Talk Me Down Off The Ledge...or Push Me Over

whta

OK, so I LOVE my BGE, but sometimes, my eyes wander.  It's not that my BGE doesn't satisfy me in every way, but sometimes I wonder....What if?






Was at home deport today, and saw a Traeger pellet grill.  I know, what the hell am I thinking, but I WAS THINKING.

Anyone out there use a pellet grill?  Are you happy?  What are some pro's / con's?  What are some of the better quality styles out there?

g37

I can’t or should I say I’m no longer allowed to buy another grill for the rest of my life according to my other half.  That Traeger is a nice grill great features. I was starring at it yesterday at Home Depot. If I could I would get it.  

lkapigian

Nope, if I were to do a plug in it would be a Yoder ...my 2 cents

DoubleEgger

What are you trying to accomplish with it that you can’t accomplish with your egg? Basically why are you considering buying a pellet pooper? 

whta

I like the idea of set it and forget it.  I know I can accomplish some of the same with "attachments" to my large BGE, but the Traeger has twice the grill space, which is a plus.  I like the idea of 2 grills, especially at Thanksgiving / Christmas and other holidays. 

ScottyG

I have an XL Egg and I have a Camp Chef LUX pellet smoker and love both. 

The pellet is quick and easy and doesn’t take a lot of work but it doesn’t bring the same depth of flavor you get from the egg. It’s still really good - just not as good. 

If I’m in a pinch and don’t have a ton of time to babysit, or I’m cooking for a large group, I use the pellet and am fine with it 

Matt86m

How bout in addition too? No reason to get rid of the BGE! I (like a lot of peeps here) have a bbq/grill addiction. XL BGE, Traeger, Santa Maria, gas weber and one more in the trailer. Id like to get a smoker for the trailer too. 

The Traeger may not be set it and forget it!!! Mine wasn't. They threw parts at it until it started to behave but I trust my BGE more! 

TEXASBGE2018

Do you like having to plug your grill in? I wouldn’t

cookingdude555

I bought a pellet cooker. Worked ok. I preferred the results on the eggs and WSM. I sold it. I scratched the itch, and got it out of my system. 

ColtsFan

whta said:

I like the idea of set it and forget it.  I know I can accomplish some of the same with "attachments" to my large BGE, but the Traeger has twice the grill space, which is a plus.  I like the idea of 2 grills, especially at Thanksgiving / Christmas and other holidays. 

2 grills?

I say pull the trigger. You're just getting started with 2. Just a warning, but you'll justify 3 once you have 2 lol

SaltySam

I got a bananas deal on a Green Mountain Grill about six weeks ago.  Got it home and cleaned it up. Full of creosote, grease. No rust, but the hopper and the auger were clogged.  Vacuumed out all the crud, wiped it down, and made some room in the shed to store it.  I already have a large BGE and a miniMax but wanted the convenience of a pellet smoker. After five straight weekends with rain,  I made ribs last weekend and they were killer.  Used Cabelas apple pellets and was happy with the turnout.  Did babybacks via the 2-1-1 method, same as I would on the Egg. 

Pros: 
-Darker color/bark than BGE (I must not use enough wood chunks)
-Unbelievably easy.  Fill hopper, turn on, set temp. 
-Capacity is larger than a Large BGE if I ever want to do a larger brisket, etc

Cons:
-Electric.  If it’s raining, or there’s a chance of rain, cooking is a no go
-Susceptible to outside temps. Won’t work as efficiently in winter without heat blanket
- Storage in shed/garage recommended.  Susceptible to rust (my opinion)

I like grilling/smoking. I had some extra cash and extra room.  Will I use it every day? No. Is it nice to have the option? You bet. I would never replace the Egg with a pellet smoker. But for what i paid, it supplements the Eggs nicely. 

Hans61

“A pellet cooker is for the novice cooker all you have to do is flip the switch, it also puts no smoke flavor in your meat.” Johnny Trigg

whta

It would be in addition to, NEVER REPLACE MY BGE - unless it breaks, then it might be an XL instead of the large.

So, besides Traeger, Green Mountain and Camp Chef - what are others using?

TEXASBGE2018

Hans61 said:

“A pellet cooker is for the novice cooker all you have to do is flip the switch, is also puts no smoke flavor in your meat.” Johnny Trigg

That explains why a bunch of soy boy millennials like them.

Hans61

TEXASBGE2018 said:

Hans61 said:

“A pellet cooker is for the novice cooker all you have to do is flip the switch, is also puts no smoke flavor in your meat.” Johnny Trigg

That explains why a bunch of soy boy millennials like them.

In all fairness he’d probably say the same thing about eggs :-)

DoubleEgger

whta said:

It would be in addition to, NEVER REPLACE MY BGE - unless it breaks, then it might be an XL instead of the large.

So, besides Traeger, Green Mountain and Camp Chef - what are others using?

A friend has a Louisiana Grill 

DoubleEgger

I just googled them. This is an interesting concept that can scratch two itches at once. 

NorthPilot06

If I was going to sink money into another grill (and I inevitably will), a pellet pooper would not be at the top of my list. But to each his own 

marysvilleksegghead

last I checked, which was many years ago, the warranty on a Traeger was 3 years, anyone have updated info?

lousubcap

I will suggest that you give the search function here a go as there have been quite a few pellet cooker threads posted.  Beyond that, your $$ so spend it for something you want. Another tool in the tool box.  FWIW-

Legume

Find a way to try one or try some food cooked on one, that’s the best way to figure out what’s right for you.

