Are Wood Pellet Grills Worth It

Is There An American Made Pellet Smoker

Are Pellet Grills Easy To Use? – Are Pellet Grills Worth It?

Blazn Grill Works The company takes a lot of pride in the fact their pellet grills are 100% made in the USA. A demonstration of the direct sear option available on Blazn Grill Works pellet grills which are all made in the USA. They offer an extensive list of accessories and customizations for their pellet grills.

Legitimately Useful Smart Controls

Smart tech may feel anachronistic to the very analog nature of cooking meat over fire, but its immensely helpful in the pellet grill arena. Wood pellet grills monitor temperature in the firepot, ambient air temperature in the grill and internal temperature of the meat youre cooking by default.

Todays grills connect to your homes Wi-Fi, and you connect to them via smartphone app, meaning you can control them even when youre not connected to your homes Wi-Fi . And though you can operate the grill using the interface on the front of the grill, all the functions found there are available on the app, and a little more. Load recipes from your phone onto the grill and set it on cruise control and troubleshoot any grill performance issues that arise, too. Its simple, non-invasive smart technology that you can use, or not use.

Is A Pellet Grill Better Than A Smoker

So, unlike the offset smoker, pellet smokers dont require so much babysitting to low-and-slow a brisket to perfection. But, they do require access to power and, hard-core enthusiasts will say that the results from a pellet smoker are slights less smoky and a bit more moist than what you get off a traditional smoker.

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Are Pellet Grills Considered Grills Or Smokers

Pellet grill manufacturers will tell you they are both. But they have more in common with convection ovens than the offset wood-burning smokers they resemble when viewed in profile. A fan circulates heat and smoke through the cook chamber, which exit via vents or a chimney. The heat generated by the combustion of wood pellets is of the indirect variety, meaning the food is not directly exposed to the fire. Smoke is produced by the smoldering pellets in the burn pot and is most prolific at low and slow temperatures .

If its really smoky flavors that you love, you might be disappointed by the subtlety of food barbecued on a pellet grill. There are ways around this, though. You can add foil pouches of wood chips or pellets to the cook chamber, invest in a smoking tube, or even put chunks of hardwood directly on the diffuser plate.

Are Pellet Grills Expensive

Are Pellet Grills Any Good? Are Pellet Smoker Grills Worth It?

Generally speaking, the initial cost of pellet grills often rivals or exceeds that of gas grills. And they are almost always more expensive at time of purchase than charcoal grills. They range in price from $400 to $4000 or more. You will pay premium prices for better construction, longer and stronger warranties, and top-notch customer service.

As far as operation costs go, pellets often retail for about a dollar a pound. Pellet usage will depend on a number of factors, but as a rule-of-thumb, plan on using about 1.5 pounds of pellets per hour. You might see a modest increase in your utility bill if you cook often on your pellet grill.

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Are Wood Pellet Grills Worth It

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. Subsequently, one may also ask, are wood pellet grills better than gas?

In fact pellet smoker might be a better name, as they make much better smokers than grills. Pellet grills generally cost more than gas grills, and pellets are not as readily available as gas. So if speed, cost effectiveness and great sear marks on your steak mean more to you, you may want to take a closer look at gas.

Beside above, what is the advantage of a pellet grill? Advantages of Pellet Grill CookingMany pellet smokers also have the option of direct grilling. They are versatile than most of the grilling options available on the market. Pellet grills are capable of preheating fast in 10 to 15 minutes which is much lesser than most other types of grills except gas grills.

Also Know, are wood pellet grills safe?

Therefore, all the materials used to make food-grade pellets are 100% natural and do not contain any binding agents which risk causing any health issues when smoked. These pellets are therefore safe to cook with and smoke as the fumes will not harm your health or your meal.

How long does a 20 lb bag of wood pellets last?

Our grills use 1-3 lbs. per hour. Our bags are 20 lbs., which powers your grill for about 20 hours on Smoke and about 6 hours per bag when cooking on High.

How Pellet Grills Work

A pellet grill is simply a grill that uses wood pellets as fuel for a fire. The firepot is where the wood pellets burn and smolder which creates the heat and smoke needed to cook and smoke food.

Below is an image that highlights the main internal parts of a pellet grill and the purpose of each part.

Once the pellet grill creates smoke and heat from the burning wood pellets, the induction fan blows the smoke upwards to cook and smoke the food.

The best part of a pellet grill is that the temperature can be set by the controller so that the grill will maintain 225°F for multiple hours. All the pellet grill needs are wood pellets and electricity and it can smoke for hours on end.

The simplicity and ease of use of pellet grills are hard to beat when comparing them against different grills.

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Traeger Ironwood 885 Wi

Another Traegermakes our list as this model is a Wi-Fi pellet grill you definitely want in your home. This monster sized pellet grill has 885 square inches of cooking space so if youre tailgating, you will literally be able to feed everyone at once. This model is made out of power coated steel, rolls on all-terrain wheels and has a sawhorse style grill/smoker for you to enjoy.

