Oklahoma Joe'sRambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill – 19402088

I've been in the meat-smoking game for some forty years now, and have a bit of experience with different types of grills & smokers. I now have only two - a big electric Master Built model for the larger jobs (like 2 or 3 briskets at a time), and the OK Joe "Rambler" for everyday stuff. We have downsized again after retirement and this product was just right for our needs as empty nesters. This is my first OK Joe product.After reading a slew of reviews, I purchased it hoping mine would not arrive with any flaws. I found none. Mine arrived shortly after 8 AM, allowing me to assemble it in my garage before the Florida heat became unbearable. After unpacking, one of the first things I did was give the ash tray a second coat of high-heat grill paint (just because) and let it dry in the sun while I looked over the assembly photos - I am one of those "visual learners".Assembly was pretty easy by following the pictures, with one exception - the instructions seemed to indicate putting the rod/hinges that secure the domed lid on FIRST, but that didn't work. I then laid the domed lid in position and secured the rods second - took a bit of jiggling but everything was coming into place. In my defense, the garage temp was approaching 100 degrees even with fans running, so I may have been delirious from a mild heat stroke. Anyway, everything else went together smoothly.The side handles were a really tight fit, so I used a thin flat-head screwdriver to gently wedge the edges of those handles into place and an awl to line up a hole to begin threading the four small bolts. The temp gauge is large and easy to read. Build quality, overall, seems quite good for this price point. The cast iron grates were a bonus - more on that in a moment.A few words about dimensions : if I recall correctly the dimensions listed indicate a "depth" (front to back) of 19.7". The ACTUAL depth, measured from leg to leg, is 13.5". The width is 23", not counting the handles sticking out the sides of the domed lid. Total width including the protruding handles is approximately 27 inches. I only mention it because of the awesome grill cart my bride purchased for me - we were concerned the Rambler might not fit on top of it but that potential issue was put to rest with a visual inspection. FWIW, the grill cart was purchased online from Wally-World / China Mart. It was delivered yesterday, assembled last night, and the OK Joe Rambler arrived bright and early this morning... the timing was just about perfect. Everything I need is right there in one nice package on wheels.Per the instructions, I did not paint this interior of the domed lid with grill paint as it is not safe for food. Instead, I "seasoned" the entire lid at the same time as the cast iron grates using a vegetable oil spray to give it a good coating. I slathered the grill grates with a brush while my charcoal was getting started in a chimney. Once the coals were in place, the "seasoning" began in earnest - it's a crucial step in the process. As of this writing the Rambler has been seasoning for about 5 hours with multiple coats of vegetable oil and is now cooling down slowly... and my garage is still hotter than a popcorn fart.Speaking of heat, I used an entire chimney full of charcoal briquets for the initial break-in, and that sucker got all the way up to 550 degrees in no time flat ! It peaked near 600 degrees, so I closed the side and top (chimney) dampers a bit. It stayed at 550 degrees for hours, even with the fire box lowered all the way down. One thing to consider is using a length of hi-temp gasket on the sides and front ledges to help keep the smoke from escaping the chamber. Do not apply the gasket to the rear ledge as it will make the domed lid sit high in the front, defeating the purpose of using the gasket. The product I use and can recommend is Lavalock brand High Temp Nomex BBQ gasket smoker seal - 1/2" wide. I also used it on the chimney assembly, just because. I like to keep my smoke inside the chamber. For my first cook, I'll probably cut the charcoal in half and raise or lower the fire box to suit conditions.I've owned a lot of grills and smokers over the years, and I can honestly say this is the first one that came with a serial number on a small plaque. Fit and finish was fine, and I am one happy camper. Yeah, I know this review was long-winded but if it helps someone that might be "on the fence" then it was worth my time. Buy with confidence.ETA : First cook was burgers, turned out well but had a small issue with temperature control - weird concept considering it was 100 degrees out. I think it was the cheaper briquets I used, so I'm switching up to the trusty Kingsford brand. When the temp dropped to 200 degrees I turned a fan toward to damper and pumped in a bit more air which brought the temp back up to 350. The briquets I used were smaller than Kingsford and not as well compressed - I'm pretty sure they were the culprit. Even with the trials of getting acquainted with my new grill, I'm still liking it.

Decent build quality, easy to follow assembly instructions, and almost a perfect grill/smoker. So far, the only things I have noticed that are missing are a seal around lid to keep the smoke in and a dedicated drip hole for the fats. But, these are small things. The grill preforms very well and it is nice to be able to raise and lower to coals according to the type of grilling you are doing. Great for cooking meats Pittsburgh style/black and blue. It was well thought out, doesn’t include and nonsensical parts. Even the side handles are cool to the touch when the fire is roaring. I especially like the weight of the grill. You don’t have to worry about it accidentally being knocked over. Cleanup is a breeze with the ash tray in the bottom. And, yes, this is also where the fats are going to collect. I’m looking forward to many years of deliciousness. Thank you Oklahoma Joe.

This ugly little spud took about thirty minutes to assemble and ended with a hefty weight of about fifty pounds. No problems with parts, or parts mating with other parts. Very simplistic and functional in design. The charcoal tray works well and is designed to be lowered or raised to one of three heights. The idea behind the raising and lowering of the charcoal tray to it's three positions and how it locks the tray in place is proof that this little grill is well designed by those who have learned the lessons of their craft well. The charcoal tray is no light weight piece of 'burn through' sheet metal. It is good heavy stainless steel and will not burn through. The ash tray is sheet metal and is very easily removed for cleaning. The side air vent is designed to move very easily and top stack vent cover is spring loaded, snug and stay's in place. The rather heavy cast iron cooking grates will need to be seasoned. For those of you who may not know how to season iron whether BBQ grates or skillet. The process is very easy. Place a heavy coat of some sort of cooking oil on the iron that you wish to season. Olive oil, peanut oil, or coconut oil. Place the grate over a high heat and let it burn until it stops smoking. Then more oil, and more burning. This is repeated until a nice black glossy coat is built up on grates and iron is sealed. You are done. The size of cooking area is just about right for one large cut up freezer eagle or six good sized burgers. The one thing that you will notice upon construction of parts is that, this is no light weight basement deal BBQ grill. This is heavy duty and will last a lifetime. Or, until you feel a need to upgrade to a larger size. I like this little grill very much and do recommend it to any in need of a small grill that is just right for camping and back yard smoking needs. I even thought that this grill was actually made in Oklahoma. Oh well, thanks joe!