Naldo Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Hi Everyone, This is Ron & Rena from Port Angeles, WA. We are oh-so-close to receiving our new baby KOmodo Gen II in Glass Black with charcoal grout. We are so excited I can't even put it into words (bit I'll try)!... Dennis called earlier this week and sent us a pic of our first-born and then told us that it has hit the water--yay! I owned a K5 (from that OTHER company) for 10 years when living with someone else, and it actually was one of the best purchases I've ever made. However, I attempted another purchase from them last year around June '07, and it was one of--if not THE--single worst experiences of my life. That whole story is a topic for another post OR perhaps for that other forum out there that details those bad experience with the "other guys". Other than a beautiful pic from DennisLink showing us our new baby boy (I say "boy" because we went with the gas option--he he), we have not received our baby yet, but I felt it was time to introduce myself (and my lady) to the forum here. I've been following the posts since I placed my order, and I want to say thanks to everyone that posts, as it has been very educational, entertaining, and valuable information, as I'm sure it will continue to be. We obviously have not even received the cooker yet, and I already know it's going to be just awesome. We are truly excited and we look forward to the fun that will go along with owning the best cooker out there. I found that one of the best things about the cooker is how much of a conversation piece it is. When you combine the incredible food with the way it functions--people's jaws just drop! Anyway, we look forward to receiving our baby, and as soon as we do, I will post KOmodo pics and, of course, as soon as I can, cooking pics. Thanks, Ron & Rena Port Angeles, WA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trish Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Welcome to the forum. You will not be disappointed with your Komodo. I had a similar experience that you described....1st purchase from the other guy ok....second a nightmare. But you are soon to be ecstatic as this KK is more than twice as good as the 'OTHER' one. This forum is a lot more enjoyable as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeDJ16 Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Welcome to the forum.....welcome to the club! You would be amazed at how many of us used to own or almost bought a grill from that other company and have so gladly found our way here. Personally I sold my POSK when I read the writing on the wall...or rather the tiles falling off it. But anyway, as you mentioned, that is for the other forum. Again, welcome and glad you have enjoyed your experience here so far. Look forward to your pics and possible sharing some recipes! -=Jasen=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobvoeh Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Welcome to the forum !! Great choice of color, or is that a shade... To give you an idea on delivery day, see this thread. I hope your delivery person is more helpful than mine, he would only get it as far as the garage. We had to roll it through the yard to the back patio using 2 pieces of plywood, but it rolls real nice. Good luck and enjoy !!!! Bob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naldo Posted June 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Thanks for all the replies so far! Trish, I must comment on your KK. I remember seeing it in the KK phonto section. That is one beautiful machine. Jason, thanks also for the welcome. It seems you are most helpful admin-ing the site, and, if I remember right, you too have a Glass Black beauty. As far as pics--you bet--I can't wait to share and post, and I always wait with anticipation at all the other great cooking photos and recipes from everyone else as well. Bob, I've obviously seen many of your posts since you just recently received your KK, and I know it too is the same color (or shade). Thnkas for the link to your thread on delivery. I do have to get the Kooker up to two steps onto our deck, but that should not be difficult. Actually, now that I think about it, I'd love to find out from Dennis what my KK # is--and also is that owner number OR KK number (some people have multiple KKs). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChefJeff Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Hey Ron and Rena, You and I are happily in the same boat!---although, I'm not exactly sure if my forthcoming K.K. is at sea yet. Today I sent Dennis via PayPal, the final payment for our new baby, so I know things are coming together. Like you, I experienced another brand of ceramic cooker in the past. It's value to me, was experiencing foods cooked to perfection in this unique type of cooker. This time around, I know how well machined Dennis's ceramic cooker is, and the cooking results will surely be off the charts ummmazing. In my last cooker, I became quite the pizza pro, and I'm obsessing like crazy about the incredible pies that I'm going to be putting out. Unlike a lot of folks who've had success firing up their cookers to incendiary temperatures for pizzas, I've been most successful in the 450º range. I'm leaning towards getting a BBQ Guru, and I'm