Testimonials About BBQ Pits by Klose
11-08-11

From: Thomas Cushman [mailto:tcushman51@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2011 9:43 AM
Subject: Thank you.

I would like to take a moment and thank you and all the people involved for the absolutely gorgeous smoker grill I received yesterday.
I did not have a chance to fire it up as of yet but if it works as good as it looks the food will be delicious. Thanks again and keep up the good work!
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11-7-11 David,I bought a 20x36 Deluxe Smoker from you in the spring and since then have impressed many family and friends (65lbs of pork shoulder was a big hit at a church picnic).  I volunteered to cook some turkeys for my Command's Thanksgiving party.  I figure I can probably fit three turkeys in my smoker.  I was wondering if you had any advice on turkey size, prep, temps, types of wood to use or anything else.  I appreciate any advice you can offer.Thanks for your help

Sincerely, LCDR Michael M. Jarosz, P.E.
Facilities Engineering and Acquisition Division Director
Email: Michael.Jarosz@navy.mil
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10-24-2011

Thanks for the special delivery on a Saturday of the Smoker and charcoal basket!  You are the best! We have already used it to make some EXCELLENT pulled pork on Labor day.  Lynn is a very picky eater, and she mentioned that she enjoyed the pork, which is a real compliment in itself. Seasoned the pit earlier in the week, and started with some great wings and veggies on Friday. All in all, the smoker and charcoal basket both deliver MORE than expected!  If only I could get myself to work as well as your products work, there would be no stopping me.  I suppose I will have to keep trying.

Neighbors on both sides of me have already noticed, and asked where I got my smoker.  I gave them both a copy of your DVD catalog, Dana’s card, and some pulled pork to boot!  Hopefully, the neighborhood will have a competition as to who makes the best BBQ, but I started the trend. Thanks to you both, Carla and the rest of the team as well, for a super experience, and for the wonderful addition to our back yard.   Too bad we cannot cook in the front yard, or I would be doing it there, under a BBQPITS.COM banner.

THANKS!
Michael Frost
Planner/Buyer
Michael.Frost@NOV.com
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04-05-2011  Jack Coller jmcoller@aol.com

I bought a grill from Klose back in 1989 just before X-Mas (when you were located on 34th St.) I think.
I still have it to this day, it has moved from Houston to San Francisco and I still have it now in Indiana. It's STILL as good as new!
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04-04-2011
dave, thanks for a Terrific Product. Got it cooking already.
Mike Kowalski  chitowngal66@gmail.com

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04-03-2011
David, It has been a little bit over a year since I have had my 20x30 pipe smoker and I absolutely love it!  I have done everything from Brisket to Ribs to a full blown Turkey and it has been awesome!  I have bbq'd and smoked in all weather conditions and the little guy is a champ.  It was even better than advertised and I cant say enough about the level of craftsmanship that your shop produces.  It holds consistent temp, cooks better than the oven in my house, and provides nice smooth even cooking throughout whatever I have on the rack.  I cannot say enough about the quality of the work you and your entire team do.  I am extremely satisfied with the purchase and my only regret is not going bigger:)  I just wanted to take a minute to write you and say thanks.  Oh and I am spreading the word for you as much as possible out here in Maryland, hopefully 1 or 2 more will come your way.  I get comments on it at every bbq I have...with multiple people asking where they can get one.
sincerely,
Al Kinkead albertkinkead@hotmail.com

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03-22-2011

My cooker arrived Tuesday in great shape. The grill chef smoker exceeds all my expectations. The quality of the workmanship is fantastic. Damn thing is heavy. Broke through two sheets of plywood going up a very slight incline, but, we made it. It is now in it's final resting place, a place of honor, centered on my deck over looking the woods behind my house. Even my wife is mightily impressed. It shall remain there until I pass to the other side, then someone else can worry about moving it. I am going to cure it today and begin planning the weekend maiden cooking, I'm thinking a twelve pound packer brisket, but probably a two inch prime bone in rib eye tomorrow and the brisket on Sat. I believe the damper between the firebox and cooking chamber will make a huge difference. I gave away a Lifetime smoker to make room for this cooker. I can already tell it was a good decision. I have sent a pic from my phone as to where its set up, maybe you can combine the pic with this. I dealt with Carla and Dana both and both were fantastic to work with. They were both witty, helpful and nice. Dana even got me on the phone with you, which was an experience in itself. You've got some stories don't you. You were a pleasure and fun to speak with. Thank all of you for your help.

For folks out there reading this, stop buying those cheap ass products on the mass market and go on and buy quality now, You'll be happier and save money in the long run. Just ask my wife who is peering out over the grill graveyard at my house. The graveyard gets cleaned up this weekend while the brisket is smoking. THANK YOU!
Randy Clark         rclarkhouse@yahoo.com
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03-06-2011
David, My wife, Cathy, and I enjoyed meeting you today and visiting for the first time your place of business in Houston.
You're an interesting man and most cordial. You made us feel welcome. You obviously own a business that you are passionate about.
I was impressed by the quality of your smokers/cookers and the attention to detail that goes into their manufacture.

The 20" x 42" Master Chef Deluxe model with the extended 20" x 30" Upright Slow Smoker captured my interest. There was obviously a lot of thought that went into the design of this model and, having seen it and its features firsthand, I understand why you market it on the Klose Web site as the "highest quality smoker on the market today."
I'll be back to you. I'm chewing on whether or not I need a smoker quite this size.

That said, wish it was in my backyard right now with smoke curling out of the stacks!
Thanks and best regards, Bernie Higgins
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02-19-2011
Dan Walth commented on your link. Dan wrote: "David Klose builds pits that work well and require no maintenance.
They need little to no adjustment to control temperature; after four hours I just pour in more wood for another four hours of smoking.
Everything should be built this well."
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01-19-2011

David, I want to thank you for the superb design and manufacturing of my new 20 by 42 Grill.  As you know I had many modifications on this grill and every one was done well beyond the quality I expected.   This may be the finest US manufactured product (of any type) that I have ever bought.  The welds are the work of a true craftsman!  The design  allows for  many different styles of cooking;  from direct high heat grilling, to indirect ‘low and slow’ smoking.   The wheels and frame seem like they could hold a few thousand pounds, so I suspect this will be passed down for generations to come.   Thanks for showing everyone that quality design and manufacturing still exist in this country.

Steve Eubanks [stevee@nc.rr.com] Steve had us make him a solid stainless steel dual adjustable height fire racks in the main chamber, controlled outside by levers on the left & right side of grill,
with inter-changeable carbon & solid perforated ss & steel plates for different drafts for cooking. Really came out nice, & should perform amazing for all environments too.

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Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 7:52 PM
To: david@bbqpits.com
Subject: Re: Klose Cooker in St. Pete, FL

 Hey David - good to hear from you.  The smoker is doing great by the way (48x20 grill chef).  I've tried my hand at brisket for the first time recently and was quite pleased with the results.  Good smoke ring, good flavor and tenderness.  Lots of room for improvement, of course, but it just means I get to cook more.  Hope you are well. Nathaniel S. Hatcher nhatcher@hwhlaw.com

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12-30-2010
the time has come to step up to what I know will work for me.
Dave, I made the down payment for this Incredible machine that is going to change my Life.
Thanks for all your honesty, candor, and intensity. But above all thanks for encouraging (not selling) me,
to have enough faith and belief in what I do to make this giant step forward.
I can't wait to tell you my success story once we get this Baby fired up and start burning some ribs & chicken
unlike the Delaware Valley has ever experienced. God bless you & yours for what you have given, and continue
to give to the World.
Sincerely, Abby Boyd

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12-23-2010
Hello, this is Taylor Swanson. I came in the other day and asked about roasting a whole hog. If you could send me any info you have about it, that would be very helpful. 

P.s. I have been to many custom pit shops around Houston, and I can honestly say that I was impressed with the quality of all of your products. Even more, I was shocked to see your pits we 30% less expensive than those of lower quality at other shops. Thank you very much for your dedication to the glorious art of BBQ, and my next pit will most defiantly be bought from you.
Thanks again,
Taylor Swanson
Sent from my iPhone
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12-22-10
Dan Walth December 22, 2010 at 7:34pm

Subject: smoker
After a few WI winters, I must report. It is easy to regulate with consistent temps for 3-4 hours without need for tampering. Summer or winter, it works well.
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11-20-2010
The pit is the easiest pit to use that I have ever had. Saturday, my son James and I grilled fajitas, chicken, rib eye steaks, sausage and fish while ((( at the same time))) smoking short ribs and brisket.

