Hello all I have briefly went through all the posts and I will ask again because there was so much info on BBQ pellets I really want to know the low down because I have a Treager I was told that I was only to use their Pellets but at 18 dollars a bag can get pricey and when you are doing a 8 to 12 hour smoke that is about a 20# bag and a little more I have see you all talking about different Brands and that they were 100% verses a 70/30 mix of a hardwood and the flavor you bought like apple ect..... and depending on where you are that base wood will either be oak or I cant remember the other my question to you all I want to use a good brand that is clean burning and can be found local I am not sure where to look here as I just got my pellet smoker/grill and bought 4 bags to get me thought a few cooks but I do want to save on the pellets and I am not wanting to do any mods to my treager I just cannot justify that even though I did get a good price for the one I got so let me know what brand you all prefer so I can do some research here in Colorado to find the pellets and give them a test to see what I like and works best for me and my rig
thanks
Jon
Hi Jon.
First, it's true that Traeger will tell you that you can only use their pellets in your pit. Understand that they are in the business of selling their own products...any quality pellet will work in your rig without the need to do mods.
Now on to the question of different kinds and flavors of pellets: many pellet burners prefer the 100% flavor wood pellets you spoke of. I like them too, but they are generally the more expensive brands (CookinPellets, Lumberjack, Fast Eddy, etc.) If you can find any of these at a local dealer in your area, that's great! Most of us have to order these brands and pay shipping/freight costs, which can definitely add up.
There are also some quality pellet brands that are primarily the 70/30 mix you mentioned, with the 70 being either oak or alder, and the 30% being the flavor wood. BBQ'rs Delight and B&B pellets fall into this category, and I've used both with good results. They are in general a little more affordable, at least for me because I can buy them both at local retailers, so it saves the shipping costs of the 100% flavor wood brands. I can buy the B&B pellets at my local Academy Sports and Outdoor for around $12 per 20 lb. bag. The BBQ'rs Delight are available at a local lawn and garden retailer for around $17 per 20 lb. bag.
I have also used a pellet brand I can buy at my local lumber yard, called Ozark Premium Hardwood Pellets. They are technically heating pellets, but are 100% hardwood (oak I believe) and are safe for use in pellet cookers. These are by far the least expensive I have found, at about $5 per 40 lb. bag.
Hope this helps! Maybe it'll give you a starting place. Good luck!
Red