Showing posts with label bull outdoor grills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bull outdoor grills. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Char-Broil 3184727 Deluxe Electric Rotisserie

Char-Broil 3184727 Deluxe Electric RotisserieI have to say that the con to this devices is the spit itself... come on why would make a spit in two pieces attached by a nut that bind the two pieces together ... to me it seems it is the weakest point in the whole device. I broke mine while I was tightening it... luckily I ran out to buy a cheap rotisserie for the 1 piece spit it contained... The spit need to be sturdy and appears to be flimsy... stay away from this one. Char-Broil 2584727 Deluxe Electric Rotisserie

I wasn't sure about buying this rotisserie after reading other negative reviews and wish I hadn't. It didn't even make it to the grill. The rod comes in 2 parts that have to be screwed in, one into the other, and the threaded end snapped off before it was even tightened down all the way. This is clearly not well-made and I would guess if it had made it into use, something else would have failed later on.

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This item is great!! It installed right on the pre drilled holes on my BBQ and I was off and running! Only drawback is that you have to remove the brackets in order to put your grill back on. I cooked a chicken and it was beautiful!

Read Best Reviews of Char-Broil 3184727 Deluxe Electric Rotisserie Here

Char-Broil is generally known as having a pretty good product line; this is not one of them. The spit is a two piece affair that is assembled by screwing one half into the other half with a washer between them. The problem is that the threaded portion is too long to be tightened down to the other half; so it breaks as you attempt to tighten it down as instructed by the sheet accompanying the product. However, based on other reviews (which I wish I had read prior to purchasing the product) this is not new news, so let me add dealing with Char-Broil.

Had I purchased this item locally, I would have brought it back to the seller and demanded either a refund or a new one. Since that is not what happened, I contacted Char-Broil. Even though this product has no warranty information on or in the box I knew I would get some satisfaction if I harangued them enough. Surprisingly it wasn't all that difficult, once I explained to the customer service rep what the problem was and that the item had not been used yet he said they could fix the problem and make it right, then he asked where I purchased it. When I said Amazon, he said that I would have to send the item back to Char-Broil (using a trackable service) and they would replace it; however, here is the rub, I had to send the entire item back, including the parts I had already assembled on the grill. So, I took all the parts back off the grill, then put them back in the box and marked the box with the RMA number supplied and using the shipping box it came in from Amazon, I repacked it and shipped it via UPS to Char-Broil, at my expense.

The day after it arrived in Georgia (where it was being shipped) I received an automated email from Char-Broil requesting that I contact them in reference to my item returned. When I contacted them, I found that what they wanted was a credit card to charge $8.95 for shipping and handling to return my replacement product to me. Needless to say, this did not go over well with me and after some discussion they decided to return it at their expense. Be forewarned, Char-Broil's warranty on ALL items is that the consumer pays shipping in both directions. I hate to think what would happen if there was something wrong with my grill!

When the replacement item gets back to me, I will see if the threaded portion still appears too long to fit into the other side and if so, I am going to grind it down some until it fits easily and rely on the lock washer to keep the two halves together.

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Everything is fine with this except for the spit. It is a two piece contraption that has no strength. It worked fine for the first two times I used it but just now as I was roasting two chickens it broke and dumped our dinner into the flames. DON'T BUY IT.

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Sunday, June 22, 2014

Weber Spirit Liquid Propane Gas Grill

Weber 46510001 Spirit E310 Liquid Propane Gas Grill, BlackReplacing my 9 year old Ducane, and couldn't be happier. She was one of the good ones, actually made in South Carolina, but this Weber has better temperature control and gets hot! Nice when you're grilling in winter!

Assembly was easy, the firebox and gas line assemble came pre-assembled; you just build the cart and attach the finishing components such as the ignitor, knob cover plate, side shelves and door. Took about an hour and 45 min. The instructions are clear and concise. Needed tools are a #2 Phillips screwdriver and a 7/16ths deep dish socket would be useful for the 8 nuts securing the side table brackets.

Deal maker for me was the heavy cast iron grates. These are exactly the same quality as the $699 E-310 Genesis, just smaller, and they leave great grill marks! (Please see picture).

