[lunchman]

I've had mine since Spring of this year, so far it's been pretty good. I'd say it's not quite up there with BGE quality, but Bayou Classic has stood behind their product for me.

A couple of things to watch for:

o Check the tolerances around the lower vent. If you can slip a piece of paper in between the vent and the ceramic body, I'd suggest using a high temp silicone sealant (found in auto supply stores) and seal any gaps. Mine had a fairly large gap and until I sealed it, shutting down the grill was problematic. It would simply continue burning though all the lump in the firebowl. Since sealing it, temp control is no longer an issue.

o Depending on whether you got one with the new style firebox or the old, the firebox might be prone to cracking. From what I've read, this is typical of ceramic cookers. How do you tell whether you have the old or the new style? The new style has an intentional slit in it when it's manufactured to handle the stress of expansion and contraction. My original firebox cracked in a number of places and was essentially unusable after a few months. I contacted Bayou Classic who shipped me the new style under warranty and it's been problem free.

o My only other issue has been the single level SS grate has expanded in size to a point where it's difficult to fit down into the cooker. Kind of hard to believe, but it's a tight fit getting it into the cooker. The company sent me a replacement and that one fits better, but I've switched to using a Craycort Cast Iron grate anyway. I still use the 3" high SS grate it comes with for most of my cooks, but when I want to grill lower in the cooker I use the Craycort. The Craycort is a wee bit smaller than the diameter of the upper fire ring so I assist it with two metal straps to keep it in place.

o Every so often check the tightness of the nuts on the mechanism which holds up the lid. They do tend to loosen a bit over time after all the openings and closings.

I do wish it had a screen in the lower vent like my Bubba Keg does, but that's a nit-picky point. Usually I have the vent open a small amount anyway.

I'd suggest getting a BGE platesetter and a BGE grate lifting tool.

Have fun with your new toy! If I can answer any further questions, ask here or PM me.

-lunchman