Big Green Egg firebox cracked in half after less than a year

[hedonsmbot]

I've never done a high temperature cook (still on original gasket) and I've never allowed any moisture to get inside.

Despite that, today I noticed this ugly crack.

Does anyone know how good BGE is with warranty? I've already emailed the retailer who sold it but so far I've just gotten an auto-reply saying due to COVID, blah, blah, blah, please be patient.

I'm assuming I can continue to cook on it as normal until BGE sends me a new firebox.

Worst case scenario: Big Green Egg sucks and they make me pay for the replacement, how much $ am I looking at?

 

[Kfoley]

Not sure about BGE, but I have cracked the firebox on my Primo and is long as lump charcoal is not falling out I still cook. My firebox is currently in two pieces and I am still cooking.

 

[LYU370]

Yes you can continue to cook on it. Lifetime warranty to the original purchaser if I recall. Don't recall how the BGE warranty works, I believe they send it to your retailer and you pick it up from there. That's just a small crack, I'd wait until it separates before getting a new one.

My Kamado Joe firebox cracked recently, mine lasted four years. KJ sends it out directly to the consumer. Just got it this week.

Someone with an Egg will probably chime in soon to confirm things.

 

[robertm]

Uncommon on BGE now that they have the built in expansion joint. Green Egg is excellent as far as replacing parts as long as you are the original owner. I believe you go through the retailer you bought from. If you don't get response or satisfaction from them just get in touch with BGE directly. They pride themselves on customer support so allow them to support you.

 

[Smoking Piney]

Lifetime warranty on the ceramics.

Contact your dealer with pics. BGE is is pretty good on honoring the warranty.

 

[austintx]

I had both the base and firebox replaced on my LBGE last year after 7 years of ownership. Process was very easy - I am the original owner and went through the store I made the original purchase. Sent pictures of the problems and picked up the replacement parts in a week or so. Very happy with the support from BGE. As others have said - you must be the original owner.

 

[zippy12]

Thanks for showing us your crack

 

[Dmaxman]

I have changed my firebox twice. No issues with having it done under warranty. Second time was with a dealer that I didn’t purchase it from and still had decent service. Had to wait a few weeks till they got it but I was still cooking with the crack with zero problems.

 

[16Adams]

I read a theory that the fireboxes crack when the heat is concentrated while use your deflection plates. I think eggheads call them plate setters. 99% of the time in my Primo I use the Primo Ceramic deflector plates. Mine cracked(or I noticed it cracked ) the first time I used the cast iron divider. Another theory is that the cast iron coal grate expands and warps causing stress in the ceramic. I’m thinking cast iron and ceramic don’t play nice at temp.
Two of my BGE friends pushed the bowl back together stuffed foil balls between firebox and shell. One replaced grate with the kickash system. I did the foil ball trick and have my Warranty Firebox in the shed. Newer firebox on a Primo now has a built in expansion joint much larger than your crack. My son’s Vision firebox has an expansion joint. I’m guessing newer Eggs do as well. Bottom line, check your coal grate for deformity as well

 

[billbek]

I thought from the photo that the fire ring was upside down but it appears that the new Eggs have these indents on the bottom of the fire ring.
Looking at some new fire bowls it looks like they have an expansion joint in them like the other manufacturers have been doing for a while.
https://biggreenegg.com/product/big-green-egg-fire-box/

 

[darita]

Looks like you now have your own expansion joint in place. In my Primo, I wired my old firebox together just to keep it from spreading apart, while waiting for a new one. I ended up keeping the new one for years as a spare. The wired one still works perfectly.