Kingsford Charcoal Covered Grill

[eDJ]

I was at WalMart last night and noticed that they have the Kingsford Covered Charcoal Grills with the cast iron grill grates inside. It has an
ash tray for clean out and the fire can be raised or lowered with the crank handle at the lower right. I believe it was priced at $88 dollars.



The guy I know there tells me he can put one together now in an hour as
they have to be assembled. He cautions to take your time and get it right before using it so it will be solid and last for years.

This unit is pretty heavily built and if you can't afford a silver or gold Weber, and don't have space for a lot of grills and smokers sitting around, this may be the way to go for someone new to grilling & smoking. It would probably last a number of years if well maintained and covered when not in use.

Anyone have any experience with these? Smoked anything with one?

[tenacious bee]

My mother in law has one of these. Been living outside for a few years now and still going strong. The grate the coals sits on is tilted a bit on the far side away from the crank. That may be due to whoever assembled it but it's not tilted enough to matter. Last time I looked at it I thought with the vents set up properly and the cooking grate foiled it could do okay as a reverse flow smoker. Charcoal on the right, left dampers closed and a foiled cookie sheet for a baffle. Don't know how it would do on temp control or how low it would run but there must be something good about it. Can't see a guy capable of making this:


wasting his time .

[eDJ]

Re:

Is this an older model Kingsford Grill? Was the grill removed from the cart
and mounted on a table?

This is an interesting set up or modification.

I enlarged that photo so it can be seen better by anyone curious about
using one of these Kingsford Grills.



In the open space, was a baking pan of water used? It sure could provide space for an 8 X 8 X 2 baking pan. Covering the grill with the foiled baking sheet and using the dampers to create a reverse flow
would make sense for using it as a smoker with little set up expense and it could be returned to a a grill for having picnic foods for family cookouts.

I've always looked at these grills with a reserved curiosity. Probably because these look like a single purpose item. Just a pricey charcoal grill.
But I understand that these go on sale for $55 dollars at times.

The temperature control would be the most interesting and challenging
question. That would regard how many coals are burning at once in the expanded metal channel and the ventilation controls & characteristics.

But that's why I'm asking if any others have any experience with this grill
or know of others who have done anything beyond using it in it's stock form?

[TasunkaWitko]

I hope I'm not hi-jacking the thread, but I've been saving up for a proper-sized Weber kettle (99$ here), and this looks to be an interesting option.

I'm guessing that the main thing to remember is that it is designed to be used as a grill rather than a smoker, and should be treated as such - but having said that, it looks like it could certainly also double as an indirect cooking gadget if need be, just like the kettle.

So the question is (for me) is: what would the pros and cons be with this versus a kettle? If anyone with experience can weigh in on that, I'd be appreciative.

Kingsford Model: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kingsford-...Grill/22209795

Weber Kettle: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Weber-One-...l-Black/876289

[PitRow]

I had looked at similar ones, though maybe not the kingsford one, a while ago and the reviews online were that temp control was next to impossible due to so many air leaks. Again, could be different with the kingsford, but I'd take a real good look at one before you buy it otherwise you might spend forever trying to patch up air leaks.

[TasunkaWitko]

Good point, Mike - one thing for sure with a kettle is that the only leaks are where you want them to be. I'm leaning toward the kettle, and will probably get it. I already have an 18.5-inch, but it is just too small, especially since I want to do more with it in terms of indirect as well as direct cooking (Vortex, here I come!).

One simple solution might be the best: the lady down the block has what looks to be a very well-preserved kettle in 22.5-inch, and she lives alone, as far as I can tell. Maybe I will wheel my 18.5-inch kettle down tehre and ask her if she wants to do a trade plus a little cash.....

[Ozric]

Interesting. I can't even order the Kingsford online from WallyWorld. "Not available in Flagstaff." Well, blow me.

[PitRow]

Good point, Mike - one thing for sure with a kettle is that the only leaks are where you want them to be. I'm leaning toward the kettle, and will probably get it. I already have an 18.5-inch, but it is just too small, especially since I want to do more with it in terms of indirect as well as direct cooking (Vortex, here I come!).

One simple solution might be the best: the lady down the block has what looks to be a very well-preserved kettle in 22.5-inch, and she lives alone, as far as I can tell. Maybe I will wheel my 18.5-inch kettle down tehre and ask her if she wants to do a trade plus a little cash.....

I'm in the same boat Ron, which was why I was looking at these. The 18.5 just isn't big enough anymore. Sounds like if you can work a trade with the lady down the street you'd be set. I keep looking for a 22.5 on craigslist but I'm always a day late and a dollar short. Might just wait until the clearance sales at the end of summer and pick one up for $10 off.

I think a fun project would be to build one similar to the kingsford one, but do it right so it's sealed up good. But then I already have a million irons in the fire, and won't probably ever get to it.

