Oh No, MCS is Striking and I Found a Used KBQ

[jhoskins]

Please help.

My condition is this: I am new to smoking (<5 years) but am starting to get good enough working my Weber Kettle and BGE that I am becoming "the cook" in our group of friends. I have always wanted to get into smoking low and slow w/a real fire... with real wood... because the purist in me is obsessed. So I started reading Ernest 's "KBQ has landed" thread and I am a giant nerd to begin with, so the technology behind the KBQ fascinates me and I am starting to get obsessed. Sure enough, a lightly used KBQ has popped up on FB about an hour away that looks in very good condition for $1400. I have a new 4 week old baby, so limited on time... but... I still want it

1. Is it cheating to start my journey into the land of stick burners using a KBQ? From what I am reading, it almost feels like cheating...
2. Similarly, should I start from a traditional COS to learn how to do "proper" fire management?
3. How does $1400 stack up for a used KBQ for those who have bought used previously?

I pitched this to my wife, who promptly started (playfully) shouting the following:
- "When on earth are we going to need to cook 60lbs of meat?"
- "This doesn't sound fast, I wish you would just buy a Weber gas grill"
- "If I am going to be some good housewife, I need a grill that is easy and cooks fast (referring back to a Weber gasser)"
- "Just buy it, what is it? $1,000? $2,000?"

As you can see, I married a keeper. I promised to sell my BGE to make up for this, and she responded with "Don't do that, you love your BGE"... wow, what a woman. I don't have a wood supply, but I could fix that...

Sheesh, like I expect any of you to help talk me OUT of a KBQ...

[Dr. Pepper]

@jhoskins First, to get this out of the way: "My condition is this: I am new to smoking (<5 years) but ...." No, I am New2Smoking! At least for now, unless I ask Huskee to change my name for me. But, I digress, or digest, or whatever.
Now, re: the KBQ. No, it is absolutely not required to learn how to control a traditional offset stick burner. After all, that is the whole entire point of the KBQ: You don't have to learn that! There is a little learning curve with the KBQ, but very modest. Mostly about keeping your coal bed completely covering the grate holes, the size of your wood pieces, how much to load at a time. Understanding that as a forced fan convection cook box, it will cook your meat faster, or you could use a lower temp if you wanted to. And, tell your wife not to worry, you can easily use it to cook just one rack or one pork butt. You don't have to load 4 racks. I often am using only two racks, and one on the bottom to hold a foil lined drip tray with an inch or two of water in it.

BTW, I like your wife!

[jhoskins]

Took a job working on drone delivery with Amazon Prime Air, ETA early 2022, will definitely PM!

[Huskee]

I think I've already offered to change your username to "OldProAtSmoking"

[Dr. Pepper]

Huskee : Maybe something like 'Old, trying to smoke' ??? Or simply 'Old' That would be easy for folks to @ Easier than Skip (Don't you just hate to have to type 4 letters, when 3 would suffice!!)

[rickgregory]

See, what your wife is REALLY saying is she's fine with you buying it if you also buy her a gasser. At least that's what I take from that.

[Jfrosty27]

+1. Understand the riddle. 🤣

[HawkerXP]

+2

[Draznnl]

+3

[CaptainMike]

Go for it and don't look back! You can always get a "stick burner" down the road when MCS rears its not-so-ugly-head. Don't worry, it won't take long for that to happen.

And to echo Daniel, I like your wife too. She's a lot like mine!

[lostclusters]

I have a kbq and I have not used it in a long time because it uses a lot of wood to get the job done. It is also a very hands on cooker. Also I live in a hoa neighborhood and my neighbors are fairly close. So the smoke coming off it can be a little much. I currently use a Char Broil legacy charcoal grill with custom stainless steel grates and a MAK 1 star pellet grill for all my grilling needs. I prefer a well rounded smoke profile that charcoal and wood delivers. Do not confuse this with a heavy smoke flavor profile because this is not the case. When I use my mak I usually use a small charcoal basket with charcoal and wood to get that extra flavor.

I am not saying the kbq should be avoided. It is a great cooker. Built to last to be sure. If you have access to a good supply of wood and your neighbors do not mind the smoke and you do not mind the setup and feeding it wood every 30 minutes or so it could be a good fit.

