The Egg has Cracked!

[smokinjim]

I had noticed some time ago that my xl firebox had cracked. not a big deal... I had just wedged it back into place with some fragments of broken fire bricks. While re-aligning it yesterday I thought that it could use a proper cleaning and in the process had noticed that the base had several meandering cracks straight through from the inside to the outside. I've called the AD that I purchased it from 4 years ago and am going to remain hopeful in the "lifetime warranty" provided by BGE. I will update as this progresses. This egg has never been abused or traveled, is used several times a week, has seen weekly 600+ degree pizza cooks... Against all of my better judgment, I'll remain optimistic that someday replacement parts will arrive. Just thought that I'd share. Pics attached

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[jbounds286]

yikes...this is why im afraid of the ceramics...plus im super clumsy and would knock it over LOL...hope it turns out well for u tho

[Wickedcajun]

Ouch!!! I am in the process of purchasing a ceramic pit... Plz do keep us posted, I would like to know if the manufacturer will make good on it

[smokinjim]

BGE claims that they have a lifetime replacement warranty on the major ceramics, base, lid, fire bowl, and fire ring. Sent the request over to AD yesterday. Still waiting to hear back from them. This egg has seen a lot of use. Am I surprised? No, not about the fire bowl. YES, big time to the base cracking! We'll see...

[IamMadMan]

Interesting.... Keep us posted on the "Lifetime Warranty" outcome...

[spyre]

They just have you walking on eggshells till you find out!

[Haveuseen1?]

I have seen folks patch up the firebox with JB Weld with good success. I dont think I would fix the base this way. It is my understanding that BGE will replace without issue for you. The only bump in the road is they usually ship the replacements with your dealers next order or you can pay the freight. You just need to hope your dealer has an order in the works.

[16Adams]

I've never seen a UDS crack. Just say'n


Ok- that was a sleep deprived attempt at humor until BGE makes it right!! Best of luck.

[legendaryhog]

My BGE has some cracks and my firebox is in three different pieces. Hasn't ever been an issue. Got mine used so no warranty. If they don't warranty you can fix any small cracks with fireplace mortar. Your hairline cracks look similar to mine. Never had a prob with them getting out of hand and my egg is pretty old. Has all the old style hardware.

[Haveuseen1?]

Completely my opinion: I think the cracks in the firebox are what cause the cracks in the base. Once the firebox cracks all the way through it provides a direct path to the base of the egg. If my firebox was cracked, I think I would attempt to patch it together so it can then provide a good layer of insulation to the egg base. Just my thought. I havent put that theory to any test.

[Jason TQ]

I've never seen a UDS crack. Just say'n


Ok- that was a sleep deprived attempt at humor until BGE makes it right!! Best of luck.

I've never seen an UDS owner that didn't think they were too cool for school for all other cookers......Just say'n. :crazy:

[smokinjim]

Completely my opinion: I think the cracks in the firebox are what cause the cracks in the base. Once the firebox cracks all the way through it provides a direct path to the base of the egg. If my firebox was cracked, I think I would attempt to patch it together so it can then provide a good layer of insulation to the egg base. Just my thought. I havent put that theory to any test.

The fire box on the xl has a permanent open seam to allow for expansion and contraction and an open bottom. once i noticed the crack and watched it evolve I had blocked the backside of the box with pieces of firebrick to keep it in place/shape. The cracks in the base are in the bottom and running up the opposite side off the egg base from the crack in the fire bowl. Who knows... 4 years of hearty hi-temp cooking and low temp smoking. We shall see how BGE responds!

[Jmadison]

Over the past 17 years, BGE has gladly replaced two fire rings for me. Good Luck

[stephan]

OUCH Hope everything turns out ok, keep us posted.

[SmokeHouse Blues]

I guess I'll build a reliable UDS rather than buy a ceramic now:) LOL Seriously, I hope it turns out well for you.

