I have heard horror stories about some of the new pellet smokers coming out these days. My neighbor got a new Traeger a couple of years ago, and it couldn't hold consistent temps, and actually caught on fire one time. Customer service was a joke. I would certainly do a lot research about the company's warranty, and customer service. I would also ask who eats the shipping costs if you eventually have to send it back. Companies are so quick to get a product into consumers hands these days that we have become the beta testers, and pay the price if it turns out to be junk.
I did a lot of research before I bought my Rec Tec pellet grill, and knew that even though it was made overseas, they stood behind their product.