Getting MM up to temperature

ncnative · December 2016

I apologize if this has been discussed previously, but I am wondering why it seems that it takes the MM so long to get up to temperature. I love my MM, but am frustrated that it takes as long as it does to get up to 500 degrees or so. Once it's where I want it, it works well. But I recently picked up a Mini and can get up to cruising temperature in literally half the time.

I understand that it should take longer than the mini (more ceramic to heat up, more volume, etc), but I don't think it should take that much longer. Is it a design issue that impedes airflow, or is it something else? I'm thinking that I can't be the only one who has experienced this.

Lit · December 2016

It's an airflow issue. If you stick something like a quarter inch high between the dome and base in the front it increases the airflow and helps it come to temp faster.

smokeyw · December 2016

I have heard others say this but am having trouble understanding what could be wrong. My MM comes up to temp extremely fast. I make sure it is clean and can get good air flow, load it with lump, light with a weed burner, open the bottom vent completely, close the lid, and remove the daisy wheel. It is probably up to 500 degrees in about 15 minutes.

NewbeeMinimax · December 2016

I use this oven vent hose (I think it is 3 inches) to increase the airflow.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/ud/2d4wlshssihk.jpg

ncnative · December 2016

Maybe it's the way I light the thing. I use Rutland (or BGE) fire starters, not a weed burner. So I think it's going to be slower than you. On the other hand, I use the fire starters in the mini, and it's still much faster.

theyolksonyou · December 2016

I'm the opposite of smokey. Light with torch and leave the dome open until I have a good fire going. Then close the dome, set the vents and walk away. 500 would be topless.

Stormbringer · December 2016

I found the same thing and did this to improve airflow, as well as reduce smoke generation:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/o3/ickvp427jnkk.jpg

BBQBuddy · December 2016

Same problem here. I use fire starters as well. Been leaving the dome open to get it going and up to temp.
Taking it on a road trip this weekend...

smokeyw · December 2016

ncnative said:

Maybe it's the way I light the thing. I use Rutland (or BGE) fire starters, not a weed burner. So I think it's going to be slower than you. On the other hand, I use the fire starters in the mini, and it's still much faster.

Those fire starters take much longer than a weed burner to get things going. It probably takes 10 or15 minutes before the fire starter burns out. The weed burner takes me about 30 seconds.

EggHeadinFlorida · December 2016

How long is it taking you to get to 500deg?
I had the same issue when I purchased my minimax. Like others have said it has to do with the airflow. Do yourself a favor and buy a kick ash basket. It's the best $45 you'll ever spend for your minimax. I was hesitant at first but I decided to do it and have not looked back. The way the basket is designed allows the lump to get so much more air and you will have no problems getting your egg up to temperature in no time.

Here's a post I made the other day regarding some firestarters that I purchased off Amazon. If you read the post you will see that I was able to get up to over 600° in about 18 minutes. I think that's pretty good.

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1201676/rutland-fire-starters#latest

EggHeadinFlorida · December 2016

NewbeeMinimax said:

I use this oven vent hose (I think it is 3 inches) to increase the airflow.

Not sure if this is a good idea. Obviously it's going to bring your temperature up a lot quicker but I have read several times that people have cracked their egg because the temperature gets so hot so quickly. You pretty much have the same effect of throwing your plate setter in your egg after it reaches 500- 600°, it has that thermal shock.

smokeyw · December 2016

I use a kick ash basket and can't tell any difference at all with or without it. I do use it with my fire grate in however. But I am completely happy with how the little fellow performs. It is much faster to get to temp than my small is.

EggHeadinFlorida · December 2016

^^^ take your grate out and you'll see the difference.

smokeyw · December 2016

That's what I'm saying. I don't need any more air flow. It is just fine and I know exactly how to control it.

Lit · December 2016

The hole for the bottom vent is too small. The KAB helps a little but all you have to do it crack open the dome and watch the change in output through the top vent. The MM is poorly designed.

dgaddis1 · December 2016

I know on my Large that removing the daisy wheel completely (or the top half of the Smokeware cap if you have one) makes a big difference in how quickly it heats up.

bhedges1987 · December 2016

I am glad I chose a Mini over a mini max after so many poor reviews on here recently.

I won't have mine until Christmas though :(

DoubleEgger · December 2016

bhedges1987 said:

I am glad I chose a Mini over a mini max after so many poor reviews on here recently.

I won't have mine until Christmas though :(

I was thinking how much I love my medium. I went to buy a MM when they first came out and left with a medium. Definitely not regretting my decision.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · December 2016

I bought a kick ash basket, woo, stones, platesetter, pretty much everything you could buy to make it better. Not the cooker for me. I hear some are better than others but in my book when you spend $599 on a grill, you shouldn't have to buy $200 in accessories to make it work as advertised. Silly.

