Weber Smokefire Gen 2 Pellet Grill Expert Review
The Skinny:
- Our testing experience suggests that Weber has heard prior flaws
- Temperatures ranging 200600 degrees Fahrenheit help you smoke and sear
- 22-pound pellet hopper features low-pellet sensors and quick-change chute
- Weber Connect app makes the grill compatible with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Back-vented barrel design creates high smoke circulation inside grill
In our experiences, the second-gen Weber SmokeFire solves the sorrows of the first.
The Weber SmokeFire aimed to be a one-of-a-kind machine that didnt behave like any other pellet grill on the market. Pellet grills tend to function like BBQ smokers, after all. But when Weber replaced the full-coverage heat baffles with its classic Weber Flavorizer Bars, it designed a pellet grill that, while capable of holding steady smoking temperatures, could also cook with high heat like a more traditional grill. Our original testing pushed the first-generation Weber SmokeFire to its rational limits cooking immense amounts of meat within its full range of temperature capability while scrutinizing its ash output and grease management.
Smokefire Epx6 Sealth Edition Update
Since we wrote our review of the SmokeFire Gen 2 Weber has released ANOTHER update, this time only to the larger EX6.
The EPX6 Stealth comes with a sleek all-black finish. It looks like Weber has made a few nice enhancements including:
- The pellet hopper slide has been redesigned to streamline the flow of fuel. The fuel sensor, entry point, and finger guard are all repositioned to improve pellet delivery
- The cleanup system has been redesigned to better contain ash in the removable draw
- Internal lighting added for nighttime cooking
- Lid handle and wheels have been upgraded
- Support for the CRAFTED system which was recently launched with the updated Genesis gas grill lineup
- Made in the USA with globally sourced parts
We will try and get our hands on a Sealth model, but in the meantime, it looks like theyve continued to listen, and perhaps have finally fixed the issues that plagued the original release.
What Is A Wood Pellet Grilland How Is It Different From Other Types Of Grills
Wood pellet grills have been around since the mid-80s when a wood-pellet stove manufacturer thought to use the technology to fuel grills. The biggest name in pellet grills is Traeger, the original manufacturer, and they were the only game in town for decades. When Traegers patent expired in 2006, the competition emerged, but it took several more years for Weber to introduce a pellet grill to their line.
Pellet grills are distinctive because theyre fueled by wood pellets but powered by electricity. When used at low-and-slow cooking temperatures, the pellets smoke and smolder, creating flavors similar to grilling over wood or charcoal. They can also be used at higher temperatures, and most manufacturers cap out at maximum temperatures between 400°F and 500°F. Thats not far off from gas grills , but the use of heat deflector plates prevent direct searing and grill marks.
The real benefit of a wood pellet grill is its set-it-and-forget-it functionality. Theres no need to fiddle around with dials or vents to reach the desired temperature like with other smoker grills. Simply ensure the hopper is full of pellets, select the temperature from the control panel, and let the grill do all the work.
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A To Z List Of The Best Bbq Wood Pellets
A pellet grill/smoker is only as good as the BBQ pellets you put into it. The type/quality of the BBQ wood pellets you use will impact temperature performance and smoke flavour. There are many pellet flavours including Apple, Hickory, Mapel, Oak and Walnut to name but a few. However, some brands are hardwood blended pellets whereas others are 100% single wood species.
In this article, I provide details on over 20 brands of BBQ wood pellets, their range of flavours, whether they are 100% single wood species or hardwood blended pellets, their typical price and where they are available. I also provide tips on how to get the best deal when buying BBQ wood pellets and how to test pellet quality. Finally, I discuss the new kid on the block, charcoal pellets and their special attributes compared to all other hardwood BBQ pellets.
Benefits Of Pellet Grills
A wood pellet grill cooks foods a bit differently than other types of grills. They use wood pellets as fuel, which adds distinct, unbeatable flavor profiles to your meats and veggies. Some benefits of using a wood pellet grill or smoker over more traditional products include convenience, great flavor and unbeatable special features.
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Weber Smokefire Ex4 And Ex6 Wood Fired Pellet Grill Review
By: Max Good
We purchased our Weber SmokeFire EX4 in February 2020 shortly after Weber began shipping them, and we ran it through our thorough testing regimen. Unfortunately, we were scooped because within days of shipping, several consumers, YouTubers, and bloggers had already dismissed it as a dumpster fire after only a few cooks.
Well, after more than a few cooks and tests, we can say that there are indeed some serious flaws, many of them have easy remedies, SmokeFire is by no means a dumpster fire, and in fact there is a lot to like about the clever innovations in this grill/smoker.
We have never felt so ambivalent about a new design. We give it a Silver Medal, equivalent to 3 out of 5 stars, right in the middle of our rating scale. If Weber makes a few changes, it could rate much higher.