The heat was easy to hold in the smoker for the 12 hr total period (brisket) with only a couple of small oak logs going the entire time. They started right up with the log lighter and then we just checked it occasionally adding a new log every couple of hours. I really think the 1/2" carbon steel was a big help here as I have had other thinner walled fireboxes that took more attention.

The cable system on the grill made heat control for the different types of meat instantaneous with perfect results for thin salmon fillets and 2 inch steaks. How do you spell perfection?
Cleanup took about 10 minutes. Really glad I ordered the stainless steel ash trays. The iron tray for the fire box is Heavy.

The only problem we had was not enough people for all of the great meat. Oh well, you can't expect to get everything perfect the first time.

Many thanks.
Ed Jones

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10-14-10
Hey Y'all,  Got my pit on Wednesday, seasoned her up and been cookin' since 2:00 AM.
It's a beautiful pit and I want to thank you guys so much. It's been holding 220-250 the whole cook.
And thanks again for such a gorgeous pit.

Have a great day,
Fred Lewis
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10-10-10
Dave I bought a BYC from you guys 3 or 4 years ago, I smoke at home every chance I get. Your smokers are awesome I could not be happier. Sorry it took me so long to let you know that. This weekend I entered my first KCBS cookoff here in MD with my wife sister and brother-in-law we call our team  Smokin For Fun, we took 4th in ribs and 12th overall out of 33 teams, we were the only rookie team out of 4 to get a call. The reason for this email is I wanted to let you know your smoker got alot of attention and questions from alot of people. There were alot of people asking where I got it. It still looks and cooks great, Again I can not tell you how happy I am with my BYC.   Don Connelly  acdcon@msn.com

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09-17-10
Dave, It was a pleasant surprise to have the opportunity to speak to you the other night, and I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated the time you are taking to reach out to a aspiring competition team.  I plan on trying some of these recipes soon, and if you think of anything else, please feel free to send them. I registered for your forum and email updates, so I can keep up with everything as we prepare to start competing.

I look forward to making the trip to Houston in the near future, and it would be great to meet you in person, see your pits, have a beer, and talk BBQ. I will have more questions as we get further into this venture, and I really do appreciate your help.

Sincerely,
John Chester
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09-11-10
David, on your new Mark 24 Tigerfish Torpedo BBQ Smoker, http://www.bbqpits.com/Mark24_Tigerfish_Torpedo.htm
you and yours never cease to amaze me with what you all can do with some steel and sweat.  I have been trying without much luck to put me a small smoker together.  I can tell you this, your smoker prices are more than just good.  The amount of work that has to go in too just one cooker.  Man you all just rock in my book.  Can't wait until I can put in another order and that's the truth. Thanks for the picture

Bobby Hightower
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09-16-10
Oh man!!!  I have been a Torpedoman in the Submarine Force for the last 24 years,
I MUST OWN ONE when I retire next spring!!!! 
That is the coolest thing I have ever seen!
Bubblehead
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09-06-10
Hi Guys, Well, it's been just about a month since we've started up here and the pit (Bubba) hasn't stopped rolling.  We've been busy every weekend with graduation, birthday, anniversary and "just because it's the weekend" parties.  Folks who see your pit are amazed at the quality of construction - It's truly professionally made- maintains consistent temperature throughout/sight/smell/the whole experience - totally awesome! It really makes barbecuing a blast.  It was well worth the trip to get my hands on a Klose pit and very much look forward to the next one!
Nice work by all "y'all" at Klose!  Man, that just doesn't sound right coming from a Yankee!  Hope to talk soon...

Kind Regards,
Glenn Skalubinski glennskalubinski@cox.net

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09-06-10
Dave.... I just logged onto your new forum at http://www.bbqpits.com/bbq_forum_pit_talk.jpg , and registered as "BubbQ".  It looks like I'm registered, so I will see you on the Forum.

By th way, I LOVE my 20x36 backyard heavy duty pipe smoker that I picked up in Houston about 18 months ago.  Best thing I ever did.  We met briefly that day, but you probably don't remember.  I drove from Spartanburg, SC to Houston, TX with my good friend to pick up my new baby.  We had a blast, and my smoker has had a pretty steady workout ever since.  My wife swears that my nose is starting to flare like a pig, we've had so much bar-b-que.  I'm not so sure about the nose, but my belly sure as hell is starting to show signs of eating lots of BBQ.

I understand that a lot of folks (who may or may not have Klose smokers) introduce water into their pit during a cook so that you get a higher moisture content (steam??) in the cook chamber.  I've got the brass ball valve on my rig, but I thought this was simply to make clean up easier.  Then the thought occurred to me that maybe the ball valve is really intended to facilitate your ability to fill the bottom of the smoke chamber with water during the cook.  Then you would simply allow the grease from the ribs, butt or whatever drip into the water and afterwards, you would speed up the cleaning process by just draining the water and captured grease into a bucket through the brass ball valve.

Hope all is well.  Look forward to hearing from you.
Frank Callison  fcal98@bellsouth.net
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Michael Mccormick August 24, 2010 at 6:31pm Report

Dave I purchased a small mobile from you in 2007. The thing gets better with age. I have cooked on it through a tropical storm. Hoped to up size in future
Thanks again
Mike McCormick
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08-14-10
Mr. Klose. I work for KBR in Escravos, Nigeria and we have recently purchased 3 of your pits and have them here at our site. I had not seen any of your pits until these were delivered and I must say that I am impressed with the way they cook and the attention to details. Two of the pits are new and the larger pit was a refurbished older pit. The larger pit is the one in my area and we use it every Sunday. I got here the same week the pits were delivered and everyone was fighting over who got which pit. My group won of course, a team member from my group made the arrangements for purchase and delivery. Nobody is fighting anymore as all the pits cook exceptionally well and all are large enough to feed an Army.

 I will be coming home (Baytown, Texas) on 18 August for 3 weeks off and would like to come to your shop on 19 August with my wife for a tour and then purchase one of your pits. Currently I am looking at your on line catalog and have a hard time deciding which I would prefer. I’m having a hard time deciding between the 20 x 48 Smoker and the 20 x 48 Grill Chef Smoker. Either pit I’m sure will be in stock and which ever I end up getting I would want the top door on firebox.

The main question I have is depending on what I added to the pit, like the Chrome State of Texas, the 160,000 BTU Fish Fryer Table and the SS racks in pit and firebox, would I be able to pick up the pit the same day as our visit? We are having a birthday party at our home for our granddaughter on Saturday, 21 August and I would like to be able to use the new pit.

 Regards,
Tim Bagwell
KBR Hydrocarbons
SGC Turnover Manager
Escravos GTL Project
Delta State, Nigeria
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08-14-10
Thank you very much David.  I Truly appreciate the hospitality you and your terrific staff extend each time I call. 
Sincerely,
Christian R Lanoie
Operations Director
Plouffe's Enterprise, Inc.
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08-13-10
Yes I received both emails n the cd. I see several styles that interest me
It will take some time for me to get the funds together. I have also shared your emails with friends n neighbors.
Thanks again for the quick n great customer service!
James JimBo Seiling II
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From: Skalubinski, Glenn J [mailto:glenn.j.skalubinski@rbscitizens.com]
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2010 9:20 AM

 We're back in town and all went well.  Again no traffic to speak of (except in CT - which is typical).  I'm not going to lie though, I don't feel like driving for a while.  Everyone whom I've spoken to about this pit is so excited and can't wait to get started.  I've shown folks at work a few of the pictures of the pit and they're all impressed as well.

I'm curious to find out if you've had a spike in call volumes this week.  While we were driving, we could see guys taking picture and writing phone numbers...too funny

I wanted to thank you and David again for your wonderful hospitality and making it a truly worth-while trip for us.  Your knowledge and experience in the barbeque field is priceless.  (I hope you won't mind if I continue to reach out for tips and advice)

I will continue to keep you posted on how this goes.  I hope you had an enjoyable fishing trip!

Thanks again!