doing my fair share of obsessing over a rotisserie as well. Knowing how juicy and crispy skinned I've ceramically (did I just make up a word?) cooked chickens before in my old ceramic cooker, makes me shiver, anticipating the possibilities from a rotisserie charcoal fired bird. What I've always experienced from ceramic cooking is that the nature of cooking over lump, imparts a smoky quality to foods. I never became adept at adding wood chunks to the lump charcoal for a slow smoke smoldering, but it never mattered, as like I said, the lump added plenty of flavor. In time I'll hopefully learn if it's strictly a matter of technique, when it comes to adding the wood chunks. Happy cooks to you both Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidS Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Welcome to the group. You will some be a HAPPY CAMPER. I too had a couple of the other companies cookers. You will be a lot happier with your KK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naldo Posted June 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Pizza Stone? Hi ChefJeff, Thanks for the kind words and input. I'm wondering if you purchased a pizza stone in the past? One thing I'll be looking for right away is good pizza stone that is either square or circular, so we can do bread and pizzas. Dennis had told me that he would not be sending one with my KK---something to do with the material not releasing properly--if I remember correctly. As far as the rotisserie--I agree, and I will definitely be ordering that from EZQue ASAP, but my KK will still be en route trhrough June, and I'm hoping to have it by 4th of July weekend, but based on Dennis's feedback to me it will be sopmetime the week after that probably, so I have some time to get some additional accessories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naldo Posted June 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Hi DavidS, Hey, thanks also for the nice welcome. I just went and loked at all your posts. I see you are using your old K as a table next to your KK--that's sad and funny all at the same time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChefJeff Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Well Ron, Since we are in the same boat, perhaps my K.K. will also not be including the pizza stone. Guess I'll find out. As for my previous pizza stone, it was something that came with my Primo cooker, and I suppose it was made of the same material that the cooker was. It was round, and about 14 inches in diameter. I would place an extender rack on the main grill, and then put the stone directly onto the elevated rack. There was no such a thing as a heat deflector in my Primo, but I never had a hint of the stone possibly cracking. A downside to grilling pizzas in the Primo, was that it cooked unevenly. Eventually I learned that halfway through the cook, I would open the lid, and rotate the entire pie. One thing I will wholeheartedly suggest is that whatever stone you purchase, a pizza "screen" will have you ecstatically happy. Pizza screens are not like metal pans with perforated holes---I've got those too. A pizza screen is a VERY openly meshy surface, and it has a very thin metal rim. Simply roll your dough, and place it onto a pammed meshy screen, and assemble your toppings. The screen is placed onto the hot stone for a fabulous pizza cook. No using a pizza peel to slide the dough, and no worries about any of the toppings moving around during placement for the cook. Presently, for my gas grill, I use a 15 1/2 inch round stone by a company called Fibrament (bakingstone.com). It's a pretty amazing stone, if I do say. The stone is very thick, and they manufacture stones for indoor ovens, as well as outdoor grills. I think that you can get them custom made to your liking as well. Their stones for outdoor grills are different than for indoors. Fibrament claims that you should never put a stone directly over an open flame. As I said, I never had a problem with my Primo, but maybe that was because of elevating like I did. Fibrament's stone has a dedicated metal pan that it nests in. Supposedly the metal has the same heat conductivity as the stone, so you are getting all of the heat soaking potential of using a stone alone. The only negative to the Fibrament stone is the one time seasoning, before usage. It was an hours long process that you do in your indoor oven, gradually upping the temperature to completely dry out the stone. I did this on a Sherman Oaks summer day that was 105º, so my house was pretty toasty, to say the very least. One has to be careful of not getting the stone wet, or you will have to do the seasoning all over again. I've done a ton of pizza cooks, and it is easy to keep the stone from getting wet. Wow---a long winded answer to your simple question. If "Cinders" doesn't come with a stone, I'll use my Fibrament. I'm including a pic of one of the Primo pizza cooks. Notice how one half is markedly darker than the other. From all that I've read, Dennis's K.K. will make uneven cooking, a thing of the past. Boy are we going to have a fun summer or what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naldo Posted June 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Wow, great information. Thanks Jeff--MUCH appreciated. I'll check out that site and let you know what I end up with. I do see the unevenness on the Primo. I'm trying to figure out what would cause that--as I would assume your fire is in the center of the unit, no? At any rate, yes, it's going to be a fantastic summer with lots of cooks, recipes, and pics, and, of course, all around great times with friends and lots KKQ! I guess I'll see you in the other sections as we both get closer to our KKs. