It's been a busy summer of "kettle flipping" buying, cleaning, using, and selling kettles on craigslist. I started with a neglected OTS that I got for $8. My ultimate goal is to buy sell or trade my way up to a Gas assist performer and an 18 inch WSM without significant additional investment. These are lofty goals but I'm making progress.
The plan is simple if I find a grill that's better than what I have now I will upgrade only if I feel can sell the old one for more than the new one so I end up with a better grill and more money for future upgrades. I hedge my bets and list both on Craigslist together priced appropriately and which ever sells, sells. I get left with a kettle and cash. I bought two OTS's, sold one and upgrade one to an OTG
Last week I saw an OTG with a weber chimney for $30. I usually make my first offers aggressively but this was already a steal so I paid the asking price and got it home. It was pretty good shape but had heavy duty grease inside. I don't mind some buildup but only if it's my buildup, so this one needed a cleaning. Using advice I read on this board I gave it a bath in dish soap and let it sit overnight. The next afternoon I went at with a razor blade scraper and like magic the grease was coming off like a roll of film leaving pristine kettle below. Heres an in progress photo showing before scraping on left and after on right.
By the time the cleanup was done this kettle was gone to a buyer for a profit ( I kept the weber chimney but threw in a no name one I had.
I was pretty happy with that flip but then I struck again:
For the same $30 this was listed:
It was listed late at night and I couldn't get until after work the following day. Knowing that it wouldn't last at that price I offered the seller to pay via paypal immediately just so I wouldn't lose it. They held it for me since I made the first offer, and good thing, as they got 3 more offers same day.
When I got I was shocked, this looked like it was hardly used at all. So little in fact that there was actually some mold inside as it sat covered in a garage for years (the date code is DA).
Took it home and gave it a wash with some soap and water and ten minute later I had a perfect one touch platinum for $30! It took longer to get musty smell out of the cover then it did to clean the grill
The OTS turned OTG it replaced was sold 3 days later to reimburse and reinforce the "kettle acquisition fund"
The summer grill season here in New York will be winding down shortly so selling will be tougher but I'm hoping that someone will want to unload a gas assist performer and or a WSM before winter.
Topic: Flip this Kettle: Another CL Score (Read 3316 times)