Topic: garden charcoal tandoor

[George]

I am sorry if I have caused any confusion by offering Coogan our new Nipoori Tandoori.  I can assure you all that I had not even heard of Coogan or of Cro, until Chriswg of cro invited me along.   For your information, we are based in Malaysia. 

I just had a look at the Nipoori web site and it says the unit was designed n England in 1997. Out of interest, why is the operation now based in Malaysia?

If it works, it works but I'd be surprised if a plain steel, non-insulated, hood would enable a temperature of 400C to be reached. I made a heavily insulated DIY tandoor last year and realised how difficult it is to achieve a temperature of 400C.

[nipoori man]

Hi George,

Firstly, thank you for taking time to read through our web site content. 

The Nipoori was indeed designed in England in 1997, but the most important fact about this is, it was the brainchild of an Englishman called Nicholas Vaughan. I have been involved from the beginning with Nick in designing the oven.  The Nipoori has been tried and tested and holds a world patent.

I have moved down to Malaysia to continue with R&D and production of the Nipoori.  Our latest model due soon,  has been improved with new material and design  like stainless steel and easy use of the Grill.  As you might be aware, Mr.Dyson (the vacuum king) has also moved his operation to Malaysia-with me!   ;D  (business continuation strategy).

You are not the only one who asked the 400C question.  Trust me, it does! and in a matter of minutes!  Pretty much can do any kind of cooking;  Cup of Char, no problem.....  I call it - Kamasutra of Cooking.
 
 The Editor's of Stuff magazine called it "The Rajah of Barbecues".

Making arrangement to get one Nipoori down for the CRO's Party in the Garden, give it a go....



nipoori man

[George]

I have been involved from the beginning with Nick in designing the oven.  The Nipoori has been tried and tested and holds a world patent.

You must have been a bit ahead of most of us in thinking of building a simple form of tandoor for use at home. I'm sure most people only became interested after the Internet took off, with web sites like this one, which was a bit later.

I should have said it's no surprise that you could generate a temperature of about 400C in an enclosed space, with charcoal. The mystery for me is why I failed!

Do you have a UK patent number, please? I'd like to check it out before I go breaking any rules by making a rough copy of your oven, to try out at home.

[coogan]

Hello George, Do not know about the patent stuff but I can certainly endorse the fact that the oven reaches 400 C plus. I actually bought mine direct from Mr Vaughan at the BBC Good Food Show at the NEC years ago - he told me then that he had reinvented the original shape of a tandoor oven that had been lost in time. And that most commercial tandoors in use today were of the wrong shape to produce and maintain the heat efficiently - I still cannot believe that they take so long to heat up and need a lid?  In my nipoori the heat build up is instantaneous and that's without the use of any lid or insulation - it really must be all in the shape of the thing. No wonder Dyson has got onboard! Room for any more?

Bon jour

[George]

No wonder Dyson has got onboard!

Dyson has been mentioned here. Is he really involved in some way with this oven? Or is it just that he's moved to Malaysia as well?

I hope someone can provide the UK patent number. Is it stamped on your oven?

[coogan]

On the name plate it has UK patent no 2348798 - did not come up with anything.

I have found this US one that must be the same. http://ip.com/patent/US6706301

Not sure if you should be trying to copy it though.

bon patent

[George]

On the name plate it has UK patent no 2348798 - did not come up with anything.

Perhaps it was rejected by the UK authorities! It wouldn't surprise me. I'm amazed that it's possible to get a patent for something so similar to a centuries-old, traditional tandoor. The US patent even mentions clay being desirable. I thought you had to have genuine, special features - advanced original thinking - to be able to win a patent. If I want to place a cover over the top of my barbecue to trap the heat - an idea I'd already thought of - then I will!

[nipoori man]

Hi George and Coogan,

Our UK patent no is: 2348798.  You may also see it on the packaging box.  I would also like to advice that Nipoori being a patented product, we dont encourage anyone to duplicate it for what ever reasons.  There are legal implications to it!

As for the search that you are doing through the internet, it is not the complete report, you need to buy the report officially.

nipoori man

[George]

Our UK patent no is: 2348798. 

Thank you for the patent number but I can't find anything related to that number on the UK's patent web site. I searched here:

http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/patent/p-os/p-find/p-find-number.htm

I checked under both 'publication' and 'application' but drew a blank both times. If the patent is valid, please provide a link to further details.

I see that a trade mark (different to a patent) was held for 10 years on the word and/or logo 'Nipoori' but it's now expired and the trade mark website even uses the word 'dead'!

I should add that my comments on any patents and trademarks do not alter my opinion that you appear to have developed a first class product. Stainless steel and aluminium are high quality for a start, with minimal scope for corrosion. The overall design looks great and the price asked seems very reasonable. It should sell like hot cakes and I wish you well.

[nipoori man]

Thank you for the patent number but I can't find anything related to that number on the UK's patent web site

I am glad that you like the product.  You are quite right, the nipoori trade mark indeed expired in UK, however, as we are now operating from Malaysia, it is registered over here and it does apply to all our product.

As for the patent number that you are trying to find on the website, the no.2348798 was the original UK number before it was superceded by the world application- http://www.sumobrain.com/patents/wipo/Cooking-method-apparatus/WO1998043519.html   which basically covers the same claims as the later US patent no 6706301.

Anyway, if you wish to place any cover over your bbq to replicate the hood design of our Nipoori, I think you are not breaking any patent laws, as long as no intention of manufacturing, selling, distributing, marketing or exporting it.  So good luck and enjoy.  But if you want to save all the hassle ; get your self a Nipoori, you wont be disappointed.

nipoori man