Even though this grill has 2 burners it gets hot! Up to 550 degrees within 10 min on high. Turn down the temp and it dropped to 400 within a couple of minutes.

A nice feature is the propane tank gauge, which is spring mounted and based on full tank weighing 38 lb.'s. I could tell by feel that my tank was getting low when I picked it up, and the gauge confirmed my suspicion by letting me know that I'm down to a fifth of a tank just with a simple glance at the well-marked hanging scale indicator.

This is the 2013 model, with burner knobs moved to the front, providing more useful work space. If needed the side tables collapse, but still feel very secure and substantial when used in the upright position.

I'm very pleased with my purchase and would recommend this to a friend.

I actually purchased my E210 from a local retailer, but thought I would write a review for it here anyways.

Pro's

-----

* Gets up to 550 degrees in mid winter here in Utah

* Very sturdy construction, even the fold down shelves are very stable unlike most grills.

* Sides are basically closed with only a few small holes for rotisserie (had a bird build a nest in my last one so this was important for me, no where for them to get in now)

* Enclosed Propane area

* Propane tank meter (done by weight)

* Solid Iron Grills, good weight, good heat retention, great sear marks.

* Ignition system is great, battery powered, not one of those little push powered igniters that always break.

Con's

-----

* Cost, at $499 this was the most expensive BBQ I have purchased, and it seemed odd considering it didn't have many of the features that most others in that price range have.

* No Side Burner, but really who actually uses that thing anyways.

Personal Thoughts:

------------------

I was a little leery of getting what seemed like a feature lacking BBQ for basically a $500 price tag. But the more I thought about it the more I realized I really didn't want all of those extra little gadgets that I frankly never used. I wanted a well made, well thought out, but otherwise basic BBQ. Enter the E210, which fits the bill perfectly. It is a bit expensive compared to other BBQ's with the same basic features, but what you are paying for is a good design and good quality. I do not regret the purchase at all, it fits exactly what I needed it to. It hits higher temps than most cheap BBQ's, most likely due to the well thought out design with little room for air to escape the BBQ. I never use the bun warmers at all, so I simply removed that rack completely so I have full access to the main BBQ surface.

I love the construction, it is very stable and sturdy a significant improvement from all of the cheap BBQ's I have used in the past. I love the grates, they leave great sear marks and are easy to keep clean and are just a good quality heavy duty iron. I have used my BBQ almost every day since I purchased it several months ago from steaks to hamburgers and I have to say it is just about perfect. This BBQ is clearly superior in quality than any other BBQ in the price range and if you BBQ as often as I do it is well worth the investment. From quality knobs, to stable trays, to solid grills, to a great ignition system, from top to bottom this grill is well designed and well built. I would highly recommend it. If you really need the side burner there are other models that include it, but I can't think of a single time I have ever used the side burner.

Recommendation:

---------------

I would highly recommend the Webber BBQ light if you ever cook after dark and have not looked into it yet. I cook after dark fairly regularly and having the attached light makes an awesome grill even better. It simply attaches to the handle, so it lights up the Grill when you lift the lid to check on your food. Some people have complained about battery drainage, but I simply turn it on when I am BBQ'ing, then turn it off when finished and it works perfectly.

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I purchased this grill from Amazon earlier this month, and was surprised that Amazon would overnight for only $3.99 with my Prime account. That convenience certainly hit Amazon's margin, its a heavy box, can't be cheap to overnight a 150lb box! So props for Amazon!

As far as the grill is concerned, I was between this Spirit E320 and the E220. Both have the side burner, which was a requirement for me. The 220 was virtually out of stock anywhere you look, and I didn't want to wait so I spent a little more and went with the 320. I was initially a little worried about the 320's size, but in reality its only slightly bigger than the 220 which is a good thing for me. I'm actually glad I went with this slightly larger model, I think its really the perfect size grill. The 220 may be a b little too junior.

I've used it every night this week, and have enjoyed it. Grill reaches 500 degrees in about five minutes here in South Florida where its 80 degrees at night in the middle of winter, although that may take a little longer in colder climates. We did get a sudden rain storm that drenched the grill during warm up, but even then the temperate reached 500 degrees in the same amount of time.

