air flow and made cleaning a breeze. I may have missed this in an earlier post, but do most eggers remove the fire grate? I have removed the fire grate and plan on keeping it out, but will immediately put back in if this could damage the egg.

YukonRon · January 2016

I got one for my XL. It has performed like a champion. Holds enough for very long low and slows, so much easier to clean, and the temp control is better. I would recommend it. I have been using mine without the grate, keeps it cleaner, and zero clogs with smaller pieces in the air holes in the internal ceramics.

Terrebandit · January 2016

Yeah, you really don't "need" it but they are sure nice to have. Makes the cleaning process easier and the eggs breath much easier. I bought one for each of my cookers, not because I "needed it" but because I enjoy having stuff that makes me feel good. Why do you have an egg? You don't really need that either. Lol

Hub · January 2016

Life is short. Go ahead and live. I promise you that on your deathbed you WON'T say "thank goodness I saved a few bucks by not buying the kick ash basket."

YukonRon · January 2016

Hub said:

Life is short. Go ahead and live. I promise you that on your deathbed you WON'T say "thank goodness I saved a few bucks by not buying the kick ash basket."

^^^^^THIS^^^^^

bcsnave · January 2016

I have no skin in the game and am not affiliated with either vendor...had a KAB and this Stainless Steel one is much thicker & better IMHO

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Big-green-egg-large-firebox-charcoal-basket-kickash-/161937373760?hash=item25b4383a40:g:UKQAAOSw9mFWJs~m

StillH2OEgger · January 2016

Mine is in a large (the newer version) and I agree fully with others who've stated it's not necessary, but worth the money to me. I've only used it with the fire grate in place and have no complaints. Very small sample size, but on my last 14-hour pork butt the temps held even steadier than on previous and shorter low and slows. Could be coincidence, but I think the KAB made a difference. For me, the $60 is worth it just for the easier lump removal-ash clean up.

Jeepster47 · January 2016

The positives mentioned so far are:

1) Improves airflow ... more so if you remove the OEM grate. Improved airflow is certainly a worthy improvement on the smaller eggs

2) Protects against plugging of the side holes ... better breathing again

3) Greatly aids in clean up of the egg ... don't poo poo egg clean up ... if you create an ash free equivalent environment every time, you will have one less variable to mess with your cooking

4) Not mentioned, but shortens cool down when using the egg for tail gating

5) Again not mentioned, but you can use the KAB to separate the fines from the good lump at the bottom of the bag ... the fines fall through like ash and what's left in the basket will burn much better with less clogging.

The cons are:

1) Cost ...

The early models were constructed with thinner wire/rod and cost ~$50 for the large. Early last year Chad started building them out of heavier wire/rod and upped the price by ~$10. My guess is that he increased the wire/rod diameter 'cuz he found a number of us using the basket without the OEM grate installed and wanted to ensure long term success doing that.

edselfbge · January 2016

Not necessary but I love mine...makes clean up much easier and definitely improves airflow in my large. Got it as a Christmas gift this year and I've used it about 6 times since then with great success. Definitely worth 60 bucks in my opinion

bcsnave · January 2016

If you're spending the cash...do it once..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Big-green-egg-large-firebox-charcoal-basket-kickash-/161937373760?hash=item25b4383a40:g:UKQAAOSw9mFWJs~m

Jeepster47 · January 2016

Well, since @bcsnave spoke up about his lack of affiliation to either vendor, I guess I should come clean. Found this out over the holidays. My wife's brother raised two "foster" children. One of those kids grew up and married a gal who went to high school with Chad. So, even though I've never met him, I guess Chad and I are almost family.

Kick ash bucket....worth it?

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