Check out the NEW Pit Barrel Cooker!

[David Parrish]

Check out what greeted me on my doorstep when I got home today! (Don't worry the kid was in the house, not on the doorstep, when I got home)

The box looks much the same as it did the last time I got a PBC, however it felt quite a bit heavier to lug into the house. Before you ask, no the kid wasn't on the box when I brought it inside.



Opening the box and removing the cardboard protective packing reveals the new enamel paint job. Snazzy!



Taking it out of the box I noticed it's definitely heavier and made out of thicker steel.



You can see here they changed out the expanded metal charcoal basket bottom for sturdier steel



In this photo if you look closely you'll see that the grill grate is now held in place by steel pegs. I haven't tried stress testing them but they look sturdier than the metal flaps welded into my previous PBC. You can also see the handles are now bolted onto the PBC instead of welded.



The one thing I was kind of hoping for, but didn't get, is a wingnut to make it easier to adjust the bottom vent. Luckily adjustments don't happen often.

All in all these are great improvements and I can't help but think the new PBC is a better deal now at $299 than the old PBC was at $289.

Let me know if I missed any details you'd like to know about and I'll edit this post.

[Huskee]

Nice! You're the only guy I know who owns 2 PBCs. I think your son is perhaps happier than you...

[David Parrish]

Now I just need 30 or 40 people to feed. lol

[Guy]

I agree Huskee, the boy looks like he is having a real belly laugh.

[David Parrish]

He loves helping Daddy barbecue. That's for sure.

[_John_]

Looks great, is the finish similar to Weber? The only thing I would have liked added was a rounded lid so it didn't hold water. Risers on the coal basket look a little longer as well.

Edit, would love to have some clamp on casters.

[David Parrish]

I can't say if the paint is exactly the same as Weber's, but it definitely looks superior to the old powder coat. I didn't really notice the risers on the basket to be taller. That's something I'll need to compare.

[Huskee]

I bet a rounded lid would add too much to manufacturing costs, and therefore the PBC itself obviously. You can set a Weber grill lid on top of it to shed rain, lots of folks do this. Maybe you already know this.

[Hondo]

Does an 18 inch Weber dome lid fit the PBC well enough to cook with? Doesn't matter... just curious. I'm ordering a PBC very soon...

[David Parrish]

I'v never tried to use my 18.5" dome to cook on the PBC but it does a great job of keeping rain water from pooling on the PBC lid.

[Jerod Broussard]

Neato. I was attaching my ash pan to my charcoal basket today. My clips I installed into the ash pan may be a tad too big.

[Deuce]

Nice, glad to hear it is made of heavier steel

[HJVR]

Very nice !!

[scorched_porch]

Awesome! Christmas keeps coming! Well done, love the new finish.

[Steve Navarre]

New verbiage on the PBC FAQ page.


Q: What kind of coating is used on the PBC?
A: The Pit Barrel cooker has a porcelain enamel coating.

(so no more rusting?)

[Spinaker]

No more rusting? I don't think so.
To be honest, I am surprised that they went that route. I was under the impression that powder coating was better at preventing rust. It adheres to the metal substrate which produces excellent adhesion and isn't suppose to chip. Where porcelin enamel coatings are more prone to chipping. And where there is chipping rust will form. I'm sure they have done their research but I was just a little surprised by this one. It does look a lot sexier than the black powder coat.

Good question, anyone else have any thoughts on this one?

[Spinaker]

Interesting, is the powder coat is usually smother on the surface than what we see on the PBC? Are you going to have to take the paint off before you re do the paint job? I'd like to see the pics of this project.

[BruceB]

I agree with John. I was working up to a similar post, but he beat me to it

I've been involved with powder coated motorcycle and automotive parts as well, and they are visibly thicker-looking and very glossy, and very chip-resistant. It also seems to be very heat resistant, not cracking or breaking down under exhaust temperatures.

[Beefchop]

I don't know, but I had one of the older PBCs with the powder coating and noticed that it rusted at the bottom lip. I just scrubbed it out, added some oil and went with it but imagine that the new coating will be more weather resistant.

[Huskee]

No more rusting? I don't think so.
To be honest, I am surprised that they went that route. I was under the impression that powder coating was better at preventing rust. It adheres to the metal substrate which produces excellent adhesion and isn't suppose to chip. Where porcelin enamel coatings are more prone to chipping. And where there is chipping rust will form. I'm sure they have done their research but I was just a little surprised by this one. It does look a lot sexier than the black powder coat.

Good question, anyone else have any thoughts on this one?

Well if it has any similar qualities to Weber's kettle coatings, them things last decades without burnout and rust. Who really knows....

[Spinaker]

Good point, yeah I'm more than sure that Noah and the folks in Colorado did their homework on that one. The Weber finish was probably what they were going for.

[Dr ROK]

The one thing I was kind of hoping for, but didn't get, is a wingnut to make it easier to adjust the bottom vent. Luckily adjustments don't happen often.

Can't you just add a wing nut or is it connected with a rivet?

[BruceB]

It would be convenient if the bolt were captured on the inside, mine is hard to tighten after adjusting because the bolt spins. Perhaps it needs a riv-nut for the bolt, or just have it tack welded in place.

I'm also concerned about the handles being bolted now, seems they might tend to come loose. Hopefully they use some sort of lock-washer, either basic or a star washer, and not some sort of nylock

[mtford72]

A few months back I did as you suggest in this post - lock washer on the inside, wing nut on the outside. Cost a few cents. Works perfectly. Of course, I've had to adjust the intake exactly 0 times since the mod. Matt

[David Parrish]

Can't you just add a wing nut or is it connected with a rivet?

You could add one, sure.

[mtford72]

A few months back I did as you suggest in this post - lock washer on the inside, wing nut on the outside. Cost a few cents. Works perfectly. Of course, I've had to adjust the intake exactly 0 times since the mod. Matt

[Jerod Broussard]

I think rust is inevitable . The charcoal basket's thick ring does shield the barrel from some heat, I just think expansion and contraction of the bottom of the barrel has to cause some "undoing" of the paint over time.

[Spinaker]

Thats what I'm thinking. The bottom will rust out before anything else.