After going through a lot of pellet grills to get there, I can say I still love my MAK. I’ve had Traegers, GMG, CampChef, Memphis, and Weber all before getting where I am. In the end my MAK is the best I’ve had. Is it perfect, not at all. Do we expect perfection when popping MAK prices on a pellet grill? I think most of us do. In the end though, it produces the most consistent results and smokiest food I’ve gotten from pellet cookers.
Occasionally, my WiFi connection turns itself off. Would a fire pot quick dump like CampChef be nice? ABSOLUTELY! However, it takes 2-3 minutes to remove grates, drip pan and heat shield to empty it (every cook). I also don’t like taking the lid off 2-3 times a year to scrape it down. However, If I empty the pot every cook, clean the lid and vents every few months, and occasionally bend over and press buttons to turn the WiFI back on, it’s a dependable machine for me. I know mine is going to overshoot start up by 30-50° every time, then settle in like a champ for hours and hours. I also know not to run Lumberjack 100% hickory for long cooks. Like most things, it’s about learning the cooker, even expensive ones have quirks.
I could lay out far more minor or major inconveniences or even issues with all the rest I’ve had.
Look at Franklin’s beautiful but expensive offset. Look closely at the fire box. He chose something he feels performs better performance wise over being able to quickly brush the ash out of it.