STINKS!!!!

[barber02]

I totally agree that this product is a piece of junk!!! great idea just cheaply made. I have had mine for a little over two years and it is now completely useless. in the two years i may have used two dozen times.. sent a email into bradley to voice my issues and I get a email back with a telephone # to buy replacement parts, no were sorry, we understand!! nothing... here is a list of things that have went out or broke on my BTIS1

1. Noticed crack at bottom of unit near slide control, unit will not heat higher than 200 without smoke generator.
2. my puck advance get stuck in the advance position and never stops unless you dig out the button with a knife.
3. Door falls off in my hands because plastic piece holding the hinge breaks
4. Heating element now will not come on what so ever
5. the mount that holds the plug on the back is now broke and i had to take the back off to retrieve it.

This was a total waste of 400.00.. I guess i should have done my part and researched more about Bradley and the issues they have with the smokers..

What I can understand is why almost everyone on here has some kind of issue with the products they receive. they break and get fixed and on alot of occasions break and get fixed again, but most of you still talk as if they are the greatest smoker ever made.

I could understand a product having issues here and there but everyone is having the same issues..

Please help me understand.....

PS mine was kept in the garage with a cover over it.. it was very much babied....

[KyNola]

Good day and welcome to the Forum.  I have removed your duplicate post from the digital Bradley section as there is no need to post it twice nor do you have the digital model.

Let's see if we can get to the bottom of your issues.  Did all of the issues you listed occur at the same time or did they occur individually over time?  If they occurred over time can you give us a timeline of when they manifested themselves?

I'm not sure I can make you understand as you requested but I can tell you not everyone on the Forum experienced the same issues you evidently have experienced.  My Bradley is 7 years old, same element, same door, same plug in the back. There are thousands of Bradley owners around the world who have no issues with their Bradley's so they have no reason to join the Forum to complain like the folks who are dissatisfied.

If you want assistance to help you with your issues the members of the Forum are more than happy to try to help you.  If you came on here just to voice your displeasure, say so in order that we won't add to your displeasure.

[barber02]

Not here to vent!! Just asking questions. please don't be so quick to jump to conclusions. Here is a run down on the history of my smoker.
First it was the puck advancer button sticking then on the third smoke the bottom plastic piece cracked and it no longer would maintain a heat above 200 without the smoker generator being on
Then on about the 10th smoke the door just falls off into my hands.. I called CS and they basically blew me off when I told them about my issues. So I look online about door issues with this Bradley and found a ton of people having same issue.. Several people were on door #3.. One finally posted his own repair so that's what I did to mine.. Then first smoke this spring the back plug breaks off inside unit.. Made it ere I could use it and now 2 smokes later the unit will no longer get hot..

I am not on this forum trying to start trouble I am basically letting other know of my experience with Bradley..
Again I am disappointed that something that cost this much money did not last into my third year..

Thank you for removing the other post.I put it in the wrong place in error.

Thanks for responding back to me..

[KyNola]

barber02, I'm not jumping to any conclusions, I'm just trying to figure out your dilemma.  When the crack developed on the bottom piece, did the unit stop maintaining a temp above 200 without the generator immediately or did it eventually stop maintaining the heat as you described?  The crack may be the culprit for the failure to maintain the heat as moisture from the tower could have found it's way into the crack and compromised the heat control.  The crack most likely also was the main reason for the door to fall off.  When the crack initially developed was it within the first 12 months that you owned the unit?  If so, your smoker would have been under warranty and Bradley's customer service is typically unsurpassed.  Did you contact them when you discovered the crack or wait until some of the other problems surfaced?

It sounds like your heating element has burned out.  It simply needs to be replaced.  They can be purchased from Bradley or from our friends at www.yardandpool.com Y&P also sells the lower piece with the heat controller.  Unless the crack is huge you may be  able to seal the crack with some sort of sealant and replace the heating element and see if that solves your issue.  The switch that advances the wood puck is also available at Y&P although you may be able to remove your switch and hit the opening where the switch is located very lightly with a file or sandpaper to see if that stops the switch from sticking.  Just be careful doing that so you don't go too far and the switch no longer fit.  I can't help you with the plug in the back.  That's an issue I have never heard of before.

One last thing for the members of the Forum, does anyone have an extra lower piece that fits the OBS with the slide control that they would be willing to donate or sell at a reduced rate to barber02 so we can get him up and running again?

Hope this helps.

[barber02]

Yes the crack happened no later than 6 months after buying it.. I do appreciate you trying to help me with this just not sure I want to keep putting money into it.. I will go to Bradley's website and add up all the things I need to get my unit back to were it needs to be and see if would be cost affective to do So
If I could figure out how to load photos.i would show you what she looks like

Thanks again

[KyNola]

You might come off cheaper checking www.yardandpool.com  They are members of the Forum and are on the Forum's Trusted Vendor List.

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi barber02;

Welcome to the forum. I kind of understand your frustration, I've had experience with products where I've come to the point of trying to decide to fix it or move on. If you do make the decision to fix the Bradley. I provided a link to help you troubleshoot, and very often how to make repairs. Before purchasing new parts I suggest you post the problem in more detail. There may be another issue going on, that may not be due to a failed part.
Bradley FAQ's

If you have time, you should do some searches on this forum. Many have had the same problems you have, and some have come of with fixes without buying new parts; such as using hinges to fix a door.

[RFT]

Unfortunate you are having problems. :-\  Thankfully Bradley CS is amazing. They have to be becasue of the poor build quality.  I to have had issues with the Bradley and have fixed them since I bought it. As of now my bradley is surly not stock and is holding together better then when it was stock.  I'll say it.  I like the bradley. Would I do it again if I had the chance.  NOPE! because its cheaply made and for the cost it should hold together. 

Just being honest here guys.

Happy smoking!

[Saber 4]

Sorry to hear about your problems, KyNola and Habs have you pointed in the best direction should you choose to repair and continue using your Bradley. As a consumer and the owner of a small manufacturing enterprise I can understand both sides of this equation. Bradley is trying to put out the best quality product possible in an affordable price range, unfortunately to keep costs down and maintain a reasonable profit you sometimes have to take more chances on component failures with less expensive parts than you would like to use, the alternative is to use only the highest quality components and raise the price out of the home user's price range thus limiting your potential market share. I personally have had to eat several cost increases in my manufacturing processes but I can't raise the cost of my product because it is at the top end of what my customers are willing to pay. That being said as a consumer I totally understand being frustrated that something you've spent good money on isn't living up to your needs.

Others here will disagree with me on this, but it is my perspective and I hope it helps give you a different perspective on your issues.

[renoman]

Ya like they could use a five dollar micro switch instead of a ten cent micro switch. There I just solved half of their problems. Bradley needs to try a bit harder to resolve the few recurring issues they have. JMHO.