My only complain is one that some people discussed in other forums concerning the relative ease to over torque one of four screws that hold the side table together. Weber has clearly noticed this, and included an appendix to the manual with a new screw set to replace the defective ones. Unfortunately, I didn't realize this until after the fact as the setup guide has no mention that you should look elsewhere in the box for the "revised" version of step ## which uses the new screws. Weber should go through the trouble of revising their official setup guide so people don't overlook the way I did. Ultimately, one of the four screws snapped. Eventually I'll disassemble the side table and use the revised and newly included screws, but I don't understand why Weber wouldn't just revise the official setup guide. Its really a subtle rant, but I can easily see anxious grillers duplicating my mistake and over torquing ALL of the original screws only to then realize they didn't use the revised instructions. Just fix the original setup guide, Weber!

Otherwise, I'm a happy customer. I come from a Charbroil grill, and already the food coming off my Weber is more flavorful. I look forward to many years of grilling.

PS I also purchased a Weber grill cover (http://www.amazon.com/Weber-7553-Premium-Genesis-Grills/dp/B0012Y1D5E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357839047&sr=8-1&keywords=weber+grill+cover). Its very easy to put on and take off, I highly recommend it.

Read Best Reviews of Weber Spirit Liquid Propane Gas Grill Here

Remember in high school when you were dating that girl and you *thought* you were in love? And then you broke up and a few years later someone better came along and you found out what real love really felt like? Remember that grill that you thought you loved? You know, the one that you bought at Walmart with for $199 with 8 burners, a built in sink and a helicopter landing pad? Well, you haven't loved a grill until you've owned this one. Simplicity is key, and combined with great build quality, this grill is an absolute WINNER.

Let me just say this: there's a reason why this grill is more than ones from other makers even though it may seemingly have less features and less burners. It is so well made and so easy to put together it's crazy. This thing is a tank. And it's beautiful.

It's like comparing a BMW and Kia. They both have CD players and leather seats but are they equal? Nope.

A couple of GREAT things about this grill:

1. It is amazingly easy to assemble for a grill. The directions are all pictures, which is kind of annoying, but if you can't read you'll love it.

2. It is packed very well.

3. It is beautiful when assembled. It is a real work of art.

4. It cooks food so darn well evenly, accurately and with precision. It heats up quickly.

5. The fold down trays on the side are a nice touch. The grill takes up a really small footprint when you need it to.

A couple of NOT so great things about this grill:

1. If you're used to cooking 17 cobs of corn 14 burgers, 12 hot dogs and a two t-bones simultaneously, this is not the grill for you.

2. I don't really like the back of the handle instead of being solid, it has like some ridges (to add grip I guess?) and it feels, well, not good.

One thing I would also recommend get the Weber grill cover. It's well worth it. It's also well made and it will keep this puppy shining like the day you bought it.

It's time for a burger. Excuse me.

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The night it arrived I unpacked it, did an inventory check, and "read" the instructions front to back. The instructions are a lot like a LEGO set: mostly pictures and arrows that are actually very accurate representations of the parts. (Unlike the $200 grills I've bought at Wal-Mart and Lowes Depot. Everyone knows they can't translate Engrish, but who would have thought they could actually misinterpret a drawing so badly?) Anyway, the second night it went together without a hitch in about an hour and a half. What a solid beauty. The heavy and solid iron grilling surface is large enough to cook for 6-10 people, and the fire box has almost no holes where heat can escape. Every piece is either stainless steel or coated with a serious thickness of ceramic paint that is very tough. Someone would have to abuse it badly to make it rust (although I probably still wouldn't leave it at the beach year round...) I'll update with a cooking review after it is broken in with burgers, steaks, ribs and roasts. Getting a solid smoke solution other than foil smoker pouches laying on top of the flame deflectors on cheap grills will be nice. I'm thinking a smoker box under the burners on the drip pan will work...

