Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

We compared the Big Red with Big Green Egg, Primo, Kamado Joe, and the Big Keg. The price differential was substantial and we doubted whether it could perform up to the competition. However, for $300 vs $1,000 how could we go wrong? Since our recent purchase, we have smoked pork back ribs twice, pot roast, smoked salmon, and a pork roast (we only missed one weekend for grilling). The results have been wonderful. There is a learning curve in shifting from a traditional gas grill. We had to gain experience utilizing the right proportion of fuel and the proper air flow on the Big Red through the vents at top and bottom. But we are having great success and learning quickly. Now, we really crave the slow cooking/smoking of the ribs (210 degrees for 6 to 7 hours with a Kansas City style rub and the last hour with Sweet Baby Rays.) The slow cooking is a very easy and low-attention cooking process. This is in sharp contrast to the higher temp cooking on a gas grill coupled with the very irregular hot spots. The cooking on the Kamado is warm, moist (less air), and uniform heat. The quality of the Big Red unit is high, it is easy to assemble, easy to clean, easy to start with electric starter ($8 at Menards). Big Red will get up to temp in a about 10-15 minute for low-temp cooking. For low temperature cooking, we do not ignite all the fuel at once and keep the temperature low. Creating a high temperature and scaling back can take 45 minutes. The unit is incredibly well insulated and the only way to reduce the temperature is to suffocate the embers. High temperatures can be obtained in about 10 minutes. This is quicker than the low temp. cooking since there is no concern for slow steady heat. Just open the air supply vent at the bottom and the vent at the top, and you have an intense cooker of 600 degrees. This is great for cleaning the grill and searing. Back to slow cooking/smoking: We use a mix of large Mesquite lump coal from Sam's and smaller lump coal of various blends of wood from Menards (we use smoking pellets for flavor). Once temperature is obtained, we can maintain the constant 200-220 for 7-plus hours. We really like the practicality and durability of the steel structure versus the ceramic. We live in Chicago and we don't worry about cracking a ceramic egg by the radical heat change. The lid on the BGE is extremely heavy to lift whereas the Big Red (BR) is light weight. The Big Red has stove gaskets that are held with clips. We liked the ease with which these can be replaced vs the scape-off/glue-on with BGE. It is simple and easy to remove the ashes from BR: release 2 levers, slide forward, and remove the bottom section and dump. With the BGE, you crouch down and scrape out the ashes through a vent. The cast iron grate has a practical feature for bearing the overhead rack for extra capacity. We use this for smoking potatoes. We grill 3 full slabs of ribs using a inverted wire rack resting on the main grate (cut ribs in 2 equal sections and stacked upright in 6 slots). Customer service is responsive and pleasant. I was not careful and dropped the cast-iron grate and cracked it in half. The replacement grate was shipped the same day and we received it in 2 days. We used an Oneida large pizza stone and rack from Bed Bath and Beyond. The rack was a perfect fit for straddling the inside tabs and suspending the pizza stone to deflect the heat for indirect cooking. I learned that spilling cold water on a hot stone causes them to crack (my wife has great patience with my experiential learning.) I was a committed gas griller for the practicality and convenience (we use natural gas rather than a refillable propane tank). However, the ease of use and wonderful smoked-cooking of the Kamado have shifted the gas-grill to the back burner (pun intended). We follow a number of the recipes from Hi-tech barbecue on You Tube and BGE forums. We use the Kansas City rub from Cabelas for the ribs and marinate over night. This an absolutely great value and has dramatically changed our attitude toward grilling. Our whole family looks forward to the weekend meal from our smoker. At $300, this is a steal. There are no draw backs on this one. UPDATE 2-18-2013 I purchased the Auber Industries for Temperature Controller for Large Big Green Eggs Item #: SYL-1614SYS-G for $130. This accessory controls the temperature to within 5 degrees. It takes all of the challenge out of controlling the temperature. It is a fan-powered air supply that inserts into the channels of the lower air vent of the Kamado. It is not battery operated. Rather, the Auber plugs into an outlet. Auber makes precision controllers for industry and found a niche for the kamado cookers. This is a very reasonable price and does exactly as designed. Required: 1. Place some felt on the metal flange of the controller to give it an air-tight seal. 2. Optional: Remove the spring attachment. This is required for other smokers. You can leave it in place. 3. Wrap the electric wire that runs to the temperature probe with aluminum foil to provide added protection from heat. 4. I prefer to bring the Kamado up to the set temperature, and then activate the controller. I feel the heat gain can be too aggressive with the controller and it will overshoot the targeted temperature. Then it is difficult to bring the temperature down. 5. Once the controller is in place and operational, close the top vent on the Kamado. Especially at low temperatures (200 degrees), the coals will suck air through the top vent and exceed the set temperature. 6. When opening the lid for more than a few seconds, unplug the air controller. Otherwise, it will sense a drop in temperature and pump in air and heat up the coals. 7. This is a powerful little air controller that works with great precision when following the above procedures. 8. The unit is NOT designed to operate at below 32 degree outdoor weather. I made a cardboard box and have a low-wattage incandescent light bulb (do not let it get close to the controller. It will melt it. It can also burn the box. !!!!!! Be CAREFUL !!!!!!!!) I have used this successfully at 2 degrees outdoor temperature.