What are we getting next smoke?

[sparky]

I am sorry the meadow creek sq36 got send back.  I liked that grill.  well, yoder?  hozizon?  gator pit?  one question?  those are all pits that take tuning plates to make them have even heat from right to left.  why not a reverse flow pit?  I heard the heat is very even w/ them?  true?  a lot of ppl I see use langs.  how do you clean the grease w/ a RF pit?  what's ya getting smoke?

[sliding_billy]

Personally I like tuning plates.  You can get the heat very even if you work on the configuration.  More than that, it is nice to be able to set up different temp zones and cook different meats in different areas.  You can even cook a specific part of a single cut in a different area (for example putting your butt's money muscle towards a lower temp area so it can be sliced when the rest of the butt is ready for pulling).  Reverse flows are also pigs for fuel!

[smokeasaurus]

Please check out the Meadow Creek product review for your answer.......

[sliding_billy]

Way to go Smoke!

[muebe]

Smoke I hope they realize how important the input you just gave to them was...

[smokendevo]

Please check out the Meadow Creek product review for your answer.......

Funny I did just that and could find very few reviews but this one seemed like the most honest one.

I'm not looking for a debate here .. just thinking out loud
The Meadow Creek has 540 sq in of cooking surface vs 600 on the Char-Griller Pro Deluxe ... 10% more.
 
Meadow is top-shelf build quality ... Char-Griller needs about $75 in fixes but overall is of acceptable quality .. actually far better than its cheap price.
 
Char-Griller costs $97 .. Meadow Creek costs over 10 times the cost of Char-Griller.
 
I'd have to find 10 times the benefit and I just don't see that yet ... still. But I do admire the expert craftsmanship of the Meadow Creek products. Very well designed and superbly built .. and priced pretty well. I just think I can make that $97 unit come within 10% of the Meadow Creek unit and use the $800 I save somewhere else.
 
One thing that really bothers me is the measly 15" depth of the Meadow cooking surface. Little more than a foot. Not much room to work with there. You pick it up in width but I don't think that helps with ribs that typically run 16"-20" wide.
 
The add-on food grate .. adding another $165 .. doubles the cooking surface .. but only with certain types of food. Flat foods .. not pork butts, rib racks, beef roasts, etc. Brisket would probably work or ribs laid flat .. but not much else .. so that added space may be of minimal use and value.
 
I know you don't think like this .. and that's fine .. but people do see things differently and this is just one of those things.

[smokeasaurus]

Please check out the Meadow Creek product review for your answer.......

Funny I did just that and could find very few reviews but this one seemed like the most honest one.

I'm not looking for a debate here .. just thinking out loud
The Meadow Creek has 540 sq in of cooking surface vs 600 on the Char-Griller Pro Deluxe ... 10% more.
 
Meadow is top-shelf build quality ... Char-Griller needs about $75 in fixes but overall is of acceptable quality .. actually far better than its cheap price.
 
Char-Griller costs $97 .. Meadow Creek costs over 10 times the cost of Char-Griller.
 
I'd have to find 10 times the benefit and I just don't see that yet ... still. But I do admire the expert craftsmanship of the Meadow Creek products. Very well designed and superbly built .. and priced pretty well. I just think I can make that $97 unit come within 10% of the Meadow Creek unit and use the $800 I save somewhere else.
 
One thing that really bothers me is the measly 15" depth of the Meadow cooking surface. Little more than a foot. Not much room to work with there. You pick it up in width but I don't think that helps with ribs that typically run 16"-20" wide.
 
The add-on food grate .. adding another $165 .. doubles the cooking surface .. but only with certain types of food. Flat foods .. not pork butts, rib racks, beef roasts, etc. Brisket would probably work or ribs laid flat .. but not much else .. so that added space may be of minimal use and value.
 

Here is the link to the product review:

http://www.letstalkbbq.com/index.php?topic=6521.15
I know you don't think like this .. and that's fine .. but people do see things differently and this is just one of those things.

[veryolddog]

It sounds like a great business decision to me to continue with the Meadow Creek built to his specifications. Meadow Creek on the whole has a great reputation. The fact that someone with authority called Smoke and made him in offer he could not refuse at no cost whatsoever justifies this decision no matter how frustrated or disappointed the first experience was. I would do it without missing a heart beat.

Just remember an old adage about evaluating a lessor quality product because of price. You get what you pay for. And, I have learned that lesson a number of times over the years when I thought that I could save a few dollars. I ended up paying double to replace the cheaper product that failed for the quality product that I should have purchased in the first place.

Good decision smoke.

Ed

[smokeasaurus]

Thanks Ed,  to be honest, I like the way this particular pit works I have toyed with the idea of hiring a welder to seal the leak in the fire-box. It would be on Meadow Creeks dime and they will also send me the SS table for free.

Not all pits cook the same (even an identical build) so I got some options............sometimes new is not necessarily better if you are happy with what you have and a quick fix will solve the problem........

[sliding_billy]

I like the idea of the "custom" pit (obviously).  I'd go with the offer to let you design a new one.

[pz]

.Just remember an old adage about evaluating a lessor quality product because of price. You get what you pay for. And, I have learned that lesson a number of times over the years when I thought that I could save a few dollars. I ended up paying double to replace the cheaper product that failed for the quality product that I should have purchased in the first place.

Good decision smoke.

Ed

X2.

To quote a television Judge, "The cheap comes out expensive"

[veryolddog]

Smoke: go with the new designed pit. In the long run you will be more pleased, it does not cost you a red cent, you get more for your money, and if you don't like, they will take it back.

Don't keep what you have. Get rid of it.

Ed

[sparky]

Ya, i'm happy!  I liked the sq36 (come up w/ a name for her smoke).  I was impressed that the food cooked on each end of it was pretty even.  you wouldn't think that to be the case.  I do love meadow creek stuff.  it's heavy duty.  I am surprised that the smoke tube wasn't welded down both sides and the drain isn't at the far end w/ a downward slope to the pit.  all smart things.  the holes from the smoke tube use to vent out the top.  out the sides is much better.  from what I've been reading ppl use charcoal in them all the time w/ just chunks of wood throw in.  i know this is about your pit but i just like the sq36.  and if you can lock in 250° each and every time.  that's a pit to have.     congrats buddy. 

[veryolddog]

Ya, i'm happy!  I liked the sq36 (come up w/ a name for her smoke). 

Since Smoke lives in California, he ought to call the new smoker: "ZORRO".



Ed

[sliding_billy]

I would call it 9.5.  That is the combined state sales tax in San Fernando.