Dave, Your helpful advise was:
Re: Kamado Cooker
I find a low temp more difficult to manage than a hot one. Starting with a packer is jumping into the deep end but if we weren't crazy we wouldn't be here. Suggest you do your first low temp with something "same day" like ribs or chicken rather than an overnight cook like the brisket. I like the 4 and 4 on ribs from Chefsteps and it's what I'll be doing 2morrow. (4 hrs SV, 4 hrs on smoker) Briskets have enough challenges without trying a new cooker.
I'm not saying anything you don't know but when you receive your unit make sure everything is lined up square, bands are tight and gasket has been applied correctly. (We pay a kid 10/egg to put them together so I always check before they go out the door) Check that the air hole in the fire box (bottom of ceramic) is aligned with the air hole in the exterior of the unit. I've made a few house calls for people who complained they couldn't get the egg hot. When taken apart the holes were not lined up and they weren't getting any air flow.
Your first fire should be to season the unit and make sure everybody is working. Go a half load of charcoal. I put it together by hand - not dump - so that air flow is good . Take top off and have front wide open. When fire is established (5 min?) drop the lid, leave top off and front open. When the fire is established drop the lid. Black roiling smoke is not good but should be temporaryl. When you start getting white smoke there's either a new pope or the coals are going good. Top on but open, close front about half way. At this point you're seating the gasket but it's also a good time to play with temp control. Try and hit 225. Adjust top and bottom for very little air flow and leave it alone for awhile. Repeat until you're in the 225 neighborhood then leave it alone for a good 30 min. Then open it up and target 600. Steakland. On my egg the bottom will be open about an inch and top will be pretty close to wide open. Don't be in a hurry to get there - adjust and leave alone. Repeat. Once you have it settled in a 600ish let it go for awhile to ensure it will maintain it. Then open it up and let the charcoal burn off. No need to go above 7-800 and you risk damaging the gasket if you go to high.
I can't speak to any air control devices to maintain temp.
Damn, talk about making a short story long....
I did not see on your list of accessories a charcoal starter. I use the looftlighter or if I can't get to electricity the parafin blocks.
http://www.amazon.com/Looftlighter-7...s=looftlighter
http://www.amazon.com/Big-Green-Egg-...starter+blocks
I would also suggest rib racks. I liked ribs before the BGE. Now I like them a lot.
For a long slow fire I'll sart the front and let it burn back. For a hot fire I start in three places around charcoal, 60, 180, 300 degrees or so. To go slow it's better to not let it get to hot then bring down - maybe 300F Much easier on these things to take temp up than to bring it down.
Hope this helps and that you have fun with it.
