Sell me on a pellet smoker

[STLBBQer]

I have a GMG Davy Crockett and now a BGW Grand Slam ordered. Hard to beat for the convenience factor. I still prefer the flavor from my WSM, but a pellet grill puts out consistently great food. I have little kids and it lets me make ribs on a Saturday and still play with them.

 

[WareZdaBeef]

I am sure i cant sell you on a pellet smoker but i personally like the mild smoke a pellet smoker produces. I am sure there is alot of members here that like a heavy smoke flavor on there meats but sometimes subtle smoke flavors bring out the meats natural flavor.

 

[STLBBQer]

If you aren't sold on a pellet, and don't mind feeding wood, but want something that will produce off the hook Q. Check out the Karubeque.

http://www.kbq.us/
http://amazingribs.com/bbq_equipment_reviews_ratings/smoker/karubecue-c-60-pit

I can't tell you how close I was to ordering one of these. Bottom line, I just can't babysit a pit right now. Everything I've heard about KBQ is outstanding though.

 

[Gersidi]

Bosco, I am from Ontario too and I BBQ in blizzards! Make sure whatever you do buy is solid, thin metal wont hold heat well and it will rust out pretty fast with all the salts here if you keep it outdoors.

Those Kamados you have are great units. I used my WSM three weeks ago and made chicken wings for my brother while it was snowing and windy. Pellet grills are fantastic as they are absolutely set it and forget it and produce great bbq. I used to use my fec 100 to do overnight cooks when it was -20c outside.

As others have said, start off with the lowest temp to get max smoke flavour, then ramp up the temp from there. The smoke is mild compared to what you are used to, but some people prefer a milder flavour.

 

[Northlander]

I am in agreement with Gersidi. I live in northern Minnesota and have been cooking on my MAK all winter long. When it's -22 below, I don't want to be messin around with setting up my primo. It's so much easier to hit the start button on the MAK. With the probes in I can just watch from my iPad inside, and adjust temps if I want to. I still love my primo, and it more than holds its own when cooking, even when it's -22. I just have to feel like setting it up. My wife and kids love the amount of smoke flavor the MAK puts on the meat; seems to be a common thread when you read about pellet commer families.
I have to say I love both grills for their uniqueness in operation. They aren't wife's so I can have two:wink: (at least neither one has told me I can't have the other yet!:shock:

Bosco, I am from Ontario too and I BBQ in blizzards! Make sure whatever you do buy is solid, thin metal wont hold heat well and it will rust out pretty fast with all the salts here if you keep it outdoors.

Those Kamados you have are great units. I used my WSM three weeks ago and made chicken wings for my brother while it was snowing and windy. Pellet grills are fantastic as they are absolutely set it and forget it and produce great bbq. I used to use my fec 100 to do overnight cooks when it was -20c outside.

As others have said, start off with the lowest temp to get max smoke flavour, then ramp up the temp from there. The smoke is mild compared to what you are used to, but some people prefer a milder flavour.

 

[DBBQ]

I had both size Rec Tecs, while I liked them, I always preferred what came off my WSM more.

 

[angryelfFan]

So I started out with a gas bbq and purchased a WSM 22.5 and Weber Kettle 22". I only used the WSM 3 times and didn't like the water pan and mess so I sold it.

I didn't like the water either so I took some Brethren advice and ditched it. Great results.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=226742

 

[rwalters]

Hey Bosco ole buddy! Pretty sure you already know this, but I sold 1 of my KJ BigJOE's to buy a buddy's MAK 1 Star a few months back. I have not regretted that decision for 1 second. In fact, I find myself using the MAK for ALL low-n-slow cooks now... just soooo darn easy, and the results IMO surpass the kamado. Don't misunderstand me... I love kamado cooking, but for low-n-slow (even mid temp cooking), it's really tough to beat a nice pellet pooper.

Do you need a pellet pooper... heck no! With a busy schedule (work, family, boys hockey) would a pellet pooper be nice... they really are! For low-n-slows, I now fire up my MAK 10 minutes before the meat goes on, and when I return with the meat, the thing is humming along right where I set it... not to mention, the MAK's put out tons of CLEAN smoke when running < 275 degrees.

When it comes to grilling, I will be the 1st to say that I hate pellet grills! The kamado's run circles around pellet poopers in this arena. Just my opinion ;-)

One last thing, if you are seriously considering a pellet grill, I would highly suggest you go with at least a mid-level unit. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to these.

 

[bosco0633]

I am still considering the addition of a pellet grill. I am still researching and trying to come up with what is the best option if I proceed.

I like the idea that the traeger dealer is a great store and would take care of me when I need assistance with warranty etc. The new pro models seem to be a lot nicer than last years batch.

However, with all that said, I have been paying close attention to the yoder ys640 and the MAK 1 Star general

From most of the reading that I have done, the MAK seems to be the fan favorite. I have read that the Mak controller is second to none and the aluminum body powder coat finish makes it next to impossible to rust out.

I have read that the yoder has tons of room, and built like a tank, however, due to the thicker material and larger size, it takes longer to heat up and runs through pellets like crazy.

Still not sure that I need one, however, I really am trying to do all of my homework just in case

 

[KevinJ]

Paralysis by analysis :mrgreen:

I've never had a PG but was considering one before I decided I'd prefer to stick with charcoal and wood. If I were to get one I liked the Mak 1 Star best, then Blazn Grill Works, if I found a deal on a Yoder though I wouldn't pass it up.

