Anyone got any experience importing a lang bbq into the UK?

[Funstuie]

Hey all

First post so forgive me if this is the wrong place to ask. I have been looking to get a smoker BBQ like the ones everyone in the US seems to have. A work colleague (I work for a US company) just got a new bbq and sent me photos which sent me into a for of envious rage. He has a Lang 36 patio with the hot box. Its looks the dogs and he says its been great the few times he has used it so far.

After some pretty extensive googling (which lead me here eventually) it seems the Lang bbqs get good reviews but there is not many in the UK. There is a bloke on YouTube DJ-BBQ who has a few over here but that's it. But there does not seem to anything even remotely close to them for sale in the UK. I would buy local but there doesn't seem to be anything.

So has anyone imported one and can offer some advice?

[Swindon_Ed]

I've just imported a Backwoods Smoker from the US, so i'm familiar with what's involved.

First things first you're going to need to get the crated weights and dimensions so you can arrange a shipping quote and once you've got that you can then work out your total cost for import including taxes.

Depending where you live you might also want to look at picking up from the nearest port from you as this can save a few hundred pounds in the overall shipping cost.

[Funstuie]

I've just imported a Backwoods Smoker from the US, so i'm familiar with what's involved.

First things first you're going to need to get the crated weights and dimensions so you can arrange a shipping quote and once you've got that you can then work out your total cost for import including taxes.

Depending where you live you might also want to look at picking up from the nearest port from you as this can save a few hundred pounds in the overall shipping cost.

Thanks for responding mate. Can I ask what you ended up paying for shipping?

I live near Portsmouth so collection from the port might be possible. Actually I live near Brighton so there are a couple of port options not too far from me.

I contact lang and they have not been very helpful to be honest. One word answers when I asked about shipping to the UK and no response to my follow up questions.

[keith157]

No disrespect and I know you've probably set your heart on one (been there with a different hobby) but if this is the way they are treating a potential new customer what are the customer service/aftersales staff going to be like should you ever have a problem?
It may be worth considering a brand that is available or regularly imported into the UK. Granted that would detract from the "Look what I've got" appeal, may may be less grief & strife in the long run.
No intent to urinate on your strawberries but may be worth considering the points.

[Funstuie]

No disrespect and I know you've probably set your heart on one (been there with a different hobby) but if this is the way they are treating a potential new customer what are the customer service/aftersales staff going to be like should you ever have a problem?
It may be worth considering a brand that is available or regularly imported into the UK. Granted that would detract from the "Look what I've got" appeal, may may be less grief & strife in the long run.
No intent to urinate on your strawberries but may be worth considering the points.

I would buy locally if I could find anything remotely like the US produced models. I am open to suggestions.

Cheers
Stu

[keith157]

I wasn't necessarily suggesting buying British (I wish we could) but going for something that is already oin the market here. I have no suggestions just putting up caveats to consider. There are a few US makes already with distributors here in the UK for aftersales support. Granted they may not have all the bells and whistles your Lang may have but that would be offset (pardon the pun) by guarenteed customer support.

[Steve]

You might try a David Klose pit or a Pit Maker. Both offer stick burners and have first rate customer service and experience of shipping to Europe. I reckon you'd find Yoder helpful too.

If your heart is not set on a stock burner then consider a cabinet. You can't go far wrong with a Backwoods and Ed is now the UK distributor so you'd have someone to take the headache away.

I'm in the process of importing a Spicewine cabinet. These are my favourite pits period. Jay at Spicewine has been a pleasure to deal with and has sorted shipping for me. I've paid $831 for shipping to Southampton including crating fee. My cooker is in a big pallet sized crate and weighs around 350kg

[Funstuie]

Thanks for all the advice. I will take a look at the alternatives. At the moment I am set on a stick burner but that might change.

[Funstuie]

Well it's looking like a no go on the importing a stick burner. I checked out a few forums and got put onto a Jambo backyard but the cost is getting into catering levels rather than something for the garden.

Lang didn't respond at all to me so that's definitely a no go.

Does anyone have any experience with Pro Q Trailblazer Barrel Smokers? They seems to be available in the UK. Do they compare?

[Swindon_Ed]

Does anyone have any experience with Pro Q Trailblazer Barrel Smokers? They seems to be available in the UK. Do they compare?

Steer well clear, these are nowhere near a well built as a Jambo or a Lang.

Meadow Creek smokers have a distributor in Germany and they make some smokers similar to the Lang's. I'm talking to them at the moment about a new pit from them for next year.

Is there any particular reason that you want an offset smoker? Are you looking for a cooker where you have to play with it every 45 minutes for 12hrs

Seriously though, i've just bought a new smoker for comp's and catering with and although i like the idea of an offset smoker & the food that comes off them, personally i don't think they're practical for the UK.

When buying a new smoker there is lot's to think about. One thing is going to be does the cooking style fit with how you want to use it? although another thing (the reason i didn't get one) is that you cannot get the variety of woods that are available in the US in the sizes needed at a reasonable cost. I worked it out that if i was to cook on a Jambo with the woods i would want to use, it would cost me about £30 per cook for briskets and so on. I know that a lot of people use offsets with mainly charcoal & my opinion is that i i'm going to do that i might as well cook on a WSM, it'll be a lot easier.