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I bought one of these for a standalone grilling use. I was extremely impressed. Assembling The grill DID require me to
CAREFULLY read the instructions as it came with parts for standalone operation as well as for a firebox
application. Hence, parts will be left over depending on the application it is set up for. But, what really impressed me was the grates. They were
made of heavy duty cast iron like I find at public parks. This meant they hold heat and do a great job of
searing meat. The box is constructed of heavier gauge metal than a lot of grills. Making the
grill last does require some PM. I cover ny grill when I leave it outdoors. (I simply use a garden
trash bag), Instructions call for oiling the outside of the grill with olive oil, Doing this
semiannually DOES make a difference in the appearance. Since the wooden handle is not varnished, and even if it was, the
varnish would weather in time, covering with the bag keeps the wooden handle from cracking and splitting.
Great grill!
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I did a lot of research prior to purchasing this side firebox and several reviewers indicated it was challenging to get this product mounted as a side firebox to the Char-Griller Duo. Challenging it was. The overall quality of this grill is good. The door doesn't close perfectly tight against the grill body, but close enough. The removable tray doesn't quite shut all the way making it more difficult to get the air flow just right with the damper. But quality wise I'm satisfied.Now let's get to the assembly. First, the instructions provided with the grill do not tell you how to convert the grill to a side-firebox. After some looking on Char-Griller's website I found instructions and began the process. After 30 minutes of banging with a hammer, trying to pry with a large screw driver, and using a cold chisel to try and break the spot welds on the removable panel, the only thing I succeeded in doing was causing large dents in the entire side of the firebox.
After more hammering and some cursing I finally broke down and borrowed a friend's Dremel tool. 8 reinforced cutting wheels and about an hour later I finally had the panel removed and the previous dents pounded out. It is now successfully mounted on the grill and the first brisket I did last Sunday turned out pretty good. Again, because of the air gaps in the door and the removable tray, I had some challenges getting the air flow just right to maintain my fire.
This is probably great as a table top grill, and the build quality is there. But don't be fooled into thinking this will easily convert to the side firebox. If you aren't comfortable with a Dremel or other methods of cutting the hole out, I would suggest you look elsewhere for a smoker. If you are comfortable with that kind of work, just know what you are getting into and you will get a good Texas style smoker in the end.
Best Deals for Char-Griller 2-2424 Table Top Charcoal Grill and Side Fire Box
First of all let me say this: I love how Amazon handles things. I'm guessing they lost money on this order with shipping this thing 5 ways, and the return process was so easy with no hassle. Amazon customer service gets 6 stars.Also note: I bought this as the side firebox for the big Chargriller Pro I bought a couple of years ago. Not as a standalone, which probably would have raised it a star.
It took 3 times for this to be good enough to keep. The first time, the drawer was so off line there was about a 3/4 inch gap. Pretty much made the unit unusable and the idea of a damper to control/contain heat/smoke silly. I decided to send it back and try my luck on a replacement.
The second time, the drawer again had a gap, while less than last time (quarter inch or so). I considered just dealing with it, when I noticed the door wouldn't lay closed. Almost an inch gap! Then I noticed a big dent/scratch on the thing as well. I had to send this one back, again. I almost gave up, but because Amazon was so good about the returns process, I figured I try one more time.
Third time, I'm not sure if they gave me extra consideration, but before even opening I could tell (the box was in much better shape than the first two) this one had a chance. The drawer lined up, albeit not perfectly, but enough to keep in the heat and smoke. The door also was still not perfect, but close enough where a little hammer work improved it.
Now, as far as attaching this thing as a smoker? Sort of hell. First of all, no instructions. They were easy enough to find online after reading someone else's review. Just Google "chargriller side fire box instructions". The thing is, you have to pound out these stamped metal sections on both the side box and the grill. It recommends a hammer and screwdriver. I broke one screwdriver, and you will eventually just want to drill out the holes. Banging these pieces out, without totally warping the heck out of your grills was quite a task. I'm reasonably handy and was able to get it done with more than a few extra tools, but I would imagine many wouldn't want to go through this. Eventually I got it attached, and the leaking was minimal enough to function as intended. Phew.
So, I am giving it more than one star because, eventually it did operate. Not only that, the things that drew me to this in the fist place, mainly the cast iron grates, were there. I smoked a ton of meats and peppers on the first day, and it was awesome. I think I will be happy with this in the long run, but getting there was a real pain.
Honest reviews on Char-Griller 2-2424 Table Top Charcoal Grill and Side Fire Box
The ONLY reason this fire box is getting 4 out of 5 stars, instead of 5, is because the paint started curling up and peeling off on the first use (see picture section). Also, there was a small dent in the body which kind of irked me, but it in no way hampered performance. If you're concerned about how pretty your smoker is, this one may not be for you. However, if your purpose in adding this to your existing grill is to have smoking perfection, THIS IS THE ONE!!!!!!!For years, I've had to hound my husband to keep adding coals to the fire to keep the temperature up when smoking. It was usually all he could do to keep it at 200º. Every time I walked by this smoker, it was maintaining 250º to 260º. The installation to our Char-griller Duo was very easy. I was initially concerned over the lack of a gasket between the grill and the fire box, but I can tell you that not one bit of smoke escaped at the seams. Even the lids have excellent seals. I was exceptionally impressed with the performance.
I'm uploading some pictures. I highly recommend this addition to the Char-griller Duo!
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Updated 07/18/13
Well, it appears they removed the customer images I uploaded. Maybe they'll let me post links...
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61sXVRfAvTL.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/615TI1tVtkL.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61fJYAB22GL.jpg
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