I am new to pellet grills, which is the best one?

[go4thegusto]

Super impressed with my RecTec

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Do any of these pellet grills sear? I do a fair amount of searing for fish, sous vide, and we like char on our smoked wings..I run a propane grill and box smoker now..haven't been able to find a brand that will take the place of these 2.

 

[h2so4]

Do any of these pellet grills sear? I do a fair amount of searing for fish, sous vide, and we like char on our smoked wings..I run a propane grill and box smoker now..haven't been able to find a brand that will take the place of these 2.

I think you’re looking for a a komado style smoker- big green egg, etc. those are the real deal.

 

[2mas]

Do any of these pellet grills sear? I do a fair amount of searing for fish, sous vide, and we like char on our smoked wings..I run a propane grill and box smoker now..haven't been able to find a brand that will take the place of these 2.

The camp chef woodwind has a direct flame function. They also sell an attachable sear box. Haven’t used it just saw some reviews..


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[ccrider0812]

I have a camp chef woodwind 24 inch with the sidekick and I love it. The grill is now 2 years old and the other day the control panel quit working. I email camp chef and with in a couple of days they mailed me the newer control panel no questions asked even on a grill that is 2 years old. i just installed the new control panel yesterday and it works like a champ! So I can't say enough good things about the company camp chef plus the grill itself is awesome.

 

[CrossthreadLoctite]

I have a Rec Tec 700 and love it. I monitor the temp at the grill grates with an independent thermometer with graphing and it truly holds +-3 or 4 degrees F regardless of ambient temp, so long as the pellet feed parameters are set properly.

While selecting which smoker to buy is really important, I think pellet selection plays an even bigger role in the quality output. I have made great food on a GMG Davy Crockett, old Traeger with +-50degF temp swings, and my Rec Tec, all using QUALITY pellets. After EXTENSIVE experimentation, I was able to determine that the lack of smoke flavor commonly associated with pellet smokers is 100% caused by pellet selection. Unfortunately, most of the pellets you can buy at the local hardware stores or Walmart produce a very mild smoke flavor. This is because they're a blend of flavor wood and filler wood, usually Alder. When using 100% flavor wood pellets, the smoke flavor profile and intensity improves substantially. I use mostly Lumber Jack pellets because I can get them locally and they're fairly cheap. Another brand that has performed extremely well has been Cookin' Pellets.

Good luck in your search. Have fun experimenting, take notes, and happy feasting!

 

[Govinator3]

Have you considered the Masterbuilt Gravity Series? I got the MB Gravity 560 last year for $300 on closeout at walmart. I use mine about 1x per week and store it in my garage. I like that I can run 50% wood in it for more smoke and I can get it to 700 for pizzas. It's a cheap grill but so far I've been impressed with it. I did have a door switch go bad but that was easy enough to bypass.

 

[tyler0421]

Rectecs!

 

[TSAMP]

I have a Rec Tec 700 and love it. I monitor the temp at the grill grates with an independent thermometer with graphing and it truly holds +-3 or 4 degrees F regardless of ambient temp, so long as the pellet feed parameters are set properly.

While selecting which smoker to buy is really important, I think pellet selection plays an even bigger role in the quality output. I have made great food on a GMG Davy Crockett, old Traeger with +-50degF temp swings, and my Rec Tec, all using QUALITY pellets. After EXTENSIVE experimentation, I was able to determine that the lack of smoke flavor commonly associated with pellet smokers is 100% caused by pellet selection. Unfortunately, most of the pellets you can buy at the local hardware stores or Walmart produce a very mild smoke flavor. This is because they're a blend of flavor wood and filler wood, usually Alder. When using 100% flavor wood pellets, the smoke flavor profile and intensity improves substantially. I use mostly Lumber Jack pellets because I can get them locally and they're fairly cheap. Another brand that has performed extremely well has been Cookin' Pellets.

Good luck in your search. Have fun experimenting, take notes, and happy feasting!

I concur on the above. Typically ran the GMG brand of pellets and always laughed when they asked which flavor I wanted because they all smell/taste the same. Had other cheap brands like BEAR mtn that would clog my auger often. The lumber jack pellets were noticeable almost immediately. I could smell it in the smoke before I even started cooking. Big fan.

 

[Wprice87]

RecTec’s are awesome! Their customer service is the best. Anything tears up and they send the replacement part, bo questions asked. Friend of a friend has one and the paint was fading and chipping on the lid. They replaced the lid, without questions or proof.

 

[RLSfl620]

Traeger. Only people who will tell you otherwise just aren’t coming off their wallets to get one.

 

[Elkhunter74]

I’ve had a Traeger and GMG. More issues with the GMG. My next will be the Yoder.


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[rjburrola]

Green Mountain all the way. Great grill, great customer service!

 

[CCooper]

1st gen Traeger- Great grille
Traeger Timberline- Junk, returned it the first month
Traeger Pro- got 2 years out of it before problems- elected to not go down the rabbit hole replacing parts
GMG- David Bowie Prime- good so far, only had it a month , we will see
GMG- Daniel Boone- great little camping pellet grille for outside the wall tent- cooks way hotter on one side than the other but you get used to it.
Really looked hard at the WEBER pellet grilles- probably worth it, but $2K? I went with the David Bowie Prime for $999- It will do 500 if a guys looking for a little char at the end.

 

[Dos XX]

Yoder YS640. It will smoke. It will grill. It will sear. You can have an open flame if you want. I have 2 years and approx 1000 lbs pellets on mine.

 

[Cant hit em]

I picked Camp Chef because of the easy way you drop the ashes out. Super happy with mine its a DLX pro 24


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[Kevin Dill]

Kamado Joe or Big Green Egg. Fill it with natural lump charcoal. Light it up for grilling or smoking. Throw a big handful of smoker pellets on the charcoal and get cooking. Your neighbors will act like raccoons begging for food.

 

[Bubblehide]

Do any of these pellet grills sear? I do a fair amount of searing for fish, sous vide, and we like char on our smoked wings..I run a propane grill and box smoker now..haven't been able to find a brand that will take the place of these 2.

Louisiana Grills will sear, and they are a god design.

 

[Johbran]

Campchef woodwind is a great one. There are lots out there and they are all worth the purchase. I just like how the camp chefs you could add accessories if wanted and the ease of cleaning the ash pot with the simple slide.

 

[tdot]

A neighbor had a Yoder another a Traeger. I bugged them with questions, cooked with them.. well I drank beer with them. I wanted to get the best/right grill the first time. In the end I realized a pellet smoker wasn't for me and bought a Kamado Joe Jr. The reasoning was that the size/price of it allowed me to dabble in the world of smokers and would be complementary to a pellet grill if I went back to that route.

End result is I'm currently considering purxjasinh the largest Kamado Joe and unlikely to ever buy a Pellet grill. My neighbor with the Yoder also has a Joe Jr now, and uses it about equal with his Yoder.