Not recommended for casual or easy/convenient grilling
This design is great in concept and this unit is cheap, but there are a few significant problems that require buying add-ons and mods to correct. Depending on how handy you are or your desire to engage in modifying a brand new purchase, this may not be the unit for you.
First, the exterior paint on the fire box starts peeling away with the very first heat. If you're not buying for looks, this isn't a big deal.
Second, the connection from the firebox to the main barrel is not tight enough to prevent significant heat loss. There are mods out there that can reduce this. Also, there is a ton of space in the main barrel so you can do indirect heat on smaller cooks. I strongly recommend reviewing blogs and YouTubes on the various mods needed for this type (see also similar pit called Oklahoma Joe w similar needs) before committing to this purchase.
Third is coals management. This is not something unique to this grill but definitely a consideration. After my couple of first attempts, I've found this is an art that requires some perfecting. If you're a charcoal noob like me, be prepared to spend the time to get your coals technique perfected.
So if you're crafty and don't mind spending the time/$$ to tweak, mod, and practice, this could be a good choice. Otherwise, buyer beware.
Verified purchase: YesCondition: New