What would you consider as the best outdoor smoker?

[mep]

For the here and now, I'm very happy with the Traeger smoker. Here is a picture of it I took yesterday when it was cooking the baby back ribs I posted a picture of during the cooking process.

 

[amirm]

Shame on you Mark. Just a DIY store power cord??? I expect more from you .

BTW, if it is the cord I bought from Lowes, it is an excellent one. I was looking for an extension cord that would attach easily onto my electric vehicle and that was by far the best.

 

[Steve Williams]

No, I don't own the company. Just happy customer....

also thanks Amir

I am narrowing things down here but have 4 questions about Grill Dome vs KK

1. I only see one level of grilling on the Grill Dome. Is there a way to do more levels like the other grills

2. The KK comes with a rotisser. How about the Grill dome? Can it also rotisse?


3. How does one do indirect heating on the Grilldome

4. how much is the largest Grilldome

 

[amirm]

1. I only see one level of grilling on the Grill Dome. Is there a way to do more levels like the other grills

Yes. You buy an accessory for it. http://www.grilldome.com/eshop/prod...ducts_id=32&osCsid=sbm03m4jmb8nn6i5scp492ss54

Actually you buy two of these. One goes into the fire box upside down. There, you put a pizza stone, pottery, etc. that you wrap with aluminum foil. This creates indirect cooking which is what you need for long and slow smokes. Then the second can optionally go on top of the main grates to give you a second level, albeit, a smaller one. This is why you should get the largest unit you can afford to buy as that gives you more height to put more food there.

2. The KK comes with a rotisser. How about the Grill dome? Can it also rotisse?

Not that I have heard. I use my normal weber or indoor unit for that.

3. How does one do indirect heating on the Grilldome

See answer above .

4. how much is the largest Grilldome

Ouch. I just looked and the price has gone way up: http://www.grilldome.com/eshop/index.php?cPath=1_16&osCsid=imi3lvu63q8jrkv9u1gklq3ba1

$1,100 . I have the large: http://www.grilldome.com/eshop/prod...ducts_id=49&osCsid=imi3lvu63q8jrkv9u1gklq3ba1. The XL was not available at the time. At the time, they had no local dealers so shipping was very expensive but I managed to negotiate that down with the owner. I would hope they have a dealer in Bay Area.

BTW, you also need a table for it as otherwise the cooking will be at too low of a level. Worse yet, you will have no way of moving that 400 pound beast as it does not come with wheels! They sell their own tables.

 

[mep]

Shame on you Mark. Just a DIY store power cord??? I expect more from you .

BTW, if it is the cord I bought from Lowes, it is an excellent one. I was looking for an extension cord that would attach easily onto my electric vehicle and that was by far the best.

Actually, where the grill is now is not the permanent home it will be in. I just had an extension added to my deck which makes it 28’ x 16’. I’m waiting for it to be stained, and then I will build the grill gazebo and bolt it to the deck. Then the Traeger will get moved to its new home where I will have an outlet wired to the deck.

The power cord in the picture did come from Menards. Today will be round two with the ribs.

 

[Steve Williams]

were the ribs great Mark

 

[Steve Williams]

In the video they compared ceramic thickness on the Grill dome vs the BGE with the former being thicker. How does ceramic thickness on the Grilldome compare with the KK

 

[Steve Williams]

I have read several posts in these threads talking about "Q" when heating. Could someone share what that means

 

[amirm]

I have read several posts in these threads talking about "Q" when heating. Could someone share what that means

You mean what "Q" means? If so, it is short for Barbecue (meat). "'Cue" .... Q

 

[mep]

Steve-The ribs were great. The only *rub* I have with the rub recipe is that I would like less sweet and more heat. By volume, brown sugar and regular sugar are the two dominant ingrediants. I will be looking forward to eating them again today though.

 

[Steve Williams]

You mean what "Q" means? If so, it is short for Barbecue (meat). "'Cue" .... Q

Duh ....I am embarrassed

 

[amirm]

Oh boy. I just checked the prices at Komoda and they are approaching $4,000! Wow. I would get the $1,000 GD unit and put the rest toward food you cook in it! . Let me see if I can find the thickness specs....