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Huey Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Welcome Ron and Rena! I'm waiting for my KK as well, and like you I can't wait. Cheff Jeff, thank you very much for all of that pizza cooking information, I can't wait to try one on the KK. -Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChefJeff Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Hey Ben, Happy to oblige regarding pizza cooks. I wonder if yours, Ron&Rena's, and my cooker, are all on the same ship. As I made my final payment today though, I'm guessing I may have missed the boat this time! Ron---as for the uneven cooking in the Primo, all I can tell you is that this cooker did have "hot spots". And yes, the lump was all in the center for my cook. I'm looking forward to more even cooking in my K.K. I think that perhaps a part of the Primo's hot spot problem, was that certain areas of the seal, did leak out smoke during cooks. Cheers, Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naldo Posted June 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Hey, thanks Ben. Looking forward to seeing your new KK. BTW, what did you order? Hey Jeff, you may be in luck as far as making that boat, as we just received our 2nd half request from Dennis today, and we haven't even sent it quite yet. I remember him telling me he does not charge the 2nd half until it hits the water, so you really should be on the container--I hope I have not overspoken? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fetzervalve Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Welcome Naldo, Regarding the pizza stone, you should be getting a heat deflector, sometimes also called a pizza stone. Dennis was working on his own actual pizza stone, I suspect that is what he not shipping. I also use a Fibrament stone. I got the indoor style (without the metal flame guard) because I use the stock heat deflector on the lump basket so the flames go up the sides and don't contact the stone. Regarding the evenness issue, I have found that any tipping of the heat deflector can give you a hot side, so I generally rotate when half done if there are any signs of unevenness. Sometimes I rotate just for the fun of using the peel! Good luck with the wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Huey Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Naldo, I explained my order situation in a post titled "KomodoKamado on its way to Bama" (which is currently one thread down from this one) but the basics are that I ordered a Classic Supreme with Cobalt tiles. I got in on the Returned Lost Inventory sale because that is what my budget [read wife] currently allows for. Jeff, I'm pretty sure that mine is currently in CA just waiting to get shipped to AL (it was hung up in warehouse legal issues since 2006). I hope yours got on the most recent boat though! -Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naldo Posted June 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 More great info on the pizza stone---thanks Fetzervalve. I always thought a pizza stone and a heat deflector were really two different things. In fact, I actually used a drip pan as a heat deflector on my old K--I guess it does the trick. Thanks for letting me know about the Fibrament model you got--I'm sure that was less expensive that way, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naldo Posted June 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Hi Ben, Actually, now I remember reading your thread (the one right below mine). Sorry---I've been reading so much on thius forum and trying to keep up with all the members and so on. I remember seeing the lost inventory post well after I ordered and, frankly, my budget would have been better off perhaps with one of those KKs from that sale, but I'm sure we will both be very happy! I told Dennis that once I have the KK set up in my neighborhood, that there's a good chance many of my neighbors and friends may be contacting him about some of those (if there are any left by that time). I guess yours has not quite showed up yet? It must be VERY close, right? -Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fetzervalve Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Thanks for letting me know about the Fibrament model you got--I'm sure that was less expensive that way' date=' right?[/quote']Yes, it was a little less than the other model. I have been using it for well over a year with no problems - in the grill and the oven. (two thumbs up!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primeats Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 We prefer to do the pizza on the KK now, less mess in the oven. My goal is to NOT use the oven at all this summer. I think charcoal may be cheaper than the electric and gas!( That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
