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

EGGcelerator or Guru

johnvb
johnvb Posts: 46
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I've owned my large for about a month now, and really haven't had a problem starting it. But the EGGcelerator looks like something I could use.

I use the starter squares to light my lump, give it 10 minutes to start, then close the lid. I'm usually up to temp in another 15-20 minutes.

I have both a mapp torch and weed dragon, but the first time I tried the torch, I left spark burns in my newly stained table :angry: So I'm stickin with the squares.

Right now, most of my cooks are short timed... steak, burgers, chicken, tenderloin, etc. But I do love ribs and brisket, so the Guru could be justified.

Can the Guru be used just as a starter, (like the EGGcelerator) without a lot of preparation/programming?
If so, I'll pass until I can swing it instead of the EGGcelerator.

Thanks, John

Comments

  • Buster Dog BBQ
    Buster Dog BBQ Posts: 1,366
    Save yourself some money and use a paper towel rolled up lenght wise and tie a knot in the middle. Put veggie oil on both ends, put in your lump and light. Cleaner and cheaper. Light in more than one place to get your fire going.

    I wouldn't use a guru if it's only purpose was to bring up the temp faster.
  • aaind
    aaind Posts: 235
    You can use a hair dryer ,my small will get 600 in 2min
    work great if your in to hurry
    Dave
  • East Cobb Eggy
    East Cobb Eggy Posts: 1,162
    I would assume that the GURU can be used for starting, but it seems quite expensive for that purpose.

    If I were you, I would buy a small hand held fan. Use it to blow air into the bottom vent to raise the temp quickly. This should only cost a couple of dollars.

    Greg
  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    If you are going to use the guru for its intended purpose, then it would make sense to use one as an accelerator. Obviously, a hair dryer is a lot cheaper if you won't use the Guru to its full extent.

    But to use the Guru as an accelerator, all you would need to do is leave the pit probe outside the cooker and have a target pit temperature set that is higher than the outside temperature. So, if the pit temp is set to 250 and the pit probe is outside in 90 degree weather, the Guru is going to keep the blower going forever trying to raise the pit to 250.

    Good luck!
    The Naked Whiz
  • Cecil
    Cecil Posts: 771
    My leaf blower works wonders :woohoo:

    Walt
  • aaind
    aaind Posts: 235
    Top of your egg must look like the back of a jet engine
  • SoonerChris
    SoonerChris Posts: 302
    If you are just wanting to start your fire quicker try this. $0.99 at Walmart

    Handfans-1-w125.jpg
  • Nate in SC
    Nate in SC Posts: 21
    I've been struggling with this topic for awhile and have finally come up with a cheap and fast way to light the egg. I originally started out with starter cubes which do work well but I figured I could use newspaper instead which I always have in abundance. I purchased a Weber chimney starter from Lowes for about $14. After multiple techniques and lots of trial and error I have come up with the following method:

    1) Take one full sheet of newspaper and tear into two halves.

    2) Crumple up the two sheets into balls and place next to each other in the bottom of the egg. If you have left over lump then dig out a hole in it so you have air flow from the fire grate. Open up the bottom air vent and take the top off of the egg.

    3) Fill up the chimney starter, either half-full or all the way depending on how long your cook will be.

    4) Light the crumpled paper and once it is burning good place the chimney starter over top of the paper burning at the bottom of the Egg. Be sure it is snug and is close up and the bottom of the chimney start is as close to the flames as possible.

    5) Now close the lid of the egg (important), leaving the top and bottom vent wide open. With a little practice you can get the egg up to about 400 - 500 in about 15-20 minutes tops on a Large Egg.

    Note: You have to be careful though and not walk away from the Egg too long because it will be over 700 before you know it. I mistakenly did this the second time I used this method thinking I could do some prep in the kitchen while it was heating up and it scorched the chimney starter, but didn't do any real damage to it and it still works fine.
  • Fireball II
    Fireball II Posts: 213
    Cannot see your pic
  • johnvb
    johnvb Posts: 46
    Thanks, folks, as usual I was a little too vague :blush:

    Mr. Whiz nailed it; I would be using the Guru for its intended use, plus as an accelerator when needed.

    I forgot to mention, I do sometimes use a B&D Cordless leaf blower, to speed things up, (blowing into the egg from the top grate) but I have to watch out for sparks, and I end up having to blow off ash from the whole table. Still kinda a mess, but does get things going pronto! I need to figure out how to control (temporally slow down) the blower's already fairly low CFM output.
  • Fire Walker
    Fire Walker Posts: 241
    Buy both, your an Egg owner Dammit, you have already performed the ultimate justifction in the decision to buy the Egg. Don't stop now go for it, you have many more dodads to buy like grill extensions, thermometers (instant read, wireless, dome, gloves, turbo grate and many many more things I can't think of off hand. That doesn't even cover that second Egg in your future, its there you just haven't realized it yet.
    FireWalker
  • The Stoker offers a great product too. For a quick light, get a hair dryer.

    But for long cooks, use a stoker.
  • You really don't need either ...but you probably WANT both ...since you are now an Egghead. I only use a Guru for when I either cannot have a failure ..like when I'm cooking for wifey's family or maybe when trying to hold a really low temp ...which to me is 200 ... anyway ... they both work really good and we sell quite a few of both and everybody that buys one loves them ...have had zero returns. Happy Eggin.
    FB/SGP
    Fred A. Bernardo , owner of Tasty Licks BBQ Supply in Shillington, Pa. 
  • lisaaron
    lisaaron Posts: 12
    Love my Guru! Actually, it's puffing away at the moment to keep that butt on the BGE in the most perfect of cooking conditions.

    Here's to another non-return to Fred's shop!