For Wi-Fi capabilities, like most of the newer Traeger models, its run on WI-FIRE so you can connect your voice controlled smart devices to this grill if youd like. This grill also has a pellet sensor so that you know when to refuel, as it has a 20 lb hopper .

Pros:

Traeger Scout And Ranger Pellet Grills

Pellet Grill Benefits | Pellet Grill Buying Guide BBQGuys

Traeger Ranger Pellet Grill: Image Traegergrills.com

The Scout and Ranger are Traegers smallest/cheapest pellet grills currently on offer. While they can be used for grilling/smoking in your backyard thats not their primary intended use. These portable pellet grills are mainly intended for camping/hunting/fishing trips or to be used as a small tailgating grill. The Scout and Ranger are the same physical size. However, the Ranger uses a superior Digital Arc controller and features a larger pellet hopper.

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Snippet Of The Rec Tec Grill: The Bull In The Business

The RT-700 is a grill that was made keeping the modern world in mind. With the ability to be controlled via Wi-Fi, and giving you the freedom to not only grill but smoke, sear, broil, roast, bake, and dehydrate, its one of the most loved grills out there!

Its been called the Bull because of the horns in front, but I have found its performance worthy of being compared to a bull as well. Its that powerful!

Traeger Temperature Probe Replacement

Traeger RTD Temperature Probe: Image

If you own a Traeger pellet grill and its not achieving or maintaining its set temperature the RTD temperature probe may need to be replaced. In this article, I discuss the process of how to remove the old probe and replace it with a new one along with the help of some official how-to videos from Traeger. In some cases, the Traeger pellet grill temperature probe may just need a good clean to remove fat/grease to get it working properly. I also discuss how you can use an infrared heat gun to test if the RTD probe is working or not and if it needs to be replaced.

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The Weberconnect Control Panel And App

Early reviews of the Weber SmokeFire complained about the functionality of the smart grill panel. It was so problematic that Webers CEO issued a statement months after the grills release promising to make updates. It seems the team has worked to resolve many of these issues because we didnt experience any problems here.

The grill does require a firmware update right out of the box to ensure its running the latest software version. From there, the app connected quickly to the grill via Bluetooth, and it was easy to extend its range by hooking it up to our Wi-Fi network.

We loved the ability to view any of the connected probe thermometers from inside the house, and we could also adjust the grills temperature and turn off the unit remotely. The app delivered notifications to our phone (and any connected devices, like my Garmin watch, alerting us when any of the probes reached their target temperatures. We also got an alert when the pellet hopper was low on fuel.

Traeger Grills Century 22 Pellet Grill And Smoker

Traeger Ironwood 885 Review: Is this pellet grill worth it?

Why youll love it:

Heres another quite large grill, only 17 square inches smaller than our winner. It has a darker, black design with much more of a bent towards smoking than grilling this time around. It certainly functions as a grill, but the telltale factors here are the lack of any trays and the side mounted grease bucket all signs that this grill expects you to spend more time sitting back while it goes low and slow than messing around with the meat.

As a smoker this thing is excellent, with the same temperature control technology and smart auger system most Traeger grills has, with a very adjustable chimney and a squat, firm design.

Its sturdily made with good wheels and perfect for setting in place, while being easy to load and use.

Plus, its a lot cheaper than our winner, so if you dont value the storage space and shelving very much, this is a great money saving purchase.

  • Easy to load and fire wood pellets.

What we didnt like

  • A bit on the heavy side.
  • Complete lack of prep shelves or storage space.

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Best Stainless Steel Pellet Grills/smokers

The best stainless steel pellet grill: Image BBQGuys.com

If you are looking to purchase a pellet grill or smoker which is as durable as possible then stainless steel is the material you need to look for. However, there are actually several different grades of stainless steel such as 304 and 430, and they are not all equal. Furthermore, even if you cannot afford a full stainless steel wood pellet grill or smoker, you may be able to afford a product with stainless steel internal components. They not only last longer but they are also easier to clean. Therefore, in this article, I highlight all of your options currently on the market today.

What Are The Top 5 Pellet Grills

Top Rated Pellet Grills & Smokers Traeger Ironwood Wi-Fi Pellet Grill. Traeger Pro 780 Wi-Fi Pellet Grill with WiFIRE. Coyote 36-Inch Pellet Grill. Cookshack Fast Eddys BBQ Pellet Smoker. Traeger Timberline 1300 Wi-Fi Wood Pellet Grill. Weber SmokeFire EX6 Gen 2 Wi-Fi Enabled Pellet Grill. Traeger Pro Series 34 Pellet Grill.

