Lumber Jack pellets are what most use around here. Keep the smoker clean. A blanket helps stabilize temps. Here is a big one: If it goes out - DO NOT just restart it. You may end up with a big fire, peeled paint, and a fried grill. Tear it down and clean the excess pellets out of the pot. Then restart. Several times, my Traeger has gone out. The rep says that maybe it is the occasional long pellet. Regardless, the grill will then feed pellets until the pot has overflowed. If you just restart, it gets ugly fast.
As Frogman43 pointed out, at the few competitions that I have observed, the vast majority turned in food from a pellet grill. Ugly drums seem to be popular also. The big stick burners were for show and selling to the public. I used a New Braunfels Bandera for years. The switch to a pellet grill made me feel like I was cheating, but that passes quickly. Our own BYC beat it into my head to always use fresh spices. He is correct.
Lumber Jack Pellets