[retired trucker]

One thing about the UdS is the over all cost to replace if something happens to it. (Stolen, run over, rusts through, or change favorite sports team ) It is a great economical smoker, but alas, it is not the only way to cook Q. ( check out Cowgirl's rim cooker, cinder block walls with a grate and a piece of tin or plywood for a cover, or something as simple as a chimney with a grate over it to cook a steak) There are all kinds of ways to cook outside, and hundreds of ways to smoke meat.

Saying all that to point out that there is no one "Best" cooker. It just takes some heat source and a way to contain that to surround the meat to turn out some great Q and other food outdoors.

Hope all turns out well for your EGG!

Have a Blessed day!

Omar

[BRBBQ]

looks bad for sure

[BBQ_MAFIA]

I had no issues when dealing with the BGE customer service. They asked for a photo of the damage and replaced the parts right away. Good luck and I hope your issue gets solved as quickly as mine did.

[Fwismoker]

I've never seen an UDS owner that didn't think they were too cool for school for all other cookers......Just say'n. :crazy:
:cool:

[Fwismoker]

Sounds like the warranty is clear, you should be good!

[NickTheGreat]

Hope they come through for you :thumb:

[Brauma]

I've been rough on my Eggs - taking them to comps. Knock on wood... so far; so good. Hope the Mother Ship does you right.

[charrederhead]

Sounds like you should be good re: the free replacement. Good luck!

[Stoke&Smoke]

I've had my large egg about 10 years. My first firebox cracked apart and they sent me one pronto. My original didn't have the expansion slot but the replacement does.
Only caveat was I had to pay shipping. Never saw one crack like that bowl except if it was dropped, and then they usually fall into pieces.

If I had it to do again, I might go Big Steel Keg just for the sake of durability, but BGE stands by their product, and I love mine, despite its occasional fragility

[BillyVoltaire]

I guess I am lucky in that I get to deal with the BGE Mothership in Atlanta when I have a problem. I have walked in with a cracked firebox before and have the guy working hand me a box with a new one in it before I ever said a word, the customer service there is phenomenal.

BV

[Skip]

Wow I am surprised so many say this would steer them away. With all the good talk about BGE's support I am more inclined to buy one. I am now wishing I didn't go cheaper and buy a Kamado Joe.

[loco_engr]

Hopefully you have a "good" dealer that knows how to handle this claim. Used to be a dealer in Waldorf that had Eggfests, Dizzy Pig in Manassas, also.
HTH

[Zippylip]

Mostly repetitive but here's my BGE warranty story. I bought a large 10 years ago. After several years of heavy use the fire box broke, continued using it for another several years until it literally caved in & was unusable. When I pulled it out I noticed I also had a hairline crack in the base. I made a warranty claim on the base, box & ring (basically 3/4ths of the entire egg). Initially, had a nightmare of a time getting my 'dealer' to help me, complete douchebag of an outfit. I sent an email down to HQ in Tucker & the experience was just the opposite, phenomenal, just as I had been led to believe by most of the stories was aware of from friends & acquaintances; all parts were immediately replaced & life went on.

So yea, ceramics will fracture over time, just comes with the territory - they will all eventually crack (particularly the innards and more particularly if you do a good number of abusive high temp cooks like I do - pizzas). But, until further notice, as long as BGE offers the kind of warranty they do, it can really save your ass as it did mine. The total for the parts if I had to buy them was around $400. This is something to consider for anyone in the market for a ceramic that doesn't have a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer or if buying a BGE second hand (warranty not transferable).

[mchar69]

This is something to consider for anyone in the market for a ceramic that doesn't have a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer or if buying a BGE second hand (warranty not transferable).

This is good to know. Saw a guy who's ceramic vent cap got dropped and broken, he epoxied together.
I'll stick w/ my UDS. (bada bing) And kettles.

[smoke ninja]

Sounds like some have egg envy......... I know I do.

[Zippylip]

This is good to know. Saw a guy who's ceramic vent cap got dropped and broken, he epoxied together.
I'll stick w/ my UDS. (bada bing) And kettles.

