Pellet grills

jimim

Bronze Supporter
Jun 20, 2016
3,572
NE/Pa
Ok cooks out there. Best pellet grill? I came across. Green mountain something. They look nice. I want to be able to sear also. I have an egg but want something for during the week when time doesn’t allow for ease. It will replace a gas Weber.
 
RecTec is a great company.... right down the street from me actually. We have the RT-340 for the two of us.

Maddie 🇺🇦
I will have to check out this site. I've been dreaming of a Yoder 640 for a long time. I have an old charcoal half barrel from Lowes from years and years ago that still works but want to switch to a pellet but might be too much dough for the few times I actually do that stuff anymore.
 
If you want to make your egg more like a pellet smoker, consider something like the Fireboard Drive with the temp controlling fan.


I don’t have one because I’ve found it pretty easy to set my vents and maintain an even cooking temp for several hours. I have a Thermoworks Smoke that will alert me if food or ambient temps cross an upper or lower threshold, but the Fireboard with the fan controller will blow air to raise temp or restrict air to lower temp, as needed. Has lots of good reviews and I know people that use it and love it.
 
What about Yoder? Yah more money. They don’t seem to be built as well and I know they are competitive company and make some pretty exspensive models.

The Recteq look like they would smoke a traeger on paper even.
 
Best - Yoder. Good enough? Traeger, Green Mountain, RecTec, Camp Chef. Most all use the same internals. I have had my Traeger for nearly 12 years. It's survived the midatlantic rust belt with very little upkeep required. You want heat retention, so look for a thick shell or double walled steel, and don't discount a larger cooking area. Rectec has a nice model that doubles as a conventional grill. For searing, i've switched to a skillet and gas burner.
 
Searing I can use my built in Weber. That’s in a gas line and I can sear meat to my delight but being able to seat on one unit would be nice but not a deal breaker.

I got to look at the smaller Yoder also. I’m very very early into this.
 
I have a Yoder YS640S and love it. It's built like a tank and retains heat pretty well. I have used a Traeger at my brother's house and there is no comparison. I looked at Rec-Tec and Green Mountain but settled on the Yoder.
 

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There’s nowhere I can look At a Yoder in my area so the yoder all stainless steel inside like the rec minus the lid on the rec I know. I like how there is so much stainless in the rec. traeger is off my list. I feel like I’m paying for the name just like with so many other brands out there these days.
 
IMHO.... if my Woodwind ever dies, I've brought it back from the grave 3 times.

I feel as if these folks make the best pellet grill and they will be who gets my money. My in laws have one and they haven't had a single hiccup for the numerus years they've owned it. It's a beast.


 
ok i would like a yoder nut after i add everything i want im going to be over 2 grand. i already got a built in weber and an egg. this is a weekday toy.

im going to give pitt boss a look over but they have so many models i might not even bother. lol the rec tec looks pretty awesome. i watched a bunch of youtube videos last night. everyone seems to love em. including here.
 
IMHO.... if my Woodwind ever dies, I've brought it back from the grave 3 times.

I feel as if these folks make the best pellet grill and they will be who gets my money. My in laws have one and they haven't had a single hiccup for the numerus years they've owned it. It's a beast.


These look pretty good too. When I was serious about getting one I remember the key beyond the actual metal used was also the mechanism that fed the pellets. You don't want jams with them or you waste a meal thinking it was set it and forget it (ha, remember that commercial for the rotisserie thing). So I remember reading about different brands and comments around that functionality.
 
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ok i would like a yoder nut after i add everything i want im going to be over 2 grand. i already got a built in weber and an egg. this is a weekday toy.

im going to give pitt boss a look over but they have so many models i might not even bother. lol the rec tec looks pretty awesome. i watched a bunch of youtube videos last night. everyone seems to love em. including here.
I have been using my pit boss AustinXL for about a year, and absolutely love it. I went with a Pit Boss from a coworker recommendation and cost. Also @jseyfert3 has one. They have great customer service, one of my wheels got a flat spot and they sent new wheels with some rubs. I would buy it again. I don't use the gasser anymore.
 
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ok i would like a yoder nut after i add everything i want im going to be over 2 grand. i already got a built in weber and an egg. this is a weekday toy.

im going to give pitt boss a look over but they have so many models i might not even bother. lol the rec tec looks pretty awesome. i watched a bunch of youtube videos last night. everyone seems to love em. including here.
My woodwind is basically a new machine because I've replaced a lot of parts. That is the nice thing about going cheap, you can keep them alive by buying cheap parts on amazon. I've replaced the controller, auger motor, fan, temp sensor. It's not ideal but it works.
 
No I haven’t looked into them. There is so many freaking companies out there it’s crazy. That’s why I literally might stop at Rec Tec. When I bought my egg it was easy. You go green or you go red. Lol. I mean there are others but it’s pretty much one company or the other. I love my egg. I just don’t love it enough to use during a work night. You know what I mean. I figured with a pellet smoker I can still smoke some chicken pieces or reverse sear a steak and do other grill type stuff without the 90 min heat up forcthe egg. I know others can get thier eggs going quicker but I’m just slow. Cause if I don’t go slow I overhear it and then it’s even worse.
 
without the 90 min heat up forcthe egg. I know others can get thier eggs going quicker but I’m just slow. Cause if I don’t go slow I overhear it and then it’s even worse.
Regardless of which way you go with the pellet grill, check out Malcom Reed’s video on getting the fire going in 10-15 minutes on the BGE. I’m assuming you went green. If you went red, there are also plenty of videos on the KJ, too. There’s also a great forum on Kamado cooking - Kamado Guru


Just hate to hear you struggling with your egg! I absolutely love my KJ!
 
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Regardless of which way you go with the pellet grill, check out Malcom Reed’s video on getting the fire going in 10-15 minutes on the BGE. I’m assuming you went green. If you went red, there are also plenty of videos on the KJ, too. There’s also a great forum on Kamado cooking - Kamado Guru


Just hate to hear you struggling with your egg! I absolutely love my KJ!
I love my egg! I shouldn't say struggle. I should say worry when I get it going to not overshot. cause I overshot one morning at 2 AM trying to get a butt on and it made for a miserable morning in the dark trying to get hot colas out to cool it down quicker, so anymore I go nice and slow with my heat up. im going to watch that video now. thanks!
 
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