Bruno
TVWBB Honor Circle
Room for both IMO, get this out there around 6–700 and it would make ya think before buying that new performer.
This should be a Weber
- Thread starter MikeLucky
- Start date
Dave in KC
TVWBB Wizard
Each of these grills has a purpose. However, the MB is much more
user friendly. Fire it up and cook steaks with the speed of a gas grill.
Want to smoke a brisket? Light, set temp, plug in probe, turn on wi-fi
and walk away. Sure, you can do a brisket on a kettle, but I don't really
care to take the time to hassle with it.
Bruno
TVWBB Honor Circle
Crap now I really want one. Price is very reasonable.
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Hey, here is a kind of rambling video review somebody did. If you can put up with the rambling aspect, he does show you some good information. In spite of the negative comments he makes along the way in the end he gives it a "95 out of 100."
I am intrigued, but since my wife will hardly let me do charcoal grilling when we have family meals, I think I am still happier with a pellet grill, gas grill(s!) & various charcoal grill arsenal. My next thing is to try and sell my Big Green Egg; I respect and like it very much but am afraid to move across country lest it turn into a big green Humpty Dumpty! If that works out, I think I will use the money to get a PK 360. Not easily broken like an Egg but rust proof and more real estate to cook on. Flexes well doing both great low and slow and high heat searing. Many national steak competitions have been won on PK grills. In the latter, a CharQ can also perform well, but it is pretty much limited as a one trick pony in that regard.
www.pkgrills.com
I am intrigued, but since my wife will hardly let me do charcoal grilling when we have family meals, I think I am still happier with a pellet grill, gas grill(s!) & various charcoal grill arsenal. My next thing is to try and sell my Big Green Egg; I respect and like it very much but am afraid to move across country lest it turn into a big green Humpty Dumpty! If that works out, I think I will use the money to get a PK 360. Not easily broken like an Egg but rust proof and more real estate to cook on. Flexes well doing both great low and slow and high heat searing. Many national steak competitions have been won on PK grills. In the latter, a CharQ can also perform well, but it is pretty much limited as a one trick pony in that regard.
The PK360 Grill & Smoker - Graphite
The all new Graphite PK360 is the newest PK Grill & Smoker. With 360 square inches of cooking space, plus included shelves and stand, the PK360 is setting a new standard for the high-end charcoal cooker by offering more value than other high-end charcoal cookers like Big Green Egg L and the...
www.pkgrills.com
Dave in KC
TVWBB Wizard
Very informative video. He shares my sentiments about many things
including the need for a Perfomer style igniter. The cast iron vs stainless
argument has been debated on virtually every grill ever made and will
continue to be forever.
Jon, short of consulting with a divorce attorney, I have no advice on dealing
with a spouse with a finicky pallet. If my wife didn't care for the taste of
charcoal, I would likely only have the CharQ or a Smokey Joe.
including the need for a Perfomer style igniter. The cast iron vs stainless
argument has been debated on virtually every grill ever made and will
continue to be forever.
Jon, short of consulting with a divorce attorney, I have no advice on dealing
with a spouse with a finicky pallet. If my wife didn't care for the taste of
charcoal, I would likely only have the CharQ or a Smokey Joe.
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Glad if that YouTube review is of help to anyone. Some questions I have are: What keeps the charcoal coming in to the firebox but not overflowing? Is it really just gravity? No mechanical device to move it along? If so, then the fan alone is able to regulate the temperature?
CharQ will always be in my arsenal. With the right charcoal it is such a fun and very effective little grilling machine. Never have used a Smokey Joe since the two I have had up until now (NIB old wood handle and Ivory from Germany) are both relegated to display purposes...I know I am a crazy grill collector
. My sister picked up another one at a thrift store for me, so one day soon I will see what it is like to USE! A PK 360 would be more for replacing the BGE for barbecuing.
CharQ will always be in my arsenal. With the right charcoal it is such a fun and very effective little grilling machine. Never have used a Smokey Joe since the two I have had up until now (NIB old wood handle and Ivory from Germany) are both relegated to display purposes...I know I am a crazy grill collector
. My sister picked up another one at a thrift store for me, so one day soon I will see what it is like to USE! A PK 360 would be more for replacing the BGE for barbecuing.
Dave in KC
TVWBB Wizard
Jon, the charcoal does come into the firebox at all. Nothing mechanical. Purely gravity fed.