Absolutely, no manufacturer will warrant operator error, and ceramic cookers are most certainly susceptible to breakage. That said, I have 3 of them acquired over the course of a decade & I’ve yet to break any one of them (or any part thereof) through my own actions (only heat related fractures described above), but that said, mine are all stationary & truthfully short of going at one of them with a hammer there’s really little to no chance I’ll break one. But I’m in that stationary camp, many others move their cookers around for either camping or tailgating or even in & out of a garage for use..., for those, the odds of breakage go dramatically skyward. If I were in a situation where my cooker had to be moved often for whatever reason there’s no way I’d go ceramic, I’d stick with kettles & other indestructible metal cookers

[Turtlepower_SF]

Wow I had a Vision Kamado I used regularly for two years, sometimes a 600+ degrees, I only ended up with a hairline crack in the firebowl that never got any worse. For the price of the BGE that shouldnt happen, especially to the outer shell. Maybe Primo or Kamado Joe is the way to go now

[smokinjim]

UPDATE. I received an email from AD at 7:15 this am saying that the warranty claim had been submitted to BGE with pictures provided. I will continue to update as it progresses... Numerous replies on BGE's Forum of quick replacements by BGE of major ceramic components as promised in warranty.

[NickTheGreat]

Sounds like they're on it! :grin:

[smokinb]

Ceramics crack. Lifetime warranty takes away any fears. Ceramic cookers are very efficient, compared to non-insulated cookers, like UDS units. To each their own. I like the fact that my grill dome can hold 225 for 24 hours on one load of lump with very little adjustment. I would also appreciate the low cost of entry to bbq with the UDS.

[Zippylip]

Wow I had a Vision Kamado I used regularly for two years, sometimes a 600+ degrees, I only ended up with a hairline crack in the firebowl that never got any worse. For the price of the BGE that shouldnt happen, especially to the outer shell. Maybe Primo or Kamado Joe is the way to go now

Two years isn’t much of a test-run, the hairline cracks in my egg firebox probably began developing after that, maybe around year 3, and following another 3+ years of heavy high temp use it finally caved. I think the newer age fire boxes with the pre-cut divider have gone a great distance towards lengthening the lifespan, mine has been in for few years of constant abusively hot cooks without issue so far. As for the thought that BGE ceramic shouldn’t crack especially for the price, well maybe in a perfect world that’s a nice thought, but it’s my belief that eventually they’ll all crack irrespective of the manufacturer (it’s all essentially the same stuff, enhanced clay). I think the real question is when your ceramic eventually does crack, particularly after a good long run of say 10-15 years or more from now, which of the ceramic manufacturers will replace the cracked part(s) at zero charge? There’s only one that I know of*.

Ceramic cookers are a wee bit on the temperamental side, for all their great attributes they definitely have their drawbacks and breakability is on that list. Ceramic is not metal and when anyone makes the decision to go ceramic they oughta know upfront they’re not getting an indestructible cooker.

*Edit: I'm not saying there aren't others besides BGE, it's just the only one I'm aware of.

[spyre]

Kamado Joe also has a lifetime warranty on all ceramic parts and includes free shipping for any warranty parts as well.

[smokinjim]

My apologies for not updating this until now. Did so on the Egghead forum but forgot to do so here.

A follow up on the replacement parts... About 7 weeks have passed and I have received the replacement fire bowl and base for my XL Egg. The people at BGE were great! The delays were due to poor communication between the AD's staff and their innability to read. Each box had "this side up" on all four sides of the box. Each part was found in the warehouse sitting on its side. The first replacement base was cracked from top to bottom in two places, obviously dropped on its side... Everyone was furious. I was told by the AD that we had to run through the warranty process again, submit pics... I emailed customer service at BGE in Georgia and they intervened, second base took a week to get. The second replacement base was found in the AD's warehouse again, sitting on its side! Fortunately it was in tact. The good news is that I didn't have to pay for any shipping and as promised, BGE's warranty is good!

[DubfromGA]

Cool.


Very glad it turned out well for you !!!!

[Sausage Warrior]

Great to hear. They have been solid through the years with their warrantee. Happy customers and great warrantee = very little advertising costs for BGE