Mattman3969 · December 2016

Sounds like the MM has the same symptoms as the small. Some will breath fire and others not so much.

@the Cen-tex smoker - how has your visit with @mickey mini gone?

The Cen-Tex Smoker · December 2016

Mattman3969 said:

Sounds like the MM has the same symptoms as the small. Some will breath fire and others not so much.

@the Cen-tex smoker - how has your visit with @mickey mini gone?

It's a volcano in 15 minutes. I cook for 5 most days so it's too small for me but does what it says it does. Night and day from the MM.

ncnative · December 2016

I appreciate all of the responses so far. I am aware of the KAB, but was not really wanting to add something to the grill that it should be doing already. Do I really need it for the MM to work properly?

It takes me about 25-30 minutes to get to 500 -- 10 with the lid open immediately after lighting and then 15-20 more with the lid closed. Is that normal with the fire starters? Like I said, it cooks well and it can definitely get hot enough, but it seems to take a long time.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · December 2016

ncnative said:

I appreciate all of the responses so far. I am aware of the KAB, but was not really wanting to add something to the grill that it should be doing already. Do I really need it for the MM to work properly?

It takes me about 25-30 minutes to get to 500 -- 10 with the lid open immediately after lighting and then 15-20 more with the lid closed. Is that normal with the fire starters? Like I said, it cooks well and it can definitely get hot enough, but it seems to take a long time.

Mine didn't work with it. I used starters, torch, weed burner, nothing mattered. It's wrong to expect to have to spend $200 on aftermarket products to get something to work the way it should. Seems that many of the people on here love them. My experience was similar to yours and no amount of accessories fixed it (for me). I was able to sell if for $100 less than I paid all in and I was ok with that. I got to play with it and decided it wasn't right for me. Could have been user error but I didnt like mine. Glad I got to use it though so no harm, no foul.

smokeyw · December 2016

I guess I got a good one. I have absolutely no complaints at all. It heats up as fast as my large and faster than my small. It is easy to maintain whatever temp I need. I love my MM!

rockymountaineggster · December 2016

I wonder if it depends on version of MM? I have the first gen fire ring version and have no issues. Heats up about as fast or faster than my large. If I go indirect with my woo and stone it takes forever to bounce back to temp though. I mostly use for direct hot and fast cooks and the large for indirect so it's not much of an issue for me.

smokeyw · December 2016

rockymountaineggster said:

I wonder if it depends on version of MM? I have the first gen fire ring version and have no issues. Heats up about as fast or faster than my large. If I go indirect with my woo and stone it takes forever to bounce back to temp though. I mostly use for direct hot and fast cooks and the large for indirect so it's not much of an issue for me.

I also have the first generation fire ring and mine heats up as fast as my large. I can't believe that would make the difference. I wonder though if they changed something else when they changed the fire ring?

Mickey · December 2016

I am always cooking in about 3 to 4 mins. Really!

smokeyw · December 2016

^^^^^ That is what I use as well. I can't figure the attraction of the starter cubes, loof lighters, map torches, etc. You can buy one of those weed burners for about $20 to $25 and a 20 pound cylinder lasts forever.

Jupiter Jim · December 2016

EggHeadinFlorida said:

NewbeeMinimax said:

I use this oven vent hose (I think it is 3 inches) to increase the airflow.

Not sure if this is a good idea. Obviously it's going to bring your temperature up a lot quicker but I have read several times that people have cracked their egg because the temperature gets so hot so quickly. You pretty much have the same effect of throwing your plate setter in your egg after it reaches 500- 600°, it has that thermal shock.

The ceramics are tough and putting a cold plate setter in at 600 will not hurt it in any way. I have taken hot plate setters out of a very hot egg and cooled them with cold water with no problem, have done it several times.

HoustonEgger · December 2016

ncnative said:

I appreciate all of the responses so far. I am aware of the KAB, but was not really wanting to add something to the grill that it should be doing already. Do I really need it for the MM to work properly?

It takes me about 25-30 minutes to get to 500 -- 10 with the lid open immediately after lighting and then 15-20 more with the lid closed. Is that normal with the fire starters? Like I said, it cooks well and it can definitely get hot enough, but it seems to take a long time.

That seems about right for the minimax - when using a firestarter you are only lighting in one spot and the minimax just takes a longer to get to temp because of the airflow setup. It's marginally improved with the KAB and if you are trying to get it to 500 in under 20 min, try 2 firestarters placed at opposite sides of the egg.

I wrote up a piece about the minimax vs. small here - http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1201433/minimax-vs-small-egg#latest
and it's the same minimax that @The Cen-Tex Smoker is talking about. Nothing functionally wrong with it - just behaved differently then one would expect if used to a large or looking for the volcano of the mini

Jupiter Jim · December 2016

I have had no problems with my MM getting up to temp quickly, I use a map torch or weed burner.

Getting MM up to temperature

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