I just purchased a Brinkmann gourmet electric to go with my homemade stick smoker. It was missing both the heating element and the lava rocks. I called the cust. service dept. who instantly took my name and address and promised me it would arrive in 5-7 days. I'll be smokin my superbowl butt on my wood burner anyways, but here's to Brinkmann's superior cust. service!!