For those that don't know, I am an Admin/Mod over at the Big Steel Keg/Broil King Keg forum. This is going to be a long explanation about kegs since it was brought up, so forgive me
The Broil King Keg is called either a 4000 (discontinued) or the new 5000 model. Before they were called Broil King Keg they were known as Big Steel Keg (playing on the fact that it sounds like Big Green Egg no doubt). Before THAT they were known as Bubba Keg. Big Steel Keg had another model called the BSK 2000, which was black and didn't come with any side shelves or a rolling cart or hitch adapter or a 2 tier grate. This, I guess, is what jcboxlot is referring to as the "cheap" keg even though I've never seen any for sale at any Lowe's in GA. Lowe's does have a similar, and yes, cheap steel kamado called a Chargriller Akorn which goes for about $300.00. It is in no way comparable to the Keg, nowhere near the build quality but I would say that it is worth the $300.00 price tag.
When I bought my first keg in 2011, it was a BSK 4000 that had all the bells and whistles. 2 tier cooking grate with cast iron primary grate, side shelves, rolling cart with hitch adapter, multi tool and cover. I paid $679.00 for all of that and got a free bag of lump. A Large BGE with the nest and shelves would have cost much more and they didn't have a 2 tier grate standard either nor can they be hooked to a hitch and transported. So....I bought a keg and liked it so much I bought another. The 2nd one was a used 2000 that I bought for $340.00 from a kid who used it twice to cook steaks and then needed the money
I ended up taking that keg and taking the handles off of it and sticking it into the island and added a 2 tier grate. It cooks identical to the 4000 but isn't going camping like the 4000, it stays home now
The new 5000 retails at $899.00 and no longer includes a cover but comes with everything else, still cheaper than a comparably equipped BGE and is 2.5x more fuel efficient than ANY ceramic kamado so lump charcoal goes a LONG way and it will never crack due to high heat and will not ever have a cracked firebowl. Will it rust eventually? Sure will. You either pick cracks or rust. I chose the portability of it and would buy another in a blink. Love my kegs!!
). If I get a new grill, grillgrates are definitely in the running for the first accessory!