Using a kbq is not cheating. Not in my book.

You could probably bargin that price down. If I were to sell mine it would be at a lower price. I have thought about selling but I doubt that would happen for now anyway.

[wrgilb]

If you ever do want to sell it, LMK. I'm up by Santa Cruz.

[klflowers]

I like that last line

Sheesh, like I expect any of you to help talk me OUT of a KBQ...

​​​​​​​Even lostclusters didn't really say no, don't buy one. I say if your more than wonderful, understanding wife says go for it, why isn't in your backyard right now???

[frigate]

Let me address your thee questions:

1. "Is it cheating" No......Actually Hell No.
2. No, by the time you read the whole "KBQ has landed" thread you will have all the information you need on fire management.
3. I brought a new KBQ.Without seeing pictures of it and more information I can't help you there.

Keeper's comments:

- First of all I don't think you can get 60 lbs. of meat in the cook box. Ernest talks about 3 15lb full packer briskets at once.
- For smoking yes it is fast.
-The key word in this line is grill not smoker. Get her a Weber gasser for burgers and dogs.
-"Just buy it," One of the reasons she is a keeper. Listen to her!

[jhoskins]

The guy sent me pictures and other than the firebox discoloration that is expected, it looks brand new. He clearly knows his stuff from talking to him… but is firm at $1400… a lot to pay for a used cooker but I am still managing to rationalize doing it… "oh well it’d be $1850 by the time I bought one new and shipped it, so this is still a discount"… yikes

[Panhead John]

I don’t think you should get it at all. Save that money and get your lovely wife a really nice lawn mower or vacuum cleaner. You and her, will appreciate it more than some dumb ol smoker. People here on this site are spending way too much money on cookers. I think everyone should narrow their cookers down to one, no more than 2. Just grab an Old Smokey at Walmart and pickup a George Foreman Grill for indoors….don’t forget the Liquid Smoke! It’s really sad that I’m the only one here who will try to help out a fellow member.

[jhoskins]

Do we have rules in the Pit about other Pit members trying to steal wives? Panhead John is out here making moves, just wait until Mrs. tbob4 finds out PJ microwaves ribs… that should do the trick

[Panhead John]

jhoskins A lot of people don’t know this but…..there’s many wives out there who are just jumping at the chance to live with ol PJ. 🙄

[Panhead John]

ComfortablyNumb You’re right. I ordered that new Morso Pizza oven.

[Sid P]

Yes, you should definitely get it, even though you won’t have the fun of wearing down your obviously wonderful wife for a few weeks or months . I always remind my beloved spouse that when buying used I can often recoup most or all of my investment, so it’s just "asset allocation" and not really an expense.

Enjoy your new KBQ!

[Jfrosty27]

So. After all of this, you HAVE bought it and are your way to pick it up. Right? 🤣

[glitchy]

Run as fast as you can to get that KBQ!

[58limited]

I love mine and use it more than my kamado now.

I would try and talk them down a little. Last year a brand new KBQ was $1400. This year they went up $300. If it is used it is still valuable but maybe not a great value at $1400. Most used ones I've been seeing are going for around $800-900 but if it is like new it would be worth more.

The flip side is: if you've been looking and this one is the only one that has come up for sale in your area and it is like new, well it is $300 less than a brand new one.

[jhoskins]

See the comment I left above on frigate’s post, seems like it is $1,400 or no C-60 for me. The others I have seen on sale are all over 1000 miles unfortunately

[HawkerXP]

KBQ, KBQ, KBQ!

[jhoskins]

Wait, you changed your picture… shouldn’t you be chanting PBC!?

[HawkerXP]

If I was looking at burning wood I would be looking for a KBQ.


..., ..., ...!

[Dr. Pepper]

jhoskins My advice:

[rickgregory]

Shipping is about $200 from KBQ to Grand Rapids, so it would be about $500 more to go new. BUT for $1400 firm I'd want it to be in Like New condition and not missing anything that comes with the unit. Any even modestly significant blemishes and, no thanks. I'd also ask KBQ if the warranty transfers but that's a detail.