You ignite the bottom of the coal stack. The closed top and lack of air prevents the hole stack
from lighting the way a Weber chimney starter would. The fan blows the fire into the manifold,
but no coals. The coal dust (most of it) falls below into the ash bucket. The only thing being
powered w/ electricity is the computer/timer/thermostat/fan controller. Very low electrical usage.
A very popular hack is to use a battery backup, so you are not tethered to the house via a cord.
I will be doing this soon.
You ignite the bottom of the coal stack. The closed top and lack of air prevents the hole stack
from lighting the way a Weber chimney starter would. The fan blows the fire into the manifold,
but no coals. The coal dust (most of it) falls below into the ash bucket. The only thing being
powered w/ electricity is the computer/timer/thermostat/fan controller. Very low electrical usage.
A very popular hack is to use a battery backup, so you are not tethered to the house via a cord.
I will be doing this soon.
Yes, Jon. Purely a gravity feed. As the charcoal burns in the firebox (venting into the cook chamber,) the fine ashes will drop through the grate into the ash drawer. The charcoal column absolutely has to be air tight. If it's not, you risk a runaway where the entire fuel column goes up in flames. A short opening to refill the column is not a problem.
When I figured out how gravity fed charcoal smokers worked, a huge light went on, and that why I built the monster in the back yard. I won't compare mine to the MB, about all they have in common is they're both gravity fed smokers.
I've looked at the MB a few times, wish I could lay my hands on one. The economy of construction is potentially a problem.
When I figured out how gravity fed charcoal smokers worked, a huge light went on, and that why I built the monster in the back yard. I won't compare mine to the MB, about all they have in common is they're both gravity fed smokers.
I've looked at the MB a few times, wish I could lay my hands on one. The economy of construction is potentially a problem.
Jason in CA
TVWBB All-Star
Skip to about 9:30 minutes when he opens the coal lid. Is that normal for these, and is there a chance it could be a bigger poof?
Lynn Dollar
TVWBB Emerald Member
Old Country gravity feed, $1,300 at Academy
MikeCantell
TVWBB Pro
the larger 1 will be my next cooker
The Old Country is quite a bit closer in build to mine, but still small. About 2.5x the price of the MB, but looks like quite a bit more rack space, and the insulated cabinet will help a lot in temperature control and fuel consumption.
Mine stands about 66" tall, weighs about 1,200 lbs., and will smoke 10 full packer briskets at once (over 3,000 sq. in. of cooking area.) The cook chamber door alone weighs a couple of hundred lbs., and I customarily swing it with 1 finger. Burns roughly 1.5 lbs/hr.
Go big or go home.
Edit: <snicker> Old Country is touting up to 12 hours on 20 lbs. of charcoal, and I'd expect that to be best case (80+ degrees F ambient, and no wind.) I'm burning about the same rate.
In the interest of full disclosure at this point, I have more in just the steel than the Old Country sells for.
About 2.5x the price of the MB, but looks like quite a bit more rack space, and the insulated cabinet will help a lot in temperature control and fuel consumption.Mine stands about 66" tall, weighs about 1,200 lbs., and will smoke 10 full packer briskets at once (over 3,000 sq. in. of cooking area.) The cook chamber door alone weighs a couple of hundred lbs., and I customarily swing it with 1 finger. Burns roughly 1.5 lbs/hr.
Go big or go home.
Edit: <snicker> Old Country is touting up to 12 hours on 20 lbs. of charcoal, and I'd expect that to be best case (80+ degrees F ambient, and no wind.) I'm burning about the same rate.
In the interest of full disclosure at this point, I have more in just the steel than the Old Country sells for.
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timothy
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Bruno, just above the grate, the sheet metal has burned through.
Bruno
TVWBB Honor Circle
Oh wow, that isn’t good.
Lynn Dollar
TVWBB Emerald Member
Well, so much for the Masterbuilt, for me.
I like the Old Country, but I don't see a way to run digital probes without upsetting the air flow. Looks like they want it to seal up tight.
Lynn, you may be able to just drop the probe cables in through the stack, granted you might need probes with longer cables. It would be awfully nice to have some one built in, though.
I built a passthrough with high temp silicon gaskets/covers (Weber, oddly enough...) in mine.
I built a passthrough with high temp silicon gaskets/covers (Weber, oddly enough...) in mine.