UPDATE: This thing heats up to 550 in ten minutes lust like others have said. The cast iron grates have wide bars with a lot of surface area and steaks sear beautifully every time. Got a cast iron smoker box from Lowes Depot for about $15 that is only about an inch tall and it sits on top of the "flavorizer" bars under the cast iron grates perfectly. Smoke makes everything taste better -especially the three full racks of baby back ribs I indirectly grilled last weekend. After the grill warmed up with all burners on high and the wood chips started smoking I turned two of the three burners completely off and one end burner kept the grill at 325 degrees consistently for 4+ hours! I moved and mopped the ribs every hour and had to crank up the middle burner to get it back up to temp quickly (3-5 min.) but once there just the left burner took over like a champ. This is the best grill I've ever owned. I did not have an issue mounting my propane tank to the gas level indicator like another reviewer. It may be the type of tank he had. Mine is from Costco and it came with its own internal fuel gauge and the two seem to agree so I'm very happy with Weber's gas level indicator. The drip pan and collection system is also impressive. All juice and debris goes right where it is supposed to and using a scraper to clean it out and push all the waste through the hole into the disposable aluminum pan makes this one of the easiest grills to clean I have ever used.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Sunbeam Cksbpm5020 2-Slice Panini Maker

Sunbeam Cksbpm5020 2-Slice Panini MakerLoving this panini maker so far. Ordered it for our Armt shop that is currently deployed to Afghanistan. We needed something to boost our mundane & bland menu. Contemplated a toaster oven, but then ran across this little guy and we all got excited about the possibilities. It arrived a couple of weeks ago (about a week after placing the order) and we have put it to good use. Makes excellent grilled cheese sandwiches and regular ham or turkey sandwiches go a little on the gourmet (as gourmet as we can get in Afghanistan)side when toasted on this guy. We have even grilled Spam on here and it does that with no problem. It is non-stick and a sinch to clean up even after a night of heavy grilled cheese making with some guys overdoing the cheese and it running all over the grill. There should be a protective cover over the space where the knob and the grill are because I have noticed that cheese that goes in there is hard to clean out, but a little elbow grease does the trick and I have no issues with having to grab a thin knife to knock it loose. It does require to be plugged for on and unplugged for off, but I think this is a safety feature with such devices like the Foreman grill. This product seems pretty sturdy as well and that was an issue at 1st because I did not know if the product could hold up to a bunch of rugged Army boys. We shall see if the heavy use toll makes it worthy of our money. If you are debating getting something cheap like this or something way more expensive, give this a try. It's chrome cover and sturdy handle give it a sleek look and it does not take up that much counter space.

Update May 18, 2011: Well, it has been about 4.5 months now and this little guy is still doing an excellent job in our shop. Has been used 24/7 by the guys on both of our 12hr shifts and we have had no problems yet. We love it! It has brought up moral in our shop more than I had ever hoped and made meals/snacks way more enjoyable than before. We might even give this lil guy an award before we leave in a couple of weeks! :)

I've always wanted a sandwich press but never really wanted to shell out a lot of money to get one. Enter the Sunbeam Panini Maker... at a low $24.99 at Target, I looked at the different models available and this one seemed to be just as good as the 50 and 60 dollar models. It is a little smaller than the pricer models, but there is still plenty of room to cook 2 nice size sandwiches.

I used it for the first time today and what can I say... this thing is excellent! Plugged it in and cranked it up (you can choose the heat setting). After a couple of minutes, the Ready To Cook green light came on and I threw my sandwich in. After flipping it a few times, I took it out and had a huge bite... hot, crispy and delicious. Easy to use, simple cleanupnot much more you can ask for. I will update this review if anything changes but at $25 dollars, I highly recomend this product if you're in the market for a sandwich press!

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I bought this grill to replace a George Foreman grill that I returned because its Teflon started coming off after two weeks of use. I had an original George Foreman grill (the one from 10 years ago) that lasted for almost 10 years of daily use. The one I bought to replace it was nowhere near as good of quality.

So, I decided I was done with George Foreman grills and gave this one a try.

Note that while Amazon's description says "panini maker," the box actually says "panini maker and grill," and shows a picture of some meat being grilled. That's why I bought it. I don't make paninis very often, but I grill steak and/or chicken breast every day.

I had high hopes for this grill. It has a lot of awesome features, including:

variable temperature control

the top opens 180 degrees so you can use it as an open face grill if you want

the drip collection tray is a cup, rather than a thin tray like on the George Foreman grill, which makes handling it much easier

large grilling area

There are only two flaws:

I wish the ridges on the front of the grill were a little deeper. If you don't prop its feet up (it has adjustable feet) so the grease drips out, it doesn't really collect very much before it overflows

the non-stick coating began to flake off after a week of use. This is a deal-breaker. Entirely unacceptable, especially after only one week of use.

