Buying new pellet smoker

[RipC1ty$moker]

Hi ya'll,

I am brand new to this site. Just joined today. I have been smoking with a traeger tailgater 20 for about 5 years now. My wife has given me the blessing to buy a new pellet smoker. I am interested in a combo pellet and gas grill but cant find any with the smoke stack on the pellet side! That said I am looking at a few different options.

Lousiana black label series. This doesn't have a smoke stack, which I know isn't required but seems like with everything I've read it's highly recomended. Being that I am in oregon and we have cold weather, probably the right plan, correct?

I am looking at pitboss sportsman series also. They have a nice combo unit but only has a smoke stack on the propane side, what's up that?

I am looking for any information ya'll can share to help with my decision. I've looked at many different pellet grills and read lots. I've learned it seems to all be preference. But if any of ya'll have information on ones to stay away from and why that'd be helpful. If ya'll have any recommendations for one to buy that'd also be great! I have been given a budget of $800 or less. I'd prefer to stay around 6-7 hundred, with father's day sales I know my options could increase for that price range.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I can't help you with a pellet/gas grill, all I do is offset stick or charcoal, but welcome from South Carolina. You will most assuredly get some great advice from the many knowledgeable folks here.

 

[leol2]

Depending on your budget and how much you cook at a time I can give you two that I have used and owned, For a large cooker check out Smoke Daddy 1190. They also have an optional diffuser that allows you to add small logs to increase the smoke. Works great and I own this smoker. More space than you will probably us
Grilla OG is a very nice pellet smoker that my daughter has but the cooking space is small so you are not going to do larger groups
Both companies are great to deal with

 

[RipC1ty$moker]

I can't help you with a pellet/gas grill, all I do is offset stick or charcoal, but welcome from South Carolina. You will most assuredly get some great advice from the many knowledgeable folks here.

Thankyou! I have been looking at Master built charcoal smokers as well. I'm contemplating getting 2 units. I love charcoal but I come to prefer pellet smokers, my wife loves charcoal also and she doesn't prefer the extra smokey flavor that I like. If sales are good I'll definitely be looking at 2 units!

 

[912smoker]

Welcome to SMF from SE Ga.
I have the MBGF 1050 and love it. It's at the tip top of your price range unless you can catch one on sale for Father's Day. Depending on the size of your family and number of people that you could for the 560 might be plenty of room and it is in your desired price range

 

[sandyut]

Here is my plug for Rec Teq. I absolutely love mine 2.5 years of flawless service and counting

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I'v searched all over for a lellet smoker and come up 0

 

[bregent]

This doesn't have a smoke stack, which I know isn't required but seems like with everything I've read it's highly recomended.

What is the reason they are recommended? As far as I am concerned, pellet grills don't need a stack because they do not rely on natural draft to move smoke. My Memphis sure doesn't need it.

 

[ostrichsak]

Until Recteq can figure out their broken notifications issue I can't recommend them in good conscience. If that's something that's important to you I would look elsewhere.

 

[RipC1ty$moker]

What is the reason they are recommended? As far as I am concerned, pellet grills don't need a stack because they do not rely on natural draft to move smoke. My Memphis sure doesn't need it.

What I've read says that having holes on the back allows for more external air to get into the chamber. Not an issue everywhere, but I live in oregon and there's quite a but of cold air. The traeger I have has oblong holes in the back. It struggles to stay at temp, even when it's warm out. It's obviously not required, I know many people that have smokers without them. Just based on what I've read online.

 

[RipC1ty$moker]

I'v searched all over for a lellet smoker and come up 0

yeah I tried to correct that after posting and couldn't find out how.

 

[RipC1ty$moker]

I'v searched all over for a lellet smoker and come up 0

And of course now I've figured it out. Lol

 

[bregent]

What I've read says that having holes on the back allows for more external air to get into the chamber.

I don't really buy that. The chamber has positive pressure so air is not going to get in through vent holes or a stack. High winds may be a different story, but they don't affect my no-stack grill at all. Many Traeger models, even those with stacks, have had a reputation of not being able to maintain temp. I don't think the vents are to blame. I really think stacks are just a holdover from more traditional wood/charcoal smokers.

 

[RipC1ty$moker]

I don't really buy that. The chamber has positive pressure so air is not going to get in through vent holes or a stack. High winds may be a different story, but they don't affect my no-stack grill at all. Many Traeger models, even those with stacks, have had a reputation of not being able to maintain temp. I don't think the vents are to blame. I really think stacks are just a holdover from more traditional wood/charcoal smokers.

Good to know, I've heard a lot of mixed results with traeger. Lots of ppl love them lots don't care for them at all. I'm in the don't care for them group now. My friends dad had a traeger with a stack before and it seemed to maintain way better than mine does.

 

[JWFokker]

The issue with Traeger is that they charge a premium price but the product is not any better than the competition. You'll get more bang for your buck with almost any other brand.

 

[RipC1ty$moker]

The issue with Traeger is that they charge a premium price but the product is not any better than the competition. You'll get more bang for your buck with almost any other brand.

Yeah I think I've learned that traeger has gotten complacent. They owned the market for so long and now competition is doing better and they aren't sure what to do. They are just living on their name I think. All the new ones I've looked at don't seem to built super sturdy. When you handle these other ones, pit boss for instance, you can feel durability and heftiness of the unit. I can almost feel the better heat retention. Lol

 

[JWFokker]

The Traeger family sold the brand to a private equity firm years ago. Joe Traeger works for Dansons now, who make Pit Boss and Louisiana Grills.