Glenn

 PS...We forgot to purchase some of David's award winning chicken rub.  Would it be possible to send a couple of small containers to my home address?
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Charles Crouther Jr. April 11, 2010 at 3:31am Report

I bought a BYC 20X60 and I have gotten qite a reputation on it! Although I was pretty good before:

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From: p.f.ferguson@comcast.net [mailto:p.f.ferguson@comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 2:29 PM
To: Carla
Subject: Re: New pictures of the pit

Carla, I want to thank you and Dave and Danna for everything!  The attention to detail, the quality of the sink and water heating system is fantastic, and the paint job as well!  The other little touches were appreciated as well!  Casey is on cloud nine!  I pray that he will be successful as Dave is with his business.  No one builds a pit like Dave Klose!  Like someone from Missouri, they would have to show it to me!  My grandmother was from Batchtown, Missouri; so I guess that might be part of the reason, but I have seen the other pits; I have not eaten anything off of them, but I know the food off of a DKBBQ Pit is fantastic!  I pray that we are calling you soon for a bigger pit!  But we will never get loose of this one!  Thank you for caring about people as well as the perfection you demand in building your pits!  It has meant a great deal to my family and Casey.
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03-10-10

M.IM. KCBS CBJ
CAROLINA PITMASTERS
____________________
ALVERON HOG COOKER
& KLOSE FRP

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08-24-09  Hi Dave, I got my 50 inch Back yard chef last week here in PA ...  its amazing ..  finally some good BBQ north of the Mason Dixon line!!

So far I did a brisket, pork shoulder, pork chops, sausage, pork tenderloin and a turkey ...

I did the Turkey and pork tenderloin yesterday for my parents.  My dad loved the turkey the most.

Thank you for the great piece ...  the kids in the neighborhood keep asking me why I have a locomotive in the backyard ..

Rich Banick rich@richbanick.com

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08-18-09 Dave, There is no way that I can really express to you how much I appreciated your hospitality, and your attention to quality, and your service to our country that continues to this day!   I pray that your business continues to grow, and that my son's begins and grows and we have to return for a much bigger one.  We had people stare on the road, and people ask about the pit when we were stopped.  I told all of them that you were the only one to buy a pit from!

I hope to make something for you as well. I am learning all that I can about it right now, so won't tell you what it is, until I present it to you.  Don't worry, it won't be on fire, or blow up!

Tell Carla again, how much I appreciated her as well.  She is a great lady!  We both learned a lot from you and her!  All priceless information!

But even more important, is the fact that I feel I have found a new friend, a man who understands that all of our blood runs red, that we are all equal, and that we all have talents.  I appreciate so much the time you gave to Casey; you have built his confidence as well, so I hope and pray it leads to something that he will feel proud of, and make a good living from!

they are still talking to Casey, so don't have all the details.  I thought I might donate some of the meat, if the money is going to the team, but not sure how much they are talking about.  I, like you don't mind putting money out to help good causes, but we need to make money right now to get this off the ground and pay for truck and insurance.

I know this won't come as a surprise to you, but Casey has had at least 20 people stop and talk to him about the pit!  I can't help but laugh, it clearly shows what I already knew, and that is that you create the best pit in America, and I am sure the world!  I hope we earn the money soon, so that we can return and get a bigger one.  I wonder if someone from here has not already contacted you! I am sure they have already looked at the sight!

Casey, could not wait to start using it today, and has come home and I had to get a rope and pull him down to earth; he is so high up there, with the compliments on the pit and questions.  One of the city officers is a biker, and talked to him about a biker rallie, so things could happen, and it would be so great for him.  He has been a lost soul because he put his whole life into being a soldier like his grandfather, and when it was denied it almost destroyed him.

This is our 40th anniversary, my wife and I; so i have to get going doing something for her. 

 God Bless, and call you soon

 Paul  Ferguson  p.f.ferguson@comcast.net

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08-07-09
Good ol' American work... and bullet proof. Wish we had one of these in Afghanistan!
Keep up the good work!
Mark Guercio
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08-02-09
Dave, did get your catalog! You are the bbq pit god! In Michigan you don't see bbq rigs like that very often. You guys do beautiful work down there. I was very surprised that i got a phone call from you directly when my e-mail address wasn't working. For somebody like you with a big operation like that to take the time and call me personally says a lot about you and your company. Anyway i do hope one day i will own one of your pits. I'm pretty new to the bbq world as of this summer and i love it. There's nothing like being able to cook meat like that and have your guests rave about it! I've been firing up my bbq every weekend and i wish i could do it more. It's very addicting!
Ryan Muirhead
Production Die Programming
Troy Design & Manufacturing Co.
E-mail: rmuirhea@troydm.com
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07-30-09    David, I just purchased the 54" Grill Chef from Dana.  She was a big help in getting all my questions answered and spent lots of time answering my questions last week. 

I am so excited to have finally made the jump to a real bbq smoker.  I am looking forward to many many years of great cooking on my new Klose Pit.  You mentioned that you had many recipes that you were willing to share with your customers and I am certainly interested when you get a chance.

It is quite nice to know that I have been looking at purchasing a smoker from you for 3 years and have finally been able to do it.  I look forward to a long lasting relationship as a valued customer. 

Sincerely, Dan Stein  danstein99@yahoo.com

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07-29-09   Hi Dave and Dana,

I got the new Klose pit today about 3:00 p.m.  It looks awesome and was delivered in good shape.  Just like I ordered it, also.  The gentleman did a good job of delivering it and helping me put it on my backyard patio where I wanted it.  He was very helpful. 

I was not expecting it this quick so thanks a lot for everything.  I will get it cured during the next few days and try it out.  I will let you know how good it cooks.  Thanks for the rubs.  The shopping experience has been a good one and thanks for you all`s pit experience in helping me determine what I needed and wanted.  I am really happy with it and have not even cooked on it yet.  It is a piece of work!

Ray Stephenson  res39@live.com

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07-12-09

Dave, Holy Cow.  I'm still on cloud 9. I was sitting in my driveway patiently awaiting the pit.  Deciding on what I will call her (ended up on Nellie Belle by the way) then I saw the headights hit the windows across the street.  I looked left and caught my first glimpse of her silhoutte against my neighbor's porchlights.  It was like a dream.  The only thing I can compare it to is seeing my daughter for the first time in that delivery room.  I didn't even know what to do.  I was acting like a 5 yr old at Christmas.

When the 3 of us finally got it in place (MAN that thing is heavy) I stood back and marveled at it.  The workmanship is superb.  The welds are beautiful. The paint looks great.  I couldn't wait to get it cured.  I loaded the charcoal basket with half a bag of lump hardwood charcoal and a handful of hickory chunks and then wiped her down good with peanut oil.  Imagine my delight when that temp went to 225 and held it for 6 hours.  No leaky smoke from the chambers like my old offset.  I had the vents all the way closed and the chimney half closed.  This was impossible on my old pit. Took constant adjustments and fuel.  That charcoal basket is ingenious and built like a tank. 

I know this will be the last pit I'll ever need.  I just can't ask for anything more except a trailer for it and I wife that will let me hit the BBQ circuit.  Trust me, I'm working on it.  I've waited for a Klose pit for years and unlike many pipe dreams this one not only came true but it blew away my expectations.  You do God's work my friend. 

Sorry I didn't get a chance to meet ya but I'm sure I will someday.  I'll be hitting ya up for some recipes and I'll keep working on a sponsor for you.

My wife asked me, "You've never had a pit that fancy.  Are you sure you know how do use it?"

I smiled and shot back, "If I bought you a $2 million house would you know how to decorate it?"

POINT MADE! POINT TAKEN!

Thanks again David and please thank Dana for dealing with my impatient butt.

Steve Savina

Proud owner of a Backyard Chef with a 1/2 inch thick firebox, a 52 inch main chamber, a brass ball drain valve, a charcoal basket, a pop out package and a big 'o shiny Texas Longhorn on it.  MAN is that fun to say!

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07-06-09

Hi Dave, my friend ! 3 weeks ago my dream became true, and my Klose pit arrived here in Germany !

Wow, is this pit heavy… 4 folks were necessary to bring it to the trailer, a little crane helped us to pick´em up.

Then the journey on the trailer. Folks which saw the pit on the trailer didn´t believe there eyes !

The thought they are in the cinema, and saw a film of Texas…

Next day I cured the pit, and one day later I had my first Q, a tenderloin. What should I say, this pit is a dream. Art in metal !

