Treager verses Mak?

Hot Spot said:
I bought a Mak 1 star without ever seeing one. To be honest, it is not what I expected after hearing all the hype.
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I’m very sorry to hear that. Pellet grills are a different beast, they are definitely about convenience first. I love pellet grills, but it originated when I had kids in soccer, band, dance, plus, plus plus. A pellet grill let me smoke food on our very rare free days while still getting necessary chores done. They won’t match a stick burner for sure, maybe not even a well attended charcoal smoker, but IMO, they sure beat the pants off a gas grill or gas smoker outside of raw BTUs for searing a steak.

I’m pretty impressed with my MAK. I was just thinking tonight how few pellets I’ve gone though for a ton of cooks. Is the food better than my SmokeFire or Traegers, maybe, but not a any measurable amount. However, I’ve burned far less pellets AND I know the MAK will last more than 5 years. Can’t really say that about the others.
 
That's certainly a valid point. I bought a pellet grill as my first smoker, and the MAK is now my 3rd pellet grill. Comparing these to a stick burner isn't what I'm trying to do. I'm comparing it to a pellet smoker I bought for $100 on clearance.

In a test cooking the same thing, at the same temps, neither of us picked the MAK as the one having more smoke. That is one of the largest claims, that it out-smokes all other pellet smokers.

Another huge claim is how dialed in the controller is and it doesn't ever budge from the set point. I've run a fireboard for about 2 years now, so of course I put that into the MAK as well. The temps fluctuate quite a bit more than my other smoker. 10-15* swings in either direction don't bother me in the slightest, but it goes against what you hear.

Cleaning it out each time, is mind boggling to me. I have to remove 6 components to get to the fire box. If I use the full size grate on the bottom, and if I pick up all the flame zone stuff at once, that gets it down to 3. My other smoker...has 1 thing to remove.

The grate size/shape is really odd to me, but I guess that's personal preference. While I feel that the majority of the grate space is unusable-I'll chalk that up to the what and how I cook.

I really wanted to cook on it more before I made a post against the hype, but honestly I don't have much desire to go and do that. I'm fully with Hot Spot on this one. I'm a bit disappointed, and a bit embarrassed about the purchase.

But, who knows. I have a reputation for being overly critical and super picky. Maybe that's just it...
 
As someone that’s also super picky and overly critical, I sympathize. My Memphis and Traeger junior produced as much smoke as the MAK. I think my SmokeFire produced more. However, I do feel the MAK is in the top few for smoke output as I’ve had several other pellet grills that produced a lot less.

IMO, 10-15 degree swings are dead on in any cooker. In pellet grills if you keep it flatter you get less smoke. I’ve had several that were double that swing and more.

How long have you had your MAK and how many cooks have you done? I and I’m sure several others here would be happy to try to help you love it. You said you’re clearance pellet grill is cooking better and cleaning easier. With 1 thing to remove for cleaning, I’m guessing it’s maybe a CampChef with an ash dump?

Despite the comments often here you don’t have to empty the MAK burn pot every cook. It’s just a more certain way to avoid potential issues. During the week, I usually use the MAK 2-4 times for quicker cooks, I’ll dump it at start of week and do all these short cooks just fine. If I do a long smoke, I usually dump it before and after.

Finally, your test. You may have covered all these ideas, but I’ll throw them out there for consideration. Were the same brand, species/mix, and freshness of pellets used? What temp did you cook at? Were the proteins the same size and similar in cook times? Each pellet grill has it’s own sweet spot. There’s controller algorithms and what it does with fan control at different temps. Leaky pellet grills seem to have advantages at certain temps too.
 
Interesting turn to this topic. I just got my 2* during the most recent group buy, so I am definitely still on the learning curve.

My knowledge of the Traeger is very limited and little hands on experience. I have been to two very minor "Events" several years ago where food was cooked on the Traeger's and I wandered over to observe and chat with the person doing the cooking. I also ate the food that came off. I have no way of knowing what their prior experience was with the product, nor what type of pellet used other than "Traeger"

In both cases the food was mediocre and not memorable. Both Cook's made similar comments that they experienced large temperature swings and inconsistent smoke. One said they regretted the purchase and the other said he was going to cook a few more times before deciding whether or not to return it (Costco purchase). He said he had only done 10-15 cooks at that point.

