Pellet grill owners?

[HomeRacingWorld]

So would like to hear your thoughts on your grill?

I only have 4 grills and thinking of trying one.

[Bal r 14]

I have a Trager 34. It is extremely well made and easy to keep clean. It has huge capacity, is very easy to use and does a perfect job with almost anything you want to cook. I can roast 25 ears of corn or do 4 16'' pizzas easily. I did several briskets recently. Smoked them for 12 hours and they came out perfectly. It requires little or no attention. Smoked chicken or chicken breasts come out with excellent flavor, tender and juicy. If you like smoked things, they are hard to beat. However and this is big issue for lots of people, it doesn't sear. If you are the kind who likes that charcoal burn on your meat, you will be disappointed. It also does a lousy job with some brats... taste great but skins get tough. (it could be I just did it wrong). If you want a Traeger that sears, it is very expensive.

Other brands of pellet grilles do have a searing feature for far less money. But, I haven't seen any that match the quality of the Traeger. I should mention it comes with 2 probes you plug in so you can check meat temperatures.

Be careful about claims of what temperature range is claimed for any pellet grille. My experience is they do not reach the higher claimed temperatures on just pellets.

[F1Fan]

Traeger is the gold standard IMO, their app is great, and the temp control is very good and consistent. I have used the Pit Boss pellet grill (good bang for buck, especially from Costco) and I have their version of the Green egg (Kamado grill) - got it for a very low price at an end of season display model discount and I like it, but the build quality is just "okay". I love Weber and everything they make (I have a Genesis II 4 burner) but their new pellet grill has some issues according to the reviews.

[Brumos RSR]

So how different is a pellet grill versus a charcoal grill? I’m in the market at the end of the summer so just like the GT3 Proxy, it’s time to put in work and do a little research with help from my virtual friends.

[docdoom]

Fill the hopper set your temp put what ever you are cooking and walk away.you get that Woodfire tast and easy to use.if you end up getting one your other grill will just collect dust makes smoking a breeze

[Bal r 14]

A pellet grille is first and foremost a smoker. A very good smoker. Beyond that, it's a very good convection oven. Pellets are burned in a burn box and a fan circulates the heat. There is no direct contact between the fire and what you are cooking. It doesn't give you the burn and charcoal taste you get from a charcoal grille, at least if the grille only uses pellets for fuel. Some pellet grilles have a conventional burner and grate, as well as the burn box.

Be very careful with what you buy. Lots of things can break with a pellet grille. Cheap construction won't hold heat well. If you "cheap out" you will regret it.

I also have the latest version of the good old Weber Kettle. Can't beat that for searing or doing a few brats or burgers quickly. Pellet grilles are not fast.

[Bluevista]

This is very informative, not something I would be able to use but they do seem to have their limited and expensive place. It is something for the man who has everything,...like four grills.
My Amish neighbors don't pellet grill but use them for cooking and heating their houses and hot water so they must not produce a lot of carbon/taste, more for heat. The Amish sell the firewood to us stupid "English" for lots of money so they can buy fancy musclecar buggy horses for tens of thousands of dollars. That Traeger egg grill looks like one of those slimy alien pods from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", beware...you will never be the same and your dog won't recognize you after you use it.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Great info so far, thanks all.

Went to another hobby related event with RC, and there was a guy there with one and the results were impressive.

He has the Pit Boss 540 Lexington. Due to smaller size I think this is what I will go with as well.

[Bal r 14]

The flame broiler definitely helps. But, it isn't the best smoker... leaks too much.

[HomeRacingWorld]

He also had some of these grill grates.


These allow him to get a very good searing. Been reading other articles and most all advise these to increase the heat.

[Bal r 14]

I had them and gave them to my son-in-law to use on a charcoal grille. They are a waste of money on a pellet grille and a huge pain in the ass to clean. If your pellet grille won't develop enough heat to sear meat, these won't help. They just concentrate available heat.

[mattb]

You know you have rich friends when they have 4-5 grills.