Do I want a pellet grill?

[muddydogs]

Here's the deal, my gas grill has seen better days and it's time to upgrade. I think I want a pellet grill but not sure. I need a grill to cook dinner on 3 plus times a week all year long, basically if its meat it gets cooked on the grill. So I guess my question is can I start up the pellet grill and 5 or so minutes later throw on burgers, chops or steak and have the item cooked in a reasonable amount of time since I'm usually starving?

I have a gas and electric smoker so I'm not really looking to smoke items with the pellet grill but wouldn't mind getting a little smoked flavor while grilling. If I'm not in a rush to get dinner cooked I will sometimes load a pellet tube into the gas grill and get a little smoke on whatever I'm cooking for dinner that way.

From what I have researched it looks like most of the pellet grills have one main burn pot for the pellets so I'm wondering if the grill gets hot enough to cook food like a standard gas grill or is it more of an oven type cook? Will I get the grill marks on steaks and burgers?

Been looking at the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX 24 if anyone has an feed back on this grill.

 

[BigW.]

Pellet grills will not be ready to go in 5 minutes like gas. Most will also not get hot enough for dark grill marks. There are flavor/sear type bars that get a bit more color. Food will be tastier on a pellet but it will not be as quick. I have a Weber gas grill and GMG pellet. Love them both for different reasons

 

[Johnny Ray]

I have a Rec Tec 680 and it will not get hot enough to sear off a steak or burger like a gaser or charcoal grill.
I also have a Rec Tec Bullseye and it sees more use than my 680. The bullseye can reach temps over 500* depending on pellet type. I use it for burgers, wings, tenderloins, chops, etc.
I my favorite thing to cook on the bullseye is spatchcock chicken!
The bullseye also does a good job of cooking at low temps. It adds a lot of smoke flavor at lower temps.

I really like the Rec Tec 680 / Bullseye combo. Gives me a lot of flexibility.

Note: the 680 is now the bull 700.

Johnny Ray

 

[Bundy]

I just bought my first smoker – a pellet smoker – when my propane gill started showing it's age (10 years). I had a lot of the same questions, and quite honestly don't have the answers yet, but I'll tell you how/why I made my decision and what I've learned.

First, you're not going to light up your pellet smoker and have seared steaks 15 minutes later. That's just not what they're designed for. With that said, you have options. I decided on a Camp Chef SmokePro ZG (Dick's Sporting Goods exclusive), which is basically the DLX with the slide-and-grill feature, an upgraded circuit board (dual probe), upgraded hopper (window and bottle opener), dual/full-depth top rack, and beefier legs.

The slide-and-grill feature allows you to slide the heat shield away from the fire box with a pull lever, which gets more direct heat to your food. You're not going to get a perfect sear, but it will get your food cooked much faster. If you need the perfect sear, or just want to cook a few burgers or steaks quickly, you can add the sear box or Sidekick to the Camp Chef, which basically give's you a small propane grill and smoker in one. The Sidekick is cool in that it has a lot of flexibility (grill, pizza oven, flat-top griddle, etc.), but it can get pricey.

What I've learned, even though there's a time-element to be considered, is that food cooked on a gas grill can't be compared to food cooked on a smoker. The results from the smoker are that good.

I'm happy to answer any questions I can if you have anything specific to the Camp Chef grill.

 

[winsa12]

I have a GMG and absolutely love it for this functionality. Will it get grill marks, not really/maybe a little. Will it heat up in 5 minutes, well no. But, unlike a gasser I can turn it on from my phone and let it preheat. And it makes a really nice smoky flavor that my whole family likes. And you can probably buy a used GMG cheap.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Based off what you are saying I think I would stick with a new gas grill. I use either my gas grill or my camp chef griddle at least 3-4 times a week and like you said I can get home from work fire it up and be done in a reasonable amount of time. Although the pellet rig would be nice if you have time to play with it.

