Dear Chris,
Thanks you for taking the time and making the effort to review the WSM
Stacker. I have long admired your commitment to the Weber users (and the
general BBQ public), your website is a mine of information, not only for
Weber users, but for those that use other products too.
I found your review to be very well composed, highly informative and for the
most part fair, I would however like to take up a few of the points
mentioned and hopefully enlighten users as to why the WSM Stacker is
designed the way it is...
1. The fitting of the original lid on the outside - "I think the design
misses the mark. It would have been just about perfect if only they had
duplicated the detail at the top of the WSM middle section so the lid goes
on the inside, not the outside." As I am sure you are well aware, one of the
major complaints, by WSM users (I have one too) is that because of the way
the original lid and body fit together the unit fills up with water very
quickly when using it in the rain. I did not want to double the water
intake, as being based in the UK, most of our cooking is done in rainy
weather, so therefore it did not seem like a great idea to duplicate the
detail at the top of the original. I much prefer to have a few runs of
condensation on the outside (easily cleaned off), as opposed to my cooker
turning into a bath.
2. Tightness of Lid - The lid is designed to be tight fitting and a light
coating of Olive Oil before use is all that is required to prevent it
getting stuck. In order to convey this to the user, I will be instructing
the factory to put a note in to each unit to advise users of this simple
remedy.
3. Handles - As the WSM Stacker is designed for use on top of the original
body, you will find, when cooking on the WSM, that the handles do not get
unbearably hot, however it is recommended (by both Weber and ProBBQ) that
mitts be used when handling a cooker. I do believe that the handles could be
improved upon, but how far does one go, before making them too complicated?
I really think it is better to have handles than no handles at all.
As a matter of interest, I have had several units on test, around the globe,
for over a year, prior to launching the WSM Stacker and none of the users
have complained about the points you raise, however, as many users of ProQ
Products will attest, we do take on board what people suggest for
improvements and where feasible include the upgrades in the next production.
Once again, I thank you for your valued input and service to the BBQ
community.
Kindest regards
Ian McKend
Managing Director
ProBBQ Ltd