Future BBQ Directions

[Commander Cody]

and.....I..... yours

kevin

[Narmnaleg]

Sometimes just getting up Is not an option Also small handles and weighty lids are not an option along with lots of bending or kneeling to fiddle with vents.

Here is a picture of someone using a WSM:

[Gumb]

And here's a picture of someone using a kamado.

[aussieant32]

was going to say the exact same thing, a WSM would be a nightmare for someone who has trouble getting up and down in my opinion.

I would go for the Akorn or Dragon. Not sure how the ceramics differ but mine hold temps solid for a long time. Had my dragon 6 hours solid on Sunday when I took the meat out, 4-5 hours later with the vents closed it had only dropped 10 degrees or so

[Commander Cody]

Sometimes just getting up Is not an option Also small handles and weighty lids are not an option along with lots of bending or kneeling to fiddle with vents.

Here is a picture of someone using a WSM:

yeah but........

you can build a nice wrap around work bench for the WSM...........OK, and ya can do dat for the kamado too i 'spose.

the cleaning of the kamado has to be more difficult. i remember ash and little bitty charcoals hiding in the sides of the fire thing. and that my friends would put a strain on his cronicals. bending over to clean the ashes. where as the WSM...............you just grab the bottom section and throw the ash on your garden.

talking ash.....i believe the kamado will choke out quite easy on a long cook due to ash build up.

'k......i'll 'fess up......i just don't like thum........they are to......well.....you need to baby sit thum more, that's all. if you don't have a maverick or same. any-how using mavericks is cheating....that's not how you make BBQ..........real.

just to spannerize your thoughts.........maybe a pellet grill or the other one (pellet smoker) might be the go for you. just set and forget, you get a sort of cooked over hardwood flavor, and it is at a good height, the only thing that might be a problem for over night cook-outs........would be the constant hum on the fan.

i am sure there will be a pellet smoker that starts with a Y coming up for sale soon.........there is at least one a week.

kevin

[Commander Cody]

was going to say the exact same thing, a WSM would be a nightmare for someone who has trouble getting up and down in my opinion.

I would go for the Akorn or Dragon. Not sure how the ceramics differ but mine hold temps solid for a long time. Had my dragon 6 hours solid on Sunday when I took the meat out, 4-5 hours later with the vents closed it had only dropped 10 degrees or so

same response to the above.

cleaning the ash pan and setting the bottom damper.

just get a pellet pooper if getting up and down is a nightmare..........you might not be charcoaling............but you are still using pure hard wood pellets

kevin

[aussieant32]

guess its hard not being in the position to say for sure.

I find the steel kamado very easy to clean, but I have not had a ceramic one to compare.

Maybe its best to get to a store and see how a few work and go from there.

[Narmnaleg]

the cleaning of the kamado has to be more difficult.

We all have our biases I guess, but any BBQ will require some cleaning. A vacuum cleaner makes cleaning the kamado quite easy. Not only that, but a blast at 400c will carbonise everything nicely too which makes cleaning the cast iron grates easy as well.

you need to baby sit thum more

OK, now you must be joking! Next time you're down here say hello and I'll show you how to use it because you were doing it wrong!!!
I set my BSK at night and come back 12 hours later to find the same temp and I don't use ANY automated system, just vents. No choking, no fuss, no adding extra fuel mid cook, no topping up water pans, no worrying about wind, etc.

[Keeper]

Any solid fuel BBQ is going to have ash to clean out. Is there another member of the household that can do that part when the location of the ash tray (down low) is an issue? The Akorn and dragon have a tray/dish that has latches to undo and slides out from the bottom. This may be difficult as it's low and has the latches that hold it tight once it's slid into place.

The Weber Smokey Mountain retails for around $699. That's above the budget of around $500. If it's up on a bench then the top would be very high as the unit is around 1m tall.

The current prices of the Dragon and Akorn are in budget. They will also give the smokey flavour. A kettle will do the job as well and they are within the budget.

Pellet cookers start around $749 for a Davey Crockett and would need to be put on a bench. It's not the largest BBQ out there so this may be an issue. If this is possible then as it's a horizontal design rather than vertical then this could work (if the budget is there). An offset smoker is also a horizontal design and would get that smokey flavour and you can play with fire. I'm not sure if that's something the OP can/wants to do.

To the OP go and play with a few BBQ's at different stores. Good luck and I hope you work out the best compromise for your situation.

