LSG Pellet vs LSG Mini IVC

[Burnt to a T]

A few years back I was going to pull the trigger on a LSG IVC, but life issues came up and kicked that plan to the curb. I've been using 2 - 22 WSMs, but the inconvenience is starting to add up along with my age. I don't want a stick burner, but I don't want a light smoke profile that almost all pellet grills have. Can anyone fill me in on both LSG products that have them or have had q off them? I don't want to lose what smoke profile I get from the wsm, and wouldn't be upset with a bit more smoke profile. I think I can get a better answer from the consumer vs the builder.

 

[jbounds286]

ive seen the LSG pellet vs the LSG stick, but not the IVC vs the pellet, the stick won out in that comparison, but the question you pose is a good one....interesting to see if anyone has compared these

 

[rwalters]

If you enjoy the charcoal/smoldering chunk flavor profile, which many do, I think you should stick with that and go with the IVS vs pellet muncher. You mentioned you’d like even a tad more smoke than you get from your WSM’s. That will never happen with a pellet muncher. Like a very clean burning stick burner, you'll get a really tasty smoke seasoning from pellets vs ‘smoked’ from charcoal/chunks. Really depends on you and your preferences. I used to love charcoal/smoldering chunks. Still enjoy it from time to time… but more often than not I now I prefer super clean wood smoke. To each their own as both are good

 

[buckhorn_cortez]

I have a Lone Star Grillz vertical cabinet smoker and a MAK 2 Star General. I use the MAK probably 95% of the time because of the convenience.

Probably 3-4 times a year my wife and I do a smoking session that gives us 20-30 chicken breasts,2-3 meatloaves, and 3-4 fatties. For that, we use the vertical cabinet smoker.

The smoke flavor from the cabinet smoker is totally different than the MAK. Even though the LSG uses charcoal, it burns the fuel so cleanly that you do not get a lot of "charcoal flavor." What you get is a really good smoke flavor. I prefer to use a mixture of post-oak and pecan wood in a 20% oak / 80% pecan mixture.

When used correctly, the MAK provides a clean wood smoke flavor but not nearly the complexity of flavor from the LSG.

You have to decide whether you want the convenience of the pellet smoker or a lot more work resulting in a more complex flavor result.

For us, the MAK provides 90% of the flavor, with 5% of the work. But, there is a difference and my wife sometimes comments on the distinct difference between the two.

 

[jbounds286]

You have to decide whether you want the convenience of the pellet smoker or a lot more work resulting in a more complex flavor result.

do you really feel the IVC is that much more work to operate? from what i have seen i thought it to be pretty close to set it and forget it

 

[Burnt to a T]

ive seen the LSG pellet vs the LSG stick, but not the IVC vs the pellet, the stick won out in that comparison, but the question you pose is a good one....interesting to see if anyone has compared these

I seen it as well, but 2 things stood out to me. First being it was close, but the stick had more smoke flavor. The problem being the stick had 5 years worth of cooking vs a brand new first time smoke on the pellet. That IMO showed just how good the lsg pellet puts out a good smoke taste. The second it wasn't a bind test so each person seen what the others said and kinda said lots of the same things. In saying that I'm sure the stick does put out more smoke, but if its even close that's huge for a pellet. The one other thing that stood out to me was the pellet didn't dry out the meat as much as the stick.

 

[Burnt to a T]

I have a Lone Star Grillz vertical cabinet smoker and a MAK 2 Star General. I use the MAK probably 95% of the time because of the convenience.

Probably 3-4 times a year my wife and I do a smoking session that gives us 20-30 chicken breasts,2-3 meatloaves, and 3-4 fatties. For that, we use the vertical cabinet smoker.

The smoke flavor from the cabinet smoker is totally different than the MAK. Even though the LSG uses charcoal, it burns the fuel so cleanly that you do not get a lot of "charcoal flavor." What you get is a really good smoke flavor. I prefer to use a mixture of post-oak and pecan wood in a 20% oak / 80% pecan mixture.

When used correctly, the MAK provides a clean wood smoke flavor but not nearly the complexity of flavor from the LSG.

You have to decide whether you want the convenience of the pellet smoker or a lot more work resulting in a more complex flavor result.

For us, the MAK provides 90% of the flavor, with 5% of the work. But, there is a difference and my wife sometimes comments on the distinct difference between the two.

That's what I'm trying to actually find out. The LSG from all accounts is a lot different than any other pellet on the market so far. Everyone that has had multiple pellet cookers have said it doesn't even compare its in a league of its own.

