Interesting Item................

[THUNDERDOME]

Hi Thunder. Welcome! Thanks for your input. I can get down with a guy that makes and stands behind their products. Anyways, it seems like there are other effects going on with your Vortexer. For example, your chicken post shows extremely even cooking on both sides of a wing. Similar setups like that tend to cook hotter on one end. I am inclined to say that the your product produces more radiant heat inside the kettle and into the actual steel of the bbq itself rather than relying more on convection to cook. As an engineer, I am very intrigued by this.

What's the approx. cost of shipping on one of these in the US?

Thanks PBE Gummi Bear

I am shipping for $10 a piece. I am struggling with quoting freight due to time restrictions (and having a job, kids, etc). All I've shipped so far have been north or south of $10 by a couple bucks so I'm 'hoping' it's a wash and just going w/ $10 shipping

I ordered one . But I ordered through Madhunkymeat (Rich). Does it matter who we order through? Same product, right?

Same product. Rich and I are buds

[MacEggs]

Hey THUNDERDOME!! Welcome to the WkC!

When I said that I wanted to fabricate one, I would only do one that was similar.
I see something made of metal .. I think ... I want to try to make that, too. I'm just a guy who likes to tinker. No hard feelings.

I am a "one-off" kind of fabricator. Too many projects that occupy my mind during the long Canadian winter. 

[OGlenn]

. . . I too had a Stok, but felt limited with it's design and size (and bottom line, it's no Weber). The Stok is intended to be a charcoal chimney, that sets your coals, then is removed prior to cooking eliminating the Weber Charcoal Chimney . . .

Thanks for coming on board and helping to clarify how your accessory works. New ideas like yours are one of the reasons I joined this site.

I agree the Stok grill is a piece of crap, however the cast iron grate and their insert system aren't bad at all, and the grate and chimney fits perfectly on a 22.5" weber.  The chimney can be used throughout the cook, not only to start the coals. I have used it with good results with the wider diameter side up, but have never considered flipping it until I saw your design was created for. I doubt the porcelain covered steel material they use is 16 gauge, so your product will likely last much longer. Since you own both items, how do they compare in diameters (both narrow and wide sides)?

[THUNDERDOME]

The narrow end is comparable, but the wider end is what is larger. It makes a big diff capacity-wise.

I don't 'dislike' the Stok. In fact i love the center idea. I just dropped the center grate down into chimney after the gunk built up too much for it to sit snuggly into the outer grate lip when cleaning. Also had bad luck w/ the removing tool. It broke shortly after the purchase.

My main complaint was heat control. When i had shut it down all the way, the fire would still blaze and i couldn't re-use the charcoal. Not as air tight as a weber for sure.

[OGlenn]

Thanks, I thought your item looked wider and I would bet that your's is built better too. I agree the vent sucked on that Stok grill and the color was just plain fugly. I use a pair of bent-nose pliers to move the insert around, as  the guy I bought it from gave me the pliers because he too had broken the handle they provide. That grill was not worth anymore than the $15 or $20 I paid for it for sure, and then only because I could poach the parts I wanted and still flip it for a few bucks. Now, I can try something else with it too!

[GC8]

I think I may have to pick one of these up.  Any chance of putting together a group buy at a discounted rate?  We set stuff like this up on my car forums, but let me know if I'm out of line here.

Great product!

[DoppelBock]

'

[jcnaz]

This thing started as a way to get fried-like chicken wings on the kettle without having to offset the coals and move the wings around to achieve equal heat. I wanted the heat high enough to crisp the skin and get 'bbq' flavor without burning the skin.

Welcome Thunderdome!
Have you seen any adverse effects on the kettles when using the Vortex? I am very interested in making perfect chicken wings, or crispy-skinned thighs. I just don't want to craze the porcelain.

[1buckie]

 Nice Cookup, A Man !!!!

I'm glad I dragged that over from their site.....

I've also spent some time looking around there & some real interesting cooking is being done....

Sous Vede bath & then seared on this unit....strange, but true !!!!

 The extra high heat is a bit scary to me.....

[DoppelBock]

 Nice Cookup, A Man !!!!

I'm glad I dragged that over from their site.....

I've also spent some time looking around there & some real interesting cooking is being done....

Sous Vede bath & then seared on this unit....strange, but true !!!!

 The extra high heat is a bit scary to me.....

Thanks Ken! I'm glad you dragged that over from their site too

Yeah, the Sous Vede bath is very interesting. Not sure I'm ready for that just yet though.

And the >1K concentrated heat coming out of the Vortex IS a bit scary. I won't be leaving the bottom vents fully open in the future.

[THUNDERDOME]

Hi guys. Enjoying this thread for sure!

I have yet to see any changes whatsoever to my kettles or egg due to Vortex heat.

I cooked on the 18.5" last night w/ it, just gotta figure out how this forum prefers photobucket pics so I can share it

@GC8 I'm always open for something like this. Anything for fellow kettle heads