I know how to handle non-stick indoor grills: I clean them after every use, I never use metal utensils on them, etc. This was not a case of user error, so to speak.

One day I was grilling a chicken breast (as I do almost every day), and I smelled something burning. I lifted the top of the grill and the top of the chicken breast was black and completely burnt to a crisp. I thought this was odd, because it had never happened despite the 5 chicken breasts I had cooked previously on it exactly the same way. This is basically the same thing that happened with my defective George Foreman grill, too. In both cases, the bottom of the chicken breast was just fine. It seems the fault for both products lies with the top burner.

I cut the burnt part off and spent 30 minutes cleaning the grill. I already knew something funny was going on, because why would a grill which is set to a fixed temperature cook 5 chicken breasts perfectly and then burn the top of 6th one to a crisp? I didn't leave it on too long; in fact, the middle of the chicken breast was still raw.

Anyway, the next time I cooked another chicken breast on it, I noticed bits and flecks of black non-stick coating on top of the chicken breast. This was unbelievable, because I spent 20-30 minutes cleaning it after the previous use with a wet paper towel, and there was nothing left on the grill's surface; the paper towel was clean after I was done wiping it down.

I sliced off the top of the chicken breast (the part with the Teflon coating), cleaned the grill again, let it heat back up again, and then put the top back down on the chicken breast for 2 seconds. When I lifted it up, there were Teflon pieces stuck to the chicken.

Some people may be thinking "how do you know it was Teflon and it wasn't just that the chicken was burnt?"

The answer is because I had the top lowered for 2 seconds; an uncooked chicken breast cannot burn in 2 seconds.

So, this was a bummer. This grill had some awesome features and I was really looking forward to using it.

My quest continues for an indoor grill whose non-stick coating does NOT come off, or whose non-stick coating lasts for at least 10 years of daily use (like the original George Foreman grill's did, before they reduced the quality to the piece of junk version they are selling today) before wearing off so I can get my money's worth.

I am going to return this grill and try another one. I am being optimistic that I just got a defective unit. I will update this review only if the new one does not have the non-stick coating come off. Give me some time to do this. If this review has not been updated within a month of its posting date, then you can assume the quality of the replacement was poor, as well, and this grill should be avoided.

I posted a picture of one of the paper towels I used to clean it, covered in non-stick (Teflon) bits that came off. You can view them up by the product picture at the top.

Read Best Reviews of Sunbeam Cksbpm5020 2-Slice Panini Maker Here

We made grilled cheese sandwiches on this panini maker and they turned out perfect! In fact, I doubt if I will ever go back to making them in a pan on the stove. Creamy cheese on the inside and toasty bread on the outside with griddle marks. Simply delicious!

But....

This machine takes too long to clean up. Some of the cheese splattered onto the front of the machine near the dial that adjusts the temperature. So it was very time consuming to get the grease and cheese off of the outside surface. Other than that, this panini maker is not only afffordable, but makes terrific panini sandwiches. I highly recommend this one by Sunbeam!

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The jaws on this don't open wide enough to grill a real panini. Sure, they'll grill a couple regular slices of bread with a couple slices of meat and cheese, but I bought it to grill a panini from the local Fred Meyers deli and is not even close. If you actually use panini bread and a reasonabl amount of fillings this grill just won't do it.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Elizabeth Karmel's 15-inch Super Silicone Angled Barbecue Mop

Elizabeth Karmel's 15-inch Super Silicone Angled Barbecue MopWorks great; exactly as advertised. The large number of super-flexible bristles suck up plenty of sauce and release it evenly over the meat. Cleanup is then super-easy: it doesn't absorb the sauce like a cotton mop so it just rinses clean. As always with grill tools, the handle could be a bit longer, but it is a very usable length.

