Bad Egg!

[squirtthecat]

There is something to be said for cold, hard, steel!

I like the idea of the insulated kettle..

[sliding_billy]

The more appropriate comparison IMO is the BGE vs. the WSM.  The grilling ability of the BGE is no different IMO than the grilling ability of a kettle since all that double walled $$$ doesn't really make a difference.  The argument can be made that like an isolated vertical the heat retention of the BGE will make it a superior cooker to the WSM.  My opinion is that it is a negligible difference.  I have no problem getting or holding temp on a WSM.  A better door pretty much takes care of any issues one might have.  It's not like an offset where there are multiple points across the smoker to lose air and cause temps to be all over the place.  Other than the difference between the grates, you are dealing with one temp point.  Any air loss is going to impact the whole surface equally.  That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.  The BGE is a great cooker, and I certainly wouldn't mind having one.  I just cannot justify the price difference between not only the BGE and WSM but even a WSM plus an OTG.

[teesquare]

A ramble about "insulation".....

The insulation aspect of ceramic - or any insulation - is an advantage when cooking. ( Not for cold smoking so much tho ) Some manufacturers of pellets grills have either actively recognized this and built at least an insulated hood via 2 layers of metal with an air gap between them, or others via specially made insulating blankets that you can add or remove if needed/desired.
Ask anyone that has run a pit with and without an insulating blanket. The usage drops significantly with the blanket on. Not in 1/2 - but 30-40%

I am sure it is a competitive issue...cost of feature vs retail sale price point. And - as other pits enter the market ( yes there are more on drawing boards as we speak ) I believe we will begin to see features that focus more on design tweaks that reduce cost of operation. And...what other forces will influence manufacturer's offerings to us...?

I  had a conversation  a couple of years ago with the manufacturing manager of a big name brand pellet grill - and asked why their pit used SO much fuel on the higher end of it's temp. settings. He laughed at me - and said - "Well, if a guy can't afford to burn some pellets - what is he doing BBQing?"
I have never forgotten those words - and clearly this fellow does NOT understand that we do not all live where we can get pellets cheaply. Even if one rationalizes that the cost of pellets is roughly that of charcoal ( cost divided by btu per hr. ) it is the lack of LOCAL pellet sourcing that keeps many folks away from pellet grill use.

So - insulation, and long term temp. stability/fuel consumption WILL become an issue for more than just "some" of us. There are some other considerations for all of us that love charcoal. I believe that the charcoal industry will be all but gone, done, kaput within 10 years. I have it on 1st hand information that Kingsford is trying to buy pellet manufacturing as we speak. They are preparing for a continuing escalation in regulations that push 'coal manufacturers harder and harder for cleaner air, run-off water, and soil standards. It is just a fact. Not a political statement.

So, sorry for the rambling segue - but the value of insulation and software control, pit design, burn efficiency WILL be a part of our futures. Will it affect you individually? Maybe not? But it will alter some of your choices - and maybe not  in a negative way...only time will tell!

[sliding_billy]

No argument from me Tee.  I just don't think that it adds that much value comparatively to a BGE/WSM/Griddle style cooker.  There are plenty of other places where proper insulation make a huge difference.

[Pappymn]

Washington coming into our back yards to take our charcoal. I would really like to see the first idiot politician to propose that.

Sign me up for some black market charcoal

[sparky]

Sign me up for some black market charcoal

I know a guy.   

if in 10 years we will not have any charcoal then what are we going to burn in our kettles, kamados, vertical smokers.  I got very good w/ cooking w/ pellets but when I started cooking serious bbq.  the same things cooked w/ charcoal produced tasted better then the product I cooked w/ the pellets.  I'm thinking of selling my last mak for a broil steel keg but my wife doesn't want me to do that.  she says you have cooked on pellet grills for over 4 years.  ya, but i'm liking my wsm's and kettles much more.  I will say something.  the pellet grills cooked bacon and sausage like no other grill.  perfect every time.  and yesterday we had 40 -50 knot winds here.  I cooked a tri tip on my mak because it doesn't care what the outside does.  if I cooked the tri in my kettle it would have been a fight w/ the wind.  a big steel keg wouldn't have care about he wind either.  and I can strap the bkg to my truck and take it up the the cabin every weekend.  I might go look at them today.  no, i'm not buying one yet.  I might soon thou.  I just got a job yesterday (my wife says no more grills until I get a job) so maybe in a month or so.   

[teesquare]

No argument from me Tee.  I just don't think that it adds that much value comparatively to a BGE/WSM/Griddle style cooker.  There are plenty of other places where proper insulation make a huge difference.

