Well, to start on some agreement, a CGA is definately on the short list, but I absolutely refuse to grill / barbecue with propane / petrolium products. Some things are best done with a wood / charcoal based fire... The advantages of a CGA are many, but when local sellers just don't carry them, and online vendors have them for twice the price of a Smokey Joe that I already own, I find it easier to justify spending $20.00 for a carry bag vs. $50.00 for a new grill... Its a matter of perceived value for me. A CGA in my mind has the same $$ value as a Smokey Joe Silver. And I simply won't pay more for a CGA than a SJS... I know the CGA has advantages, so does the SJS... (round kettle distributes heat / convection more efficiently etc...). But again, I am watching sales, and used listings...
Like I mentioend above, when I bought my first, and second Smokey Joe, I had no idea CGAs existed, only thing I had ever seen are the cheap, throw away Chinese copies of the CGA, and even those don't seem to be around my area much any more.
I was in Oregon about 2 months ago, I should have gotten one when I was there. Fred Meyers has them.... :-P.
Other than it's not collapsible like the CGA, which I agree, they aren't super space efficient, I have to disagree with you on the utility of a Smokey Joe. At least the ones with the daisy wheel on the bottom. At least mine have both breathed well. The design of the more recent gold with those flaps up on the sides of the bowl seems counterintuitive. The idea behind the tiny ash pan is it is sufficient to catch what is going to leak out in use. Once the grill is cooled just tip it up and dump the ash out. No problem.
Indirect is easy as pie with a Smokey Joe, just like a Jumbo Joe, or a 22" or a 26" or... It's just a matter of scale. And like the CGA the Smokey Joe when used properly, is very conservative with the amount of chacoal it uses. To do indirect. I take a smaller than the ones I use in my 22" aluminum catch pan, and just do the same thing I do in the 22 by banking, and filling the catch pan 50% with water, apple juice, sliced onion etc... You can also snake it, or, well use the method of your choice. Just scale it to fit the smaller kettle.
I have 2 words RE: gross public grills... Bird Poop. Enough said. I don't care how much heat you apply, unless the metal is brought back to molten and recast, I am not going to trust the bird droppings aren't totally gone.
On the Truck Camper I believe you may be thinking camper shell. Not the same thing. I am talking about a slide in truck camper. As in a full camper, living space and all that slides into the bed of the truck, not a camper shell that clamps on to the bed rails and simply provides a coverd lockable storage in the bed of the truck.
https://www.eurekacamper.com/camper-models/slideinn-truck-camper/It utilizes the entire bed of the truck, has a bed, a dinette, a tiny kitchen and a place for a portable toilet. The model we are ordering has some options not listed on their website. A 48" cabover sleeper with slide out for a queen mattress, a 54" wide dinette booth, and we are waiting for confirmation of if we can get heated / electrically pumped water in the slide in camper. (They offer it on their compact trailers). And because we are going with this on a half ton truck, I have to be picky about weight of materials. Cabinet doors are being optioned in made from Cedar as it is considerably lighter and more water / bug resistant than the standard MDF doors.
I don't want the grill to smack around and damage the cabinetry, OR any corners of anything snagging upholstery hence the padded bag.
Topic: Taking your Weber goodness to go. How do you do it? (Read 1991 times)