This is a great topic. I recently acquired a Weber Kettle from Lowes because as I was limping through, I noticed that they put a display model on sale with the Rotissierie, charcoal baskets, and rapid coal starter( a one touch gold) for $75.00. However, I have also invested $150.00 in a Kettlepizza attachement, $54.00 in a pizza stone; $59.00 for a Weber BBQ Gourmet cast iron grill set with hinged sides for burning steaks and burgers; and a smoke ring designed for a WSM that I have used for direct and can be used for indirect cooks in Charcoal are of the Weber Kettle for $39.00. So, if I had paid full price for the Weber OTG, I may as well have purchased an egg or the Steel Keg egg.
Actually, I am intrigued by the Broil King solution aka the steel keg. But then again, as I have said before, if the only difference between a Weber and an egg is much finer temperature control based upon the flow of air, then, I do not know if I want to spend money on this as the Weber gives me a nice versatility with the two Smokers that I currently have. If I had no smoker or only one smoker, then the "egg" would have the potential to provide a nice versatile solution.
To be very candid, I do not use my Yoder Pellet Smoker in any type of direct cooking effort nor have I ever used it in this manner. It has been used for slow cooking Tri Tip Sirloin (usually 2 1/2 hours) and long slow cooks of pork butts and briskets which go from 12 to 20 hours in duration depending.
Believe it or not, I purchased the Yoder Cheyenne offset wood smoker because I just wanted to learn how to use this unit and make food in a traditional manner. I enjoy fussing with the process. I mainly smoke ribs, whole chicken and some other interesting roasts that can be completed in less than 6 to 8 hours.
The Weber Kettle is the tool on which I do all of my direct heat cooks like rib eye steaks, thick cuts of top sirloin, pork chops, chicken thighs, breasts and wings. With the Rotissieri, I have done whole chickens, and pork loin roasts keeping the temperature at a steady 350 degrees by adjusting the upper and lower dampers. I learned to do this by using the offset smoker above. By adding the Kettlepizza attachment, stone, and peel, I have added another dimension, that I have never had before. And, my wife and I really like pizza.
If I want to change the Weber Kettle into a Weber Smokey Mountain, the accessories for this can be purchased from Cajun Bandit (
http://cajunbandit.com/ ) for $225 which includes the smoker conversion stack with a door, charcoal ring, cooking grate, water pan bowl and replacement legs. The other alternative that they offer is a stainless steel charcoal steel stacker, with cooking grate, heat diffuser, and charcoal ring. Also a nice alternative and very doable for $159.00. They have offered a 10 per cent military discount when I asked them for it. Shipping is additional.
The other alternative is the Smoke EZ product which also turns your Weber Kettle into a smoker. This kit for $199 and free shipping can be purchased from Firecraft (
http://www.firecraft.com/category/weber-kettle-upgrades ). The Smoke EZ turns the Kettle into a Smoker without altering the legs and adding a 22 inch smoker body, a water pan, a charcoal ring, and a hanging rack that turns the smoker into a a pit drum type of smoker. Again, another versatile solution and a reasonable alternative to other "egg" solutions.
From my perspective, I really do not have the need for another smoker. However, I do like the direct cooking aspect of the Kettle with the pizza and rotissieri options. If I ever do purchase an egg, it would be an emotional impulsive decision or something at price where I could not refuse.
Since some of the folks are picking up used Weber Kettles for $10.00 and up, the purchase of attachments in order to add the versatility they would like to achieve is very possible from either Weber or the aftermarket that Weber has created. And versatility is what the Weber Kettle does have.
Hope that this lengthy diatribe puts things into perspective. It does for me as I set up my online order from Kettlepizza for the Kettlepizza Baking Steel for 22.5 Kettle Grills for $79.00. This provides 3/16" thick round steel used to provide higher dome temperatures in your KettlePizza oven. The steel radiates heat very rapidly and provides a very hot ceiling for getting quick crisping of the top of your pizzas. It sits between the top of the Kettlepizza and the Dome and bounces back the heat to the top of the pizza. I am just a Sucker for gadgets like this. Wait till I get my new video camera.
Ed