The earlier reviews say that this brush holds a lot of 'sauce'. However, it is advertised as a mopping brush. In that capacity, it is a major disappointment. Mopping sauces are very thin and are used to keep meats (ribs, brisket, pork shoulder etc.) from drying out in the cooking process. This brush doesn't absorb enough of the mopping sauce to be effective. I don't use the cotton mops because they 'drink' most of the sauce...this one is just the opposite. It doesn't absorb enough 'mop' to baste the food to avoid drying out. It is best used to apply thicker barbeque sauce at the end of a bbq cook. Silicone just doesn't work with a mopping sauce.

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A mopping brush? You got to be kidding me. Maybe for a chicken leg or two. I am a serious grill enthusiast who cooks quite often outdoors and I had high hopes for this silicon brush mop. It is neither large enough or long enough to do the job unless you are cooking for maybe two people. Heat loss when raising the grill lid is an important factor when grilling or smoking meats and the tiny surface area of this mop will cause you to waste alot of time mopping on your sauce if you are cooking any substantial amount of food. Good idea that needs at least 4 times the surface area at best.

Read Best Reviews of Elizabeth Karmel's 15-inch Super Silicone Angled Barbecue Mop Here

This mop works great. It holds a lot of juice, the angled head makes it easy to use on the grill, and the silicone cleans up easily.

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We had previously owned this item but accidentally left it at a cabin. It was hard to find one at a store near us. This product was just like the one we lost. Shipping was fast.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Mr. Heater Hose with Regulator and Quick Disconnect for Big Buddy Heater #F271803

Mr. Heater Hose with Regulator and Quick Disconnect for Big Buddy Heater #F271803I was confused about the hose options so I contacted Mr. Heater to get the scoop. I have not actually used the hose myself (so the 4 star was arbitrary...seems like this is the way to go, tho'), but I wanted to share what the company said. (Please note that the product manuals for the Mr Buddy heaters are available on their website at the specific product link). My initial question and the company response follow, including the contact info for the company rep that sent me the information:

Initial question to Mr. Heater:

amazon.com advertizes that the plasticizer-free green hose(f273704) can be used with both the portable buddy and big buddy, but I don't see it listed in the big buddy manual. Is it compatible with both? Also, is the quick disconnect hose (F271803) compatible with both the big buddy and the portable buddy? Does this hose require use of a fuelfilter? If no, why not? Is it made of materials that will not degrade like the f273704 hose?

Response from Mr. Heater:

When you connect any of our Buddy model heaters to a remote propane tank, that tank can have over 120 PSI of pressure inside it.

This high pressure in the rubber hose connected to the heater can squeeze a plasticizer or an oil out of the rubber in the hose and once it gets into the heater it is trapped and will plug up the tubes and cause the heater to be an unreliable unit.

We came up with a fuel filter to prevent this oily substance from getting into the heater when using a high pressure hose.

The hose manufacturers came up with a hose that doesn't have the plasticizers in it so NO filter is needed (our part number for this plasticizer hose is F273704).

BUT the draw back with this hose is with no plasticizers in the rubber it causes the hose to be very stiff especially in cold weather. So you don't need the filter but you have to work with a hose that doesn't like to straighten out or is more difficult to work with because of this stiffness.

As far as the hose with the quick coupler, this is only available to be used on the Big Buddy MH18B heaters. The Big Buddy has two built in regulators but also has a male quick coupler built-in that by-passes these two regulators so if you have a regulated propane supply like in an RV or your house, you can use our hose to connect to this low pressure source (all low pressure is less than 1/2 PSI of pressure).

We also have a hose for the Big Buddy that has the quick coupler connection to the heater and a regulator at the connection to the propane tank, like on a barbeque grill.

Because the regulator is mounted directly to the propane tank it reduces the very high 110 PSI of pressure from the tank to the low 1/2 PSI pressure. Because this pressure is so low it will not be able to squeeze out the oily plasticizers from the rubber in the hose and does not need a fuel filter.

Bradford Austin

This hose costs more than the one without the regulator. However, it has several advantages that have been confirmed by Mr. Heater (I called them):

1) The regulator keeps the pressure coming from the tank into the hose at a very low level, which is safer.

2) You do NOT need to purchase a fuel filter with this hose. The regulator prevents oils from leaving the propane tank and entering your heater where it could do damage. Although you pay more for this hose up front, you don't have to buy fuel filters periodically, which are required with the other hose that doesn't have the regulator.