 

[buckhorn_cortez]

do you really feel the IVC is that much more work to operate? from what i have seen i thought it to be pretty close to set it and forget it

No contest. The MAK is a magnitude less work than the LSG cabinet smoker. The MAK gets to temperature faster, and it temperature stabilizes faster.

The LSG is so efficient that if you don't use the water pan in it, it's hard to keep it under 300 F. Using the water pan it will lock onto 250 F and just stay there - but, you have to add water to it every hour to keep it that steady. So, you're tending it at least once an hour. The MAK cools down faster and is far easier to clean.

The MAK is sort of like an outdoor oven with a lot of smoke - you set and forget it. I have a 13-inch diameter cast iron frying pan that I use for smash burgers, and also use the MAK for grilling and pizza - you can't do any of that on the vertical smoker.

The vertical smoker does one thing - smokes food and that's it. The MAK does a whole range of cooking beyond smoking.

The MAK is also usable for quick, small uses like two pork chops. You'd never do that on the cabinet smoker because it's just impractical.

 

[Burnt to a T]

No contest. The MAK is a magnitude less work than the LSG cabinet smoker. The MAK gets to temperature faster, and it temperature stabilizes faster.

The LSG is so efficient that if you don't use the water pan in it, it's hard to keep it under 300 F. Using the water pan it will lock onto 250 F and just stay there - but, you have to add water to it every hour to keep it that steady. So, you're tending it at least once an hour. The MAK cools down faster and is far easier to clean.

The MAK is sort of like an outdoor oven with a lot of smoke - you set and forget it. I have a 13-inch diameter cast iron frying pan that I use for smash burgers, and also use the MAK for grilling and pizza - you can't do any of that on the vertical smoker.

The vertical smoker does one thing - smokes food and that's it. The MAK does a whole range of cooking beyond smoking.

The MAK is also usable for quick, small uses like two pork chops. You'd never do that on the cabinet smoker because it's just impractical.

What I've seen over the years is the MAK is a jack of all trades master of none like most pellet grills. The LSG pellet is said to be superior to all other pellets on the market. I've seen videos of it going up against a offset and it held its own even being the first smoke on a new smoker vs a offset with 5 years of use. I've also seen it do the grill part on a reverse sear smoked tomahawk steak and looked like it came off a charcoal grill. I'm not really looking for a jack of all trades I like dedicated tools more because they're usually better at what they're intended for. My main concern is dragging out the wsm, cleanup afterwards and the constraints of 2 levels that get in each other's way. The LSG IVC or pellet will solve all those issues. I'm more wanting to know about the smoke profile of one vs the other. Neither are that hard to operate especially coming from a wsm which isn't terrible, just not convenient and each year gets less convenient. I don't need much more space then the wsm gives me, but can get more convenience. I can cook the protein and sides at one time and I can't always do that in my single wsm, and firing up 2 just doesn't make sense any longer for me.

 

[buckhorn_cortez]

What I've seen over the years is the MAK is a jack of all trades master of none like most pellet grills. The LSG pellet is said to be superior to all other pellets on the market. I've seen videos of it going up against a offset and it held its own even being the first smoke on a new smoker vs a offset with 5 years of use. I've also seen it do the grill part on a reverse sear smoked tomahawk steak and looked like it came off a charcoal grill. I'm not really looking for a jack of all trades I like dedicated tools more because they're usually better at what they're intended for. My main concern is dragging out the wsm, cleanup afterwards and the constraints of 2 levels that get in each other's way. The LSG IVC or pellet will solve all those issues. I'm more wanting to know about the smoke profile of one vs the other. Neither are that hard to operate especially coming from a wsm which isn't terrible, just not convenient and each year gets less convenient. I don't need much more space then the wsm gives me, but can get more convenience. I can cook the protein and sides at one time and I can't always do that in my single wsm, and firing up 2 just doesn't make sense any longer for me.

You claim the LSG pellet grill holds its own against an offset smoker. You claim it grills as well as a charcoal grill. You claim to want to "know the smoke profile" - and yet "holding its own" against an offset isn't enough information.

I don't get it. You seem to know all of the answers. What's the point of your post?

 

[Burnt to a T]

You claim the LSG pellet grill holds its own against an offset smoker. You claim it grills as well as a charcoal grill. You claim to want to "know the smoke profile" - and yet "holding its own" against an offset isn't enough information.

I don't get it. You seem to know all of the answers. What's the point of your post?

No that's what others claim and what I've seen in videos. I'm looking for real world responses of people that actually own them outside of videos on YouTube. Reading comprehension is a lost art nowadays.

