MBGE Owners - Please step Forward!

MaskedMarvel · September 3

Greetings friends!

As the ongoing quest to find a warrantied minimax, small, or mini, for those quick cooks for two, I filled the gap by grabbing a minimax knockoff for like $30 from the Aldi aisle of shame.

We used it pretty regularly. Maybe twice a week.

Until last night. When the “obvious” happened.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/bf/r7p7q26bbp7u.jpeg

I feel lucky it didn’t burn the table and front of the house down.

So! Back to the active searching, and back to using the best cooker ever.

We have a Medium. Honestly, I never use it for much, except backup for pork festival projects and taking it on beach trips.

…. Why? ….

… mainly because I have trouble getting the temp up. I do have a kickash basket in there now, so that should help. But I want it to perform more like the Larges we have. Just can’t ever get it up to temp QUICKLY like the small knockoff.

Advice? I’m trying to not use electronics to get it going, which has been the solution in the past.

8-Damien

Love to see yours, if you have pics.

… and if anyone hears of flash sale small/mini/mini maxes around central NC, HMU..

RRP · September 3

In 23 years of ownership my Medium BGE has been strictly my baking egg - no meat - not even pizzas - just cookies and cakes. Amazing how clean - still tan, but not black - it has stayed without ever having any smoking wood.

fishlessman · September 3

i remember about 15 years back plus/minus people were having problems with mediums. the fire box was too small on some of those. the gap around the outer edge was letting air flow up the sides without going thru the burning lump as well as it should. it was suggested then to make a tinfoil rope and slip it between the box and base blocking that gap forcing the flow thru the air holes. this is assuming you are keeping the air holes clean and clearing the ash build up on the hinge side of the firebox

DoubleEgger · September 3

I am a believer in the medium. The only time it struggles with temp for me is if I dump the bottom of a bag of lump in and it struggles for air.

Use the kickash basket and make sure you
take out the OEM grate. The dog bowl ash catcher works really well and is highly recommended to help maintain maximum airflow.

My medium gets up to temp really fast. Perfect weekday cooker IMO.

Ozzie_Isaac · September 4

Hmmm, my medium is like a Ferrari made by Honda. Super fast, agile, sexy, and very reliable.

I only use Rockwood, have a kick-ash basket, and smokeware chimney cap. Only issue I had was when the firebox was slightly out of alignment and all the air holes blocked. I pulled everything out, cleaned it all up, reinstalled firebox, ring, kick ash basket (I do not use the grate with the basket, just the basket) and went to town.

DoubleEgger · September 7

Make sure you pull the fire bowl on the medium on occasion. Ash loves those holes in the bowl.

zaphod · September 7

coming up to my biannual clean and I shift from acacia handles/mates to weatherproof versions (and back again in May). I always take the time to disassemble the ring and bowl and give it all a good cleaning.

MaskedMarvel · September 7

Well. The Medium performed beautifully and we’ll start using it regularly now.

Did a high temp burn and cleaned everything up. Brought it to 400° and roaster fresh zucchini and some garden peppers.

Opened the lid and got flames for a thin ground beef patty with some Jarlesburg cheese.

No action shots. Just the money.

Thanks!

MBGE Owners - Please step Forward!

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