Need help / advice

[yamalube]

I have had enough of my MB propane smoker. It has lasted me about 5 or 6 years. I'm ready for something different. I want to buy a smoker grille combo. I do not know where to post this, since there are no subforums for these combos. I need a new grille and smoker. So why not combo it, right?

I want reliability. I want good customer service. But, I can't break the bank. Maybe I could swing 700ish dollars. I have been searching online, but I just can't seem to find any good topics of what I want to buy. I see a lot of komodo sites though. I want to be able to smoke from say an hour to 24 hours without issues. I don't want to have massive temp swings like my propane does.

Can your guys and gals point me in a good direction please????? Even some forum topics would be helpful. I'll keep searching myself as well. My wife was hinting to me about a pitboss combo from Lowes. I want something where I can fit a whole rack of ribs in. I don't want to have to bend them or cut them.

I appreciate the help everyone. Thank you.

 

[Winterrider]

May answer some questions you have.

Forum list

Smoking Meat Forums is all about smoking meat, smokers, grills, cookers, smoking meat recipes, how to smoke ribs, chicken, brisket, smoked appetizers and more.

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[fftwarren]

Just bought a recteq. Absolutely thrilled with the purchase. Holds temps like an oven. Can low smoke at 180 or take it up to 600-700+ degrees depending on the model. They aren’t cheap but the quality is top notch and all you read is how awesome customer service is. And they do have a little sale going right now. Recteq.com

 

[JLeonard]

The MB gravity feed has a pretty good following on here. Night want to look at them.
Jim

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Do you have a preference for a particular fuel source?
If not, then as mentioned above, a pellet grill just might fit the bill.
With the price you have in mind, you should investigate Pit Boss, Camp Chef, and of course Rec-Teq.

 

[gmc2003]

Like SecondHandSmoker said do you have a preferred fuel source? I like charcoal, and since it's only the wife and I the 26" Weber Kettle fits the bill.

Here's a shot of a rack of ribs and a pork shoulder smoking away:

...and for grilling a couple of Tomahawks and taters.

Still plenty of real estate open on both cooks.

Chris

 

[Flatrate]

I had a combo once and was thrilled with it. It was a Brinkman gas/coal job, after 8 years and a nice flare up on the gas side, I was out a gas and coal grill. I decided no more combos for me. I replaced the gas and have yet to replace the coal, but I got the itch to very soon.

 

[sandyut]

well, not sure a combo grill/smoker isnt going to be a compromise on both. I have a rec teq rt700 and love it. But i kept my Weber genesis for straight grilling and im glad I did.

 

[negolien]

If u really wanna be able to grill hot I agree. The Masterbuilt gravity feeds are bang for the buck awesome. You can even find the 1050's on sale for 400 bucks sometimes. You can get a great smoke with pellet ease... I would highly recommend you check them out.

 

[rileybowler]

I think that with the price you are talking you can get a Camp Chef DLX24 Pro with the new controller for that price and still have a few bucks left. They are sold on Outdoor Cooking as well as Amazon . If you go this route make sure that you get the new controller it has settings for more or less smoke and I really don't think you will beat it for the price.

 

[dr k]

With fan stoked gravity fed smokers throwing flames for steaks and 16lbs of charcoal for low overnight smokes make sure and get a pallet of fuel to get you through a year. Expensive consumables. You'll go through more fuel than you have bought in a year than ever before and putting in the stock slides to shut down save fuel when done. Fan stoked gravity feed isn't like traditional gravity feed on efficiency and doesn't save coal when sealed up starving it of air as well. I'd add fuel as you need with flame throwing for hot fast and only load a bag when low and slow overnight.

 

[schlotz]

@SecondHandSmoker has put you on a good path. Do you homework well and hopefully you'll end up with a buy that will satisfy your needs for at least 10 years, hopefully more.

 

[yamalube]

Do you have a preference for a particular fuel source?
If not, then as mentioned above, a pellet grill just might fit the bill.
With the price you have in mind, you should investigate Pit Boss, Camp Chef, and of course Rec-Teq.

Thank you very much

 

[negolien]

\

With fan stoked gravity fed smokers throwing flames for steaks and 16lbs of charcoal for low overnight smokes make sure and get a pallet of fuel to get you through a year. Expensive consumables. You'll go through more fuel than you have bought in a year than ever before and putting in the stock slides to shut down save fuel when done. Fan stoked gravity feed isn't like traditional gravity feed on efficiency and doesn't save coal when sealed up starving it of air as well. I'd add fuel as you need with flame throwing for hot fast and only load a bag when low and slow overnight.

LOl yeah ok O.o

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

@yamalube Rec-Tec has the RT-590 on sale. Food for thought....

 

[yamalube]

@yamalube Rec-Tec has the RT-590 on sale. Food for thought....

Thank you

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Thank you

You're very welcome.

 

[1MoreFord]

Here's the Camp Chef I have. It has a movable heat diffuser that slides away from the fire pot allowing grilling temps there. Aside from the near universal complaint about lack of smoke flavor from most pellet grills I'm very happy with it and have bought an A-Maze-N tube to add more smoke flavor.


ETA - Home Depot has them on sale now too but their price is $650.

 

[chesterinflorida]

With a little practice, a Weber 26” kettle will out smoke most pellet grills, and would certainly be a better grill. It‘s by far the most versatile unit mentioned here. Better yet, it’s the most durable/reliable unit mentioned here and only costs $400. It’s also about the simplest to maintain. No need for a shop vac like many pellet users use. Just scrub the grates and then sweep into the ash catcher and dump. I use an old 4” paint brush. If you add a few simple accessories like a slow n sear or vortex, then it is even more versatile cooking machine. Nothing beats a kettle for wings or chicken in general. You can also get that 1000 degree sear. The only real negative is you won’t have space for multiple big meats. 1 big brisket or maybe two pork butts will mostly fill it up. Check out you tube or do a search for smoking on the 26” and you will get more info than you need. many different ways to use it. Can do snake methods i.e. lining a thin row of briquettes around the perimeter works well. Used this many times on my smaller 22” kettle and it works great. People will also set them up using a temp controller and fan and get very consistent temps And a smaller controlled fire in a basket such as a slow n sear. Really hard to beat one of these For an all around unit.