BGE to KK user Evaluations/Experience

[Wobster]

On 3/29/2022 at 7:42 PM, Cheesehead_Griller said:

Congrats! What color and shape tile did you chose?

I ordered my 32" BB in November. I went with the blue cobalt square tile. I'm hoping it's delivered by the end of April. (Fingers crossed) This will be my first kamado cooker so I'm looking forward to learning process. I'm stoked.

Funny story. Of course, over the past four and a half months I've talked about the KK quite a bit. I've showed my kids photos, asked everyone their preference in tiles, openly discussed accessories to order, etc. At a family birthday party last week my wife and I overhear our four year old daughter telling her 13 year old cousin what we are getting. My daughter proudly states "Luci, we are getting a Komodo Kamado." My wife and I looked at each other and laughed. Needless to say, Luci was puzzled as to what a Komodo Kamado was. It was quite funny. The wait will not only drive you crazy but also those around you. Hahah 😜 

I also got Cobalt Blue Square Tiles. My wife is a professional artist and color was her choice. I think she coordinated it with our Pizza Oven (Picture attached, hopefully)

[Wobster]

On 3/29/2022 at 6:43 PM, C6Bill said:

A 4th of July cookout would be nice 👍 

I completely agree…hoping for June delivery 🤞

[Wobster]

On 3/30/2022 at 10:13 AM, johnnymnemonic said:

I haven't cooked on my BGE for over 2 months now.  I have had my KK about 5 months. (42SBB).

I still like the BGE, I can't lie about that.  What I love about the KK is all the space.  And because it is so thick, it really does make better BBQ.  The 42SBB is an awesome awesome grill (and pretty good smoker). I can give a full review one day on that.  food quality - better than perfect - even with smoking.  My main gripe is "temperature control to a single degree" like the quote by stephen raichlen. I feel smaller KK models may be better with this.  Low and slow - no issue.  When I'm going mid-temp like 275 even sometimes when I'm using the Thermoworks Billows WITH the damper, sometimes I'm getting 300.  Do I care about this? not really - it's in the ball park and totally fine.  I have been doing this kamado cooking long enough to know you don't mess with it too much.  And - I'm totally satisfied TBH.  I just made brisket AND pork shoulder at the same time yesterday.  Both turned out super well.

Congrats on your purchase!  You will not regret it.

I also have a Thermoworks billows, anything I need to know to know about using it with the KK? Do I need a different adapter plate (or will the supplied one for the BBQ Guru work?) 

[Cheesehead_Griller]

4 minutes ago, Wobster said:

I also got Cobalt Blue Square Tiles. My wife is a professional artist and color was her choice. I think she coordinated it with our Pizza Oven (Picture attached, hopefully)

Wow, that is one hell of a pizza oven. It's beautiful. The Cobalt Blue square tile KK will look fantastic next to that beast! 

[Wobster]

20 hours ago, Poochie said:

Congratulation Wobster. It seems like you got your order in before Dennis announced his price increase. I've got a 32" and I can keep it going at whatever temperature I need. A controller helps with overnight low and slows, but it'll purr at 250-275 with the right vent settings. I have a 22 and 32 and they both are super easy to use. My son has the 22 right now in another city. Bottom line is that you'll love it.  And the bonus is all the free advice you get here. 

When I was talking to Dennis on the phone he told me my timing was perfect regarding the price increase. Been looking at these for a few years now, glad I didn't wait longer! I agree that the forum is full of useful information! 

[johnnymnemonic]

8 minutes ago, Wobster said:

I also have a Thermoworks billows, anything I need to know to know about using it with the KK? Do I need a different adapter plate (or will the supplied one for the BBQ Guru work?) 

Yep, you want one of these: https://www.thermoworks.com/billows-mounting-kit/. (click "universal"). SKU: TX-1611X-M3
And if you don't have one of these, get this, too.  https://www.thermoworks.com/tx-1609x-bd/

Edited March 31, 2022 by johnnymnemonic

[DennisLinkletter]

On 3/31/2022 at 1:13 AM, johnnymnemonic said:

The 42SBB 
My main gripe is "temperature control to a single degree" like the quote by stephen raichlen. I feel smaller KK models may be better with this.  Low and slow - no issue.  When I'm going mid-temp like 275 even sometimes when I'm using the Thermoworks Billows WITH the damper, sometimes I'm getting 300.  