A real pit for a real man, everything is solid and heavy.

Every German bbq friend is quite jealous, and my neighbour think I´m nuts… The pit is nearly heavier than my car… J

This weekend I did some babybacks, they came out great, they had a real smoke flavour…

On Sunday I cooed for the birthday of my sister in law. I cooked a pork loin, a boston butt and several ribs in my pit. Never seen such a smoke ring…

I think I will have more catering jobs in the future. Dave, your pit is fantastic, I´m so proud to be one of the few German Klose pit owners.

Dave, I´ve attached a few pics of my Q´s and of the new home of the pit. The pics with the hills in the background was taken in my backyard.

Please say also greetings to Dana. Had great support and service all the time ! Currently I´m thinking to go to Rodeo cookoff 2010 again…

For sure I´ll contact you, when this will get true. Many greetings from Germany -Simon
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06-15-09

Hi there! i just had one of my best food experiences...

i had the pleasure to meet a guy in umeå sweden that owned one of your fantastic bbq stations...

it was actually the best grilled/smoked meet i ever had!!!

now i want to see if it's possible for me to buy one of your fantastic creations...

all the best and a great thank you!!!

peter hallstrom

sweden

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06-13-09
Hi Dave, you may not remember me but you were out here in Washington for Ricks bbq in May of this year.  I am the professional firefighter with the broken arm and taking a lot of pictures.  Either way it was a pleasure to meet you and gain some of your knowledge.  I did however also want to thank you, we have just received our order of your poultry, pork and rib, and brisket rubs.  I have so far only tried the brisket rub.  I sprinkled a little on a tri tip roast and cooked that up real quick, and of course without a doubt, that was by far the BEST tasting tri tip I have ever had.

 Your rub was so complex and had so many different flavors that hit you one after another.  AMAZING.  I look forward to sharing these with my friends when I cook for them and know that I will be ordering some more soon.  Again thanks for everything!!!

Brad Chaney Jr. bradchaney@bradlink.com  South King Fire and Rescue

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06-02-09

I want to come work for you. You are the ultimate in customer service.

You and your staff really treat people  in a way that is not common anymore.

I really appreciate your help and will continue to support your business.

lupo1@sbcglobal.net   John Luporini   Livermore, Ca

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5-27-09  Hi There,
 
I just love the first mobile bar-b-q on the page.  I look at your cd and I was so impressed and I couldn't make up my mind, which one I like the best they are all fantastic.  now I will work out a budget to buy one,  I have got to have yours are THE BEST I HAVE SEEN. BAR NON.  Thank you for the recipes I bought a brisket and follow  your recipe and kick it up a notch Northa's way and it was just wonderful and tender we had it for dinner today.  I am so please I talk with you you seam like a very nice person and down to earth.  I took your advise  and jacked up the price of a rack of ribs to $40.00 and a gentleman call and ask for 20 for next saturday for a party and 20 chicken $15.00ea 8 sweet potato pies and 8 special pound cakes the deserts I created my own recipes and they are a hit, I make potato salad like my mom and cole slaw also.  I am going to do a new menu with the picture of bar b-q on one side.  I don't have a lot of money,  but I am saving for one of your grills because what I am working now only holds 3 racks at a time so you can imagine how long it takes me to smoke 20 racks of ribs and then smoke 20 chickens , way tooooo long.  well it's 10:30pm here and I have to get up early and smoke., so I'll close and I will keep in touch.
 
 
Always Your Friend,
 
 
Northa Turner
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5-23-09
Dave, Just took possession of the 20x36 square that I've nicknamed Ezmerela (for now) and ... I LIKE IT!  

The materials are impressively substantial, and the workmanship very good -- something especially appreciated by someone who grew up in Steel Country. Unfortunately, I am on a deadline and have to work through the weekend, but I'm hoping to have her seasoned and maybe get to some ribs and / or chicken by Monday afternoon.

Hope you and all your employees have a good Memorial Day weekend - raise a glass in honor of those deeds. Take care,

 Jeff Cox in Pennsylvania

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5-18-09  Dear Mr. Klose,

I received my 20x50 BYC last week and I'm still in shock at the craftsmanship of this pit. I knew it would special but, I was not ready for this level of finish. Please thank the fabricator of this pit for the time and effort spent on making my pit perfect. Also, please thank the painters for there effort, not one scratch on this pit. Lastly, thanks for the time you spent with me to insure I got the right pit for me and thanks to Dana who put up with me through ten months of lay away.

I cured the pit over the weekend and was amazed at the ease in which I could control the temperature just slide the vent on the fire box wait 10 minutes and steady as a rock. WOW!!!

Thank-You BBQ Pits By Klose, pg1059@gmail.com

Paul Giordano Proud Owner Of A Klose BYC

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5-9-09

hey dave, i just got my conformation on judging Memphis in May 2009 on fri  15th & maybe sat..

i would like to meet & talk a while, i am loving my family reunion pit . thanks phil wingo [philw@tailgatecharters.com]

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5-9-09

David, Thought I would send you a note to say how much I like my 20x36 smoker and to thank you and your staff for making such a quality product. I've had my BYS for over a year now and haven't used my other pit since I received this one from you. Your staff was very helpful and went out of their way to answer my many questions when I placed my order. Thanks to all of you!

Mike Taylor-Shoreline, WA

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4-10-09  "Hey Dave, I really thank you for the badest BBQ pit anyone could ever ask for. We had a GREAT TIME. Thanks for the hospitality. You are a great host. Rosie will be cooking at MIM for sure Only eight weeks old and already in a WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BBQ COOKING CONTEST. This says alot about the builder. Look real forward to seeing you again. You'll always be on the top of my friends list. Thanks again for the HOSPITALITY. Tell Dana and the rest of the crew hello and thanks for me. They were wonderful too ! I'll be in touch before MIM. Only four weeks away. YEE HAW !!!!!
What a BEAUTIFUL BABY.  I'm coming to Texas !!! OH HELL YEA !! Rosie sure is beautiful. I still can't believe she's mine. Dang Good work. Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful. Thank you so much David. Ya'll do Some Fine Work. See ya real soon. Steve
I want you to know, I won't be able to sleep now, until I hook her up to my new Truck. Gotta wash that truck now.

Steve Reasons Tennessee  handsom_dvl@yahoo.com  731-345-9899

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4-7-09

DAVID,

Thanks for such a great product, I use my Klose BBQ at least twice a week (its 15 yrs old), but since the arriel of my 7th child, its time to pass the old on to the #1 son and get me a bigger one.

Chris Wilkins    Fair Oaks California    mayachri@msn.com
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3-30-09

"I was on the All Star BBQ Showdown in 2006 on Versus Network with all the Big Dogs of BBQ. I had you there on the phone a couple times to enjoy my ride and praise you like I should. I never BBQed before and your smoker brought me to a National 2nd Place. I talked to you for awhile until life just happened in so many different ways.  I still want to take you up on that chuckwagon....Think of you more often over the years. CHEERS"
Chef Sara

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3-29-09
I wanted to send you some feedback from my experience on the recent purchase of one of your smokers. I actually bought the smoker as a Christmas gift for my Dad. He has always talked about having a nice smoker and I thought this would be a great time as he is getting toward retirement with a little more time on his hands. I did a lot of research and talked to a lot of guys who know 'bout this stuff and everything I read and heard pointed to a Klose smoker. My Dad is also a stickler for quality and fine worksmanship and is definitely only interested in anything 'Made in the USA' if you know what I mean.

The smoker was delivered last week (I think my Dad probably called ya'll about once a week for the last several weeks like a giddy kid trying find out when it was to be delivered). Needless to say, the smoker blew my Dad away and was every bit the quality that I had hoped it would be. Again, my Dad is a perfectionist and to see him this pleased speaks volumes about the worksmanship. I don't want to get too philosophical here, but I begin to wonder anymore if anyone cares about quality and customer service. It's nice to see you can still find some places if you look hard enough......

Anyhow, just wanted to say thanks for an awesome smoker that I think my Dad has a sleeping bag by out on the back porch. He's already got a list together of 'extras' that he's planning on coming by your place to pick up.
Clint Whitlock

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03-10-09    David,

I have to say that the Charcoal Basket you made for me is awesome.

Everything time I fire that up I just can't believe how well it holds the heat at almost a perfect 225-240 for almost five hours.