[eDJ]

Re:

All interesting points and discussion guys. Thanks for taking the time to
develop some ideas about this particular grill and contrasting it to the Weber Kettle. I went looking in Youtube and found this guy putting one together. I'm guessing an owner could use a little high temp RTV around the cracks & gaps.

There are people around where I live who are asking me about this stuff any more (I guess they smell my cookin) and some on some other purely social message boards I understand that there are times of the year that one of these can be had "cheap", like for around $50+ bucks.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVQ5LbsCCbg


Then I saw this one and, wow.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pNq0W3aKVU


I wondered what he was cooking with. It looks like Thermite !

But it seems like if a person would take some care of their equipment
this wouldn't happen until after several years of use. These low end
pieces of equipment do have a limited life cycle.

I think I'd buy some fire brick tiles and line the charcoal burning surface
leaving gaps for air. The next day after cooking I'd pull the tiles out and use a paintbrush to sweep the ashes so they would fall into the ashtray
before removing them. Then put a cover over it until the next use.

But I'd guess that there are those who could destroy an anvil from
misuse too.

[Ozric]

Geez, it looks like the Kingsfords are made on the same line in China as the new Traegers; what crappy steel.

Here's a true story on crappy steel.

I do not know the identity of the US PC manufacturer involved, but I did see the evidence!

Back in the 80s, the only way for a US company to make "money" doing business in Russia was via barter. The first big winner in the barter game was Pepsi and its affiliates. What Pepsi negotiated in return (rubles were worthless on the international market) was Stoli. Make gazillions bringing it to the States.

So, some US computer company tried the same thing, only what they managed to negotiate for was cars (and not Volgas; those were quasi-decent). Their first haul was 15,000 cars. They made landfall in Montreal (where I saw them on a dock). Guess how many of those cars the US computer company managed to sell (to make its "money")? One! 1! That's right, only 1 stinking car. And guess what else? The steel used to make the cars was so cheap, it couldn't even be recycled, and the US computer company had to pay to landfill the other 14,999!

US management at its very best!

[IrishChef]

I'd spend the extra $11 for a Weber Kettle, that you know will work, and last for years, than the Kingsford. Too many variables with that style grill in that price range, IMHO.

If I was to buy a grill similar to that style, it would be one of these:

http://www.hastybake.com/

[minnbill]

I.M.O only There is no other Kettle that can measure up to a Weber.Its no accident that they are round.That has to be part of the easability of cooking on one.sorta like a convection oven the way heat rolls around in them .And two of mine are almost 20 years old and not even close to rusting out yet they got another million cooks to go.Not bad for 99 bucks.Itll be the last money youd ever spend on a grill

[redruff]

I.M.O only There is no other Kettle that can measure up to a Weber.Its no accident that they are round.That has to be part of the easability of cooking on one.sorta like a convection oven the way heat rolls around in them .And two of mine are almost 20 years old and not even close to rusting out yet they got another million cooks to go.Not bad for 99 bucks.Itll be the last money youd ever spend on a grill

That's the way I see it as well!

[eDJ]

Re:

I'm beginning to believe the Weber's have it.

After looking at the video of the brunt out Kingsford grill, that fire grate
made of pressed sheet metal seems to be the biggest problem with the design of the thing.

Years ago my Grandmother came home with this "el'cheapo" hibachi that I put together for her. She wanted something small and more efficient to cook hamburgers and hot dogs with for my Granddad. I think she paid $5 bucks for it. It used a charcoal grate similar to the Kingsford although I think Kingsford is of a heavier metal. Still it inaddquate to serve as a burn surface.




That burning surface lasted her about two years and it was kept covereBd
when not in use. Still she thought it was a value for $5 bucks. I mended
it with a cookie cooling wire rack she found at a yard sale.

But when I look at the Weber's "charcoal burning grate" it is designed for the long haul. I own one of these and use it in a home built grill/rotisserie of mine made from the top of a 35 gallon water tank. This charcoal burning grate could last years. The outer ring is 1/4 inch thick and each
of the wires are 3/16 inch thick including the center support.



This is almost the same issue I have with the Brinksmann ECB's fire bowl.
I'd suggest finding a wire grate that would fit down inside it so the coals don't burn on the surface.

Weber does make some stainless charcoal grates that are rectangular.
Or even expanded metal 1/4 or 3/8 thick.



If these were fitted with bolts to act like legs like this



Then the Kingsford may have a chance. But for the cost of doing this you
could just go ahead and buy the low end Weber.

But it's the season when people are seeing these sales on BBQ equipment
and seeing used Grills/Smokers in yard sales, it may be worth having some discussion on this subject. A lot of newbies get their start with a yard sale find. and then looking for sites like this one to learn from.

But to really do it right the Weber 22 inch Gold one touch would be the way to go and those are about $150 depending on where you purchase them.

[eccj]

You are totally right sir! I saw a couple of Weber 22in being given away, and one sold for $20 recently in Atlanta. I was a couple of days late for ALL of them! Lol