I don't really have a problem with the mash to boil time in my GF. I ramp it up to a boil once I pull the grain basket, and by the time my sparge is complete, I'm nearly at a boil. I brew inside with it though- I tried it in the garage and it was just too cold for the element to perform very well. Also, I've not had any issues with the pump clogging. I do bag my hops, and I've started skimming the foam to reduce protein buildup on the heating element. That cuts down on the particulate matter a lot. Also, when I'm pumping through the chiller, I tip the GF and end up getting all but about a quart of the wort. So far, I'm very pleased. I'm still working on increasing my efficiency though - so far I'm hitting about 68%. I did a batch of BVIP, which really maxed out the mash cylinder. I've been conditioning my malt and crushing at the tightest setting on my JSP. Perhaps I'll try the recommended mill gap from GF and see how that goes.