best pellet smoker

[THUMPERRRR]

a friend is retiring and his workmates/boss told him:

"promised to buy me any grill I want when I retire ,,,,, as long as I use it at least once a week"

so far he's lookin at Traeger lil tex elite and hoped to get some input,,,
any members cook with that outfit ???

thanks ahead guys...

[MossyMO]

That is really a loaded, personal preference question...

The answers you hear are going to be from a majority that own a brand of pellet grill that will state it is the the best but have not cooked on another.

Then you are going to get basher's that say if it is electronic and you have to plug it in it is not worthy compared to "true" charcoal cooking.

Here is my take to date on pellet grills - Have owned a Yoder YS640 for over 2 1/2 years and love it, it is solid. It can put out some great smoked foods and is a steak searing machine with GrillGrates. Excellent choice for living in the upper mid-west when it is -10 and you don't want to check on it often as it is very dependable.

We also have a couple of ceramic grills, if your friend has the option for one of them I would heavily advice him to re-think, do some research as they do have the ability for an even more temp stable cook chamber and cook giving you a less dry end product.

But, average pellet grills do have an advantage over average ceramics for some large cut's of meat or some larger cooks.

[THUMPERRRR]

That is really a loaded, personal preference question...

The answers you hear are going to be from a majority that own a brand of pellet grill that will state it is the the best but have not cooked on another.

Then you are going to get basher's that say if it is electronic and you have to plug it in it is not worthy compared to "true" charcoal cooking.

Here is my take to date on pellet grills - Have owned a Yoder YS640 for over 2 1/2 years and love it, it is solid. It can put out some great smoked foods and is a steak searing machine with GrillGrates. Excellent choice for living in the upper mid-west when it is -10 and you don't want to check on it often as it is very dependable.

We also have a couple of ceramic grills, if your friend has the option for one of them I would heavily advice him to re-think, do some research as they do have the ability for an even more temp stable cook chamber and cook giving you a less dry end product.

But, average pellet grills do have an advantage over average ceramics for some large cut's of meat or some larger cooks.

edited...

[gmotoman]

Here is what I know about Pellet Grills..... DO NOT BUY TRAEGER! They suck they're made in China, and the break down with near zero customer service.

[Otis857]

Here is what I know about Pellet Grills..... DO NOT BUY TRAEGER! They suck they're made in China, and the break down with near zero customer service.

X2 on the Treager.

I dont know that Yoder is "the best", but like others here can attest, Its a damn good one. I've had mine for 2 years now and it is a solid, heavy built workhorse that has excellent customer support should you need it. I hear Mak makes a good one as does Fast Eddy & Green Mountain grills. If he's considering a Treager (urge him to reconsider another brand), the GMG Daniel Boone would be a much better choice in a similar price range and I hear parts availability & customer service is good too.

I envy his position, having your boss buy you any grill you want. When I retire, I'll be lucky to get cake & Ice Cream from my company. But hey, what do you want for 36 years of service?

[bwerth42]

For about the same money, Green Mountain grills are hard to beat. They are a mechanical device and are subject to breakdown, but I keep hearing about great customer service from GMG.

[BBQ Engineer]

someone here posted once and mentioned the Rec Tec Pellet grills. I'd definitely check these out too.

http://www.rectecgrills.com/how-it-works/

Apparently customer service is a paramount concern with a Pellet rig. Have him do his homework on that, and then have him join us here once he takes the plunge! No matter what heat source you choose, we can help him maximize his investment.

[HawgHeaven]

someone here posted once and mentioned the Rec Tec Pellet grills. I'd definitely check these out too.

http://www.rectecgrills.com/how-it-works/

Apparently customer service is a paramount concern with a Pellet rig. Have him do his homework on that, and then have him join us here once he takes the plunge! No matter what heat source you choose, we can help him maximize his investment.

Actually, have him join here BEFORE he takes the plunge... might do him some good!

[Squirrel]

I owned a Traeger for about 4 years when it started breaking down. I had to send it to the shop a couple of times. On the third time I told them to keep it. I haven't had good luck with electric smokers. I do like the pellet smokers though. If I buy another one it will be a Yoder.

[Conumdrum]

I'm happy with my Yoder. There are some other decent ones out there. The Tregar seems to have a lot of issues and is pretty cheaply made. You get what you pay for.

[dsgarner06]

That seems like an arbitrary personal decision and choice based on your own likes and dislikes. For me I have owned my YS640 for a couple of years and could not be happier with how well it performs, how versatile it is and the quality of the food that comes off of it. Yoder is a great company that backs each and every one of their products. The quality is hard to beat, as my YS640 is like a tank and should last a very long time. You simple cannot go wrong with a Yoder pellet smoker in my opinion.

That being said, there are several brands/models that I looked at and some even used, so I will try to break those down into groupings.