 

[SmoothBoarBBQ]

What I've seen over the years is the MAK is a jack of all trades master of none like most pellet grills. The LSG pellet is said to be superior to all other pellets on the market. I've seen videos of it going up against a offset and it held its own even being the first smoke on a new smoker vs a offset with 5 years of use. I've also seen it do the grill part on a reverse sear smoked tomahawk steak and looked like it came off a charcoal grill. I'm not really looking for a jack of all trades I like dedicated tools more because they're usually better at what they're intended for. My main concern is dragging out the wsm, cleanup afterwards and the constraints of 2 levels that get in each other's way. The LSG IVC or pellet will solve all those issues. I'm more wanting to know about the smoke profile of one vs the other. Neither are that hard to operate especially coming from a wsm which isn't terrible, just not convenient and each year gets less convenient. I don't need much more space then the wsm gives me, but can get more convenience. I can cook the protein and sides at one time and I can't always do that in my single wsm, and firing up 2 just doesn't make sense any longer for me.

Cleaning up an IVC is much more labor intensive than something like a WSM. Pellet grills also require a high amount of cleanup + maintenance (ie foiling the heat deflector, cleaning out the firepot; both of which require you to take apart the insides). I loved my IVC but after a big cook it would take me roughly an hours worth of cleanup to get it ready to cook again. Mind you I was cooking as a BBQ business so I had to make sure all my stuff was thoroughly cleaned, but still...it required a ton of work to get it ready to cook again.

I spent about a month trying to get the BFG from Rec-Tec to work properly, and after all cooks it was a huge undertaking. Again, this was a very large cooker, but having to remove+store all the racks, remove the heat deflector, remove the foil from the heat deflector, and then having to clean out the innards and vacuum out the fireport was a decent amount of work. Plus having to refoil the heat deflector, clean all the racks, and put it all back together wasn't a 5 minute job.

I just want you to temper your expectations of simple cleanup with either a pellet grill or IVC. My offset is so much easier to clean as I run a wooden grill brush across the grate to knock off the bits into the bottom, and then I spray it out...done and dusted in 10 minutes max.

As for smoke flavor pellets are extremely light and there's really no way of getting around that...if pellets are your only source of smoke. IVC is a much better smoker in terms of getting smoke flavor. My IVC was very close to that of an offset...probably 85-90% of the way there. I never used an LSG IVC but they didn't perform any magic with their cookers ; same concepts everyone else is building.

 

[Burnt to a T]

Cleaning up an IVC is much more labor intensive than something like a WSM. Pellet grills also require a high amount of cleanup + maintenance (ie foiling the heat deflector, cleaning out the firepot; both of which require you to take apart the insides). I loved my IVC but after a big cook it would take me roughly an hours worth of cleanup to get it ready to cook again. Mind you I was cooking as a BBQ business so I had to make sure all my stuff was thoroughly cleaned, but still...it required a ton of work to get it ready to cook again.

I spent about a month trying to get the BFG from Rec-Tec to work properly, and after all cooks it was a huge undertaking. Again, this was a very large cooker, but having to remove+store all the racks, remove the heat deflector, remove the foil from the heat deflector, and then having to clean out the innards and vacuum out the fireport was a decent amount of work. Plus having to refoil the heat deflector, clean all the racks, and put it all back together wasn't a 5 minute job.

I just want you to temper your expectations of simple cleanup with either a pellet grill or IVC. My offset is so much easier to clean as I run a wooden grill brush across the grate to knock off the bits into the bottom, and then I spray it out...done and dusted in 10 minutes max.

As for smoke flavor pellets are extremely light and there's really no way of getting around that...if pellets are your only source of smoke. IVC is a much better smoker in terms of getting smoke flavor. My IVC was very close to that of an offset...probably 85-90% of the way there. I never used an LSG IVC but they didn't perform any magic with their cookers ; same concepts everyone else is building.

Thanks for your reply. Trust me a wsm is far from a 5 minute cleanup or set up. I'm cooking 8 butts right now, and the clean up after will be a good hour or more, and that's just the smoker. The water pan, ash, cleaning both grates and getting rid of any fat so not to have mold. Lugging it around for set up and storage. I always have to dump ash into the water bowl then dispose. I have to foil the water pan as well. I don't like burning off mold, so I do clean mine pretty regularly.

The typical pellet isn't what LSG is putting out, that's why I want information from those that have one. The clean up is much easier on the LSG vs other pellets as well you can watch videos vs me explaining every detail. The smoke profile is no different then the IVC from the owners mouth, and he stands to gain more by saying the pellet isn't as good as his IVC, but said there's no difference in smoke profile/flavor. I'm taking him for his word on that. He also knows what I'm use too on the wsm. I'm not a pellet fan at all until LSG came out with their version which is set up to run like a offset. They engineered the pid to control like a stick burner and puts out a bunch of smoke. This isn't some underbuilt Chinese big box store pellet grill.