 

[Cat797]

I'll throw my paltry $.02 in here......

I built a RF offset stick burner with an insulated firebox a few years ago. I did my homework, built it right, and it cooked like a champ. I loved it, but it was on a trailer and I had to leave it sit outside, so that made me ......I also like to have cocktails, and if I had to cook overnight for an early feed, I would have too many and be worthless after dinner....:doh:

So, I have been looking for an alternative to me having to stay up all night, and I started looking at Pellet grills. I already have a UDS that I built. While I like it, I don't necessarily LOVE the food that comes off of it. Trying to run it low and slow, I think the choked off fire produces a not so great smoke flavor. My offset always burned a hot, clean fire, and thus had great flavor, although what I suspect most people would consider subtle. I don't like charcoal being lit smoke flavor.......I like hardwood fully engulfed flavor.

This is where my decision making brought me to pellet cookers or gravity feed. I think the pellet cookers may perform better in that regard. Although I don't know so, I will be taking delivery of a used Yoder very soon. I will be able to say for sure shortly. In my opinion after looking around for a while at pellet grills, the yoder seems to be most likely to perform like the offset I'm used to.........

I will say that a gravity feed was a VERY close 2nd in my decision making, and one of the marks against for me was that I would want to have a Guru controlling it, and with the Yoder (or any other pellet) I don't need it.......

YMMV, hopefully I helped a little? :thumb:

Ed

 

[Gersidi]

I am still considering the addition of a pellet grill. I am still researching and trying to come up with what is the best option if I proceed.

I like the idea that the traeger dealer is a great store and would take care of me when I need assistance with warranty etc. The new pro models seem to be a lot nicer than last years batch.

However, with all that said, I have been paying close attention to the yoder ys640 and the MAK 1 Star general

From most of the reading that I have done, the MAK seems to be the fan favorite. I have read that the Mak controller is second to none and the aluminum body powder coat finish makes it next to impossible to rust out.

I have read that the yoder has tons of room, and built like a tank, however, due to the thicker material and larger size, it takes longer to heat up and runs through pellets like crazy.

Still not sure that I need one, however, I really am trying to do all of my homework just in case

I would imagine that if you plan to cook in winter that the thinner metal would use up more pellets too, plus your temps would fluctuate more.

I cooked on a Louisiana Grills CS-570 a few days ago and I was pretty impressed with it. A guy in Markham had one for sale on kijiji for $450 CAD and in excellent shape. Came with cover and 200lbs of pellets. I should have bought it

 

[JPS11]

I enjoy the convenience of my Chargriller pellet grill and the mildness of the smoke flavor helps keep the peace at my house. :wink: I use it for everything from smoking to grilling.

I would look at Cabela's pellet grill if I was in the market for a new pellet grill. Nice controller with probe, and hopper & ash cleanouts. All for $600.

 

[snakyjake]

I'm in a similar situation as bosco0633...

I'd like to get something more convenient than a kamodo + controller.
My smoker needs to be weatherproof, and will use it in the rain.
I don't want to burn quickly through pellets either, or price shouldn't be drastically more than lump+chunk.
Don't want a $1500+ investment to rust out.
The hopper should be large enough for ~20 hours, but I don't mind refilling once.
I don't do competitions that limit what I can smoke with.
I want a smoker, not a grill.

I don't want to compromise smoke flavor, or maybe it is the "charred" flavor that I like from a kamodo.
I don't like reading comments like "mildness of the smoke flavor".

The pellet cookers seem designed around grilling rather than low, slow, smoking.

Really wish I could rent a MAK, Cookshack, or Memphis, or something in that tier of smoke quality.

 

[KevinJ]

Look for dealers that may be within driving distance and see if they do any demo cooks.

 

[Mo-Dave]

I have said it before, and I will say it again. Take a look at the Camp Chef Pro, mine has a hopper clean out, and it has a clean out for the pellet fire pot, simply pull out the knob and the ash drops into a cup, so you have a clean fire pot, thus far I have done maybe 6 or 7 cooks before emptying the ash cup it dumps into. These two feature alone make it worth the money in my book, unless you like to drag out a vacuum cleaner every time you fire it up.
Dave

 

[Eddiecalder]

The Louisiana LG800 elite looks decent. Likely not Yoder of Mak quality but it is double walled, built in Canada, under $1000 and sold at Canadian tire.

 

[snakyjake]

From what I understood from reading how pellets and smoke work, a lot has to do with the way pellets burn and the controller (computer program) that does it. Basically the controller is trying to do two things, and can't optimally do both at the same time: heat and smoke.

 

[ajstrider]

I have owned every type of smoker but a stickburner so far. Pellet smokers do not produce a super strong smoke flavor but you have read that before. They are very consistent.

But the biggest use of mine and why I still love pellet grills are for the super quick smokes like bratwurst and stuff like that. I do not want to waste 40 minutes warming up my ceramic for a one hour cook. Instead I turn on the pellet smoker and it is ready in ten minutes.

 

[bri134]

I own all three types: A 23" Komodo Kamado, a Dreamwerks insulated pellet smoker, and a 30x70SF stickburner.

They each have their uses, though the one that gets used the least is my Komodo. The DW is great for when I want to sleep or just don't feel like heating up 2000lb of steel. But nothing beats the offset when it comes to flavor or feeding a crowd.

Lots of great options out there to meet all pricepoints; it's a great time to be a backyard cook