SJG, why the bad reputation?

I keep hearing that the SJG can't cook all that well. I used the SJG the other day and was able to get and keep a 400 degree fire for an hour. I used some old lump, and built my standard indirect fire. I built the fire so that it was in between both air intakes.

Fire showed no signs of going out, and the beauty is that the ashes collect in the bottom with no issue. Nice.

Jay

I told you......Like you said I don't get it.
I love mine.....it does everything.I have grilled on it a few times and did my first smoke yesterday...I'll post some pictures if I ever figure out how.
I'm am really surprised how much mest it could hold.I will be using it mostly for the two of us since we are empty nesters.

I've had my SJG for a few years now, it's awesome. Since finding this chart on this site I've had no with maintaining high heat. I typically use the 3rd configuration.

I used the second one. What is this 4th way of building a fire that keeps the oxygen away?

It is always breezy at my place so that may help the SJG (but I still bought a Silver and turned it into a SJ Hybrid).

I have had good results piling the lump near the open vent, closing the other vent and having the lid vent over the food. I point the open vent into the wind.

Used this on a nice tri tip the other night and it came out perfect.

I did a "which is better" this past weekend and for me on that day it was the Silver, until it came time to pack up. I dumped the ashes and coals from the Silver into the Gold and then that was that.

It was a breezy day, and with the Gold I tried the one vent closed, one vent open, top vent near the one that's closed, and the fire started to go out, so then I re-opened the closed side and it was OK enough to cook a couple burgers and some dogs. The Silver took about five minutes less time to cook a burger than the Gold did. Still, it was an acceptable cook, so the Gold "did it's job" just not as quickly as the Silver.

I'm not going to give up on it anytime soon, since I don't have a SJP having two is nice for cooking for more than two people. I did however order the lid lock for a Gold for my Silver, so I can perhaps have the best of both. Bungee cords work just fine, except when the thing is hot.