Please recommend a pellet pooper in the $500 range.

[sdkid]

Looking for something local but may consider mail order. What is my best value in the $500 range?

 

[drunkenmeatfist]

Are you looking to grill and smoke with it or just smoke? I got the Pit Boss Copperhead 5 on clearance and it has a ton of space. Works like a champ, but no grilling option.

 

[6GRILLZNTN]

If you could up your budget around $100, you can get a Rec Tec Trailblazer for $599 shipped. It will smoke and grill. I've had the previous version for several years and it's been a solid performer. They have great customer service as well. In my opinion, a pellet grill is a "Buy once, Cry once" investment.

 

[jake0531]

I bought my Green Mountain Grill Daniel Boone during Black Friday last year for $400. They came out with a prime version earlier this year. The one I have is now called a Daniel Boone choice. It’s $500 right now. I haven’t looked back since getting it. Its truly been a set and forget. I used it for grilling at 500 degrees for the first time last week and it did good for burgers as well.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

If you could up your budget around $100, you can get a Rec Tec Trailblazer for $599 shipped. It will smoke and grill. I've had the previous version for several years and it's been a solid performer. They have great customer service as well. In my opinion, a pellet grill is a "Buy once, Cry once" investment.

I second the Trailblazer.

 

[sdkid]

I looking to grill and smoke. This will be my Father’s Day gift so I’m not sure how firm the budget is. Going to check out Green Mountain tomorrow, the local feed store sells them.

 

[siege]

I bought a Pit Boss XL pro 1100 yesterday at Lowe's for $549. Price includes assembly and delivery. This is a HUGE grill and smoker. It has everything I wanted, and has a 5 year warranty. It will be delivered tomorrow. I currently have a stick burner, 2 Masterbuilts, and a Webber kettle that has been converted to a pizza oven.
I also have a gas BBQ that I hope to retire when the pellet pooper is set up, saving me some real estate on the deck.
Walmart has the Pit Boss Austin 1000 sq in for $497.
Check your local big box stores !

 

[jac63]

I have a pit boss 820 that I caught on sale for $399. It's a good grill/smoker but doesn't have any bells and whistles if that matters to you. It seems to be a well built unit and I'm pretty well satisfied with it. There was a learning curve on controlling the temps but the food that comes off of it has been the best I've ever made.

 

[mpkelley20]

I will second the Pit Boss 1100. I have had mine for a couple of months and it has been great. It has a searing feature for steaks and burgers which is easily operated using a lever. The temp swings seem consistent with what others post for these grills. And it has a big hopper that can run for 26 hours on smoke mode (supposedly). I paid $549 delivered and assembled by Lowes.

I just did my first set of st Louis ribs yesterday and they were fall off the bone delicious.

 

[mike243]

I love my Austin XL, cooked a pork butt Saturday night into Sunday morning and it used about 1lbs per hour of pellets, thats very reasonable to me

 

[sdkid]

I'm really leaning to the Pit boss 1000. The 1000SC, Austin XL and Rancher XL are all available locally. I like the sc but wife does not want to wait for the $66 rebate from Menards 11% sale.

 

[retfr8flyr]

In that price range and wanting to smoke and grill, the Austin XL is hard to beat.

 

[Winterrider]

In that price range and wanting to smoke and grill, the Austin XL is hard to beat.

$469 @ Wal-Mart the other day.

 

[redlinezo6]

Hoping it's okay if I jump on this thread. I'm also currently looking for a smoker.

I've been looking at either the Traeger Pro 575 wifi, or Traeger Eastwood 22 (on sale at home depot right now).

Reading through this thread I realized that I have no idea about all these other brands and what is good quality etc.
I don't necessarily need anything bigger than the eastwood 22. Mostly be smoking things for myself, with the occasional group of 6-10 people.

I have questions as well, like is grilling with these effective compared to propane or charcoal (not counting flavor)? It seems like these would be easier to clean as well? Has anyone used the Wifi feature, it seems like it could be useful to slow smoke for several hours while I'm at work, then turn the heat up on my way home so it cooked through and ready to put on my plate?

Thank you in advance!

 

[mpkelley20]

Most won't really allow you to grill like a propane or charcoal. A few do give you a searing option like the pit boss 1100 (and probably the Austin). I think the pro series 800 pit boss also can sear. With that option, there is a part of the heat shield that you can move to expose the flame. I have had great success with grilling burgers and hotdogs with that feature. It is not the entire cooking surface so you are not going to be searing 3 or 4 steaks or burgers at the same time though.

I think the newest Traegers have a searing feature. The ones that just came out. For me, my Pit Boss has replaced my older Weber genesis for everything. I have no need for a different style since I can smoke, bake and grill with it.

Others may have different experiences with their models but in my opinion, it is possible to use a pellet pooper as your only grill. As for Traeger vs other brands, from what I have read, if you are looking at Traeger you should look at Pit Boss, Camp Chef and a few other brands like that. Maybe more for your money with similar quality.

 

[mike243]

My pitboss has 2 meat probes which is very handy imo

 

[redlinezo6]

Appreciate the advice! Just to give you guys an update, I ended up getting the Pit Boss Pro Series 810(I think) from Lowes for 500 assembled and delivered. Did a few strips of bacon the first day just to try her out and figure out how it works. Turned out pretty dang tasty! Going to try a 8lb bone in pork butt in the morning. Fingers crossed.