Pellet smokers?

[thefoxsmoker32]

I have a stick burner and propane smoker looking to try a pellet smoker would like to hear the best options?

 

[jcoleman66]

When My MES 30 died I went with a PitBoss Vertical Series 4 (Lowes). So far I have been very happy with it. I went with this one because I had a 200.00 gift card and so got a 400 smoke for 200, allowing me to get my feet wet with a pellet smoker.

I think if money was no object would have gone with a Yoder. Have heard good things about Green Mountain and RecTec.

 

[smokerjim]

I have a pitboss 1000 and a mes 30, I get better smoked foods from the mes 30, I'm happy with the pellet grill/smoker but ya get a much lighter smoke flavor unless you use pellet tube to get more smoke. So if your used to the flavor from a stick burner just keep in mind a pellet smoker although more convenient will not match up to it flavor wise. Of course this is my opinion.

 

[Chasdev]

Agree, pellet spitters offer hands off cooking, which I admit is why I bought mine after driving a stick burner for too many hours per cook, BUT, I miss the flavor of smoked meat, a lot.
No amount of smoke adding gizmo's will get anywhere near offset flavor profile.

 

[unclebubbas bbq]

What's your budget? Hi end pellet smokers are Yoder, RecTec, Green Mountain $1300-$1800
Lower end Pitt Boss, Z Grills, Camp Chef $300-650

 

[TuckersBarbeque]

I second what everyone is saying here. I have a RecTec and am quite pleased with their quality and consistency. With that said, a pellet smoker will never give you the smoke flavor of an offset unless you are running a tube and even then it won't be quite there.
Their strength is the set and forget, especially the newer ones with wifi. When I'm in for just a casual smoke during the work day (work upstairs on the phone most of the day), the pellet downstairs doing it's thing unattended is worth its weight in gold.
However on weekends, when I got nothing to do but drink beer, I'll manage a smoke on either the weber charcoal or Masterbuilt.

Lower ends: Pitboss, Masterbuilt, Z Grills, Traeger (yes I consider them low end now)
Mid end: Rec Tec, Green Mountain
High end: Yoder

 

[sandyut]

I LOVE my rec teq!

 

[Fueling Around]

I got an entry level Masterbuilt to figure out if I liked a pellet pooper.
It has some quirks and nowhere near the flavor from an offset or even the kettle.
I'm trying to decide if I should pull the trigger and get a Smoke Daddy pid controller upgrade. The controller will be more than I paid for the Masterbuilt.

 

[YankTx]

I have a stick burner and propane smoker looking to try a pellet smoker would like to hear the best options?

I had a Traeger 850 and just bought a Memphis Pro and the difference in the controllers are night and day meaning the Memphis is superior. I am a fan of Memphis.