One of the challenges with the 42 is that when you open the lid and play for a minute or three and then close it you're adding so much oxygen that you get a 30 to 50° temperature change.  It does go back down but it takes a while. That being said I know exactly where the ear on my damper top needs to be for 235 and as long as I don't mess with it it goes there every time and does stay there.. I'm guessing you like to futz with your cooks and you open it up multiple times.  Maybe you should try choking back the fan on your temperature control device.

[BOC]

One of the challenges with the 42 is that when you open the lid and play for a minute or three and then close it you're adding so much oxygen that you get a 30 to 50° temperature change.  It does go back down but it takes a while. That being said I know exactly where the ear on my damper top needs to be for 235 and as long as I don't mess with it it goes there every time and does stay there.. I'm guessing you like to futz with your cooks and you open it up multiple times.  Maybe you should try choking back the fan on your temperature control device.

Not sure if you’d recommend it on a 42” Dennis, but on my 32” to try to minimize any temp jump when I have to open for a few minutes, like to sauce up ribs in the final stage for example, I will close the bottoms vents while I’m futzing. Always reopen them just before I close it. It doesn’t completely stop a rise, but I’ve found it helps.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Wobster]

3 hours ago, johnnymnemonic said:

Yep, you want one of these: https://www.thermoworks.com/billows-mounting-kit/. (click "universal"). SKU: TX-1611X-M3
And if you don't have one of these, get this, too.  https://www.thermoworks.com/tx-1609x-bd/

Ordered, thanks! 

[johnnymnemonic]

5 hours ago, DennisLinkletter said:

One of the challenges with the 42 is that when you open the lid and play for a minute or three and then close it you're adding so much oxygen that you get a 30 to 50° temperature change.  It does go back down but it takes a while. That being said I know exactly where the ear on my damper top needs to be for 235 and as long as I don't mess with it it goes there every time and does stay there.. I'm guessing you like to futz with your cooks and you open it up multiple times.  Maybe you should try choking back the fan on your temperature control device.

Nope. I'm an experienced kamado user and I do not open my lid very much at all, nor make big adjustments to my vent settings or anything else.  "If you're lookin' you're not cookin'".  I typically open my grill for smoking briskets and pork butts 1) to put the food on.  2) to wrap if I want to wrap.  3) to take the food off.  In this case I was doing brisket and pork butt at the same time, so I was opening the grill a little more often (wrapped brisket and pork butt at different times and of course one meat was done before the other).  I'm guessing it's because when I was wrapping the food I left the lid open.  The temp rose and stayed around 300 for the rest of my cook, so I do think you are right that I fed the fire when I opened the lid for a couple of minutes which is a pretty long time with as big of a grill as this is - that's letting a ton of air in.  The image below shows you where I set my damper on my billows for low and slow, even in the big 'ol 42.  I only open this 2 or 3 clicks which is about double the opening when I'm doing 275.

I may not know where my top damper should be.  Maybe I could have closed it just a bit more.  I know where mine needs to be too for low and slow- been very successful at 225-235 and the grill staying very low and fully heat soaked on long cooks.  It's just those mid temps.  It'll hold 350-375 rock steady and won't rise much.  It'll hold low and slow.  I just haven't gotten it dialed in yet at the 275 temp.  I feel like it always wants to be at 300.  Which isn't a big deal - like I said in my original post it's in the ballpark.

I will try to figure out a system where I'm reaching in and grabbing a piece of meat and closing the lid back quick while I'm wrapping my food, then opening it back quickly to put the wrapped food back on and see if that helps. 

Look man, I'm not knocking the product - it's the best product I've ever used - by far.  ESPECIALLY for grilling - well and smoking a HUGE amount of food in an actual Kamado - I mean there's nothing else you can use that cooks as much food and isn't a stick burner or a huge rectangular box of an electric smoker or something.  I'm just saying "temperature control to a single degree" doesn't seem to apply to the 42.  that's all I'm saying, and I think it's true.  This means I might be buying another grill from you soon..... Like maybe a 23 ultimate.

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by johnnymnemonic