Grid direction - Feedback please..

[DennisLinkletter]

I'm trying to break down and evaluate each and every component of the new 19.5 OTB to make sure it's design is always the most user friendly and if there is any new twists left to be discovered.

I'd like feedback from the group on the pros and cons of having the rods on the grid being either side to side or from front to rear.

Traditional BBQs are of course pretty much all front to rear.. Maybe using a spatula from left to right across rather than with the rods may dislodge sticking foods better...

What cha all think?

[primeats]

I'd like to see them the opposite way that they are positioned now.

[Firemonkey]

I havent ever really given any thought to the side to side orientation of the KK grates. I have access to walk around 3 sides of my grill, and find that I do stand off to the sides when scraping the grate with my grillfloss. But I always cook from the front.

I do use tongs, almost exclusively, and only use a spatula when doing a large piece of fish, so the current orientation works fine for me.

[Fetzervalve]

I'm thinking at a 45, then either everyone is happy, or everyone is ticked.

I have never really given it much thought, however, I will say that Grill-flossing would be easier with the orientation front-rear.

[trish]

For those who have outdoor kitchens or a setup where there are items to either side of the KK the front to back does make it easier to clean the grates and use the grill floss.

[Zorro]

Hi Dennis,

I think side to side works best because it is easiest to work with the food when you are working parallel with the grids. If you agree that to be the case then you would have 2 sides of the grill available to work with the food parallel with the direction of the grids--left and right with the front leaving you to work with the food crosswise of the direction the grids are running. If you run the grid front to back then the front is the only side of the grill you can work the food parallel with the grid direction because the lid will block the back side.

Side to side is best and provide the most flexibility for working the food under all condtions (like wind blowing smoke in your face). You should leave it like it is.

Zorro

[ThreeDJ16]

I also like it the way it is now. It works, so we know there is not some odd condition that will be created. Also, I like the main grill trap door being on the front. Don't think it will work on the side nearly as well (and if you change the bars, you will more than likely have to move the door). It doesn't take to much of a stretch to clean or move food from the front as well as the side (provided your not doing a really high temp cook).

-=Jasen=-

[Conodo12]

Dennis - I think you see a lot of grills with front to back grid designs because it is cheaper. Most use a thinner grade grate that would never hold up if the rods were left to right. The grid goes from front to rear for the support of the thinner grate rods. Shorter distance, stronger surface. Having said that, there is some wisdom to having the grids go front to back for one reason that I can think of - hamburgers. That's about it. I literally use tongs or gloves for everything else. So, that being the case you could offer a compromise. Continue to ship the Main grill with left to right grids. This also keeps the "trap door" design intact for adding more lump during a cook. Then on the Upper Grill/Sear Grill, make that grid design front to back. Now you can drop that Sear Grate down and flip those burgers. If you use it as the Upper Grill, it won't make a difference which way the grid pattern runs. This allows for both grid designs to be shipped and each with a purpose. Thoughts?

[ThreeDJ16]

Conodo12, that sounds pretty cool. I cooked hamburgers on the sear grill today. Not completely sure that having the rods run front to back would have helped, but it was certainly was fun chasing those things around from side to side. The main thing is to ensure the direction your chasing is butted up against the side wall....or else...oppps. I usually use tongs for everything except hamburgers.

Now, what I really want is a Frankenstein spatula & tong combination. Been thinking about this for a while and hope to try to make one up (or at least look and see if anyone makes such an animal). I want a long handle, with a spatula on one end. The spatula will be one side of the tongs. The handle end can have a lever to close the spatula. The trick part is I want a hinged joint on the spatula/tong end to simplify turning. Anyway, just a for fun project one of these days. ( not like this one - http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/21/spatul ... -bbq-tool/ )

-=Jasen=-

[Firemonkey]

I did burgers today too, except on the main grill.

BTW, I use tongs on burgers, too. Just lift from the sides and flip. If there is a little bit of sticking going on, then the closed tongs can easily be slid under them to get them unstuck.

[johnnyboy]

If you want a K user opinion; I prefer the grids running front to back.

But I hate the trap door handle in front on the K grill, it gets in the way; so I turn the grid sideways. That's why I know I don't like grids running side to side, but it's better than the trap door handle being in the way.

