$299 Char-Griller Kamado First Looks - Page 30

Badgerbrent · 04-17-2012, 12:20 AM

What size pizza pan do you use for the heat deflector?

JMSetzler · 04-17-2012, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Badgerbrent

What size pizza pan do you use for the heat deflector?

I'm using a 16" pizza pan from walmart... $4.

zwylde1 · 04-17-2012, 12:42 PM

I am using a 16 inch clay saucer. So far so good. Just line it with tinfoil for easy cleanup.

LostArrow · 04-17-2012, 04:06 PM

Got this for my birthday!
My wife informed mr that all the 5 lowes were sold out & she got this at Kroger. Same price only cosmetic differences.

smokeyw · 04-17-2012, 04:23 PM

Congratulations

I like the wood shelves but mine has the metal ones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LostArrow

Got this for my birthday!
My wife informed mr that all the 5 lowes were sold out & she got this at Kroger. Same price only cosmetic differences.

ajmcedar · 04-17-2012, 04:45 PM

Congrats, but things look a little off. Body should be rotated 1/3 to the left, top vent turned 180.

Sorry, my OCD showing through. Nice cooker!

jon s · 04-17-2012, 04:51 PM

While obviously a good value, my concern is that the inner "firebox" does not look sturdy enough to survive a few years of 700 degree temp cooking. I think corrosion and possibly rust may creep in from use. Just my two cents.

DougRuss · 04-17-2012, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajmcedar

Congrats, but things look a little off. Body should be rotated 1/3 to the left, top vent turned 180.

Sorry, my OCD showing through. Nice cooker!

True !! The Body needs to be repositioned, you'll have a difficult time moving it!

LostArrow · 04-17-2012, 07:29 PM

Yep, it came assembled from Kroger.
I think I would have liked the lowes model a little better, but this was the only one my wife could find.
It will be pretty easy to fix, but I'll wait to the weekend.

DodgeCity · 04-17-2012, 08:09 PM

A few years at 700 degrees. Who the heck cooks at 700 degrees on a regular basis. Man if you don't like the grill just say so, don't go making up scenarios that don't exist...... And btw I love my Akorn and my UDS and I am not worried about prolonged cooking at 700 degrees.

pike3e · 04-17-2012, 10:36 PM

Mine arived from lowes, assembled (not requested but free) yesterday. I cleaned and seasoned the grate and fired it up. I left the vents fully open and got distracted by the family for about 30 minutes. Returned to the grill and the thermometer was maxed out at past 700. I closed the vents on the inferno and the coals died out quickly! Temps just kept falling throughout the evening and that was it. Cooked a beer can chicken today at 350-400 for 1.25 hours and it came out great. Closed the vents after the cook and the coals went out quickly. I am new to this but am very impressed.

LostArrow · 04-18-2012, 06:52 AM

Pulled my dome thermometer & checked against instant read thermometer in boiling water, it's right on up to 210F should be accurate enough for smoking.

miso_ohio · 04-18-2012, 06:52 AM

Reading these reviews have me tempted, I know I saw one of these in a Lowes just a few weeks ago. I currently own a Bubba Keg that I got cheap during the Home Depot fire sale a few years ago. After using it for a few years I would not even bat an eye at paying a whole lot more for it now, it is my favorite thing in the world to cook on.

I know I really don't need it, I am still tempted to get one anyways, I just don't know where I am going to put it. To those on the fence, these kamado style cookers will amaze you. I was unsure at first as well now I basically give a cooking course anywhere I go with it preaching the greatness of it.

By the way on the pizza, not sure if you can do this on this or not, but on the Keg, I kick the heat up to 650-750 area with no diffuser. I put the cast iron grate down to the lower level (not sure if this one has 2 levels) and I put a pizza stone on that metal rack you use as a second layer. The metal racks holds it up just fine ad it makes it easy to slide the pizza out on the stone, a typical pizza is done in 2-4 minutes for me I watch it through the vents on the top. I make my own dough and stretch it thin. I got a new Pizza peel for Xmas that has made the whole process even better. The pizzas on these things our second to none, the crust is just hard to describe.

unfoundfred · 04-18-2012, 08:18 AM

I've been debating buying a BGE, but I couldn't find a way to justify the expense to my wife. I think I just found my compromise...

Lowe's here I come!

HogFan · 04-18-2012, 10:36 AM

Now I just had to go and read this thread.........(what was I thinking).

I have a used up Arkla gas grill (16 yrs old) and a cheap Stok charcoal grill tower, and a UDS that I just built. Need to pitch the gas grill. Maybe I should sell the STok charcoal tower and get one of these......hmmm. I was about to spend $800+ on a CS electric smoker......and I saved all that money by building an UDS.......so that's worth something right? <smile> Biggest reason I would like one of these is to sear steaks. I've never been able to get the Stok hot enough to sear a steak so the outside is done and the inside still medium-rare.

Since I'm a Razorback fan (though an embarrased one at the moment with the Petrino/Harley incident), I really like the red version from Menards. Too bad they don't have a Menards around NW AR........

