To Kick Ash or not to Kick Ash...

[Twisted Martini]

Been reading here and other places about the Kick Ash basket for Primo XL and I wanted to see what the consensus was. I can imagine it makes cleaning up easier but does it improve airflow, get the Primo to fire faster, other benefits? What do y'all think of it?

[LA Pork Butt]

I have a kick ash basket for my BGE and IMO it does burn hotter faster, but also tends to run hotter in a 225 cook. I purchased the BGE charcoal basket and it tends to burn more like the original grate while retaining more smaller pieces than the kick ash basket.

[Attjack]

I want to install my new firebox but my old charcoal grate is cracked and warped which leads to cracked fireboxes. I hear some people use just a kickash without the cast iron charcoal grate. But I have also heard that people have cracked their firebox right after getting a kickash basket. I would be interested in any opinions on what I should do.

[Skip]

I have a KA Basket in my Large BGE and have had it for several years. I do a lot of pizza so it's very hot. So far no trouble at all. I wouldn't be without it. Much easier to shake out the charcoal and clean up IMO.

[Spinaker]

I have them in all of my kamados. I would say the definitly improve airflow. Take the old cast iron fire grate out and you are good to go. They do make clean up nice. To me, it is all about airflow and that is what really makes these nice.

It also makes clean up really easy. Like Skip, I never run mine with out it. Kamados are all about low airflow, so any time you can get an advantage there, take it. It really makes a difference. IMHO. Plus, you get to use the cast iron fire grates as hot coasters for the table, which is always cool.

[jfmorris]

I've had several folks tell me that I should get the Kick Ash basket and ash can for the SNS Kamado when I first got it, but so far I've been resistant to spending $120 for a wire basket to hold my charcoal, and $35 for the ash can. When I am using the SNS those two items wouldn't help me anyway, and when in kamado mode - I just rake the coals around between cooks to drop ash below the cast iron grate, and shovel it out every 5-6 cooks using my charcoal scoop, once it gets deep enough to start impinging on airflow.

I can see where having the gap between the charcoal and the ceramic of the kamado would increase air flow to more of the charcoal however, and help reach higher temperatures. If its possible to crack the kamado firebox doing so though, that would be a concern. In my case, SNSGrills sells the kick ash, so I assume for my cooker at least, they've tested it extensively.

[Attjack]

Do BGEs ever have firebox cracking issues or is that just a Primo thing?

[Attjack]

jfmorris It doesn't but the original one would flex or deform putting pressure on the firebox which would in turn crack. The grate itself is thick cast iron.

[Attjack]

jfmorris Here's a look at an expanded old model grate and the new one. Sounds like I can probably opt for a kick ash basket or the new Primo grate. https://youtu.be/BPsRSRkHWso (Skip to 6:14)

[jfmorris]

Ah. The cast iron grate on the SNSK basically sits on top of the round opening at the bottom of the firebox, and does not fit in tightly. It's probably an inch bigger than the bottom opening where the ashes drop. No way it will expand or deform in a way that cracks the firebox. I.e. it doesn't get wedged down in there the way it looks like the Primo one does, on those ceramic "ears".