New Recteq 1250 vs Pitts and Spitts 1250

[rparke4]

Greetings all. I'm ready to go all in on a pellet pooper. I've done a TON of reading. Recteq seems to be the favorite, with most people opting for the 700. I see that they are now offering an upgraded 700 as the 1250 (added shelf and some other additions).

The Pitts and Spitts 1250 is about $700 more. My question is, for anyone who has experience with both, it the P&S worth the premium over Recteq? I don't see nearly as much info on the P&S and I'm not sure if that's an indication that they are less popular because of the price, or for some other reason.

I'm a buy once, cry once kind of guy but I do have a budget cap of around $2,500, give or take.

 

[chesterinflorida]

The RT1250 is an updated 700 and adds a few things the 700 should have had like the upper cooking grate, and both grates now slide like the PS1250. I do like the foldable front shelf (need to be foldable as the grill is fairly deep to begin with because of the rear hopper).

To compare the two:

Rec Teq is made in China in a large factory with parts glued and bolted together and weighs about half as much. Pitts and Spitts is made in Texas, with very heavy material and is fully welded. Material quality is higher grade on the PS and you can tell you have a hand made quality unit. The RT is still nice though, and has more stainless steel so maintenance should be easier. The steel barrel of the PS while very nice and heavy duty will require more maintenance/upkeep.

Rec Teq comes with the standard WiFi, and it appears to be an updated version. The PS has optional WiFi, but this will cost you more money.

Rec Teq will heat faster as it has less material to warm up. The PS has much thicker material to heat up, so if you are looking for speed, the RT is better in that regard. The PS will recover faster once it’s up and running as the thicker material will retain more heat.

PS has a few option that the RT lacks that are very nice. One is the trap door on the drip pan to expose your food to a direct flame, which is better for grilling at higher temps. It also has a pellet dump feature. Also has a griddle option.

Performance is probably pretty close for smoking. Some of the added features of the PS will make it a better grill if you want to use it as such (these are add one though, so will cost you even more $).

In the end, Rec Teq will sell tons more units than Pitts and Spitts. It’s likely PS can’t make as many grills in a year as RT sells in a month. You get more bang for the buck with the RT. What you lose is the Made in America hand made feel, and overall build quality.

 

[rparke4]

The RT1250 is an updated 700 and adds a few things the 700 should have had like the upper cooking grate, and both grates now slide like the PS1250. I do like the foldable front shelf (need to be foldable as the grill is fairly deep to begin with because of the rear hopper).

To compare the two: .....

Thank you! This is very helpful. I didn't really see direct comparisons between these two models. The P&S seems to be compared to Yoder and Mak.
Thank you for pointing out the wifi add-on with the P&S. I had read that was an option but thought it had become a standard feature.

So all in, taking into account the wifi option and $200 shipping for the P&S (vs free shipping for the RT) the P&S is a little over $1k more. I love the idea of a fully welded, heavy, made in America unit but it doesn't seem to turn out better Q than the RT. I'd also be concerned about the longevity of the RT, with cheaper materials and build process, but people don't seem to indicate that is an issue. My heart is telling me P&S but my brain can't find a single reason to spend the extra cash.

 

[chesterinflorida]

Thank you! This is very helpful. I didn't really see direct comparisons between these two models. The P&S seems to be compared to Yoder and Mak.
Thank you for pointing out the wifi add-on with the P&S. I had read that was an option but thought it had become a standard feature.

So all in, taking into account the wifi option and $200 shipping for the P&S (vs free shipping for the RT) the P&S is a little over $1k more. I love the idea of a fully welded, heavy, made in America unit but it doesn't seem to turn out better Q than the RT. I'd also be concerned about the longevity of the RT, with cheaper materials and build process, but people don't seem to indicate that is an issue. My heart is telling me P&S but my brain can't find a single reason to spend the extra cash.

Well, that in a nutshell is why the Rec Teq is way more popular than a P&S (as well as Yoder and Mak). It’s hard to rationalize spending considerable more for something that basically does the same thing. It’s kind of like comparing a Camry to a BMW. Both get you from A & B just about the same. The Camry is definitely less expensive to operate and run, and the better option for the masses. However, there is a draw to the BMW that some need or at least want.

For me, I will buy the cheaper car as it allows me to buy the more expensive smoker/pit.

 

[Winterrider]

That extra grand won't make things taste better. Made in America would be the only tipping card, but personally don't think so in this case.
Best of luck with your decision, I'm sure they would both serve you well for many years.
$1000 buys a lot of meat

 

[Inscrutable]

And realistically, you can add a few options to the RT700 and be pretty close for several hundred $ even less.

 

[rparke4]

Thanks for the opinions/info. Going to order the RT1250. Can't wait to post pics of my first cook