04-17-2012, 12:42 PM	#438
zwylde1 Take a breath! Join Date: 12-17-10 Location: Cape Cod, MA	I am using a 16 inch clay saucer. So far so good. Just line it with tinfoil for easy cleanup. __________________ 2-Weber 22.5 OTS, Green Weber Performer, WSJG, Mini WSM, Char Griller Kamado, Weber Gasser, UDS awaiting production! [FONT=Arial Black]Of everything I have lost in this life...I miss my mind the most![/FONT]

04-17-2012, 04:45 PM	#441
ajmcedar Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 04-29-09 Location: Cedar Rapids, IA	Congrats, but things look a little off. Body should be rotated 1/3 to the left, top vent turned 180. Sorry, my OCD showing through. Nice cooker! __________________ Al Madler Big Red Kamado Kooker(King Griller), Little Red Akorn Jr, PBC, UDS, MiniUDS, Smokey Joe

04-17-2012, 12:20 AM	#436
Badgerbrent Got rid of the matchlight. Join Date: 04-13-12 Location: CHICAGO	What size pizza pan do you use for the heat deflector?

04-17-2012, 04:06 PM	#439
LostArrow Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 03-13-12 Location: Jackson Ms.	Got this for my birthday! My wife informed mr that all the 5 lowes were sold out & she got this at Kroger. Same price only cosmetic differences.

04-17-2012, 04:51 PM	#442
jon s Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 04-11-12 Location: Mililani, Hawaii	While obviously a good value, my concern is that the inner "firebox" does not look sturdy enough to survive a few years of 700 degree temp cooking. I think corrosion and possibly rust may creep in from use. Just my two cents.

04-17-2012, 07:29 PM	#444
LostArrow Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 03-13-12 Location: Jackson Ms.	Yep, it came assembled from Kroger. I think I would have liked the lowes model a little better, but this was the only one my wife could find. It will be pretty easy to fix, but I'll wait to the weekend.

04-17-2012, 08:09 PM	#445
DodgeCity Found some matches. Join Date: 07-11-04 Location: Wichita, Kansas	A few years at 700 degrees. Who the heck cooks at 700 degrees on a regular basis. Man if you don't like the grill just say so, don't go making up scenarios that don't exist...... And btw I love my Akorn and my UDS and I am not worried about prolonged cooking at 700 degrees.

04-17-2012, 10:36 PM	#446
pike3e Got rid of the matchlight. Join Date: 04-13-11 Location: Bangor Maine	Mine arived from lowes, assembled (not requested but free) yesterday. I cleaned and seasoned the grate and fired it up. I left the vents fully open and got distracted by the family for about 30 minutes. Returned to the grill and the thermometer was maxed out at past 700. I closed the vents on the inferno and the coals died out quickly! Temps just kept falling throughout the evening and that was it. Cooked a beer can chicken today at 350-400 for 1.25 hours and it came out great. Closed the vents after the cook and the coals went out quickly. I am new to this but am very impressed.

04-18-2012, 06:52 AM	#447
LostArrow Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 03-13-12 Location: Jackson Ms.	Pulled my dome thermometer & checked against instant read thermometer in boiling water, it's right on up to 210F should be accurate enough for smoking.

04-18-2012, 06:52 AM	#448
miso_ohio Found some matches. Join Date: 06-22-10 Location: Obetz, OH	Reading these reviews have me tempted, I know I saw one of these in a Lowes just a few weeks ago. I currently own a Bubba Keg that I got cheap during the Home Depot fire sale a few years ago. After using it for a few years I would not even bat an eye at paying a whole lot more for it now, it is my favorite thing in the world to cook on. I know I really don't need it, I am still tempted to get one anyways, I just don't know where I am going to put it. To those on the fence, these kamado style cookers will amaze you. I was unsure at first as well now I basically give a cooking course anywhere I go with it preaching the greatness of it. By the way on the pizza, not sure if you can do this on this or not, but on the Keg, I kick the heat up to 650-750 area with no diffuser. I put the cast iron grate down to the lower level (not sure if this one has 2 levels) and I put a pizza stone on that metal rack you use as a second layer. The metal racks holds it up just fine ad it makes it easy to slide the pizza out on the stone, a typical pizza is done in 2-4 minutes for me I watch it through the vents on the top. I make my own dough and stretch it thin. I got a new Pizza peel for Xmas that has made the whole process even better. The pizzas on these things our second to none, the crust is just hard to describe.

04-18-2012, 08:18 AM	#449
unfoundfred Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 04-10-12 Location: Norwalk, CT	I've been debating buying a BGE, but I couldn't find a way to justify the expense to my wife. I think I just found my compromise... Lowe's here I come!

04-18-2012, 10:36 AM	#450
HogFan is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 03-21-12 Location: Arkansas	Now I just had to go and read this thread.........(what was I thinking). I have a used up Arkla gas grill (16 yrs old) and a cheap Stok charcoal grill tower, and a UDS that I just built. Need to pitch the gas grill. Maybe I should sell the STok charcoal tower and get one of these......hmmm. I was about to spend $800+ on a CS electric smoker......and I saved all that money by building an UDS.......so that's worth something right? <smile> Biggest reason I would like one of these is to sear steaks. I've never been able to get the Stok hot enough to sear a steak so the outside is done and the inside still medium-rare. Since I'm a Razorback fan (though an embarrased one at the moment with the Petrino/Harley incident), I really like the red version from Menards. Too bad they don't have a Menards around NW AR........