I am looking at getting a Kickass ash basket. I am looking at a retailer that shows a steel made in the USA basket and a SS basket that does not say USA made. Same dimensions. $20 cheaper and USA made for the steel version. Any reason not to go that route? Cheap SS has never impressed me.

Can't help with your question as I have two BGE's and have never seen a need for the basket. But could change my mind. I simply stir the coals so the ash falls to the bottom and use a shop vac to clean out the ash. I wonder how long the basket will last? Interested to learn about experiences of others.

It took me awhile to try the Kick ash basket... it is a game changer for me! So much easier.

Now I go out to the egg, pull out basket, give it a shake into a bucket, and place back in egg... add igniter, add some charcoal, and lite it off. Airflow is no longer a concern, and it just makes it much easier and quicker.

Maybe every 5-7 times I will brush ash inside egg.

Is the cheaper one just as good??? Maybe... I am a little strange, I like to support the original folks and the knockoffs usually are not as high quality.

My Kickash basket is solid, I am very impressed with it.

I bought the Kickash basket last year and it is well worth the money to me. It makes cleaning th BGE so much easier. I bought the original from the designer and it is well made and should last forever. I didn’t know that there was a knockoff, but I agree that I would prefer to support the guy who came up with the idea.

Those have always looked like a solution in search of a problem to me. On the advice of some here and our local BGE dealer I bought one of this super small Shop Vacs and use that to clean out the ash through the vent door. It takes about 30-60 seconds to vacuum out, you can get almost all of it out and I only pull out the fire grate at bottom and the fire ring to thoroughly clean about every six months.

YMMV, but I'm a redneck looking for simple and easy answers!

I bought one similar at my BGE dealer after seeing peoples praise for them. I found I burned more lump and was unable to do very long cooks as efficiently.

Its been sitting min the shop for over a year

I use a small shop vac to clean every few cooks and depending on what lump has been used

Thanks guys, I have read enough to feel like it is a enough of an asset in the use of my Kamado I want to try one. I was just wondering if the Kickass company made both a steel and ss version?
Maybe the one I am see listed on Ace hardware is an aftermarket. Looked like they were reselling the real one, maybe not. Thanks.

So with the increased air flow benefit: I see it would help for higher temp cooks but would it make it hard to keep low temp 200~225 degrees cooks stable?

No problem cooking low and slow at all. You control air with bottom vent at top vent. Basket just allows air to the easily reach lump.

High temps are easier to obtain.