In addition to our tests, we viewed as many of the videos and read as many comments from owners as we could. We also interviewed some of the naysayers as well as engineers at Weber. At this point, we think we understand this machine pretty well. Our conclusion:
The Optional Smokeboost Mode
SmokeBoost is a flavor mode that smolders pellets at lower-than-normal heat, causing a boost of smoke. Weber recommends using it for the first hour or two of cooking to enhance smoky flavors, so we tried it out on some of the chicken wings. The first set of wings was cooked on SmokeBoost for an hour, while the second set was cooked at the grills lowest smoking temperature, 200°F. After the hour, we cooked them at 450°F until they reached the proper internal temperature. The wings cooked on SmokeBoost were significantly smokier than the other wings, so we would call this setting a success.
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How Does A Pellet Grill Work
A pellet grill’s control panel allows you to set the temperature. The SmokeFire’s has additional functionality, like four built-in thermometer ports.
Pellet grills are powered by wood pellets. Theyre similar to the pellets used to fuel indoor pellet stovesmade by compressing wood thats ground into sawdustbut they’re either made with 100% hardwood or contain food-grade oils to add flavor.
To use the grill, the pellets are loaded into a hopper to the side of the grill. An electric-powered auger transfers the pellets to the firepot inside the grill. The ignited wood pellets produce flames until the box reaches the set temperature, and the auger slows to drop fewer pellets into the pot to maintain the heat. When the grill has a heat deflector plate, it acts as a physical barrier to keep the food from being exposed to the flames. The food is heated via the grills internal fans that disperse the heat and smoke around the grill, similar to a convection oven.
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- Temperature range of 200-600 degrees Fahrenheit allows smoking and searing
- Dual level grilling surface provides 672 square inches of cooking area
- DC-powered engine is specially designed to prevent auger jams
- Flavorizer Bars distribute even heat across the cooking area, preventing hot and cold spots
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Why Are Wood Pellet Grills So Expensive
Pellet grills tend to cost over $500, with some in the $1,000 to $1,500 range. They have more moving parts than other types of grills, and controlling the temperature is a bit more complicated than a grill that uses dials or vents. The thermostat and an onboard computer control the grills auger, fan, and ignition system. If it doesnt come together correctly, the automated pellet delivery system will fail to deliver pellets to the firepot, and the grill wont reach appropriate heat levels. Worse yet, the grill could turn off mid-session.
Many modern pellet grills are also smart-capable. Their built-in probe thermometers connect to smartphones via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, allowing users to remotely monitor long-cooking items like brisket or pulled pork. Thats convenient, but it comes at a price.
Grease And Ash Management
The flavorizer bars are stainless steel while the large heat shield in the center is enameled steel. Weber claims the enameled center shield allows grease to roll off better than the stainless.
Beneath the enamel coated shield there is a flame deflector directly over the firepot.
The flame deflector helps distribute heat and smoke left and right and along with the firepot design, these direct flying ash away from the cookbox, preventing ash from landing on the food. Weber states one of the daunting challenges they faced when they replaced the solid diffuser plate with flavorizer bars was dealing with ash flying around inside the cooking chamber. They developed several fly ash reduction schemes. Chief among them was cutting slots in the bottom of the firepot so ash would fall straight down and out of the cooking chamber and into an ash collection pan below. A great idea.
On most other pellet cookers, failure to remove ash from the firepot can prevent pellet ignition or shut the machine down in the middle of a cook. Then youre forced to remove food and everything between you and your ash laden firepot to get back in business. And it is all hot.
However, we did observe sporadic, tiny glowing embers falling from the ash drawer, remnants of expired pellets that refused to die. Although they were few and far between, we fear they could be a fire hazard for flammable surfaces below. We strongly recommend using a grill mat if it is on a deck or anything flammable.
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Best Weber Smokefire Gen 2 Reviews
So as Ive previously discussed in my Gen 1 vs Gen 2 SmokeFire article Weber did fix a number of small issues to now offer a more polished product. Really, I think Weber felt pressure to get a pellet grill to market and rushed the SmokeFire before it was really ready.
As I discuss in my article above, the grease/ash mixing is a potential problem which anyone who wants to smoke fatty meats. Therefore, on a Weber SmokeFire everyone should be using a water pan under the meat to collect that grease or the Weber Smoke Kit.
But now lets discuss what the second generation Weber SmokeFire grills are really good at, and thats being an excellent pellet grill. Due to the fiasco of the launch of the Weber SmokeFire, on the second-generation grills, Weber is pushing discounts constantly to get people to purchase.
Over at BBQGuys.com, they are frequently offering the EX4 and EX6 with several hundred dollars off. Hence, the SmokeFire EX4 is commonly found at under $800 and the EX6 for under $1,000!
Hence, these second-generation SmokeFire pellet cookers as grills are arguable the best deal on the market right now for what they can do.
The Embers Living video above discusses the improvements to the Gen 2 Weber SmokerFire and how it compares with regards to grilling on a Traeger Timberline
So the videos above from Embers Living is not an overall review per say, and its also not an owners review which I like to focus on where possible to show the most authentic experiences.