Does anyone use the trap door? Maybe I've been lucky. I've grilled for years and have never used it. But I keep my charcoal level full, check/re-adding at the beginnng of every cook. I've found starting off a cook with a full load of charcoal, is always plenty, including low n slow. The charcoal that isn't used by the time I shut the grill down is saved for next time. (Or better said, "used" to be saved for the next time; before the huge crack all the way through my K wall showed up.)

[ThreeDJ16]

Actually I leave my main grill in place a lot and use the trap door on my KK. It is large enough to insert or remove my heat diffuser, drip pan or top off my charcoal. Also just flip up the door to use my grill starter torch too. So it sees plenty of use so I don't have to lift that heavy 3/8" grill. Just wish the sear grill had a door on it also and I would leave it in place all the time too.

-=Jasen=-

[rorkin]

If you want a K user opinion; I prefer the grids running front to back.

But I hate the trap door handle in front on the K grill, it gets in the way; so I turn the grid sideways. That's why I know I don't like grids running side to side, but it's better than the trap door handle being in the way.

Does anyone use the trap door? Maybe I've been lucky. I've grilled for years and have never used it. But I keep my charcoal level full, check/re-adding at the beginnng of every cook. I've found starting off a cook with a full load of charcoal, is always plenty, including low n slow. The charcoal that isn't used by the time I shut the grill down is saved for next time. (Or better said, "used" to be saved for the next time; before the huge crack all the way through my K wall showed up.)

I hardly use the trap door.. Once and a while I try to sneak in a few hardwood chunks . The real problem is that the head deflector prevents any real access to the embers.. I guess it has some value without the deflector.

Since I always keep the charcoal full when I start, there really is no need to add except perhaps a 20 hour smoke.

[rorkin]

Actually I leave my main grill in place a lot and use the trap door on my KK. It is large enough to insert or remove my heat diffuser, drip pan or top off my charcoal. Also just flip up the door to use my grill starter torch too. So it sees plenty of use so I don't have to lift that heavy 3/8" grill. Just wish the sear grill had a door on it also and I would leave it in place all the time too.

-=Jasen=-

I cant imagine trying to pull out the pizza stone on a hot grill through that door but I guess you can.. THe drip pan is usually full of drippings and that would spill if you tried to pull out through the trap door.

[Firemonkey]

I have never tried adding charcoal through the door, its just too easy to take the grill out to fill the basket. I have occasionally used the door to add smoke wood. With the deflector in place, its just a matter of getting the wood into the gap, up against the lump. I keep a stick or my grillfloss nearby to help it find a spot.

I cant imagine trying to add lump through the trap door with food in place. The dust and mess would be all over the grub!

[Fetzervalve]

+1 on never having used the trap door. The time I had to add lump (my first cook) I took everything out @ 2AM, trap door be damned.

I would also like to have the lower grill completely covered (or a trap door at the very least). I use it almost exclusively for higher temp grilling, and it cuts down on usable area. Not to mention some exciting times when a kabob gets near the edge.

So I'll say it again 45 degrees, just ask if the user is left or right handed!

[primeats]

I have used the trap door to add coal,but I must say, there was a lot of dust. I have found it easier to remove the whole thing as well, in the event of even needing to add anything. I suppose it's a neat idea but I hardly use it anymore, in fact the handle came off after a couple of weeks. I also dropped the upper sear grill the first week and kinda bent it. The rear is no longer in line with the rear of the cooker, but doesn't affect the operation at all. Looks like the consensus is to keep it the way you have it!

[ThreeDJ16]

FYI, for anyone adding charcoal during a cook. You just simply add a handful or two through the door and there is no dust. But it is a rare thing to add during a cook. Maybe a piece of smoke wood. I use the trap door to dump charcoal in at the beginning though.

-=Jasen=-

[DennisLinkletter]

trap door works beautifully for that..

But it is a rare thing to add during a cook. Maybe a piece of smoke wood. I use the trap door to dump charcoal in at the beginning though.

-=Jasen=-

If you have to add fuel it's only because you did not filler 'up when you started. I've done two cooks back to back with out refilling and went over 30 hours and still had a few pieces left.

But I do throw in a piece of smoking wood every now and then and the trap door works beautifully for that..

[Conodo12]

So with the input you have so far, which way are you leaning on the grid direction Dennis? If front to back on the Upper/Sear Grill makes sense, then maybe a taller lip around the bottom of the Upper Grill is in order. This way, if folks are chasing a hamburger with the Upper Grill flipped over (Sear Grill in use) the lip will stop the burgers from heading into the fire!

Thoughts?