So far I've been impressed with the stuff I've cooked other than getting a better feel for the length of time I need to get the results I want (I need to allow about 10-20% more time than what I got with my BGE even though the temps have been roughly the same with each).

Best Chicken wings I've ever made along with the best Prime Rib I've made (finished on a Weber Charcoal Rotisserie). The Bronto Beef ribs I made had INCREDIBLE flavor, but undercooked a bit (This will become a more frequent addition to my dinner rotation).

Haven't done brisket yet.

Quality between the two is no comparison. MAK is very solid while the Trager has much lighter materials. Made in USA a major point IMO.

Very happy with purchase at this point.

Honestly though, I don't think the question should be just between a fairly inexpensive Pellet and one of the more expensive brands. Either compare similar high-end (e.g. MAK vs Yoder) or entry (Traeger vs whatever)
 
TravelingJ said:
Another huge claim is how dialed in the controller is and it doesn't ever budge from the set point. I've run a fireboard for about 2 years now, so of course I put that into the MAK as well. The temps fluctuate quite a bit more than my other smoker. 10-15* swings in either direction don't bother me in the slightest, but it goes against what you hear.
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When some PID controllers reach the set point the "actual temp" display locks on the set point number even though the real actual temp swings back and forth according to whatever is specified by the interactions of the proportional, integral, and derivative settings. My Outlaw is an example of this (I suspect it's also true of the MAK). Once up to temp my Outlaw will read a constant "actual" of 225°F (if that's the set point) while the real actual temp at the middle of the lower grate will swing between 220-ish and 230-ish.

When other PID controllers reach the set point the display continues to show the actual swinging temps. LSG does this as does Yoder (I think).

I suspect that any PID controller can be programed either way, and that some companies choose the locked "actual" on their displays while other companies choose the swinging actual actual on theirs.

It's easy to think of a marketing rationale for both approaches.
 
I’ll throw this out there more generally too. Some of it is stating the obvious. All cooking is the cook and techniques first, cooker second. If you’ve had a Traeger or similar that is 5-10 years old the MAK is awesome in comparison. If you’ve had a newer pellet grill, you’ll likely still think it’s a lot better, but more for construction than performance most likely as the sub $1000 pellet grill controllers have gotten a lot better in last five years.

I’ve only had my MAK 2-3 months. I’ve done a lot of cooks on it already and am very happy. Has it cooked food above and beyond anything else, no. It just works far more efficient and reliably. What really stands out to me with the MAK is mid-high temp cooking. Outside of the unreliable SmokeFire, the MAK is the next best pellet ‘grill’ I’ve had for quick things like burgers, chicken, chops, etc. It gets to 400-450 easy and recovers quickly after opening to flip and rearrange food. Not that it’s not an outstanding smoker too, it’s just that almost all pellet smokers do this part well. I also, know it’s going to last a long time too and is worthy of upgrades if or when MAK makes them.

I do agree on the cleaning part though. It’s not hard to clean, just not as easy as many other pellet grills. However, it’s easier than the Memphis to clean. You had to keep the Memphis spotless inside to avoid grease fires.
 
ssv3 said:
:popcorn:
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That’s the great thing about this forum. Real world experience and great discussion about things like this. I myself got in on the brethren MAK group buy and I will admit it was an impulse buy. I had always wanted to get into the pellet arena and the Yoder was always my first choice. The only negative I’ve ever heard about the Yoder is the paint/rust. I saw the Brethrenn deal and decided on the MAK 1 and so far so good. To me, the USA Made and great customer service reputation are what sealed the deal. I hope long term it proves to be the right decision. Can you get the same results on a well built RecTeq and save 600-800 bucks? Probably. Like someone above said, it’s better to compare oranges to oranges, Yoder v MAK, not MAK v Traeger.

To each their own, hopefully with more discussion in forums like this we can all produce better BBQ.
 
Yessir!

I'll be honest. If I didn't have my Yoder, I would've also been in the MAK group buy. Good to see and hear real life experiences and feedback. I was surprised that cleaning is sort of a pia in the MAK. Super easy on the Yoder maybe because of the access door in the diffuser plate. And yes Yoder does fluctuate as well just about the same but it's a non issue because 10-20 degrees won't change a thing with the end result. Everyone knows about the rust issues as well but it's not as bad as it's portrayed.