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I chose this quick disconnect hose instead of the hose that connects to the heater's regulator because this hose is equipped with a regulator at the bulk tank end thus reducing the hose pressure to a much safer 1/2 lb. psi. This hose also has a built in filter in the regulator eliminating the purchase of an additional filter.

Preventing 5 stars is the cramped quick connection in the Mr. Heater which points straight down. It would be nice if the quick disconnect also had a swivel outward like the heater's two regulators.

Also you must hold the pilot button for about 90 seconds to allow the gas to travel the length of the 12' hose to reach the heater.

Otherwise I'm pleased wih the product because it allows connection to a large supply of propane which you will need when operating Mr. Heater on high. Also the cost of propane when purchased in 20 lbs. is much cheaper than the 1 lb bottles.

Read Best Reviews of Mr. Heater Hose with Regulator and Quick Disconnect for Big Buddy Heater #F271803 Here

The connection works great, it was a little confusing at first because I thought you connected it to the same area as the small tanks, but on closer inspection I found the "quick connect" fitting inside and behind the other connection, after that it was a snap.

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This is the best option for your Mr. Heater Big Buddy, and I'll tell you why, and I'll give you a useful tip.

USEFUL TIP:

When you first connect this, and try to fire up your heater, You will be surprised at how long it takes to light your heater. Because it is 12', and because the gas is regulated to a very low pressure at the tank side of the hose, IT TAKES A FULL 90 SECONDS FOR THE PROPANE TO FILL THE HOSE AND REACH THE PILOT LIGHT. I have tried it seasonally four times now. It is not 70 seconds. Not 80. It is 90. Every. Time. I suggest you connect, open the propane tank, twist your knob and hold it down (prime) for 80 sec before you even try to light it with a new hose. Don't be tricked by a very faint smell of propane, it will take 90 seconds. Have I driven the point hard enough? But only need to do this priming once a season; I can swap out propane tanks and will not need to repeat the 90s priming.

PROS OF THIS HOSE:

it has a pressure regulator on the hose at the tank side, which is why it costs more, but the regulator offers a consistent 1/2psi of pressure to your heater.

the low pressure is safer in case of propane leakage in the system (hose, heater, element). You are less likely to have leaks with lower pressure.

the low pressure means that your hose will not leech the rubber oils that ruin so many people's Big Buddy. You don't need a filter at the heater side because there is no leeching.

powers the heater on full for a long, long time.

has a great, easy to hookup fast connector for the heater. Face your heater, open the tank compartment on your left, and look for the 4" shiny connector dropping down from the top behind the in-built regulator hookup for the small 1lb tank. That's where you connect.

using this, you spare your internal connectors and regulators for when you go mobile. Eventually, regulators get used, gummy, or go bad. If you use this hose, your internal regulators last longer.

when you shut off the propane from the tank, the heater dies out very quickly. I understand that with the high-pressure hose, it takes a while for the propane in the hose to burn off.

CONS:

costs more than high-pressure hose. Seems like a lot of cash for a hose.

the regulator may eventually gum up. Mine has. I used it every workday in my home office for 14 months (that's a lot), and now found my heater was cutting out when on the highest setting. So I bought a new hose like this, and instantly my heater is working 100% again. But instead of gumming up my internal regulators (and ruining the whole heater) I wore out the cheaper hose.

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Friday, January 10, 2014

Mr. Bar-B-Q Deluxe Non-Stick Burger Basket

Mr. Bar-B-Q Deluxe Non-Stick Burger BasketSubstantial and well made. The wooden handle stays cool even over a roaring blaze. I knew when I ordered that the handle was going to stick out of the side of my smaller OLD SMOKEY charcoal grill, but it worked out for the better. The grill cover just fits over the basket but with the handle protruding, and that creates some extra airflow that really gets the grill roaring, so the burgers cook quickly with a nice sear. The little ring that holds the sides together does sometimes slip loosely and could slide so the sides could open unexpectedly, but it has not really been a problem since I am careful to watch for it. The basket was easy enough to clean and I have had no problems with sticking, but I always oil it up first. I would recommend this item without reservation.

