Anyone NOT have the urge to cook on a daisy wheel?

[Hogsy]

Three wheel daisy kettles are completely dead for me. They are wonderful to look at and admire, but to use it as a modern day grilling tool in 2014, it's just too much aggravation and work to cook on one. The three wheel kettles have gone the way of the rotary dial house phone, the 8-track tape player, the VCR, etc.

In fact, I have gone even further and have given up on using 3 legged kettles all together! Unless it's a Performer with a OTG sweep, a lid bale, a built in thermometer, electronic ignition, and a built in work table mounted on a four wheel swivel cart, I won't even bother.

I think I may have struck a raw nerve by using the words "aggravation" and "work" when describing a 3-wheel kettle. Allow me to elaborate...  I enjoy the grilling experience, smelling the smoke, hearing the sizzle of the food, tending to the food, etc. I do not enjoy fiddling up underneath the kettle adjusting the individual hot air vents by opening and closing them repeatedly, trying to get it just right. I do not enjoy having to work at getting the fire started. I do not enjoy having to hang my lid down low on that small hook inside the lid and burning the inside of my forearm every time I want to take a peek at the food. I don't enjoy having to get out additional tools like a shovel and brush to clean the bowl afterwards, etc. I must emphasize that this is just me and I know everyone is different. To me, it is work and I don't want any part of my grilling experience to resemble work.

There's an app for that

[pbe gummi bear]

The daisy wheels are not crappy cookers by any means but the OT fits MY needs better. I think it's cool that some of you enjoy vintage cooks, fine temp control, and the different experience of cooking on a daisy but it's not something I want to explore further at this point in time. My perspective could also be because I got started in bbq with a WSM. I don't do long smokes on a kettle that often. Maybe one day when I have a more permanent grilling area, more mouths to feed, and have the opportunity to grill more often I'll find the daisy to be more rewarding.

I honestly don't get how a daisy wheel kettle can be so aggravating and so much work. I've cooked on my newly acquired one four times now, after having my new Performer since last year, and had awesome results and no frustration. The most work I did was to tip it over a bucket after the 3rd cook and set it back down. Took me like 10 seconds. Am I missing something? I'm a BBQ noob, so maybe I don't know when to be aggravated? J/K

Sent via smoke signals from my Weber kettle

Same here, in fact I can't stand OT's. Don't get me started on all of those extra parts either. I hate how the only way to keep the temp down is to barely crack the bottom vent. With my three wheeler I do about twenty cooks before I dump the ash into a bucket. Then I just brush it out and put it back to work. No ash pan whatsoever needed either. When cooking I only use one of the front vents and leave the rest of them closed all of the time. A grill doesn't need that much air. No more air than one bottom vent can deliver anyways. I'm really shocked in fact my eyes are bleeding as I read about how you guys feel about the three wheelers. Please allow me relieve you all of the burden by having you to send them over here to me where they can be appreciated.

A solution to all of these issues would be for Weber to start using the ranch kettle top vents as bottom vents. They will last forever, one vent rather than those goofy blades, and never rust. The hole would be big enough for you to just sweep it out easily by hand when you are preparing to use it. 

Hey Duke, I can't wait to see your "One Touch daisy" mod using an RK vent.  It's amazing you can get 20 cooks without your vent's clogging. Maybe one day they'll invent "no-ash" carcoal.

[Duke]

Hey Duke, I can't wait to see your "One Touch daisy" mod using an RK vent.  It's amazing you can get 20 cooks without your vent's clogging. Maybe one day they'll invent "no-ash" carcoal.


Thanks, i'll explain my system at the Argent Flame met up. We can discuss it over some lumpia and Pancit.

[Troy]

i've got a lot of cooks on my red 26 without emptying... but now it really needs to be emptied. The ash is up over the level of the charcoal grate.

Not looking forward to that task

[Duke]

i've got a lot of cooks on my red 26 without emptying... but now it really needs to be emptied. The ash is up over the level of the charcoal grate.

Not looking forward to that task

Yep, that's how I do it. I don't empty it until it slides down to the one front vent I use. I also use a homemade basket and just keep topping it off before each cook.

[Hogsy]

Daisy wheel comparison , here's a mini ranch/ compact daisy wheel next to a 22 and an 18 daisy wheel

[Duke]

Thanks Hogsy, I thought about trying to put one of those Mini Ranch or SJP vents on an 18, but didn't have one. I'm thinking the full ranch lid vent on a 22, but it would probably need to be concaved a little more.

BTW, I hope I didn't sound pissed. It's all in good fun and to each his own on what they like to cook on. I have just long been under the impression that most members here prefered the three wheelers but boy was I wrong.

[Troy]

Thanks Hogsy, I thought about trying to put one of those Mini Ranch or SJP vents on an 18, but didn't have one. I'm thinking the full ranch lid vent on a 22, but it would probably need to be concaved a little more.

BTW, I hope I didn't sound pissed. It's all in good fun and to each his own on what they like to cook on. I have just long been under the impression that most members here prefered the three wheelers but boy was I wrong.

to concave the vent, wrap in foil, bolt to a junk lid with a single washer UNDER it, heat up with a map gas torch, tap with a dead blow hammer.

[Duke]

That or just set it on the grass and drop a bowling ball on it.

[pbe gummi bear]

Daisy wheel comparison , here's a mini ranch/ compact daisy wheel next to a 22 and an 18 daisy wheel

Hey that mini ranch vent is cool! Any ideas why the hole is oblong?

[ramsfan]

What is a mini Ranch? Please explain?

[Troy]

What is a mini Ranch? Please explain?

the mini ranch, to the best of my memory, is the 22" compact kettle that is available in other countries.

[Mark Schnell]

Well, this thread just goes to show that there is a Weber kettle for everyone.

You like three wheeler kettles - we got 'em! You like one touch - we got 'em! You like big kettles - we got 'em. You like small kettles - we got 'em!

You like lots of color options - we got... well, we've got three color options — unless you're rich, get really lucky, inherit one from your crazy uncle with the Weber problem, win a fist fight at an estate auction, or move to Europe, then yeah, we got 'em!

Gotta love a Weber!! 

[Hogsy]

Hey that mini ranch vent is cool! Any ideas why the hole is oblong?

It's because the holes in the mini ranch bowl are oblong

[Craig]

The mini ranch vent looks like a Daisy Wheel vent and a One Touch bowl had a baby and that is the result. I like it!


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