For me cookers are not in the backyard to look pretty but actually cook good food consistently and make great memories with friend and family. And as mentioned, though it helps, it's the cook and not the cooker.

Oh and I'm currently on the LSG pellet waiting list. :-D

Bush438 said:
That’s the great thing about this forum. Real world experience and great discussion about things like this. I myself got in on the brethren MAK group buy and I will admit it was an impulse buy. I had always wanted to get into the pellet arena and the Yoder was always my first choice. The only negative I’ve ever heard about the Yoder is the paint/rust. I saw the Brethrenn deal and decided on the MAK 1 and so far so good. To me, the USA Made and great customer service reputation are what sealed the deal. I hope long term it proves to be the right decision. Can you get the same results on a well built RecTeq and save 600-800 bucks? Probably. Like someone above said, it’s better to compare oranges to oranges, Yoder v MAK, not MAK v Traeger.

To each their own, hopefully with more discussion in forums like this we can all produce better BBQ.
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I've been very happy with my MAK. Does a great job smoking, searing, and even cooking pizzas! Has plenty of room for me and if I ever need more space I'll just break out the Pit Barrel Cooker.
 
TravelingJ said:
Hey now. Don't lump me in with those nice people. I can't afford that reputation.



I think the MAK has been a solid grill, but in fairness, it's not a magical unicorn.



First off, it's small. Like, wow. The space between each grate is so small I can't fit an aluminum pan in there. I see lots of pictures that imply capacity, but they usually have grates removed. My Copperhead definitely crushed it in capacity for the way I cook. The depth of the grates is is odd. It's great if I wanted to run ribs front to back, I guess. To me that just means I can't ever reach anything in the back half if I have more than one grate in play.



I honestly expected this thing to replace my Weber and my Copperhead so I could just have the MAK and the Blackstone, but there is no way I can get rid of my Copperhead. To me, this turned into a luxury indulgent purchase, when I was hoping it was a buy once, cry once, purchase.
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Hot Spot said:
I bought a Mak 1 star without ever seeing one. To be honest, it is not what I expected after hearing all the hype.
Click to expand...


100% agree that the MAKs are not magical unicorns. Biggest reason I am very careful to only let my excitement for the product shine through, and never ever pressure someone to buy one. I try very hard to solicit the needs of the potential buyer anytime someone starts firing off MAK (or any cooker for that matter) questions.

I spent probably 25 years searching for the magical unicorn... lol. I have had way way way to many cookers go through my backyard over the years, and have bought and sold some very popular cookers because they simply did not meet the needs I had hoped they would. All I can share is my experience. For me, the MAK lineup has been my all time favorite to date... and has by far and away met my needs the best, from smoking to grilling and everything in between. As far as size, I cook for a family of 11 and we love to entertain. With rare exception, the 2 Star and its available configurations has been more than adequate. Not gonna lie though, it would be nice to see MAK stretch the 2 Star out about 6-10". More real estate is never a bad thing.

Unfortunately, there is no cooker on earth that will fully please 100% of its owners. I am definitely sorry to hear that it is not what you were hoping for... please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you appreciate and come to enjoy what you purchased. You joined a family when you bought MAK :)
 
Beautifully put Robb. :thumb: I thought my LSG vertical offset was the unicorn and was going to sell everything off. :-o Welp, it is but it takes effort and time to run a stick burner so I was wrong. Y'all know the rest.

rwalters said:
100% agree that the MAKs are not magical unicorns. Biggest reason I am very careful to only let my excitement for the product shine through, and never ever pressure someone to buy one. I try very hard to solicit the needs of the potential buyer anytime someone starts firing off MAK (or any cooker for that matter) questions.

I spent probably 25 years searching for the magical unicorn... lol. I have had way way way to many cookers go through my backyard over the years, and have bought and sold some very popular cookers because they simply did not meet the needs I had hoped they would. All I can share is my experience. For me, the MAK lineup has been my all time favorite to date... and has by far and away met my needs the best, from smoking to grilling and everything in between. As far as size, I cook for a family of 11 and we love to entertain. With rare exception, the 2 Star and its available configurations has been more than adequate. Not gonna lie though, it would be nice to see MAK stretch the 2 Star out about 6-10". More real estate is never a bad thing.