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Thursday, November 14, 2013

Weber Pizza Stone

Weber Style 6430 Pizza StoneWe bought two. These are so great. Crust turns out cripy and we add some wood chips to the grill for a hint of smokey flavor. Excellent quality, came sooner than Amazon said.

I bought this stone for my husband because I broke his last one. We've only used it twice so far, but it is a great stone, and we really love the handled carrier. It makes bringing it in from the outside grill very easy. I would definitely recommend this stone.

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What more do you need to know? You will think restaurant gourmet pizza sucks compared to what you can do on your own with this thing.

Here's my favorite recipe:

homemade garlic pizza dough

MEAT! pepperoni, ham, etc.

hot pepper mix: habanero,jalapeno, red chilis

quality pizza sauce from the store

your favorite freshly grated (or bagged) cheese

put the stone (no pizza yet) on the grill and heat grill up to 450* covered to get the stone nice and hot. roll your pizza dough in a baking tray while the stone heats up. after ~10 min of heating stone, take it out and put your dough on the hot stone. fill pizza w/ toppings. cook for about 15-20 minutes at 425* being careful not to burn too much. a little less for thin crust, a little more for deep dish. IMPORTANT: let cool for 5-10 min before eating or you will burn yourself! the stone retains heat for a long time, do NOT touch it with your bare hands.

the crunchy crust all the way through is amazing! enjoy :)

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No more burnt bottoms with underdone toppings! This pizza stone is a winner. We've been using our Weber grill to make pizza for years, especially in the summer so we don't have to heat up the kitchen. This stone is easy to use. You will need a pizza peel (paddle) so go ahead and order one with the stone. Use corn meal on the paddle, place the dough and build your pie, then slip right off onto the preheated stone and bake. Wow its good!

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Overall we like the stone but are learning how to use it!

First Pizza was a disaster!!! Crust stuck to stone so badly that we mostly ate the toppings. Where we couldn't get the crust off, the crust continued to cook / burn even after the bbq was off as the stone retained the heat. We did use corn meal but not enough. Cook time was not 7 10 mins as expected.

Second Pizzas were better. We did 2 smaller pizzas and used tons of corn meal on the stone (no such thing as too much!). Crust cooked in about 8 mins and didn't stick as before. We used a thermostat in the bbq.... 500 degrees we were certain. Used an instant crust vs homemade.

Lesson learned: Prep for toppings takes more time than expected. Homemade crust takes more time and from what little I had does taste better but it's nice to buy the instant crust and be less emotionally vested if it doesn't work out. Less is more... as in go easy on the sauce and toppings...except for corn meal. Cleaning a stone w/burnt on pizza dough is a lousy way to spend an evening.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Presto 85697 griddle and frypan handle set.

Presto 85697 griddle and frypan handle set.Happy with handle set, exactly the perfect fit. Ordered for parent, fry pan was fine. A lot cheaper than buying a new pan.

Bought these to replace the handles on our griddle. I had dropped our griddle one day and the original handle shattered. These fit perfectly and look nice.

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These replace the handles on my grill perfectly. I do wish I had the option for a smaller size, but otherwise, nothing to complain about.

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These fit our griddle well and saved a good pan from the recycler. Easy to install using the existing screws. Please be careful not to overtighten the screws.

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The skillet handles were attached with minimum difficulty.

I have very good cotrol of my skillet.I have used

this skillet for 28 years.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

CG CabCool902 Dual 92mm Fan Cooling kit w/Preset Thermal Controller for Cabinet/Home Theaters

CG CabCool902 Dual 92mm Fan Cooling kit w/Preset Thermal Controller for Cabinet/Home TheatersI got a new PS3 and my media cabinet was getting too hot with the PS3 and my Bose home theatre system in, so I got this fan and cut out a hole in the back of the cabinet and installed it. My only concern was that it was going to be too noisy and that wasn't the case, the fan turned out to be very quiet. It comes with a thermostat and turns on when the it reaches a preset temperature, and then it goes off when it the temperature cools down. So in short this is the perfect solution if you have a closed media cabinet.

Works great in the hard wood entertainment center I built. The fans work perfectly maintaining temperature in the enclosed cabinet. The fans have been surprising quiet. After 6 months of use; still very happy.

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