Looks like we are getting a new player in Gravity Fed Charcoal Grills.


 
Looks impressive. I still can't wrap my head around how these things actually work without burning to the ground though LOL
 
LMichaels said:
Looks impressive. I still can't wrap my head around how these things actually work without burning to the ground though LOL
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I get it as it took me a while also. The key is the sealed top of the hopper. When the bottom of the ash bin and top of the hopper are sealed, the air intake is at the bottom of the hopper (fan) and the exhaust is a little higher at the entrance to the grilling chamber. The air where the rest of the charcoal is, is basically dead air so the fire is kept in the bottom where there is O2. As the fire consumes the charcoal more just slides down the hopper. The smoke is nice and clean as the charcoal and wood in the chimney is being dried from the heat of the fire below. The bottom of the splits I put in actually turn the charcoal when I smother the fire with the slides at the end of the cook by cutting the O2.
I really like how simple the system is as there are no augers or power needed to feed the fire, and any wood or charcoal works great. The electronics is just the thermostat to control the fan speed and I am really sold on the principle and the results.
 
Nice looking layout and size I will be interested to see others like it's operation as no reviews yet.
I wonder if it's fuel usage is the same or lower that a kettle
 
Yea I'd give it a year to see how the reviews are. My Son has one of their pellet grills and he's ready to toss it after two years.
 
This looks like an almost completely different animal from any gravity feed I've seen with the chute at an angle like that. I thought Charbroil/Masterbuilt had some kind of patent on gravity feed grills (Gravity feed smokers have been around for a long time). Maybe this does something different enough. They are owned by separate giant corporations, I think.
 
Dustin Dorsey said:
This looks like an almost completely different animal from any gravity feed I've seen with the chute at an angle like that. I thought Charbroil/Masterbuilt had some kind of patent on gravity feed grills (Gravity feed smokers have been around for a long time). Maybe this does something different enough. They are owned by separate giant corporations, I think.
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I also thought it would be tough as Middleby has the patents through their acquisitions of Masterbuilt and Char-Griller. I love my MB800 and thinking of doing the firebox mods to keep up the longevity of the grill. I also wonder about splits with the angled firebox, reduced temp ranges, and only 2 probes compared to the MB and CG gravities. I guess we will wait for the reviews.
 
@Joe Anshien has a pretty good description. A well sealed charcoal column is the whole reason that this design works. Once I managed to wrap my smooth tiny little brain around that concept, I immediately settled on a gravity fed as what I was going to build.

IIRC, Stumps is the originator of gravity fed charcoal smoker, and well predates the Masterbuilt & it's ilk.

I welded up my own (weighs 1,200 lbs. or so, and can smoke 10 full packer briskets comfortabl,) fully insulated all the way around and burns about 1.5-2 lbs/hr of natural lump charcoal. LOVE IT TO DEATH. One thing that would give me pause is the charcoal column in the one above. Mine very specifically has a perfectly vertical charcoal column with a reverse taper, i.e. wider at the bottom than at the top to prevent bridging. I have a HeaterMeter for it, maintains cooking temps to within 1 degree F, along with 3 food probes and ties into my home network for alerts (and thanks to @Chris Allingham for hosting the HM forum here.)
 
JKalchik said:
@Joe Anshien has a pretty good description. A well sealed charcoal column is the whole reason that this design works. Once I managed to wrap my smooth tiny little brain around that concept, I immediately settled on a gravity fed as what I was going to build.

IIRC, Stumps is the originator of gravity fed charcoal smoker, and well predates the Masterbuilt & it's ilk.

I welded up my own (weighs 1,200 lbs. or so, and can smoke 10 full packer briskets comfortabl,) fully insulated all the way around and burns about 1.5-2 lbs/hr of natural lump charcoal. LOVE IT TO DEATH. One thing that would give me pause is the charcoal column in the one above. Mine very specifically has a perfectly vertical charcoal column with a reverse taper, i.e. wider at the bottom than at the top to prevent bridging. I have a HeaterMeter for it, maintains cooking temps to within 1 degree F, along with 3 food probes and ties into my home network for alerts (and thanks to @Chris Allingham for hosting the HM forum here.)
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Have you ever posted photos of this masterpiece? If not please do
 
Ummm.... I have a few. Take a look look at https://chixjeff.dnsalias.net/smoker4. 5 cooking shelves, each one 25"x28". The door alone is a couple of hundred lbs, it was all I could do to deadlift it up onto jackstands to weld up the hinges, and I can swing it with a single fits (and it closes with a single gentle <thud>.) One of these days, I really do need to collect up cell phone shots and DSLR construction pics into a published page.

It's now travelled over 3,300 miles, hard mounted to the front of a flat bed trailer, and only on the last trip did I find a single tiny little hairline fracture in the top door hinge. That door is only supported by the hinges, and it's turned out to be far stronger that I would have thought. Would I build one again? In a heartbeat, although there are things that I'd do better the next time.

There are at least 2 other members here with HeaterMeters who've built one of these monsters, and we all thoroughly enjoy them. One of the nicest features of this general design is that it doesn't matter if I'm smoking a single pork tenderloin, or loading up racks with brisket, pork butts, chicken, pans of smoked beans as well as macaroni & cheese, cheese cake, etc. Regardless of food load, it just plain cooks well. One of the other members here posted pics of his with all 5 racks fully loaded with quartered chicken (he said it turned out awfully well.)
 
@JKalchik door probably weighs in at more than my whole MB800;-) Having this defiantly got me hooked and looking at better quality ones, but even the ones at 2x to 5x the price don't go from 150° to 700° in minutes with rotisserie and temp control. I will probably beef mine up with some aftermarket mods and call it a day. It is amazing how many aftermarket items are made for these. It has to be sort of special, as it is the first and only brand new grill I have ever purchased.
 
There are a few differences between the big Stumps and related designs (like what I have,) and the home versions like the Masterbuilts. 1 is scale, and the 2nd is insulation. The insulation makes a rather significant difference especially in cold weather. Commercially, what I have runs the better part of $10,000, just a bit more than a Masterbuilt.

Yes, these do not change temps quickly. If I want to go from 225 F to 275, I allow at least 30 minutes for the temp & fire to stabilize. OTOH, even without electronic controls and forced draft, the Stumps and related designs will hold temp (I'm told) with nothing more than a quarter turn ball valve on the firebox inlet.
 
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