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[TLK]

Is it just me or do the pictures of the PG500 look like it was beaten with an ugly stick??

Do you mean the brand new pics or after the PG500 has been used a bit? If its the former, I don't know what to tell you. I love how it looks so I would say it's just you.    If it is after some cooks I would agree in part. The stainless steel can be challenging to keep clean. I do like how my food looks coming out of it which to me is what really matters. I think the PG500 is more impressive in person than the pics. I am so proud of mine.

didn't mean to offend.  I was looking at the pics from the website.  I agree that its how the food looks coming off that is more important.  Anyone know if these are sold in local stores or is just off their website

[LowSlowJoe]

FYI - On those jerky racks...   Cabela's has the same racks for $30...   lookup "Cabela's Three-Tier Jerky Rack with Tray", I own about 9 of these racks, I use them all the time, but I don't use them with the fold up legs in place, I find those to be almost worthless...


  Also...  Cookshack already sells grates that might easily fit in a rack system for a PG500...   they are 14x18", they are the same size for their residential smokers  SM025, SM045, and SM066.   They do also sell brackets that are designed to go inside those smokers, that I think could be used in a PG500, with a little ingenuity....     

   There is one problem....  well, two...   One problem is , they are NOT CHEAP.    The other problem is, the right hand side of the PG500, where the door mounts... it infringes on the space that would be needed to easily slide 14x18" racks in and out...   

  The racks in question are part numbers are...

   PV003 , which is a 14x18" nickle plated grate, for $38 ,   PV003SS is a stainless steel version and costs $59 a piece, and the PV009 which is a nickle plated mesh rack for $54      I've coveted the mesh rack for a long time, but have never been willing to pull the trigger.   

   I should buy one of these racks listed, just to see what it would take to find a way to make it slide in and out, past the protrusion on the right hand side , where the door mounts...     

  I have found other grill grates that are a little narrower, that I believe would fit... I even bought a couple, I just have not gotten around to finding a way to build the side brackets to use to hold them in place for cooking on.

  Cookshack already sells side brackets that could be used PM022 ( don't know the exact dimensions of these)... but they want like $116 for a set, and I'm not 100% sure they could be tweaked to make work...


   

[LowSlowJoe]

Is it just me or do the pictures of the PG500 look like it was beaten with an ugly stick??

Do you mean the brand new pics or after the PG500 has been used a bit? If its the former, I don't know what to tell you. I love how it looks so I would say it's just you.    If it is after some cooks I would agree in part. The stainless steel can be challenging to keep clean. I do like how my food looks coming out of it which to me is what really matters. I think the PG500 is more impressive in person than the pics. I am so proud of mine.

didn't mean to offend.  I was looking at the pics from the website.  I agree that its how the food looks coming off that is more important.  Anyone know if these are sold in local stores or is just off their website

    I happen to love the look of the PG500...  It's very industrial looking.   Looks even better in person , than in photos...      I do like the look of the PG1000, and if I had a super fine back yard and house I'd probably like a PG1000.  However, I'm not convinced that the PG1000 is any better at cooking, in fact I have a hunch that the PG500 is technically better at cooking...  for one thing, when you open the doors, the heat doesn't have as much chance of escaping...  It's probably a minor issue , if it's a issue at all... but for me,  I don't see any technical advantage for the PG1000, unless it's the double walled construction for insulation , but I honestly never felt a need for insulation, in fact in the summer, I'm sometimes wishing the thing would run a bit cooler inside...   

     As for your question...   I'm sure some shop , somewhere has a PG500 in a showroom.... I just don't know of any.     I'm 100% convinced , that if more people actually saw a PG500 in person, they would sell a lot more of them.  I was kinda shocked when I saw mine for the first time,   It was much bigger than I had thought ( in a good way )...     your best bet would be to call Cookshack and talk to them about who dealers are near you and weather or not anyone might have one in a showroom, etc...

    Another thing you might consider, is trying to find a owner who lives near you...   I'm in southeastern Michigan, and if anyone ever wanted to see one in person, I'd be more than happy to show mine off...  ( It is dirty as all get out though... )

[sleebus.jones]

I don't see any technical advantage for the PG1000, unless it's the double walled construction for insulation

The insulation is a bigger deal than I thought.  That big ol' PG1000 is as easy on pellets as my Davy Crockett.  Very impressive for something so big.  My Jim Bowie by comparison is just a pellet disposal unit.

As for putting the racks together, I probably need to swing by a restaurant supply store.  My idea of putting them together would be "flexy rack" style, like this http://www.alexmeyer.com/audio/flexy/

[rdsbucks]

Is it just me or do the pictures of the PG500 look like it was beaten with an ugly stick??

Do you mean the brand new pics or after the PG500 has been used a bit? If its the former, I don't know what to tell you. I love how it looks so I would say it's just you.    If it is after some cooks I would agree in part. The stainless steel can be challenging to keep clean. I do like how my food looks coming out of it which to me is what really matters. I think the PG500 is more impressive in person than the pics. I am so proud of mine.

didn't mean to offend.  I was looking at the pics from the website.  I agree that its how the food looks coming off that is more important.  Anyone know if these are sold in local stores or is just off their website

No offense taken...just sharing my experience. I understand the concern about appearance. If I chose based solely on looks I would choose a Yoder. Love how it looks. But I am in love with my PG500. I honestly cannot imagine ever having anything else. Good luck in your search!

[Bentley]

Unless things have changed in the last 10 years, the 1000 is one of, if not the only residential unit that is solid core insulated (true insulation not just double walled).  As far as losing heat, it recovers very fast and that type of issue is not a factor.  It is almost over kill!

[LowSlowJoe]

Wow, I did not know they actually had insulation in between the two walls...  Learn something new everyday

[sleebus.jones]

Wow, I did not know they actually had insulation in between the two walls...  Learn something new everyday

Yup.  800° spinglass insulation.