If anyone questions how well it works just refer them to me!

By the way -- I ordered 3 of those poultry rubs today. I used that sample pack that came with the basket and my children ate 3 chicken thighs each -- they are 8/10 and loved it!

Keep up the good work. Maybe by next year I'll be able to get a good smoker from you too!

Michael Driscoll, M.S., CRC, CVE

VIP Services

driscoll@camalott.com
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01-29-09

"After about 6 years of owning a BYC I am still awed by the workmanship, cooking ability, and versatility of this cooker. I actually sold a couple of my favorite guns and when the buyer left I was on the phone to Dave before the dust settled in the driveway. Besides doing the old standards like ribs, brisket, & butts, I smoke plenty of sausage and fish. The ability to control the heat for cool smoking through hot BBQ'ing and the natural drafting through the unit makes these smokers a joy to use besides turning out a superior smoked product. Part of the fun of using this stick burner is starting a wood fire, getting the whole unit up to temperature and holding those temps, something that can't be experienced the same way with alternative fuel cookers."

Thanks again David & crew.
Steve Langer (Ahab)
Tillamook, Oregon
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4-4-08 David,

 Thanks for the follow up email. I did get the CD with all the information, and I have to say wow, was I IMPRESSED. It was very comprehensive and contains all the info anyone would ever need to make a decision on a pit. I am personally interested in the backyard chef model. As soon as I get ready to purchase, you will be the one who I buy from. (Gotta save a few more pennies first) Again, thanks for the cd and follow up email. Needless to say you handle your business well, and others could take a lesson from the way you do your business. Again thanks for the cd, and I will be purchasing soon

Thanks,

Charlie Williams
CDI Engineering
Maintenance Painting Coordinator CVON North
NACE Certified Coatings Inspector #5475

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Posted by Kevin T on December 04, 2007 at 07:05:34:

It's been well documented here and on other boards how happy I am with my new pit (Ultimate 30"x8') but I really found out this past weekend how good this pit really is. I did a case of butts for some customers for Christmas on Friday night into Saturday. It was 29 when I started and it went down to 19. That pit ran between 220 and 280 all night long with minimal effort on my part. One log every 1:10 and that was it. Switched to the basket about 5 hours from finish and that was about it. As this pit continues to tighten up the more and more I love it. Best money I ever spent!!!!!!

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Posted by Chef Craig on October 28, 2007 at 17:29:11:

For all the backyard warriors. After spending what seems like eternity cooking on homemade kettles, holes in the ground. I got my first Klose pit.
I can't wait to cook more food! It really cooks like a expert and the quality of my product has risen, considerably. Thanks Dave!
Its a hawg man! Triple axel etc.. 8900#

Cooks for 2000! I am the new king of BBQ in town.

All you guys should know, its much easier and worry free when you have a #1000 of meat cooking evenly and come out perfect. He he.

We called it Ribslayer XXX

Cheers good buddies!

Chef Craig

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7-31-07   I JUST BOUGHT A USED 48 INCH SMOKER.  I HAVE NEVER GIVEN A TESTIMONIAL ABOUT ANY ITEM I HAVE PURCHASED IN THE PAST, BUT I FEEL COMPELLED TO DO SO HERE.   I AM A VERY NOVICE SMOKER, BUT WAS GIVEN ADVISE BY MIKE Z. IN MICHIGAN ABOUT KEEPING TEMPS RIGHT.

WITH MY 2 PREVIOUS SMOKERS MY RIBS WERE NOT GOOD AT ALL—THEY WERE WORSE THEN ME COOKING ON THE GRILL.  1 TRY WITH YOUR SMOKER, AND I AM ON MY WAY TO RIB HEAVEN!!  WHILE NOT PERFECT, THIS WAS THE FIRST COOKER THAT EVEN MADE A SMOKE RING!!  THEY WERE FALL OFF THE BONE, AND I AM SO PLEASED THAT I HAVE FRIENDS COMMIN OUT FOR MY FIRST SMOKEOUT.  THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RICHARD KRAFSUR

MICHIGAN
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Posted by Bobby on July 26, 2007 at 19:10:16:

I drove 658.7 miles one way to pick up my new baby. It was love at first site. Then I started looking closer and closer, paying attention to every little detail. It is indeed a work of art.
Let tell you about the folks at Klose Pits. Dave first of all spent 2 years at least talking to me. He knew upfront that I couldn't buy a Pit right away. Money is always very tight with kids running around. I wanted to learn about them so I could choose the right pit for my needs. Dave went above and beyond what I waould have expected from anyone. From the start treated as if we were lifelong friends. Answered every question with details. And now not only do I have a beautiful Custom Pit I have a Good friend.
Dana, on the day I was picking up my pit, she was waiting on the plaque to be made. She was working around a very tight schedule that I had to follow. Dana and Michelle treated like a member of the family from the minute I arrived. Paying attention to my every need. All the guys out there working hard and you could tell the detail they were paying to there work. It was an awesome thing to see. I was pulling it home with my ford ranger. I was concerned about the weight etc. gas usage and how it was going to pull in general. Dave helped me with every option and the Chrome nugget wheels with the wider track tires were the ticket when it came to pulling. I have seen trailers bounce all over the road. Not with this one. It was one of the smmothest rides I have ever taken. It handled so well I was able to relax a little. No wind drag on this puppy at all. I actually used a little less gas coming home with the pit in tow, than I used going to Houston. I couldn't be more pleased with the way it handled. Every thing Dave had told me was accurate and exceeded my own expectations. I will be curing the Pit on Friday evening. Cooking starts as soon as I get her ready.
Thank You Dave,Dana,Michelle and all the staff. I have never been treated with so much kindness and respect. They all made me and my needs the center of attention. You don't find that kind of caring often. YOU GUYS ROCK. Bobby from Alabama

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I've had my Backyard Chef (20x52 main chamber 20x20 upright)for over a year now and send this report. My brisket has been compared to Rudy's out of San Antonio and my ribs compared to Famous Dave's in Colombia Maryland.  Folks are lining up to buy brisket, pulled pork, beef and pork ribs from me.  Everyone is in awe of my BYC.  I've had numerous compliments on the welding as being top notch. I've been encouraged to start my own BBQ takeout or Concession trailer. I'm starting to do so much smoking, I regret not getting a bigger one. Thanks for a great pit. Pics are attached for your use.

Sam

serucker@comcast.net

410-262-0632

7-1-07

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Posted by Kevin T on May 07, 2007 at 07:25:28:

Huge thanks to Dave, Dana, and Monty for a great time and a super great pit. Words alone cannot describe how nice this pit is. Man...you guys do tremendous work and I'm proud to own TWO of these gems now(although the wife might think otherwise). The whole trip home(25hours) there were people in my blind spots eyeballing my pit and giving thumbs up as they rode by.

We went to Burn's BBQ which was great!! We got a tour of the pit and prep area. Talk about taking a step back into BBQ tradition...awesome!!

Thanks to Dave for the hospitality he offered and the great time. To get to spend 2 days with a living legend is truly great. The adult beverages and BS were free flowing and plentiful...especially the BS. (grin) Thanks to Dana for making sure everything was dotted crossed and for the Patron. Monty has such a handle on these pits and you can tell he's been doing this for a while.

Again...huge thanks to everyone at Klose BBBQ Pits for a super great time and an ever better pit. It barely fit in the garage with 4" clearance front to back and 1/2" at the top of the stacks...cranked all the way down. It was close and I was a little nervous.

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Posted by Barnet in SoCal on February 26, 2007 at 13:54:33:

Well, here's a photo of Lefty Lou in her new home. Fired her up this weekend and did three whole chickens in the vertical and two nice 'n' big (9 lb) pork butts in the main chamber. Pulled pork was simply incredible... had 11 people over the next day and they all went nuts (made some vinegar based cole slaw, Carolina style sauce, black beans and grilled sweet potatoes, too). The chicken came out fine, but learning how to use the vertical will be a challenge. The thermometer was busted during shipment and I'm waiting on a new one... even so I measured temps in there and they varied wildly between the three pullout shelves. I'll need to mess with the vertical intake damper and exhaust damper, as well as the four connecting pipes. But I'll figure it out...

Thank you thank you thank you to everyone at Klose who put up with me over all this time and made this thing happen. Thanks Dana, Michelle, and Monty and Dave and all the guys at the factory. The craftsmanship is extraordinary, and I am really a happy guy here in SoCal.