Is The Weber Smokefire Pellet Grill Worth It
Its not unusual to spend over $500 on a pellet grill, but $1,000 is certainly a lot of money. That said, the SmokeFire EX4 is comparable to the Traeger Ironwood 650, which retails for $1,200. If were comparing the Weber SmokeFire to Traeger, the SmokeFire EX4s $799 price tag is certainly attractive.
Of course, we had some issues with the grill, so wed love to see those ironed out before we can solidly recommend spending this much money. But, if you only have the storage space or money for one grill, you want it to be able to smoke and sear on a single grill, and you dont mind working with a few idiosyncrasies, the SmokeFire certainly fits that niche.
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Weber Smokefire Ex6 Overview & First Impressions
At first glance, the 2nd Gen Weber SmokeFire looks exactly the same as the original.
The design, footprint, and specifications are all exactly the same.
I went with the larger EX 6 model . You can also opt for the EX 4 which gives you a more compact 672 square inches of cooking area.
Ill run through the basic specs and features, get into what I liked and what I didnt like, and then go into detail on what its like to cook with SmokeFire.
And if you want to see my video review of the SmokeFire Gen 2 check it out below.
SmokeFire EX6 Manufacturer specifications
I consider the front shelf an almost essential add-on, while the extra side shelf is nice to have but not necessary. It definitely bumps up the price of the grill through.
Key featurers
Size of cooking area: The EX6 that I tested is spacious on the inside. You can cook or smoke a lot of food at one time. To me, this is one of its shining features.
Temperature range: The grill is capable of 200-600°F. I was able to confirm the grill can hit these ranges.
Searing Capability: Yes, it will sear! The SmokeFire uses a unique open concept where the cooking area isnt sealed off from the flame. This does lead to an issue that well get into later, but its hard to argue with the result. Rich grill marks on a pellet grill are a beautiful thing.
Technology: The Smokefire comes with WIFI and Bluetooth capabilities and communicates with an app on your smartphone.
What I like:
What I dont like:
Alternative Grills To Consider
At this price point, you start to be spoiled for choice so there are a lot of different grills you could consider, depending on what is important to you.
For my money, I would seriously consider the Camp Chef Woodwind. It has better adjustability, is easier to clean up, offers more shelf space, more versatility, and a better app
I love being able to add different accessories with the SideKick like the Sear Box.
The Weber does offer more consistent temperatures and better looks . If you are OK with a smaller grill and can spend a little extra to add the searing option I like the Camp Chef, but I can understand wanting to go with the SmokeFire as it can smoke and grill all in one, and will cost less.
Youve also got the Traeger Ironwood for a bit more, or the Pro for a bit less. Features are fairly similar, although the Weber should get the edge when it comes to grilling.
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Legal Disclaimers And Warnings
Product packaging, owners manuals, installation instructions, and/or operating instructions may include more information than what is shown on our website. The content on our site is intended to be used for reference purposes only. Please fully read all included manuals and documentation before installing or using this product. WARNING for California residents: this product may contain chemical known to the state of California to cause birth defects, cancer, or other reproductive harm.
Finally A Pellet Grill With Built
Weve always objected to the name pellet grill as these cookers make far better smokers / outdoor ovens.
Simply put, most pellet grills weve looked at struggle to properly sear a steak.
Manufacturers have tried to get around this limitation. Camp Chef is known for its searing station attachment, although you have to purchase that separately.
Pit Boss pellet grills use a sliding plate to allow searing over an open flame, but the flame area gives you limited space for searing.
The Smoke Fire gets around this design flaw in two ways.
First off you have the higher max temperature of 600°F .
More importantly, Weber has made good use of their stainless steel flavorizer bars to help direct heat from the firepot to the cooking grate.
If they can pull this trick off, the SmokeFire will quickly become one of the best grill smoker combos available.
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It Was Quick To React To Temperature Changes
The preheating times on the SmokeFire were impressively fast. We ran it through its start-up mode several times, timing how quickly it reached the target temperature and averaging the results. It reached 250°F in about 10 minutes, and 600°F in 17 minutes.
Changing from low to high temperatures was equally reactive .
Best Weber Pellet Grill Reviews
I write a lot about the many different models of pellet grills/smokers now on the market. While Im able to provide a thorough structured breakdown of product specifications and compare one brand/model to another I often dont get the chance to get hands-on with them. As part of my research though I watch a lot of real owners reviews on YouTube. Therefore, I thought I would produce a summary article on the best Weber reviews Ive come across from owners of the various models covering both pros and cons.
Weber is the biggest name in BBQ and is making a big push into pellet grills with mixed success: Images BBQGuys.com
Disclaimer: Hey! By the way any links on this page that lead to products on Amazon or other sites are affiliate links, and I earn a commission if you make a purchase.
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