 

[lasercd]

Just to point out the benefits of the oval design of the Primo. Here is a 3 inch thick porterhouse steak that I smoked with hickory for an hour and then finished off direct over the lump. You can do this with a round kamado but its a much bigger hassle.

 

[Greg_R]

lasercd gave the updated version of the issues I had with KK. I was introduced to these ceramic smokers by someone who had bought the KK. The said the wait time was crazy few months. I tried emailing them to find out if that was the case and got no response. Read forum posts and it basically said if the thing arrives in one piece and stays there without the tiles falling off, you are OK. If not, getting customer service was next to impossible. On their forum, they would delete anyone saying negative stuff and were pretty obnoxious about it. All in all, it really put a bad taste in my mouth as it had done with others.

Are you talking about Komodo Kamado or Kamado * (multiple name changes, now Kamado USA IIRC?)? There is a long, sordid history with the later company that people can read about here --> http://www.kamadofraudforum.org/. Do not get these brands confused!

I have never heard of someone's tiles falling off a KK (including in the private owners area of the forum). I -have- heard about damage in transit; most of these problems were resolved with improved packaging methods. I also have not seen ANY negative posts deleted and all the problems addressed. Sorry if this sounds like fan-boyism but I think you were on that "other" Kamado forum (where everything you describe does in fact occur).

 

[Greg_R]

2. Heavy as hell. When I was checking out ceramic grills I seriously considered the KK. At the time I had an elevated deck that was almost 25 years old. The KK weighs about 450 pounds if I'm not mistaken. I saw photos of purchasers having their KK installed on their decks with a crane. This was a non-starter for me.

I can't think of any possible reason why a crane would be required. Two in-shape people can carry the bottom by itself and then the top and then the grates (450lbs is the shipping weight, not the weight of the grill). If you can't lift ~75 lbs then a call to some piano movers would make short work of any installation.

Many repair parts and accessories are kept here in the U.S. (IIRC in LA and Florida warehouses). I agree that it is not the same as driving over to your local dealer & getting a problem immediately resolved.

 

[Greg_R]

In the video they compared ceramic thickness on the Grill dome vs the BGE with the former being thicker. How does ceramic thickness on the Grilldome compare with the KK

The ceramics are different formulations so you can't make an apples to apples comparison. I will tell you that I can hold my hand on the outside of my KK (which uses a 2 layer material) when it's @ 375F internal & fully warmed up. IMO there is no need to make it thicker if it's just warm to the touch on the outside!

 

[Steve Williams]

all good to know Greg

 

[Greg_R]

Just to point out the benefits of the oval design of the Primo. Here is a 3 inch thick porterhouse steak that I smoked with hickory for an hour and then finished off direct over the lump. You can do this with a round kamado but its a much bigger hassle.

I'm not understanding what the advantage is? With -any- ceramic you can do the same exact thing that you're describing. If you are talking about the 2-piece heat spreader then don't you need to lift out the top grate regardless of cooker style?

 

[Keith_W]

I'm not understanding what the advantage is? With -any- ceramic you can do the same exact thing that you're describing. If you are talking about the 2-piece heat spreader then don't you need to lift out the top grate regardless of cooker style?

Not really. It is not easy to switch from indirect heat to direct on a round Kamado. With mine, I have to remove the top grill, remove the heat deflector, then replace the top grill - while all this is hot, mind you. It makes me wish I bought a Primo in the first place.

 

[lasercd]

I'm not understanding what the advantage is? With -any- ceramic you can do the same exact thing that you're describing. If you are talking about the 2-piece heat spreader then don't you need to lift out the top grate regardless of cooker style?

Never heard the term heat spreader but I assume you mean the deflector plates. I can set the Primo up with just one D plate. This leaves half of the Primo with the lump exposed. I cook indirect over the deflector plate and then when I'm ready to sear the meat I open the vents and move the meat over to the side where the lump is. With a round kamado you need to remove the deflector plate to get to the lump.