Weber's are always great. I've had a 4 burner broil king for years and the thing is a beast. Never had to replace one part no signs of rust or anything.

Good luck!

 

[retfr8flyr]

A pellet grill is not for fast cooks, at high temp, to grill meat. A pellet grill is basically a convection oven powered by pellets. It does a good job for what it was designed for, baking things and smoking meat. If you want a grill to quickly sear burgers, or steaks, then stick with a gas grill.

 

[Bundy]

I can't remember who makes it, and haven't really done research, but I believe there's an insert you can get for a pellet grill that essentially turns it into a wood grill. I'll add the link if/when I find it unless anyone else knows what I'm talking about and can link to it.

 

[muddydogs]

Thanks guys. Sounds like I don't want a pellet grill. Like stated I've got smokers so I don't need another smoker that I have to add a side grill to or other grill parts just to cook a burger. As a plus I just saved myself a few $100 bucks since pellet smokers are way more expensive then a gasser.

The Dick's exclusive smoker sounds intriguing but then again I will not spend a dime in Dick's anymore so thats a non starter out of the gate.

 

[eddiememphis]

Stick with gas and use smokebombs.

Wrap some wood chips in foil, poke a hole in it and toss it on the burner. Just enough smoke to give a burger or steak a hint of flavor.

 

[Fueling Around]

Based off what you are saying I think I would stick with a new gas grill. I use either my gas grill or my camp chef griddle at least 3-4 times a week and like you said I can get home from work fire it up and be done in a reasonable amount of time.
...
Good luck!

A griddle is an option to check for a quick cook.

 

[kstone113]

I am going to echo what others have stated but just so you know options out there.

I was(just until this past April) always a gas grill guy. I have a weber Genesis. It is older. It was my dad's and a little over 10 years ago I replaced the grates and flavor bars. Fast forward to this spring and my grates were slightly rusting over time. I am sure I could fix them/replace them but had the same question as you and was curious about pellet grills/smokers. Different from you, I was looking to upgrade my smoker and my grill. I still have my vertical propane smoker but going to sell it.

Almost all pellet grills/smokers take awhile to start up and get hot. In the winter, my Rec Tec Bull can take up to or more than 30 minutes in the winter to get to 400. In the summer, can take 15 minutes or less so weather plays a huge part.

The one exception I know of is the Rec Tec Bullseye(which currently isn't available but re-releasing this fall/winter. That pellet grill can get hot very very fast, as fast as a gas grill. The grill can get over 600 I believe in 10 to 15 minutes. But compared to most gas grills, you will most likely most space.

So I'd stick with gas if I was you and you kind of want some smoke but it isn't a priority. You can add smoke to gas grills by smoke boxes, pellet tubes or even something like the smoke daddy cold smoker. You would have to grill a hole for the smoke daddy but that would give you more than enough smoke when you want it added in.

Since my priorities were grilling and smoking, I just love my Rec Tec Bull! I've used my weber gas grill like twice since April and I used to use it 3 to 4 times a week. While time is always important to me also and lots of times I just plan ahead and let my grill warm up. The searing on a pellet smoker is not as good as a gaser but can achieve the sear.

Good luck with what you decide but my opinion is go with gas again and find a way(plenty of options) to supplement smoke into your gas grill.

This is what I meant by gas grill with a smokedaddy.

 

[muddydogs]

All right guys, thanks for the help. Yesterday I made a trip to Home Depot and they just happened to have a Weber Spirit II 310 stainless grill setting around on clearance so I purchased it, definite win win since I got it at a good price plus it was already assembled.
Grilled up some elk back strap steaks I got off my bull this year as a trial cook. Its nice having a grill that heats even and has more then one temp. I was very happy to drag the old 5 burner monster out of the way and replace it with the sleek little Weber, wife even called it sexy but what does she know she married me.
I was torn between a 2 and 3 burner grill but after getting a hands on look I went with the 3 burner. 2 burner would have probably been big enough but I might need a little more room.