Does anyone have any experience with this tabletop Pit Boss pellet grill/smoker?

[SherryT]

Gave my 22" Blackstone to my BIL yesterday. I've used it only once and have since realized I can do the same thing with a CI pan when cooking for one, so bye-bye!

This left me with some space, so I was thinking I might try a tabletop pellet smoker (again, cooking for one, three once in a while). I've gotten used to running my modded Big Chief with a PID and love being able to set a temp and let it rock. I also want to play with pellets, so there's that!

So, this is the unit I'm looking at...

Pit Boss 10697 TT grill/smoker

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Sherry

 

[SmokinEdge]

Dang Sherry that looks like a perfect little grill/smoker for you. Basically a “tail gater” type but I bet you’d be surprised at what you could do with it.

I bought my in-laws the Ninja wood fire grill, which is electric but has the ability to add pellets for smoke. It’s fairly versatile and they really like it for just the two of them.

 

[SherryT]

Gonna order it!

 

[chopsaw]

Gonna order it!

Pretty sure Steve has one . Steve H .
You won't go wrong with that .

 

[Winterrider]

I like it. . .

 

[SherryT]

Pretty sure Steve has one . Steve H .
You won't go wrong with that .

If anyone does, it's Steve!

 

[Steve H]

If anyone does, it's Steve!

Haha! Nice! I do have this. I've done probably 20 cooks on it from beef to chicken. To beans and corn on the cob. It has been a great little smoker. Zero issues so far. But. Be aware. They claim it is a portable smoker. And it is. But it is a bit hefty to lug around. Also, the meat probe isn't included. Which I found strange. But they are easily found on amazon. The included cover is nice.

 

[SherryT]

Haha! Nice! I do have this. I've done probably 20 cooks on it from beef to chicken. To beans and corn on the cob. It has been a great little smoker. Zero issues so far. But. Be aware. They claim it is a portable smoker. And it is. But it is a bit hefty to lug around. Also, the meat probe isn't included. Which I found strange. But they are easily found on amazon. The included cover is nice.

See! I just KNEW you had it!

I watched a couple of YT vids and learned it didn't come with the probe, so I went ahead and ordered that as well.

As for moving it around...not a chance! It will live on my back porch in perpetuity!

 

[Steve H]

See! I just KNEW you had it!

I watched a couple of YT vids and learned it didn't come with the probe, so I went ahead and ordered that as well.

As for moving it around...not a chance! It will live on my back porch in perpetuity!

I think you'll like it. Hopefully the YT videos explained the importance of having the lid open while starting it.

 

[SherryT]

I think you'll like it. Hopefully the YT videos explained the importance of having the lid open while starting it.

Yeah, I saw a couple where a pellet grill can basically explode ("lid pop"?) if the lid is closed during startup.

Won't be doing that for sure!

 

[mneeley490]

My friend has one. Actually, it's his 2nd one. First one died, right after his Pit Boss vertical died.
I don't know why he keeps buying them.

 

[Colin1230]

That unit looks just like the original A-Smoke pellet grill (that I didn't buy, damn it). If I get another pellet grill, it will be that one. Thank you Sherry!

 

[bmudd14474]

I have a friend with this unit and he really likes it. The one thing he cautions is that you have it farther away from a RV/Building on the back side of the unit as he said he had his going and the heat was so bad out the back that is RV siding was way too hot.

Besides that he loves it.

 

[SherryT]

Just to update and a couple of questions...

The PB tabletop arrived today, got it assembled (and, based on what I've been reading online, I removed the "grate" in the hopper)...currently 30 minutes into the burnoff.

So far, so good (read as "it didn't explode and the hopper hasn't caught fire!")

A couple of questions...

1) COOL DOWN - when I did the initial check to see if the fan/auger was working (no pellets in hopper), I turned the knob back to the "off" position and left the lid closed per the manual. My question is does it take a long time before the fan shuts off? I ran it for only a couple of minutes WITHOUT pellets, but the fan was still running for probably about 20 minutes or so when I went back to check on it. NEVER MIND THIS ONE...it took 25 minutes for the fan to shut off after the burnoff. I "think" I might have focused on the illuminated control panel rather than on the fan.

2) PRIMING - when priming (with hopper full), I know I got enough pellets in the burn pot (it lit!), but how much is "too much"? Apparently I'm OK with about 1/8 cup as long as pellets are touching the rod, yes? I'm thinking too many pellets in the pot where they're basically "encasing" the rod would be WAY too many.

A lot of folks online suggest elevating the hopper side by about 1/2" considering the heating rod is a lot lower in this unit vs a full-sized pellet grill and "can" cause pellets in the auger to ignite...I have NO idea if that's an accurate assessment or not as this is the ONLY pellet grill I've ever examined, but I did it.

Looking forward to smoking...something...tomorrow!

 

[Steve H]

I never had an issue with it just "doing its thing". You only need to prime on initial set up. Or if you run out of pellets. I haven't heard about lifting one side up to prevent a fire in the auger. I'll need to look at that. When I'm done and it has cooled. I just vacuum out the pot. Clean the grate and grease cup. And I'm ready for the next cook!

 

[SherryT]

I never had an issue with it just "doing its thing". You only need to prime on initial set up. Or if you run out of pellets. I haven't heard about lifting one side up to prevent a fire in the auger. I'll need to look at that. When I'm done and it has cooled. I just vacuum out the pot. Clean the grate and grease cup. And I'm ready for the next cook!

Thanks Steve!

I found a write-up on a FB group by this guy about slightly raising the hopper side of the unit and and quite a few references back to it on various other forums...

 

[Steve H]

Thanks Steve!

I found a write-up on a FB group by this guy about slightly raising the hopper side of the unit and and quite a few references back to it on various other forums...

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Hmm. I've never seen a issue with the ash stacking the way he describes. I wonder if perhaps he is using lower quality pellets. And they are not burning completely. Even after a 10 hour smoke. I have little to no ash in the burn cup. Secondly, removing the grate IMO. And pushing the pellets down is a recipe for a fire. If you're pushing the pellets into the auger. Then you are overfilling the auger. Which could very well cause the build up in the cup that he is talking about. The smoker is designed to meter out the pellets. Not over stuffing it. Ramping temp up and down shouldn't effect the burn. Unless. Perhaps. You change the temp at short intervals. But why you would do that is beyond me.

 

[Chris_in_SoCal]

I will add from my previous pellet smoker observations is that the initial start does not need a large amount of pellets to get it going. Just a few is enough and the auger will add more as needed.

What is most important is to vacuum out the chamber between cooks. An ash pile will do more to disrupt the start more than anything else.

Get a cheap small shop vac that you use just for this.

 

[Chris_in_SoCal]

Hmm. I've never seen a issue with the ash stacking the way he describes. I wonder if perhaps he is using lower quality pellets. And they are not burning completely. Even after a 10 hour smoke. I have little to no ash in the burn cup. Secondly, removing the grate IMO. And pushing the pellets down is a recipe for a fire. If you're pushing the pellets into the auger. Then you are overfilling the auger. Which could very well cause the build up in the cup that he is talking about. The smoker is designed to meter out the pellets. Not over stuffing it. Ramping temp up and down shouldn't effect the burn. Unless. Perhaps. You change the temp at short intervals. But why you would do that is beyond me.

I guess I had different results than you did. I would have enough ashes left over to half way cover the heating rod.

That is why I bought a small 1 gallon shop vac that I only used for the pellet smoker. I still have it even though I no longer have a pellet smoker.

 

[chopsaw]

Follow the directions that came with the unit .

Any other questions or advice needed , ask and get answers from here .