Same here Chris! It is a more critical price/value analysis when looking strictly at the Weber Kettle, or WSM types. But, the BGE *is* insulated, as compared to the former types. Then - look at the price difference Value = features at a given price point. The value perception of insulation is quite high according to most consumers, if we go by the number of these that are sold. Because - otherwise, it cooks like a Weber Kettle....

And - I certainly do not want to come off as a "The Charcoal Sky is Falling" conspiratorialist....But, the legislation was passed years ago that set everything in motion. ( Beginning with the grandfather of them all - L.A. Rule '66 ) And - I think it is pretty clear that we are all seeing further reaching, tight, more restrictive regulatory environments at the federal, state, and local level. Happy? Hell no - I am NOT...but it is the reality we face.

[sliding_billy]

Tee, you know my "other" thought on why so many BGEs are sold, and it has nothing to do with insulation.  ***It also is not representative of anyone on this forum that uses one.***  There are a lot of suburbanites with pet rock BGEs out there... a whole lot of them!

[teesquare]

Tee, you know my "other" thought on why so many BGEs are sold, and it has nothing to do with insulation.  ***It also is not representative of anyone on this forum that uses one.***  There are a lot of suburbanites with pet rock BGEs out there... a whole lot of them!

  Well - I was not even including the "cool guys" that own one - and never use it....

[Hub]

I'm curious what could cause such a failure as the one in the picture (besides a sledge hammer, maybe).  Might it be that somebody decided to squelch the burning embers with cold water and induced too rapid a temperature change? 

Hub

[Ka Honu]

I'm curious what could cause such a failure as the one in the picture (besides a sledge hammer, maybe).

Apparently, there was just enough wind  that it knocked this "egg" off of its stand and it crashed. Nothing more than this was explained.

It's like dropping a dinner plate.

[Sailor1]

No argument from me Tee.  I just don't think that it adds that much value comparatively to a BGE/WSM/Griddle style cooker.  There are plenty of other places where proper insulation make a huge difference.

Same here Chris! It is a more critical price/value analysis when looking strictly at the Weber Kettle, or WSM types. But, the BGE *is* insulated, as compared to the former types. Then - look at the price difference Value = features at a given price point. The value perception of insulation is quite high according to most consumers, if we go by the number of these that are sold. Because - otherwise, it cooks like a Weber Kettle....

And - I certainly do not want to come off as a "The Charcoal Sky is Falling" conspiratorialist....But, the legislation was passed years ago that set everything in motion. ( Beginning with the grandfather of them all - L.A. Rule '66 ) And - I think it is pretty clear that we are all seeing further reaching, tight, more restrictive regulatory environments at the federal, state, and local level. Happy? Hell no - I am NOT...but it is the reality we face.

Never heard anything about charcoal being banned in the future.  Would you be kind enough to point me in the direction of the legislation LA rule 66 that is starting this or any other pending legislation?  I googled it and found nothing.  I say keep the Government shut down and defund the EPA and all of the other regulations that keep us Americans from being Americans.  Back into my corner now.

[teesquare]

Never heard anything about charcoal being banned in the future.  Would you be kind enough to point me in the direction of the legislation LA rule 66 that is starting this or any other pending legislation?  I googled it and found nothing.  I say keep the Government shut down and defund the EPA and all of the other regulations that keep us Americans from being Americans.  Back into my corner now.



My mention of theL.A. Rule '66 was a reference to how far back the noose goes...it has been super-ceded many times by more and more stringent rulings.
1. The Federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 2010:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Federal+Clean+Air+Act&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS521US521&oq=Federal+Clean+Air+Act&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.11304j0&sourceid=chrome&espvd=210&es_sm=119&ie=UTF-8#es_sm=119&q=the+clean+air+act+amendments+of+2010&revid=2086127114

2. The Federal Clean Air Amendments of 2011:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Federal+Clean+Air+Act&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS521US521&oq=Federal+Clean+Air+Act&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.11304j0&sourceid=chrome&espvd=210&es_sm=119&ie=UTF-8#es_sm=119&q=the+clean+air+act+amendments+of+2011

3. And - here are just a few of the state rulings, update and legislative documents:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Air+quality+rules+affecting+charcoal+production&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS521US521&oq=Air+quality+rules+affecting+charcoal+production&aqs=chrome..69i57.12090j0&sourceid=chrome&espvd=210&es_sm=119&ie=UTF-8#es_sm=119&q=Federal+Air+quality+rules+affecting+charcoal+production

And - don't feel bad that this has not made it on to your radar yet. Like many other topics - the government does not want you to be upset by their constant and continuing reach into our world.