re: If you’re an amateur griller and were thinking about a pellet grill...

Plan on buying one soon. Think I'm going to look at the camp chefs so I can add the searing attachment for reverse searing Tomahawks.

I have had the PB 1100 for 2 years almost. Use it regularly with no issues. It comes with a 4 year warranty which sold me on entering the pellet world. No ragrets. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of most, but its also the cheapiest. Its sturdy, reliable and consistent. The sear slide feature is highly underrated, and can function as a high temp grill for burgers, steaks, and, my favorite, reverse searing. It does create a bit of a hot spot on indirect cooks to be aware of.

I highly recommend the Thermaworks Signals, can monitor temps anywhere, set low/high alarms (saved me one overnight cook due to me not stirring the pellets before bed), and graph temps which is great real time and to learn trends, stalls, etc.. A smoke tube is a great cheap addition for those with a higher smoke profile preference.

I also looked at the Campchef Whirlwind, which has a better controller, an ash dumpout feature, and an optional propane side sear station, but the 1100 was too good of a deal which was like $450 with free delivery and installation. My next grill will probably be a Yoder, but were talking more than triple the price.

Since you have both a Camp Chef and a Rec Tec, which seems to hold a more accurate temperature? Which seems to hold the more consistent temperature? Does one seem to impart a deeper smoke flavor than the other?

Thanks for the feedback. I hate to keep bugging you, but what are some of the features of the Camp Chef that stick out to you as lacking in the Rec Tec? I think at this point I have eliminated the Smokefire and I'm down to deciding between the Woodwind and the Bull. I'm good for $1200 and don't need the searbox on the Woodwind.

Meh

You aren’t bugging me. That’s what this board is for. I have the Camp Chef 36” Woodwind. I equally like both the RecTec 700 and that Woodwind. What I like about the Camp Chef is I can empty the hopper and change pellets. You can go from apple to say oak/hickory/cherry very easy. It has a lever that you can push to clean the bottom and you unscrew something about the size of a coffee cup from the bottom and empty your ashes then screw it back in and you are good to go. Taking the guts of a grill out to vacuum the ashes out is not hard but with the Camp Chef you eliminate that process. There is a lever on the hopper side that will open that drip pan where you can cook over direct heat. I always have tin foil over the drip pan but by opening up to direct heat you can sear a steak off quick. Works great on reverse sear steaks. I like how you can adjust your smoke setting from 1 to 10 on the Camp Chef while it’s 250 degrees or under. Both RecTec and Camp Chef have excellent control panels that will sync up with your phone and meat probe portals. That RecTec has a stainless steel interior I believe and it would be hard for it to rot from the bottom. Like I said the RecTec 700 is built like a tank. Both have excellent customer service. I’d say flip a coin they both are excellent grills. The Camp Chef has really cool features that all pellet grill manufacturers ought to incorporate. The RecTec is built like a tank and will last a very, very long time. You are smart not getting the sear box if you go with Camp Chef because you don’t need it. I don’t think you can go wrong either way. Order some grill grates online and you will be off to the races.

Well I bought a masterbuilt gravity 560 until I decide what I really want, I found that shite today on clearance for $150 at a Walmart. Check brickseek.

I have a Traeger Pro Series 34. Got it at a ridiculous price due to a friend's discount, and I love it.

It has made some absolutely delicious ribs, pulled pork, turkey breast, chicken, and pork loin. Only thing I have yet to try is brisket.

I am going to sell my Traeger this spring. I will be asking $300. Cost almost $700. Nothing wrong with it.

Probably cooked on it a dozen times at most.

It is more of an oven than anything else.

Crazy a guy that doesn't have a "pellet machine" thinks what I posted is ignorance.

My pellet grill is the most disappointing gimmick food prep purchase I have ever made and I even owned a Ronco "set and forget it" (the Ronco device did a better job than the pellet grill on chickens and turkeys)

I am quite certain many people like pellet grills that don't even try to cook in an oven.

quote:

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Pellet grills are ovens.

Gimmicks just like the air fryer my wife just bought.

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How many BBQ Championships have people won using their home oven? Because people cooking on pellet grills have won multiple big time nationally sanctioned championships against guys using stick burners. Does not mean you would like them better but it does mean they are better than an oven.