A) High End
These are high quality, high end systems that should last a lifetime. You'll spend more, but the costs will payoff the longer that you have the unit. Quality builds, great customer service and longevity

1) Yoder YS480/640/1320/1500
-any of these will last you a lifetime and produce consistently great food
-YS640 is best bang for buck in my opinion
-Made in USA (Kansas)
2) MAK 1Star or 2Star
-great quality units
-MAK 2Star is a damn fine unit that has great features and quality stainless steel
-Made in USA (Oregon)
-One of the best digital controllers on the market
-I have used a MAK 2Star, great grill, solid build and very nice features..
(just was out of my budget range)
3) FEC Cookshack PG500/PG1000
-Fast Eddy Cookshack Grills are built well and produce great food
-Made in USA
-a bit too pricey for me, but great reputation and loyal customer base
-higher end models have insulated chambers for improved pellet efficiency
4) Honerable Mention
-Memphis Grills Memphis PRo (good quality, but expensive)

B) Mid-Range
These are good quality systems that are bang for buck options, typically made in China

1) Rec-Tec
-great grills with nice features and very decent quality
-great customer service and sales
-best $1000 grill on the market for features, size and functionality in my opinion
-seen in person and they are built well and perform excellent
2) Green Mountain Grills (Daniel Boone, Jim Bowie)
-lots of features built in
-good company with great reputation
-several friends have these and swear by them
-great price point units, the larger Jim Bowie as the one that I liked
-GMG Wi-fi for monitoring the grill/meats
3) Traeger (Texas, Texas Elite)
-readily available - even sold at costco
-good entry level grill
-if you can get an original one built in the USA, much better quality
-lots of friends with them who like them (most complain that the auger breaks)
-lesser quality than either of the above 2 grills in my opinion
4) Honerable Mention
-Louisianna Grills (CS450/LG700)

c) Low-end (Cheap cost/cheap quality)
1) Char-griller Pellet Grill (580 sq inch)
-$500 entry level
-wont cost you an arm and a leg to get into pellet grilling
-should last 4-5 years... maybe longer if kept well
-thin metal is biggest issue
-limited functionality controller
2) Brinkman Pellet Grill
-$500 entry level
-similar to the Char-griller

[Willie in Oregon]

I'd go Yoder over others since made in the USA. Rec Tec is another solid brand I hear with xlnt customer service and a long warranty, although Chinese. I just saw a Traeger in Costco for 800 and it looked wimpy next to my Char Griller pellet pusher for half that price. Mac is made here in Oregon and gets good reviews but price prohibitive for me. GMG's...I had occasion to see both models up close & tire kick....kinda cheesy IMO for what they are asking....$800 for the DB and $999 for the Jim Bowie (on sale, normally 1200)....Willie

[IrishChef]

If you were looking to do it on the cheap, you could search craigslist for a used propane range, and just add an AMPS or 2.....

[Conumdrum]

DSGarner, that is a very excellent informative post!

Kudos to your efforts with a great post.

It all comes down to money really. Get the best now if you can afford it, buy one now, or save for one of the best. Since some of the best units will last a very long time, what is 6 months of a bit o' saving to get one that will last a long, long time, great customer service if ever needed and makes fantastic BBQ.

The OP needs to see how far he can push the company to put up the $$ for a real treat for the recipient.

[HawgHeaven]

That seems like an arbitrary personal decision and choice based on your own likes and dislikes. For me I have owned my YS640 for a couple of years and could not be happier with how well it performs, how versatile it is and the quality of the food that comes off of it. Yoder is a great company that backs each and every one of their products. The quality is hard to beat, as my YS640 is like a tank and should last a very long time. You simple cannot go wrong with a Yoder pellet smoker in my opinion.

That being said, there are several brands/models that I looked at and some even used, so I will try to break those down into groupings.

A) High End
These are high quality, high end systems that should last a lifetime. You'll spend more, but the costs will payoff the longer that you have the unit. Quality builds, great customer service and longevity

1) Yoder YS480/640/1320/1500
-any of these will last you a lifetime and produce consistently great food
-YS640 is best bang for buck in my opinion
-Made in USA (Kansas)
2) MAK 1Star or 2Star
-great quality units
-MAK 2Star is a damn fine unit that has great features and quality stainless steel
-Made in USA (Oregon)
-One of the best digital controllers on the market
-I have used a MAK 2Star, great grill, solid build and very nice features..
(just was out of my budget range)
3) FEC Cookshack PG500/PG1000
-Fast Eddy Cookshack Grills are built well and produce great food
-Made in USA
-a bit too pricey for me, but great reputation and loyal customer base
-higher end models have insulated chambers for improved pellet efficiency
4) Honerable Mention
-Memphis Grills Memphis PRo (good quality, but expensive)

B) Mid-Range
These are good quality systems that are bang for buck options, typically made in China

1) Rec-Tec
-great grills with nice features and very decent quality
-great customer service and sales
-best $1000 grill on the market for features, size and functionality in my opinion
-seen in person and they are built well and perform excellent
2) Green Mountain Grills (Daniel Boone, Jim Bowie)
-lots of features built in
-good company with great reputation
-several friends have these and swear by them
-great price point units, the larger Jim Bowie as the one that I liked
-GMG Wi-fi for monitoring the grill/meats
3) Traeger (Texas, Texas Elite)
-readily available - even sold at costco
-good entry level grill
-if you can get an original one built in the USA, much better quality
-lots of friends with them who like them (most complain that the auger breaks)
-lesser quality than either of the above 2 grills in my opinion
4) Honerable Mention
-Louisianna Grills (CS450/LG700)

c) Low-end (Cheap cost/cheap quality)
1) Char-griller Pellet Grill (580 sq inch)
-$500 entry level
-wont cost you an arm and a leg to get into pellet grilling
-should last 4-5 years... maybe longer if kept well
-thin metal is biggest issue
-limited functionality controller
2) Brinkman Pellet Grill
-$500 entry level
-similar to the Char-griller

Deano, that is an excellent post sir!! For someone in the market, or just getting started with pellet pooping, this is very informative!! Great job sir!