Getting a free appliance from a family member can be a nice surprise, especially when you can actually use it. But what happens when that generous gift turns out to be broken, takes up space, and comes with a list of expectations?
One couple found themselves in that exact situation after their father-in-law dropped off an expensive smoker that didn’t work properly. Now he’s upset that they want to return it, and the whole thing has turned into an ongoing family disagreement.
The woman shared her frustration in a Reddit post, explaining that what started as a gift has become something neither she nor her husband wants to deal with anymore.
It Started With a Gift From Her Parents
According to the woman, her parents had recently upgraded their backyard and offered the couple their four-year-old Blackstone griddle.
The couple happily accepted it. Her husband cleaned it up, reseasoned the cooking surface, and they even invited her parents over for burgers to show their appreciation.
It was a practical gift they genuinely enjoyed. She said they use it at least twice a month, and it’s a welcome addition to their backyard.
But when her husband mentioned the gift to his family, his father reacted unexpectedly.
Instead of being happy for them, he was offended that her parents had given them their used griddle instead of the brand-new one they’d bought for themselves.
The couple didn’t make much of the comment at the time, but it wouldn’t be the last time a gift caused tension.
Then Her Father-in-Law Dropped Off a $1,200 Smoker
A few months later, her father-in-law showed up with his old automatic smoker, which he said was worth $1,200.
The couple appreciated the gesture, although the woman admitted she wouldn’t have chosen something so large for their backyard. Still, it was already there, so they accepted it.
Unfortunately, the smoker wasn’t in particularly good condition.
It needed a serious cleaning, and once they tried using it, they discovered that its app was no longer supported and the airflow regulator was broken.
Without a working regulator, the smoker couldn’t maintain a steady temperature. Fixing the problem would require a replacement part costing an estimated $200 to $300, and the app still wouldn’t work.
What was supposed to be a convenient cooking appliance had turned into an expensive repair project.
He Expected Them to Cook for Him Regularly
The broken smoker would have been frustrating enough on its own, but the father-in-law apparently had something else in mind when he gave it to them.
According to the woman, he expected the couple to prepare smoked meats for him every week because he’d given them such an expensive appliance.
They eventually made him ribs to show their appreciation, but the experience was anything but convenient.
Because the smoker couldn’t regulate its temperature, the couple had to take turns manually switching it on and off. What should have been a relatively hands-off cooking process turned into hours of monitoring and troubleshooting.
The woman said they spent roughly eight to nine hours on the process before finally giving up on making the smoker work as intended.
And after all that effort, they had no interest in using it again.
Returning the Gift Only Made Things Worse
Eventually, her husband told his father that they weren’t using the smoker and would be happy to return it. After all, it was taking up valuable backyard space, needed repairs, and wasn’t something they had asked for in the first place.
But his father wasn’t happy about that suggestion.
The problem, according to the woman, was that they were keeping the Blackstone griddle from her parents while trying to return his smoker.
She believes her father-in-law has spent years comparing himself to her own father, and the two gifts became another point of competition.
One detail made the situation even more frustrating: her father-in-law reportedly knew the smoker was broken before giving it to them.
In a follow-up comment, the woman explained that he had previously looked into replacing the faulty part but never completed the repair.
Months Later, the Smoker Is Still Sitting in Their Backyard
Despite saying he would pick it up, the father-in-law still hadn’t collected the smoker nearly six months later.
The couple considered giving it away through Facebook Marketplace, but the woman said her father-in-law didn’t want them to sell or get rid of it.
Meanwhile, the broken appliance continued taking up space in their yard.
She also explained that this wasn’t the first time her father-in-law had tried to pass along something that needed work. In another instance, he’d wanted her husband to take an old, damaged car and repair it.
At this point, the woman said she’s given her husband responsibility for getting the smoker out of their backyard.
Reddit Users Had Plenty to Say About the Unwanted Gift
The story sparked a discussion about whether people should feel obligated to keep gifts they don’t want, especially when those gifts require expensive repairs.
Many commenters felt the father-in-law had simply passed along a problem he didn’t want to deal with himself. Others pointed out that the couple had already gone out of their way to show their appreciation by cleaning the smoker and spending hours preparing a meal for him.
Several suggested giving the father-in-law a deadline to collect it, then donating or disposing of it if he didn’t.
A few commenters offered a more sympathetic perspective, suggesting that the father-in-law might feel insecure about his relationship with his son or want to contribute something meaningful.
Still, most agreed that the couple shouldn’t have to store an unusable appliance indefinitely just to avoid hurting someone’s feelings.
When a Gift Becomes Someone Else’s Problem
There’s a difference between passing along something useful and handing someone a broken item that requires money, time, and effort to repair. And when the giver expects something in return, it gets even more complicated.
The couple clearly appreciated the thought behind the smoker, but after months of dealing with an appliance they can’t properly use, it’s understandable that they want their backyard space back.
It also raises an interesting question: once you’ve given someone a gift, should you have any say in whether they keep it?