Barnet
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Posted by R.J. Guzik on February 21, 2007 at 14:49:17:

Dana- I just wanted to thank you again for all your help and putting up with me throughout my pit ordering/building/shipping process. It was here by 10am Friday and I was started seasoning by 11:30(took a few minutes to get up on the deck) I got it going 10pm Saturday and cooked a few pork shoulders and a brisket for my Daytona 500 party Sunday. This thing is even easier to cook on than my last pit. Everyone was very impressed with the results and everything went really smooth. Thanks again!!!
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Posted by Air Force Guy on August 18, 2005 at 17:57:08:

Hey Dave I wanted to say thanks for my new 20x52 Grill Chef, it works better than any smoker I've owned, the temp control is awesome, I can load it up with fuel and maintain 225-250 temps for 7-8 hours easy...If any of you guys is hesitant about spending 2K-3K for a backyard smoker, I'm telling you it's worth it, even the wife was impressed with the amount of steel used to build it, and best of all I have been making some of the best bbq of my life, and it's EASY!

JF

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Posted by newbie on August 17, 2005 at 08:16:43:

Picked up new BYC few weeks ago. What a fantastic piece of equipment. Had previously been using a smaller offset for about 10 years. I have used the BYC the past 2 weekends (ribs, brisket, shoulder, chicken and links) and one of the best things that I have noticed is no temp. spikes. I know that common thought is the pit does not make the Q, but the flavor and quality has been far superior to any that I was ever able to achieve before. Also much easier to control temp with just slight adjustments to the damper on the fire box. The sliding pullouts are great. If anyone is thinking about investing in one of these, I'd say go for it!

mark hefter

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August 15^th, 2005

Dave - I just wanted to let you know that I have had my new Grill Chef Smoker/Grill since mid April '05 and I tell you - I cannot be more pleased...I would have written sooner, but I have been too busy playing with my new toy! I have really put it to good use...but then anytime one BBQ's - it is always good! I have done spare ribs, baby back ribs, Pork Butt's, Brisket (by the way - it was the first time I tried smoking a brisket and man was it great!), smoked 3 more the following weekend just to be smokin! I have also done boneless/skinless chicken thighs and of course, the usual quick burgers and steaks - oh, did I mention fajitas?

I researched many pits for 6-8 month's, reading testimonials and what not before I decided on a Klose, even took a trip down to your factory to see first hand what all the talk was about (Monty was a great help)...boy, am I ever glad I did! All my friends are jealous and want one really bad! They just cannot convince their wives! It is true what they say "you get what you pay for"...and I mean to tell you the quality of this pit is outstanding! I have friends who are welders by trade and they told me I have a solidly built pit and that you cut no corners! I know everyone who Q's whether it be recreational or for business knows the value of being able to regulate the temps properly...not a problem with a Klose....and I was skeptical at first. To be able to change the temp promptly is a blessing. I also opted for the charcoal basket and that thing works wonders...I can get an 8 hour burn out of one fill and temp never gets too low! I love it! I have been seriously considering starting a BBQ catering business and you can bet when the time comes to invest in a catering rig...I'll head back to Houston to place my order! 

The thing I am most happy about is that I did not waste any of my hard earned money trying other pits...just went for the best right out of the gate.....Glad I did.

Happy BBQ to all out there...soon the temps will be ideal for cooking.....what am I talking about - here in Texas - every day is ideal for cooking!!!

Jim Ensinia

Sr. Retail Sales Manager

SC Red Team - West

Office - 972-938-8988

Fax - 972-938-8988

jensinia@acosta.com

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Posted by Prankster on March 01, 2005 at 15:59:00:

Dave, I just wanted to tell you that Joey and I fired up Big Boy this last weekend for the first time. We cooked 500# of pork shoulders, 1 venison ham, 1 brisket and a couple of quail. The pork was for a local boy scout troop that was raising money for a boy with lukemia. The rest of the food was for the workers. The pork that came off of Big Boy was the juicest meat we have ever seen (alot of gas BBQ pits in this area). They thaught it would only take about 8 hours to cook, but I advised them we should shoot for 12. Good thing we did because they came off between 10 and 12 hours. We recieved alot of compliments on the pit also. Just to let everyone know Big Boy is a 10' x 42" with gas assist and insulated firebox with 2'x 4' slide out grill and 2 burners. Next cook coming up on March 19. We will be doing a bunch of briskets for the lodge. Thanks again to you, Monty and Joyce for everything you did for us.
Cliff      cprankster@mindspring.com

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Danny, Congratulations on your new toy. Inquiring minds want to know -What factors led you to the Klose pit you chose. Understanding that Dave makes what is probably the best line of pits available, what led you to this specific unit?    Thanks! Glenn Manning

Glenn,

The reason I chose the Backyard Chef is simple. It was the process of elimination. Felt that the Owner Recommended was probably plenty large of me, but started putting the pencil on the difference in price vs. the size and features of the unit, and the life of the pit (forever). Just couldn't see letting two or three hundred dollars make a difference in something that will last me the rest of my life, and has the size to Q "any" kind of backyard party I may ever want to do. Love the vertical section on the pit for that really slow deep smoking of sausage, fish, etc, plus the fact that it can be used as a sort of hot smoker also. So simply stated, I feel that the Backyard Chef is the best pit for the money for a home user. It's kinda funny...I made the choice in just a couple of minutes. My mind just went to it. On the other side of the coin, for the boys that are just starting out and can't afford a pit of this caliber, there is certainly nothing wrong with the smaller and less expensive pits that David makes. Would be proud to own any of them if I couldn't afford the one I am getting. The man makes one fine piece of equipment. After seeing the quality and workmanship of Rocks, I was more than impressed with David's work. It's such a delight to see good American workmanship again.

Danny

From: Danny/Carolyn Gaulden DGaulden@carlsbadnm.com

Subject: Klose Pit Report

Gang,

Have done a couple of cookings on my Backyard Chef, and would like to share my feelings about it with you. It is one fine pit (and charbroiler to my surprise!) First of all it looks like a super work of art to a "Q Nut", like myself. Really like that. But beauty is only skin deep and doesn't have a dang thing to do with Q-ing, so let's get down to the facts. User Friendly...boy is it, and I really like that. All doors close tightly and have "cool handles" on them to keep your little pinkies from getting burned. Large doors for loading and unloading various meats cuts (great feature...hate small inconvenient doors), easy removable cooking racks, huge fire box door for replenishing wood (really like that), slide out grates in fire box to let you adjust the "fire to meat" level when charbroiling steaks in firebox, or the distance of the wood from the ash pan when slow smoking, and a drain plug for excesses grease build up in main smoking chamber. Great first class wheels for moving around. This 1000 lb. pit moves around on the patio as if you were pushing a baby stroller. Great damper and a joy to work, along with convenient let-down work table, shelf under pit for wood holding, and large easy to read first class accurate thermometers.

How it cooks...fantastic is the only word to describe it. Very even and effortless. To me, one of the biggest advantage in good Q-ing is being able to maintain the correct fire and temperature. This pit is the best I've ever seen for this, including my $20,000 rig at the store. Once you have built a fire in Dave's pit, it is very simple to maintain. If you over fire it, you can close down the damper (did this for an experiment) and the fire is practically dead in about 30 seconds...no flames. Open up the damper, and back up the fire comes. Love the flame control. This means this is a very tight and well made pit. Think it would be much harder to creosote the meat in this rig than most others. (One of the things beginners tend to do a lot, and the biggest enemy to good Q). At 250 degrees, I could lay my hand on the steel horizontal drum for a couple of seconds! Don't try this with tender hands...remember my hands are in fire all day long, but that was impressive. Once this rig heats up, it holds the heat. My fire was almost dead before I needed more wood, and I had a hard time getting it going again! My wood is fairly green, which I like at times, but must get a more seasoned wood to use during certain periods of cooking with this pit. The efficiency is unreal. Never really thought much about using this smoker for a "over the coals" charbroiler, but boy was I wrong. This it the first pit I've ever owned that allowed me to actually build a small wood fire with flames, and charbroil steaks over it. No charcoal, just a burning wood fire. The reason you can do this is simple, but hard to find in today's rigs. You can drop the wood and fire down so far in distance from the meat that they will grill to perfection. Baked some potatoes, grilled some corn and roasted some great chili all at the same time with my 3 steaks last night. I love to grill steaks over charcoal, but this Klose pit has ruined me for ever doing that again as long as it is anywhere near me. What a flavor it impaired into the steaks, and the chili! Carolyn couldn't believe it, for she has always loved my steaks the way I have always done them on the Charbroil CB 940. Not anymore!