Unfortunately, there is no cooker on earth that will fully please 100% of its owners. I am definitely sorry to hear that it is not what you were hoping for... please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you appreciate and come to enjoy what you purchased. You joined a family when you bought MAK :)
Click to expand...
 
rwalters said:
As far as size, I cook for a family of 11 and we love to entertain. With rare exception, the 2 Star and its available configurations has been more than adequate. Not gonna lie though, it would be nice to see MAK stretch the 2 Star out about 6-10". More real estate is never a bad thing.
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Yep. I get it. That's why I was (tying at least) to be careful with my phrasing on that one. If we do meals with her family (that I often cook for) it starts at 25 people. If it's something with guests, we are easily close to 50. I usually bring a protein and a side or two. A family dinner is essentially a small catering gig. The size was clearly stated everywhere, so I should have mocked it up with cardboard or something to know what I was getting into. I'll own that mistake.

Realizing an actual unicorn smoker would probably cost much more, the majority of the point I was trying to make-is that I don't personally agree with all of the normal hype points that are listed as 'reason to go MAK'
 
Please understand, I am not directing blame at anyone. I bought it, nobody forced me to or tried to influence me. When I refer to all the hype, I mean from a bunch of different sources. rwalters, you are always nice to everyone, always willing to help out. I think it is great to see the enthusiasm you have for your Mak and also the enjoyment that you get out of it. I also don't agree with some of the hype points listed as reasons to go Mak.
 
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rwalters said:
Not gonna lie though, it would be nice to see MAK stretch the 2 Star out about 6-10". More real estate is never a bad thing. :)
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My one quibble so far would be that I wish there was about 1/4" or 1/2" larger gap between the shelf levels so that I could easily slide half/full pans in and out - they tend to catch on the bottom of the grill surface above. Might not be an issue with solid ones, but the disposable aluminum ones that I use deform just enough to get hung up.

If I cooked for a larger crowd, I could see the desire for another 6-10" of width as well. But 90% of the time, it's either for just my Wife and I or 2-6 Guests. A couple of times a year we have a Community/Neighborhood Pot Luck that demands the extra real estate. I can manage that with the 2* and my other BBQ's.
 
SoCalWJS said:
My one quibble so far would be that I wish there was about 1/4" or 1/2" larger gap between the shelf levels so that I could easily slide half/full pans in and out - they tend to catch on the bottom of the grill surface above. Might not be an issue with solid ones, but the disposable aluminum ones that I use deform just enough to get hung up.

If I cooked for a larger crowd, I could see the desire for another 6-10" of width as well. But 90% of the time, it's either for just my Wife and I or 2-6 Guests. A couple of times a year we have a Community/Neighborhood Pot Luck that demands the extra real estate. I can manage that with the 2* and my other BBQ's.
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You can order medium height aluminum pans. Work great if you need them to fit between the grates when using multiple grates.

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/ch...am-table-pan-medium-depth-case/612FS7800.html
 
TravelingJ said:
Yep. I get it. That's why I was (tying at least) to be careful with my phrasing on that one. If we do meals with her family (that I often cook for) it starts at 25 people. If it's something with guests, we are easily close to 50. I usually bring a protein and a side or two. A family dinner is essentially a small catering gig. The size was clearly stated everywhere, so I should have mocked it up with cardboard or something to know what I was getting into. I'll own that mistake.

Realizing an actual unicorn smoker would probably cost much more, the majority of the point I was trying to make-is that I don't personally agree with all of the normal hype points that are listed as 'reason to go MAK'
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Fair enough... total respect buddy :)
 
Hot Spot said:
Please understand, I am not directing blame at anyone. I bought it, nobody forced me to or tried to influence me. When I refer to all the hype, I mean from a bunch of different sources. rwalters, you are always nice to everyone, always willing to help out. I think it is great to see the enthusiasm you have for your Mak and also the enjoyment that you get out of it. I also don't agree with some of the hype points listed as reasons to go Mak because in my opinion, they are not accurate.
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Totally get it and fully respect your thoughts and opinions :)
 
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