Flaming Coals Minion Spit Roaster Product Review

Review - Flaming Coals Minion Spit Roaster

After stocking the Flaming Coals Minion Spit Roaster as part of our product range for almost 1 year, I thought it was time that I put together a video highlighting its features which hopefully will assist consumers when making a purchasing decision. I'm quite often asked to explain the differences between the stainless steel spit roasters we sell, so I'm hoping the video will be useful in helping customers decide whether the Minion Spit Roaster is right for them. 

WHERE SIZE MATTERS!

The spit measures 115cm long by 50cm wide and stands 65cm tall from the ground to the top of the grill. It’s great for cooking roasts, chickens, suckling pigs or barbecuing on the grill, but not necessarily for a 20kg + lamb fully stretched out with its legs still in tact.  I've seen a 25kg suckling pig cooked on Minion spit with the head and legs on, however, you would struggle to fit a lamb on with both sets of legs on. Chances are you'd need to remove one set of the legs to make it fit. 

WHAT IS INCLUDED

The spit comes with a stainless steel cased motor and although we rate it at 30kg capacity, it has been proven to turn a 75kg load for more than 200 hrs continuously during our intense testing sessions (yep we flog them hard!). It has all metal gears, fan cooled and it comes with a 2-year warranty

In addition to the motor, the Minion Spit Roaster comes with a single piece skewer with no joins or flex, a quick release pin to attach the skewer to the motor, 4 prongs and a cooking grill. All accessories which come into contact with food a made from 304 food grade stainless steel. It is also important to mention that the skewer is round rather than square so you’ll always be able to get replacement parts and accessories off the shelf rather than having to get parts custom made which can be expensive. You wouldn't believe the number of customers I speak to who have a 20mm square skewer from a spit roaster they purchased from one of the big chain stores, but then they have to spend a fortune to get more prongs and brackets custom made.  

To help make the spit last even longer, a protective sheet in the base of the spit is provided. It effectively provides a false bottom for the charcoal to burn on and keeps the structural integrity of the main spit body in tact. Over time you'll need to replace the protective sheet, but it's effectively just a sheet of roofing iron that can be picked up on the cheap from Bunnings. 

The Minion also comes with 4 wheels so it is easy to move if necessary. That said, 2 of the wheels also have brakes to ensure your spit will remain stable while cooking. 

FLAT PACKED - BUT ASSEMBLED IN 15 MINUTES

The Australian designers at Flaming Coals designed and tested this spit in Australia for use by Australians. It is easy to assemble with Australian written instructions. It is a flat pack design to keep freight costs low, but to reduce assembly time, the nuts have been pre-spot welded onto the body. 

EASE OF USE

One of the most important features of cooking with a spit is the ability to adjust the height the skewer sits over the coals. As you can see in the video, the Minion has a very simple easy height adjustment function which allows the meat to be adjusted whilst cooking.

Overall, for a stainless steel spit roaster, it is very reasonably price and is a great entry level spit for someone wanting to get into spit roasting. With a 2 year warranty, you can’t go wrong.  

You can also check out our previous blog post that will help you choose the perfect spit for you.

by: Rhiannon Peterson