Summary...do yourself a favor. If you are serious about your Q, get yourself a GOOD pit. Whether it be by Klose or another top notch brand. You spend thousands on cars, trucks, TV sets, air conditioning, etc. If you are a beginner, you will have a better chance of producing good Q. If you are more experienced, you will possibly improve on your already great Q. I know we all love to buy cheaper pits during our lives...kinda like a kid in a candy store, and God knows I had my share of' em. But after getting this one, my attitude has changed. This pit is one of the best, will last me a life time, and probably my grandchildrens' life time, and I don't have to go out looking at Walmart pits anymore. This one is like a good marriage. forever, and the best of the best.No more searching. Even Carolyn thinks it looks decent for a BBQ pit! (Have I gone through hell on THAT subject with these things all over the patio in past years.) Thanks David, for making such a fine tool for a pit master to work with.

Danny Gaulden http://www.carlsbadnm.com/dgaulden/index.htm

From: Rocky McNeely

Subject: KCBS Trade Show & BBQ Pits

I was able to retrieve enough information to allow me to come to and the reach the decision (finally) that BBQ Pits by Klose will get my business. I looked at what was there and just wasn't impressed. I'm sure that each of the pits represented there was capable of producing good BBQ, so I'm not putting any of them down. I just didn't see anything that I thought would stand up to the elements of Colorado for more than a year or two. i.e. rust out or burn out. They just weren't designed for the long haul. So down Houston way I'll go.

What made the decision for me was when Paul Kirk took my wife and I back to where he stores his pit and gave us the run down on it. Now, Paul designed his himself, but it was the craftsmanship, and quality of the materials used to build it that impress me. There wasn't a jagged edge anywhere to be found. All welds were done with care, and lacked any slag or splashes around the joints. Paul swears by his, and I'm sure that I will too.

Any of the rest of you have one of Klose's products? BTW. I stopped by other pit makers booth's with the hopes of getting a look at some of the new models, only to be looked at like the RCA Dog! They had no clue what I was talking about.

From: Rock McNeely

Subject: Re: BBQ Pits

Pete,

I concur with John here. I too choose to purchase a Klose pit for my commercial operation. I've looked at the P&S products, and the two just don't compare. Yes, P&S says that it uses 1/4" cold rolled steel, and they do. But it's what they do with it that counts. If you could place the two pits next to each other, you would see, without much effort at all, that the Klose pit is the better made pit. Hands down. The quality in workmanship and design are worlds a part. Right down to the little things. There are little things built in to the Klose pit, that I'm sure that P&S has never dreamed of! Now this is only my opinion, mind you, but I eared this opinion by driving from Colorado springs to KC, just so I could get a first hand look at the other pits on the market. It was while I was in KC that I was fortunate enough to see John's pit that was made by Klose. I was impressed with it enough to fly down to Houston to meet face to face with Dave Klose, and see why his pits were so dramatically different than the rest. What I found out was, that he has put the time, effort, and the necessary resources into learning the "art" of making a good, quality, pit. It doesn't hurt that he has excellent people working for him either.

I went with the Klose Pit for many different reason. But what it comes down to is this. I only have to buy this pit once. I need a pit that will withstand the elements of Colorado. And I jus didn't see any of the others doing that. Just my two cents worth….Hah! I wish that it was only tow cents.

Rock McNelly

The rocky Mtn. Oinkster!

Colorado Springs, Co

Personally , I'd get the Klose over the other two you mentioned. I say this because I have a Klose, and I know David, and the way he builds his pits. They are made to last a lifetime. Few other manufacturers can say that.

I've cooked on two different Klose pits, and I've seen dozens of others, and know how they are built. They are all hand made, with extreme care given to temperature control, etc. That, in a smoker is very important.

 Comments from Bruce G.

Depending on what you are looking to spend, check with the folks at Klose, I bought one of their units and am thrilled with it and the results that I am getting. Prices are subjective, and as always you get what you pay for, with the Klose pits the quality is some of the best that I have seen and after checking out the different makers (Oklahoma Joe's, Chuckwagon, New Braunfels smokers and a lot of others), one visit to Houston and Klose was shipping one up to me.

Some things to look for are:

Solid Construction in both the pit, the firebox and the supporting legs. Tight fit on all doors and openings (Hard to control the temp/fire with a loose fitting firebox door). Fully welded construction, beware of a unit that you screw the legs on to, if you have to move a 300 to 800 pound pit, you don't want the legs to fall off as you are moving it. Easy to clean out fire box (Klose uses a removable pan), it is a pain to scrape and shovel out the pit. Drain that can be closed (if it is open, air will come in that opening and lower the temp of the pit). Stay cool handles (some use wood, some use a coiled stainless steel handle), if it is an add on item, choose another pit. Thermometers come with the unit.

I would look at a bunch of different makes by different manufactures and see what features you like best, once you find the one that matches what you want, buy it. watch out for the add ons, things like additional grates for two tier cooking, additional cost for Thermometers things like that (Note Klose includes everything and I asked for a can of touch up paint and they included that as well). The price on pits is flexible, some folks will tell you price is as is, a couple of places dropped the price by about a hundred dollars just to keep me talking.

If you can't tell by now that I am a big fan of Klose, well reread the above and give them a call, they will do right by you.

Good luck and enjoy what ever you decide to buy.

From: wisek@liddellsapp.com-Ken Wise

To: Isenhour@gais.lis.uiuc.edu: Todd.Massey@natinst.com

Subject: New Pit Search

In response to your request about my pit search, I bought a new house and for the first time had room for a real BBQ pit. After getting wifely approval, I embarked on my search. My goal was to get something I could roll in and out of the garage easily but that was big enough to take to cookoffs or that would let me cook for a sizable number of people.

I looked all over the net as well as brochures, and stores. I narrowed it down to the point where I almost bought another model . I had two main concerns about that model, however. The way the door's were constructed, you will have some heat lost from around the door when it's closed and there's no way to prevent it. Second, the firebox was too small for the main chamber size. I was preparing to ignore these flaws when a massive dose of common sense hit me an I decided I had been seduced by the stainless steel doors on the other pits. I had yet to visit Klose's shop though I had his catalog. I drove to his place at lunch and two hours later placed my order.

The A number 1 reason I bought from Klose is the personal service and willingness to customize the pit. I expressed concern, for example the main chamber on the mode I was looking at was too small. The response was, "OK, so we'll lengthen it or widen it or both, what size do you want? That's service. I ended up ordering a standard model with a few modifications, the biggest one being a longer main chamber.

Another significant feature of the Klose pit is a heat baffle between the main chamber and the upright smoker. Removal of the baffle will allow cooking in the upright. David doesn't really plug this feature but I think for caterers it is a Godsend.

I know every pit is custom made to order and they are built right. That was my search. Good luck with yours.

P.S. -- He also charges a fair price for his work.

From: Ross, John

Subject: BBQ PITS

Peter

I think you're talking about Klose pits from Houston, correct? If so, they have my recommendation. David builds a fine pit.

What you want to do is tell David what you want to cook, and he'll match that to the smoker that's right for the job. One rule of thumb, though, is to always buy a bit bigger than you think you'll need. As sure as hell you'll need the extra space as soon as your check clears…

JR

From: Rock McNeely

Subject: I'm BAAaaaacckkk!!!!!

A big Howdy Ho to one, and all! This is just a not to let you all know that I'm back home with a brand, spankn' new pit, and rarin' to go! Tomorrow will be spent cleaning all the road grit off, ant then taking it down to the DMV for registration. Then I think that I'll do a few hundred laps around town to show it off. I think that I'll drive by the local Q shops real slow, just to let them k now that there's a new boy in town, and he's well armed! I bare my bald spot to Dave Klose and his gang on building me an awesome pit. I hope that my cooking abilities will do it justice over the year.