[Keeper]

Or get a kettle off Ebay or Gumtree for around $50 and see how you go with it

[Commander Cody]

you need to baby sit thum more

OK, now you must be joking! Next time you're down here say hello and I'll show you how to use it because you were doing it wrong!!!
I set my BSK at night and come back 12 hours later to find the same temp and I don't use ANY automated system, just vents. No choking, no fuss, no adding extra fuel mid cook, no topping up water pans, no worrying about wind, etc.

yeah i am thinking you might be right there on this one.............the frustrations of setting the old timer up were, to me just a pain and i lost the desire to drive the old timer anymore.

mine was the imperial number 5 and it had nothing to help with deflection and real estate exxpansion, so i had to improvise. and when the Mrs saw that i had flogged her cast iron griddle andtook the handle orf................the recovery i am afraid was not complete i tells ya, all sorts of confusion set in. and i just had to unload that little trouble maker......real quick......

i am sure the modern ones are better.........but the op wants to cook for quite a few people, and i am sure the kamado of the size you blokes are recommending will not come any where near close to a WSM. i can do 3 large beer can chooks, or 14 racks of spare ribs, or 2 full leg in hams........and so on and so on.

i am suree if he is patient a pellet pooper should be up for sale soon. what with all the Y boys updating their toys ( bigger and better Y thingies )

yep just give your BBQ store owner the willies by asking all sorts of questions, and finding out when a dem is being done. just remember the only silly question is the one not asked.

just make sure the store is not BBG 'K i think even i know more than they do.

kevin

[niko123456]

FYI, the Akorn (and presumably the Dragon) will need a hex driver/socket wrench to put it together. It's not too fiddly but needs a good squeeze.

[aussieant32]

dragon didn't? Just needed a screwdriver, i think..

[Sjcampbell]

Guys,

Thanks for all the info. I didn't want this to end up some kind of troll thread that pits Weber against Komado.

You have got my position with the arthritis spot on. I am not worried about assembly as I have a family to help with that. It's the day to day BBQing that is most important.

About purchasing.

Dragon Kamado - In the BBG Galore fine print it says at participating stores only. Closest Participating is Port Macquarie (6hour round trip) and South Tweed (12 Hour Round trip) These would both need O/N stays as my limit to sitting and driving is about 2.5 - 3 hours, then I take pain killers but meds are changing so I hope things will be better in a month or two. Buy one on-line and the shipping amount is $200! Local BBQ Galore will get one in for me at full price + FREIGHT! I would need to see one before I bought so I think the special price is not an option unfortunately.

Akorn - Armidale Bunnings have none, but could get one in "possibly" but it would be $499. I would also have to commit to it sight unseen. They believe the closest ones are Sydney and Melbourne.

Weber - One Touch Silver ($299) and One Touch gold ($399) available in Armidale for RRP. Performer Silver available in Coffs Harbour (5 Hour round trip) at Masters for $539. Local BBQ Galore can get a performer in for RRP ($599)

WSM and ProQ - Both not available in Armidale but WSM available in Coffs Harbour. Armidale BBQ Galore will do a WSM for $699. Closest ProQ to see is I think St Leonards, Sydney and Brisbane. Love the concept of both and the flexibility, particularly the ProQ. I would need to see what the freight was worth getting one to Armidale. ProQ Excel seems to be a better height of me than the Frontier or Ranger.

I know I am not going to get the ideal - life all about compromises - just finding the best one at the moment

Keeper - I have been looking for a Weber Kettle on Ebay and Gumtree for a couple of months now to see how I go with a cheapy. Rare as Rocking Horse S**t up here. Been looking at a few garage sales as well.

Another alternative I suppose is to get a cheap kettle and chuck a PartyQ on it for overnight burns.

........or stick with the gasser.

Cheers
Steve

[Sjcampbell]

Pellet cookers start around $749 for a Davey Crockett and would need to be put on a bench. It's not the largest BBQ out there so this may be an issue. If this is possible then as it's a horizontal design rather than vertical then this could work (if the budget is there). An offset smoker is also a horizontal design and would get that smokey flavour and you can play with fire. I'm not sure if that's something the OP can/wants to do.

To the OP go and play with a few BBQ's at different stores. Good luck and I hope you work out the best compromise for your situation.

Only one BBQ store up here So I am trying to use the collective wisdom to narrow it down before I browse a short list in the big smoke.

I haven't considered a pellet or a offset like the Hark Tri-fire. I'll peruse the threads. You city guys are lucky as you get great second-hand buys coming up all the time Pellets sound good for Overnights.

Cheers
Steve