GMG vs Traeger

[geerock]

Wood fueled heat source is usually the criteria for comps so pellets are good to go.

 

[aaronsnow]

looks good Aaron...as you use your GMG DB more and more...you'll continue to be impressed! From your photos looks like your stainless steel chimney cap is set a bit too high....screw it down until you can just get two fingers between chimney and cap..that will be perfect. Otherwise, I've found on my GMG DB that the best pellets to use are the GMG Premiums....I've tried many, and these burn the most consisten, and evenly of any I've tried. Also, If I might suggest.....if you want a little "more smoke" for one of your cooks, get the AMAZN tube smoker from Todd Johnson, and set that on the back ledge inside the grill....it fits perfectly, and ads a nice "smoke" to those butts, and briskets!! Dan

I've read that in the warm months you should keep the chimney wide open and in the cold months use the two finger rule.

If you read my first post you'd see I'm already a big fan of the amazn smokers... :)

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[iebbqman]

One last question for anyone, do they allow pellet smokers in competition smokes, I've seen grumbling on youtube from folks and some have even hinted that they are campaigning to DQ them they are not true to the competition.

Here is Rule #6 from the KCBS sanctioned rules available at http://www.kcbs.us/pdf/2013_rules.pdf

Fires shall be of wood, wood pellets, or charcoal.  Gas and electric heat sources shall not be permitted for cooking or holding.  Propane or electric is permitted as fire starters provided the the competition meat is not on/in the cooking device.  Electrical accessories such as spits, augers, or forced draft are permitted.  No open pits or holes are permitted, except at the election of the contest organizer.  Fires shall not be built on the ground.

So yes pellet grills are allowed.  A lot of non pellet smoking teams use technology based on the pellet grill system with draft control and feeders.  So to ban pellet grills, it would also require almost every single team to have their equipment banned.  Not to mention companies such as GMG sponsor and put a lot of money into the competition circuit.  Almost every single team uses a stoker device to push air and control temp in there smokers at competition.

 

[cobbq]

Thanks

 

[detherly]

I don't know what you decided but the Traeger is really good when I use it. We cook on it about 2 times a week. It keeps perfect temperature and I just walk away. I did 18 racks of ribs on their texas model and they literally fell off the bone and I had never cooked ribs before.

What did you decide to go with? how do you like it?

 

[michaeldjr]

Having been employed at a Traeger dealer for over a decade, and having our dealership switch to GMG, I can tell you that there is no comparison. The lil' tex versus the daniel boone is grill abuse, and GMG is handing it out. The higher cooking temperature (450 vs 500) as well as the lower smoking temperature (150 vs170) I have found myself eating more off the grill at lunch time. The larger cooking area of GMG means that I can smoke 19 10 to 14 inch butterflied trout in a sitting. The gold mountain blend pellets are universal enough that I don't end up with Hickory flavored pizza, and if you haven't tried raspberry filled croissants on the grill, you're missing something! We do a lot of hunting in the area here, and Elk shoulder steaks are due up this Saturday! Trust me when I say, buy a Green Mountain every time. The side shelf (included) is gonna take some weight come this weekend! Enjoy Aaron! You've just started down a long smokey road :-) !

 

[teetmaidla]

If You compare everything to traeger why you should go with everything else? Get a TRAEGER

 

[tolucajo]

I first bought a Traeger in late spring. After a few months of cooking, best thing invented! In late summer, "upgraded" to a gmg Daniel Boone with the additional features and cooking area. I miss the Traeger, more consistent results. The Daniel Boone has inconsistent cooking Temps. Usually off by 60-100 degrees. Called gmg, great customer service!, replaced the electronics and still. First couple of of briskets didn't come out well. For a weekend backyard smoker,with my experience on both rigs, Traeger produced more consistent results that friends and family enjoyed. Sort of stuck with the Daniel Boone, had to adjust temperature to set at 320 to get 225 output, doesn't come close to 425 when I max out the temp. Also, the Daniel Boone has more escape points for smoke around the hopper, underneath, and lid. Lots of heat variations in the smoker. Called customer service, they have great service, said to move the heat deflector which helped a little. I'm definitely considering going back to Traeger, but where I bought the DB at **Q G*l*r* has a 60 day exchange policy which sucks. Workmanship is probably not much difference. Thinking of giving this to a friend or tinkering with it to make it better. Question what would you do to make it better? I've already put in a thermostat on the grille to see what the cook temp is which has helped. Any advice?

 

[sir smoke alot]

I got a traeger from cost co.. work very well at high temps.very consistent +/- 15 degrees just as advertised..when I smoke on low temps like 225..I get massive temp swings..70 to a 100 degrees..I called traeger they suggested changing p setting to p1..I did and got a flame out..called back they suggested cooking at a different temp..she was polite but help my situation..I will be returning this weekend..going for a rec tec..does gmg have pid controller??

 

[yahoot]

Personally, I wouldn't take another traeger. too many issues, too little knowledgeable support. They seem much more focused on pushing low end units through big box stores than on making good products and servicing them well. I notice a lot of "former" traeger dealers around. that says something to me.

I have only played with GMG products at a show, so I don't have a real opinion either way.

Personally, I really like the Louisiana Smoker (danson) in that price range. We have owned several. Side burn design (like the Yoder) so no auger fires/clogs, great controls, very flexible (even has a searing plate, if you want one). Service has been stellar.

If you like the traeger design, I would recommend you go look at camp chef. Although they have been making outdoor cooking systems for decades, I think they have only been making pellet smokers for about 6 years (IIRC), but they have far surpassed traeger, IMHO. Really innovative - easy pellet dump, ability to dump ash without disassembling the rig, list goes on and on. Also, great service in my experience.

 

[yahoot]

Hey Aaronsnow - around the DC area, you might want to look for someone who sells Omalley pellets. They make really good pellet and they have factories in Virginia and Maryland, so I would think they would be pretty inexpensive there. We sampled their 100% hickory and 100% apple pellets a couple of times over the years. Really good results, but it is just too expensive to ship them to us in California.