My Thanks again to Dave Klose

Rock

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The one thing that you hear from any Klose pit owner that they like best about their pit is quality of workmanship.   The fit of all the components, attention to detail and quality of every weld is first rate.  Some Klose owners have called their pits works of art.

Another factor you always hear Klose pit owners talk about is the thickness of steel that is used in their pits.  We are talking about 1/4", 3/8" and even thicker steel used for construction.  This makes a very heavy pit which will hold a lot of heat, which makes the regulation of cooking temperature very constant.  Klose pits are known for their ability to hold a constant temperature.

I don't mean to try and dissuade you from building your own pit, but I have done quite a bit of welding myself and I planned on building my own pit, too.  After pricing all the new steel that I needed, I found that I would not be saving a huge amount of money.  I decided to spend a little extra money and get a pit from an experienced pit builder and save a lot of my own time and probably a little frustration.

Harry Jiles

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This pit makes it so easy to do barbecue that I can't believe it. I made the best ribs and shoulder I've ever done last week. This is my kind of Lazy-Q

 Thanks once again for all of your hospitality. Wish I didn't have to hurry and leave so soon. Glad you enjoyed the sauce. I know it is not Texas style, but I like it a lot on my chicken and ribs. I also use it for my brisket once in awhile.

 I have run the rig twice now with great results. Gas assist and insulated firebox make wood burning a pleasure. I had no problem at all with sooty over smoked flavor. Of all the changes in technique and equipment that I have tried in ten years, moving to a Klose pit has made the single biggest improvement in my results. Klose will take a credit card. I'll tell you, it will make things a lot easier and more satisfying.

Even though I have a good sized mobile Klose pit, I sure wish I had picked one up for the backyard too! They make for easy log burning. Not only that, but you can continue to dink around with incremental upgrades, spending tons in the process, or you can just say, "What the heck," and spend the right amount right off the bat and get the right tool for the job. My next outdoor cooker will be a Klose pit, the decision now is "how big."

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Again, thanks for the hospitality--and dagummit, why didn't you try to sell mea backyard unit too! I will never be satisfied from the results of any of my other cookers again..

Stephen J. O'Connor

steveoc@frontiernet.net

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I bought a Klose 20" smoker with a horizontal chamber and a vertical stack. I had chosen this one after many months of trying to decide between many manufacturer's, and what I actually wanted to have in an outfit that should last a lifetime. I decided upon the 20" setup style without the trailer. In addition, I had the firebox extended, had pullout shelves, and added an extra temp gage. I then had the outfit shipped by Klose to me here in very rural Louisiana. I must say that the Klose is worth every cent. Thick steel, with excellent, and I do mean excellent welding. I rubbed the pit down with peanut oil, and then fired it up with pecan and oak and seasoned it for 48 hours. The next weekend was the big test. About 200 pounds of different meats were thrown in, including some pork to be done S. Carolina style. The food came out terrific. All I can say is that we are trying to come up with another excuse to go to the "big city" of Houston so that we can stop by the Klose joint and get us one for grilling to replace our Weber grill. Ya done a good job there Tex!

The pullout shelves are a real marvel.  The craftsmanship is outstanding throughout the outfit, but I spent at least 1/2 looking at the way they were being built. Larry Ellis

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Posted by Charles F. Bearden

In Reply to: Klose vs. Others posted by Mr. Meat

I am unaware of any scientific comparisons. Because a Klose is considered the best, most people do not purchase one as their first pit, or without a lot of thought. Usually the decision to purchase a Klose is arrived at after going through several lesser makes and learning the shortcomings of the others in the field. If all Klose owners knew when they bought their first pit what they know now, they would have saved their pennies and time and, bought a Klose in the beginning. Now, you can rely on these Klose owners who willingly share their experiences about the product, or you can spend years going through the same trials the rest of us have and miss out on having the joy of owning and cooking on the best. Sooner or later, you'll come to the same conclusion the rest of us did. Been there, done that, bought the tee shirt and had my picture taken.

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bhamm@sysconn.com

Posted by Brooks Hamm

I currently have a different pit makers pit and have been catering for about 5 years. I can cook 1 hog (100# dressed) and a few boston butts at the same time. I have totally outgrown this rig since my catering business has increased in size. It can also be labor intensive due to the firebox end hotspot.

There is no comparison to the Klose products that I looked at during a recent visit to the Houston plant a few weeks ago. They build the best that I have seen, and I have been looking for a long while. The quality is second to none. I highly recommend to get the largest rig that you can afford and then go borrow some money the next size up. The minimum that I would recommend for catering would be the 36" x 8' with a vertical smoker (also used as a warming box) and the 24" x 48" charcoal grill on the front. Look seriously at the "Rock's Catering " model, only in black. They will have to put a flap between the doors to slide a hog in if it is whole with the backbone split.

I also recommend that you talk to Klose about your ideas. Just make up your mind about how large you want your catering business to become. I have made my mind up and will be ordering my rig soon. Also talk to Joyce, Monty, and Dave at the shop in Houston. They are the nicest bunch of folks and will take the time to make sure that you get the best rig for your operation.

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Dave, Hey, it's Tman from the BBQ Forum. Just wanted to drop you a line and tell you that, as you may know, I have admired your pits from afar for quite some time. Previously I had only seen pictures in your catalogs and on the internet and heard the many testimonials of customers. I finally had the chance this weekend to see some of your handywork in person, and I must say that any admiration I had for them before was magnified 10 fold seeing one for real. You are to be commended for a great product and I most definitely will make my pit a Klose when I finally scrape together the money to purchase one. The pit that I saw was the one that you made for Dean and Phyllis Bentley & Todd and Teri Rumps of Meridian, Idaho, just down the freeway from where I live in Boise, They were set up at a Halloween corn maze outside of town and I had driven by for several weeks seeing the sign offering BBQ. I assumed that it was only "pretend" BBQ like so many other places around here until I actually saw the pit parked nearby last Sunday. Even from the road I would have almost guaranteed myself that it was a Klose unit. The quality shows, even from a distance. Anyway, thanks for a great product and we will definintely be doing business some time in the future. See you on the forum,

Tman

Todd & Meg Summers

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I really think you should add another adjective to your pit descriptions.  You should call them "Klose Heirloom Pits".  They are definitely the highest quality work I've ever seen and will be passed down from generation to generation for a while.  My kids are already fighting over mine and I haven't even got it yet!.

Rodney Leist

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Posted by The Judge

The Judge has been saving his lunch money and cutting yards to make the bucks to buy a David Klose 20X36. Well, today was the day. I picked up the phone and did it. My NB was easy to sell as the mods that we have talked about made it a much better cooker than what is available off the floor. Mine was three years old, and I got $130 for it. The original price was $200.

 If you ever get the chance to talk to David Klose jump at the opportunity. He is a wealth of information and has a wit that is amazing. You call up to place an order and feel like you are talking to your brother. So anyway, in three weeks, I will start speaking Klose and should quickly have some stories to tell. Hope to see you all at the Ham Jam soon.

Barbecue Cookers Are Tops!   Clif

PS: As David says; 'Run over something and lets cook it.

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I really wanted to do something for Danny so John and I oiled his new pit down, when He fired up that puppy for the first time.  I gotta say that pit is a work of art.  I kept it going for 4 hours and even when adding wood there was NO spike.  If you have the money you'd be a fool to buy anything else. This was a really well made smoker.  I kept a good size fire going which is alot easier than the smaller ones I use in my NBBD and maintained a solid dead balls on 225.  When the smoker came up to temp there was no smoke leakage around the doors at all. Dave's welders are really good.  All the welds were perfect pretty layered text book welds.  Dave's smokers get the official Bear stamp of approval. God I wish I could afford one.    Smokin in Md,    Bear

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Posted by Brian Eads

Yesterday, my wife went from being a Rock & Roll widow to a BBQ widow. I got my first Klose!!

It sounds crazy, but this matches that first kiss, my band's first album release, and my first Mercedes.. Do I sound excited or what? Thanks to all you guys for your insight, especially to David Klose for your honesty and advice. I know, this is starting to sound like an Academy Awards speech so I'll shut up. Happy BBQ'ing--Spring is almost here. Come see me in historic Lexington, MO.

It's been 4 days now, and I'm still sleeping with my smoker--my wife is convinced I've lost touch with reality... Hey, reality is nothing more than a cold one, a tasty slab, and good friends to share your good fortune with... Happy smoking. Brian

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