JacksDad

I just bought a Yoder. Like it so far. Haven't done a big cook, thinking brisket next week though... Got a lot more room in it than my large BGE! 

GregW

JacksDad said:

I just bought a Yoder. Like it so far. Haven't done a big cook, thinking brisket next week though... Got a lot more room in it than my large BGE! 

From what I've read, the Yoder is a fine piece of American made cooking machinery. The same can't be said about the majority of pellet grills on the market today.

mahenryak

When it comes to pellet grills...

My curiosity was initially piqued while spending some time researching one for my step-father a couple of summers ago.  My brother and I went halves on one for him as a Father's Day gift, as his current pellet grill had become a bit of a fire hazard.  I think it was a Louisiana Grill, or something like that, and it had long since seen its better days.  Flames were finding their way back through the auger to the pellet box, I think.  

My research at the time led me to  the BBQ-Brethren website.  They have an unofficial thread dedicated to pellet grills.  I would encourage you to do your own research but I'm happy to cut to the chase for you on what I was able to glean.  MAKs (one star and two stars) have a great reputation but they are very, very pricey--especially, their SS options--and were way more than I was willing to pay.  Yoder would be my recommendation but they are still twice the money of the Traeger you are considering.  Both of these grills offer an open flame solution for grilling steaks, but since you already have a BGE , this is not a big selling point for you.  You can always sear your steaks on your BGE.  The biggest thing is that they are solidly built and have quality components throughout, including the all important auger.  A lot of folks on this site have  graduated from Traegers and Green Mountain grills to either the Yoder or MAK.  (no offense intended to Traeger or Green Mountain owners)  Of course, there are also a lot of satisfied Traeger owners on the site so you can read what they have to say, too, and draw your own conclusion.

What did I get?  None of the above.  I settled on a Smokin Brothers grill that I am actually quite happy with.   It has a 36-inch cooking surface, an insulated firebox, which is great in the winter, and a powder coated finish.  It also happens to be solidly built in the USA.  Again, though, like the Yoder it is more than twice the money of your Traeger.  I didn't get the Yoder because the shipping cost to my location would have been more than $1000 and Smokin Brothers was willing to work with me on the shipping costs.  Maybe it was a blessing in disguise, I don't know. I do know, however, that Yoder owners seem to rave about their grills.

Truth be told, I would rather own a Shirley but an offset smoker isn't really practical where I live, due to a lack of availability of hard woods, not to mention the cost just to get one up here to Alaska. 

Edit:
 @JacksDad Great looking grill.  I concur with your sentiments regarding the extra grilling space for briskets.  I have found this to be very true with my Smokin Brothers grill.

unoriginalusername

Nice easy bake oven 

SmokeyPitt

DoubleEgger said:

I just googled them. This is an interesting concept that can scratch two itches at once. 

Costco had that one in the store and I am pretty sure it was $499

WeberWho

I've never owned a pellet smoker but I know a couple people who do. My one friend is on his 3rd pellet smoker. His first pellet smoker electronics went to crap. The second pellet smoker had auger issues. His third one hasn't broken down yet. He text me not too long ago and asked if I still had the Big Steel Keg he sold me before going out and buying a pellet smoker. 

The other guy I know is on his second pellet smoker. He had similar auger issues that my other friend had. 

We could also say the same with BGE and warranty issues. It's all about the warranty with the grill you buy. Take you time and see what best fits you. I think Traeger varies in quality. Look at the specific models over just the name. The quality between the lower end and upper end are massive. Don't jump into pellet smokers blindly. Just my two cents. 

JacksDad

mahenryak said:

Edit:
 @JacksDad Great looking grill.  I concur with your sentiments regarding the extra grilling space for briskets.  I have found this to be very true with my Smokin Brothers grill.

I didn't even realize how much I lucked out on the shipping stuff... When I went to the Yoder website, it directed me to the dealer near me in Jersey. I went and saw him, and he delivered the unit completely assembled right to my back patio, straight from his truck, within two days, for I think $100 delivery fee. I don't think I wouldn't even considered getting one if I had to spend $1000 on shipping and worry about figuring out how to take delivery of something that big, and put it together myself...

whta

Interesting information - THANK YOU ALL.

I did a little Youtube looking yesterday, and the following video has me thinking I DON'T want a pellet smoker.  This guy did a side by side comparison of a Traeger and a Camp Chef pellet grill and a rack of ribs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BynxvzJE4CA


When I saw the ribs after 3 hours (3:56), it hardly looked like they had any smoke on them - might as well of done them in the oven.  That is definitely one of the main complaints - not enough smoke flavor.

Now, I was only looking at the Traeger, but their higher end ($1,100) had the feature called "extra smoke" or something like that, but for that kind of money, I'd rather go get an XL.  

DoubleEgger

If you want smoke, get an offset. 

mahenryak

Well, I'm not trying to sell anyone on anything, here, but I can honestly say that smoke, or lack thereof, hasn't really been an issue for me...  







I just set the Savannah Stoker controller in program mode to 180F for 90 minutes and then program it to automatically ramp up to 270F.  Works like a charm.

Again, I've already said my preference would be for a Shirley offset but that's not going to happen in the foreseeable future.