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Rec Tec Grills Pellet Grill Reviews

For a great unboxing and pellet smoking test, I point you to my buddy Jays review of the Rec Tec Grill Pellet Smoker over at BBQSauceReviews.com. The following videos will give you an overall breakdown of what the Rec Tec Pellet Smoker is all about both from a construction and components standpoint.

Rec Tec Grill Pellet Smoker Overview

This next video is great because it really talks about how solid the construction of the Rec Tec Grill Pellet Smoker is. Youll note several times that the reviewer says how surprised he was at how heavy the lid of the cooker is. Folks, nothing and I mean NOTHING cooks as well and as evenly as Heat Soaked Metal! Thats why cast iron is so prized for cooking ability! Also pay attention to the heat probe readings you see in this video. The one thing everyone who has used this pellet smoker says is that the Rec Tec Grill keeps actual temps where set temps read better than nearly any other pellet cooker out there.

Independent Unboxing and Review of the Rec Tec Grill Smoker

Traeger Quality Grill & Smoker

Traeger Wood Fired Grills | Are they WORTH IT | PRO Series 34

One of the biggest bonuses of a Traeger grill or pellet barbecue is its ability to cook the meat and smoke the meat at the same time. Instead of dealing with fire and woodchips, the wood pellets act as both the fuel and the flavor.

Infusing your cooking with flavor can be a huge elevation of your cuisine.

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What Are The Downsides To A Pellet Smoker Grill

Pellet smokers and grills arent perfect. They have their own drawbacks that need to be factored into the conversation.

Pellet Smoke vs Traditional Log Smoke: You will probably get more smoky flavors from traditional logs compared to pellets. But that difference may be reduced to nil if you use a vertical smoker. More on that later.

Cleaning: You might have to clean a pellet grill or smoker more often than a log fueled smoker. Ash and creosote buildup can cause problems. Its also best to keep a pellet smoker covered from the outdoor elements.

Electronics and Moving Parts: The automated features that make a pellet smoker grill convenient and easy to use are also its downsides. Moving parts can break. Electronics can short circuit and fail. They arent without flaw. Things can go wrong with a control panel, augur, or fan. A traditional wood burning unit bypasses all of these issues.

What Can You Make With Traeger Grills

On a Traeger grill, you can cook everything youd cook on a gas or charcoal grill, and more! For example, beef, pork, poultry, lamb, vegetables, seafood, wild game can all be cooked on a Traeger grill. Not only can any of these options be cooked on a Traeger grill, but you can even cook frozen chicken straight from the freezer!

While some people enjoy the classic barbecue style of flipping burgers on their Traeger grill, or cooking up a whole rack of ribs, Traeger grills often double as a type of oven, allowing for more options like baking an entire casserole or even a chicken pot pie.

Due to the even heat distribution and woodfired taste, these types of dishes have been known to make quite a delicious treat when cooked on a Traeger!

Additionally, people have been known to even make baked goods in the outdoor stoves. You can try a baked fruit pie or even a delicious skillet cookie!

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Charcoal/stick Smoker Vs Pellet Grill Price

Charcoal and stick smokers can be cheap if purchased used. However, most new charcoal and stick smokers cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on the brand and size.

It is not uncommon to see competition charcoal and stick smoker trailers that cost thousands of dollars.

Generally, pellet grills are more affordable than a charcoal or stick smoker since entry-level pellet grills cost as little as $100. However, most pellet grills that come with the features you likely want will cost anywhere from $300 to $700. In fact, heres a guide on the best pellet grills under $700 to help you find the perfect one for you.

Pellet Grills Are Hot Here’s Why

Pit Boss 72820 Wood Pellet Grill Review

These outdoor cookers blend the best parts of cooking with gas and charcoal. What to consider when buying a pellet grill.

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Gas and charcoal grills have dominated the U.S. market for more than half a century. Gas delivers convenience because it starts instantly and lets you control the heat by turning dials. Charcoal gives you more control because you can build and shape any size fire to direct the heat, and charcoal imparts a smoky flavor.

What if there was a grill that proved to be even easier to use than gasand also imparted a distinctly smoky flavor, reminiscent of foods painstakingly cooked for hours over stoked coals? Thats the promise of pellet grills.

Pellet grills have been around for more than 30 years, but you could only get them at specialty retailers, and youd pay top dollar, says Mark Allwood, CRs market analyst for all the grills we test. But theyve made the shift from niche to mainstream, in part because grilling has surged in popularity in recent years.

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Cons Of Pellet Grills

  • Long Cooking Times It can take 3045 minutes to cook a steak , so youll need to be patient and start cooking in advance.
  • Power Supply You need to have a power outlet close by. Also, you cant take your pellet griller camping unless you have a generator.
  • No Sear Marks Pellet grills cook at low temperatures, so you wont get grill marks on your steak.
  • Pricey Because theyre relatively new to the market, pellet grills can be more expensive.
  • Fuel Supply Not every BBQ retailer stocks food-grade wood pellets. You may need to shop around or stockpile your favorite brand.

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