 

[MQ2]

Just buy my LSG 20x42. 2300 and get to cooking. I bet you will be satisfied.

 

[SmoothBoarBBQ]

Thanks for your reply. Trust me a wsm is far from a 5 minute cleanup or set up. I'm cooking 8 butts right now, and the clean up after will be a good hour or more, and that's just the smoker. The water pan, ash, cleaning both grates and getting rid of any fat so not to have mold. Lugging it around for set up and storage. I always have to dump ash into the water bowl then dispose. I have to foil the water pan as well. I don't like burning off mold, so I do clean mine pretty regularly.

The typical pellet isn't what LSG is putting out, that's why I want information from those that have one. The clean up is much easier on the LSG vs other pellets as well you can watch videos vs me explaining every detail. The smoke profile is no different then the IVC from the owners mouth, and he stands to gain more by saying the pellet isn't as good as his IVC, but said there's no difference in smoke profile/flavor. I'm taking him for his word on that. He also knows what I'm use too on the wsm. I'm not a pellet fan at all until LSG came out with their version which is set up to run like a offset. They engineered the pid to control like a stick burner and puts out a bunch of smoke. This isn't some underbuilt Chinese big box store pellet grill.

So the guy trying to sell you an expensive cooker is telling you it's all sunshine and rainbows...you don't say? haha Do as you desire and LSG makes a fine product, but I'm very serious when I say they're full of ****. 100% there is no magic elixir which makes pellets on the LSG somehow burn differently enough to significantly alter their flavoring profile.

Also, for what it's worth, LSG has gone on record (even in their FAQ) stating that reverse flow "doesn't produce even temps." That's 100% pure garbage as can be attested to by every single Lang, Shirley, and Johnson smoker owner (among many others). https://lonestargrillz.com/pages/main-faqs #2 under the "Reverse Flow" section is what I'm referencing.

Anyways, I've just watched some videos on the LSG Pellet Cooker (as you suggested) and it looks great. That being said there's nothing in there which is dramatically different than any other pellet smoker, and I'm mostly talking in reference to ease of clean up. It's the same concept with a heat deflector covering a fire pot...grease and food bits drip down onto the heat deflector and harden (or the grease burns off), and it's an absolute pain in the butt to clean.

Go with the IVC as this allows you to control how much smoke you get on the meat. Pellets are going to do as they do, and your only way of getting "more" smoke is to cook at low temps which tends to smolder rather than burn clean. IVC can be a challenge to run as they are so insulated that it's very hard to get the temps down without smothering the fire. Smothering the fire produces very bitter and acrid smoke which is unpleasant to the palate. But, as long as you keep a good eye on it, you'll be good to go.

Good luck with whatever you choose, but I'd be cautious of the sales person claiming their product is far superior to everybody else for some unexplained reason. :-D

 

[Peabody86]

I have the large LSG pellet grill. I have several other pellet grills, and have used pellet grills for over a decade. Of them all, the LSG is the lowest maintenance. The burn pot is accessible from the outside, and should be emptied before every cook. That's not hard to do. I have found very little ash buildup in the chamber, even after running it for months without cleaning anything other than the burn pot. Most of the cleanup involves scraping off the carbonized drippings on the surface of the heat deflector. Grease is easy to drain into a bucket. The ball valve is a nice upgrade. Smoke output is very good and steady at low temps. But it won't compare with a wood burner. No pellet grill will, in my experience. However, I find the smoke level satisfying. I have used smoke tubes to increase the smoke generation. You can use those with wood chips to get a more intense smoke flavor that isn't off-flavor. If you're looking for a daily driver, I recommend pellet. If you want a true smoker to use less frequently, but for a more authentic BBQ flavor, the IVC might be a better choice. Do what's best for you. I will say that the LSG pellet grill is all the grill I wanted in a pellet in the context of function and features when compared to the other brands in the price range. But the build is solid - far more solid than Traeger and the like. And the FireBoard control system and interface is very powerful. I have experienced a few bugs and minor issues. But I have experienced great support from Chris at LSG. One way or another, my issues were always resolved. Seriously, if you need a daily driver that is almost as convenient as a gas grill, but with the flavor and versatility of wood fired grill (or oven), pellet is a great option. Again, do what is right for you.

 

[4ever3]

Well I was thinking about looking into the LSG, but naaa, I’m good.

:biggrin1: