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I had a small Treager pellet BBQ and was very happy with it, but thought I needed more grill space, so I bought the big Texas, the biggest grill Treager makes.


Well, I've had problems with it from day one. It wouldn't hold temp. So, I ended up buying a "new and improved" thermostat.

It STILL won't hold temp. correctly.

Last time I was using it, after turning the temp. down for slow cooking, it went Ka Boom!

My Wife cam running out of the house to make sure I was OK!

I think what happened, was the auger pushed a clump of fine wood dust on the burner all at once, setting it off like gun powder.

So, I'm giving up on my big Treager, and am in the market for a new BBQ

Anyone have any feedback on the Green Mountain pellet grills?

Thanks! Virgil B.

Buy a Yoder or MAK

I have a GM and it's built much better than the Traeger I had, no issues in the year I've had it. Take a look at Rec-Tec too, they're solid.

I bought a Green Mountain Grill, it's the medium sized Daniel boone series with WiFi. The thing rocks, and I can cook anything in it. All within only 1 degree accuracy, fully calibrateable, and I can run smokehouse type scheduled on my phone just like the commercial series. I wanted a bit more room but disliked the second rack selection so I took a optional front rack and installed it inside. I took about 3/8" off the bottom mount and turned it 90° into a foot and drilled a single hole and installed 1/4" Stainless hardware. Looks factory and works even better! Now I have a really solid second cooking surface and the arms swing out of the way or hold my smoke sticks for cooking sausage.

I wouldn't buy a large unit, takes too long to come up to temp and even harder to control without a lot of food inside isolating the heat. The medium size is perfect for my gatherings and this second made up shelf fixed the room issue.

How long have you had the GM grill ?

Would someone explain what the advantages are, or why a pellet grill is desirable? Not being cute, just stupid.

... there really aren't any

If you want a grill that's as easy to light as a gas grill and also adds a little smoke flavor. It will also cook a lot more even than 95% of the gas and charcoal grills out there.

BINGO !! I love the pellet concept. Truly set it and forget it providing the grill is of quality mfg.

Whats the difference between the grill's ya'll are talking about VS the Big Green Egg?

I have neither a pellet grill or a BGE. Dad, uncle, and brother in law each have a Traeger.

The Traeger and other pellet grills have a bin that holds compressed sawdust pellets. A thermostat inside the cooking chamber tells an auger to speed up or slow down to increase/decrease pellet feed rate to maintain a set temperature. The Traegers are a light sheet metal build. Other more expensive pellet grills (Yoder is one example) are made of plate steel. The heavier built ones will last longer, and might have some benefit of 'mass' to maintain temps better.

A BGE or the similar heavy ceramics operate like a conventional charcoal grill (like an old school Weber kettle). But the 1"+ thick ceramic they're built out of holds the heat better. (somebody jump in here, is it insulating better, or is it holding the heat due to its mass?). I've heard many say a 'double handful' of charcoal was enough for them to do a low and slow cook for 12 hours. (heresay I know, never used one). With the vents on it, its supposed to be easy to dial in a temperature and sit on that the entire cook.

Thanks for the explanation, I have a BGE and I love it. I assume the 1 inch ceramic is why it holds heat, I don't think it has insulation or at least I can't see any.

Thought experiment: Insulating is a large part of it. You can put your hand on the side of one that has been cooking low and slow for a good while. Now think of trying that with an iron pot of similar mass.

hmm meaning the ceramic is self insulated so to speak? or the ceramic is more efficient?

Most ceramics are good insulators.

When Traegers run, they're pretty nice. When they don't, nightmare.

O.K., I'll jump in. Most all of you know I am a Green Egg guy. At one point I owned five of them in various sizes. About a year ago I bought an FEC100 pellet cooker and I have been impressed with the quality of product that it produces. Am I ditching the Eggs? No. Have I sold a couple, yes.

You just have to size up what you are going to do with your smoker. IMO there is no finer all around "cooker" than the BGE. You can do anything from low and slow bbq to high temp pizzas on them, but the size of the cooking surface is a problem if you are cooking a lot for large groups. I still feel the best quality food comes off of the BGE, but for my catering and large family cooks I go to the FEC.

Mike

I've had a GM for about 7 years. It's been great. I use it as an alternative to a gas grill. Better flavor and just as easy. I have a charcoal/stick burner as well.

Another question on the Green Mountain grill;

How hard is it to keep clean? Do you have to take the two sliding stainless grill plates out and wash them each time it's used?

And, will grease drip down into the "innerds" through the little holes in the grill plates?


Thanks! Virgil B.

I've owned mine for about 4 months now and use it all the time. Just smoked me a dry brown sugar cured bacon on Sunday and a few deer burgers.

The heated come out in two prices just later in for dishwasher cleaning. Their easy to clean, I just spray some olive oil on them as a release agent. Do you have to take them out? Well no, but why wouldn't you?

Grease can leach down, but I keep mine all wrapped in tin foil and cook indirect. Very easy clean up. Still haven't had to clean my fire box or innerds but I've gone through about 100 pounds of pellets so I plan to take it apart and see how she looks next time. I expect very little cleanup will be needed at all.

I have a Stump's Baby Smoker. It's a insulated gravity fed charcoal vertical smoker. They are expensive but no doubt one of the best. Everything I put in it comes out perfect.

Stump's Baby




.

I have a Cookshack for 20 years. It used chunks of wood, no pellets, So I get my wood from the forest, no cost. Super easy to use and clean, and temperature controlled. I have a new smoker from Cabelas that is sitting in a box for 8 years. It was a Christmas present, and it is bigger, but I won't give up my cookshack M09.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALRYAZFdQZo&list=UUdGMel5F67Xx_DQqXC7ughA

RecTec 680 is what I am using. Holds temp great and cooks well.

For a pellet grill my wife and I have had a Yoder YS640 for over 5 years and been very happy with it. We have quite a few other grills and smokers, our preferred to use most of the time are ceramic kamado grills. But the pellet grill is our go-to for jerky and also once a year we participate in a local small town ribfest which for that we take the YS640 cause of capacity and easier/safer to transport compared to ceramic.

I've been intrigued (and skeptical) with pellet grills and just broke down and bought the small Green Mountain (Davey Crocket). First try was burgers to keep things simple and it worked great. Decided to go for it tonight with bone-in Ribeyes - have to say it was one of the better steaks I've had in quite awhile...

I've had the small Traeger for about five years and have only one complaint. It is dirty burning! All the different items I have cooked, from burgers to steaks to Boston Butts have been delicious. And it's almost impossible to burn anything cooking on a Traeger. My one complaint? They are extremely dirty burning! I have a mostly open air "cook shack and bar in the back of my house which is where the grill is housed. I constantly have to clean a greasy brown film from everything including the ceiling fan. Problem is, the Traeger has to be protected from the weather. Dealing with damp or wet pellets in the hopper is no fun either. Just me............

Thanks for the feedback!

Still trying to decide on a new grill.

The little Woman wants a Kitchen Aid gas grill and I'm thinking mid size Treager, or Green Mountain.

Gotta do more "looking"

Virgil B.

Know several who have hated on Kitchenaid gas grills. I don't know of any negative experiences with a 3 burner Weber gas grill. If you don't go pellet, lobby hard for the Weber.

30338;

That's GOOD information! Thanks!

I passed this along to the little Woman.

This is what I like about Campfire. A wealth of information here!

Virgil B.

Rec Tec 680 and only cry once! Pricey but it is the last one you will ever need to buy. Great customer service also

Another question;

Anyone have any experience with Broil King gas grills?

They LOOK better quality than Webber, thicker metal, etc

Thanks for any feedback!


Virgil B.

Go to Amazing Ribs and look at their gas grills reviews. Here's their 2017 list for best value grills. http://amazingribs.com/BBQ_buyers_guide/top_10/2017-top-10-gas-grills.html

I bought a Napoleon Prestige a few years based on the AR review and love it. The ceramic side burner puts a great sear on steaks.

trf215;

Thanks for the link!


I pulled up the Broil King. Sounds pretty good.

Will go take a closer look at them.

Virgil B.

Bit the bullet and caved in.

The little Woman got a new Broil King gas grill.

It has to be shipped over from Bend, Or. so we will get it next week.

Got one with four stainless burners and a side burner.

Sure hope it works as good as it looks.

Thanks again for all the help and advice!

Virgil B.

Looks like a good one based on the reviews. Made in USA too. Nice.

I too have the GMDC and after a week of running it with great results I can only hope that t has a long life ahead. Wonderful burgers, M & C as well fantastic PBs.

Virgil,

I have the 'Lil Tex Traeger and it's been my experience that you can turn up the heat anytime but if you turn down the heat, you risk the fire going out in the pot and the grill just keeps feeding pellets. And if you restart without cleaning or there is smoldering pellets in the bottom you get the kaboom / fire. Luckily, I caught this before I had a kaboom. A buddy had a pretty good fire in his after it went out and the pellets built up in the pot.

rooster7;

Thanks for the feedback!!!

It's nice to know what actually happened.

I'll pass this on to my Daughter, who now has my Treager.

Virgil B.

Also Virgil,

Tell your daughter that if this happens to be careful not to vacuum up any smoldering pellets when she's cleaning out the excess. This could cause fire inside the vacuum cleaner, which could lead to a whole world of chitt.

Rooster Jim

Just got done executing the "emergency shutdown" on my small Pit Boss.............again. Partially my fault, but a design fault with many of them that I'm getting fed up with. I bought the small Pit Boss to try pellet grilling, and love the meat I've done on it, but after a couple "kabooms", hopper fires and flame-outs, I'm getting leery to use it. I may replace it with a Camp Chef or Cabelas (made by CC) that have the quick clean out feature on both the fire box and pellet hopper.