FEC500 or FEC750 ANY OWNERS OUT THERE?

Hi Mr. Webb,

Moved your thread over to the FE forums.

Nope, don't own a 5 or a 7, but I've cooked on them a bunch.

Welcome to the forum, if you're needing help, just ask away.

If you're wanting Feedback, isn't that what your customers give you?

Here to help.

Smokin'

So you have cooked on them a bunch? So they do exsist! I am looking at purchasing a FEC500 or a FEC750. Customers give you feedback on your product. I guess you could classify an owner as a customer, just not my customer. How long have the 500 and 750 been around?

I've got probably 30 cooks on them.

I'd contact CS direct (all FE himself or Stuart) and get some specifics.

Feedback. Always get rave reviews, whether it's in a contest or cooking for 1,500 evacuees (but they were a special case).

Yes they do exist, these are a mythical creature like Big Food

Since most of them are in commercial applications, not all owners want it known what they're using (and they're not on the forum much).

I beleive they had an order for 20 of them to one chain alone. Sorry, can't mention the name.

The 750 was originally the FE2000, and it's been around, I'd have to guess, maybe 7 or so years.

What questions do you have?

Are you comparing them to SP's, OH's, Oyler's, what?

I've got some feedback on this post...
I have owned and been cooking on an FEC750 for about 2 1/2 months now.

The barbecue I pull from it is tremendous! I have no complaints on the food or the smoker's performance thus far.

However, the upkeep on this thing I think is going to be quite extensive and it is not made where it can be cleaned easily by anyone with any stature. I am 6'4"/250lbs and it is near impossible for me to get into the firebox to cleanout the fire pots or box itself. I already have had to replace two burner elements, and I am about to pickup the phone to order 2 more, the one I didn't replace and one of the new ones just went out again. The one replaced burner didn't last a week.

I have nothing but good things to say about the customer service from Cookshack, because when I did order the first two elements there were no questions, no complaints, they just shipped them to me. My complaint is this: I don't make my money by being on my hands and knees replacing burner elements on their equipment. I guess I do if I want my meat smoked, huh?
I know! I can use Sterno to start the fire pots and I have, and maybe I don't realize all the upkeep required on a commercial smoker.

I just feel like a $16,000 smoker should stand on its own and not need so much attention. For 16K I feel like I should be able to clean it weekly, season the meat, throw it on the smoker, push a couple of buttons, and walk away.

So, please, someone reply to this and let me know if I have unreal expectations or if I am the only one out here with these types of problems.

Thank you!

You might want to make this a thread of it's own since you're actually asking a question.

I'd be interested in hearing some feedback as well since I'm looking at one of these as an option when I open a joint. But, I don't think there are too many that frequent the board anyway.

Perhaps the 500 users will chime in.

UPDATE TO MY PREVIOUS POST:
Bill @ CookShack saw my first post and is sending me a couple of igniters. I have agreed to send the non working ones back because they want to see if they are having issues with them.

Once again the customer service at CS is remarkable. Thank you guys!

Hopefully together we can figure out what is going on with this thing.

It might be worth it to take a few pics of the insides of your cooker. Maybe they'll see some that is not right.

I have a 500. I love it. It's been maintenance free (fingers crossed). If I had it to do over again I'd have gotten a 750. My honest preference for size would be to have 2 300s, but I got my 500 before the price increase. Don't know if I could justify any of them new anymore- it was a stretch when I bought my 500.

at 6'5" I have no trouble with cleaning the firebox. In fact, I've made a rack to add a small log to it because I like my briskets smokier. I beefed up the floor and made a little rack with expanded metal from HD. when cleaning I just grab the shop vac and suck it clean.

If I had to enumerate any issues it's that the opening is barely wide enough for the racks to get in and out. For this kind of money I'd like to see an opening that allows very easy access to the inside and to remove/replace the racks and rack carriers. This is just a gripe, though.

If I could get a reasonable price for my 500 I'd consider 'downsizing' to 2 300s, but I don't see how I could do that without coughing up a big chunk of $. The benefit is that I could use both for cooking and then just one for warning everything up at an event. Also, I'm typically paranoid (who said that?) and I like the idea of redundancy.

Mr. Webb,

I also have a FEC500. It has been a good work horse. I got two FEC100 for doing comps and smaller events.

What are you going to use it for, how much at any one time.

The unit comes up to temp quickly, and will hold the temp. With the large hopper, it requires little looking after. More time to pay attention to other things.

What do you want to know about it??

RandyE

Skippy,

I went to your web site. Dang I want to come to your place to eat. Lokks GREAT.

RandyE