Thinking on getting rid of my pellet smoker. Opinions?

[ncage]

Guys what your opinions on pellet grills? I have one and honestly i'm thinking on getting rid of it. I actually have used it quite a bit but i don't know every time i eat Q from the pellet i just think on how much better it would have been if i would have cooked it on the WSM. The big thing is the convenience of course. Set and forget it. It just don't taste much smoky flavor out of a pellet. Ya i've went down different paths of trying to use different pellets & using A-MAZE-N Smoker and honestly its taking away the convenience for not much payback. Though i admit i use it quite a bit because of the convenience. Also if i want to get my next toy (a blackstone griddle) i have to get rid of the pellet because honestly we don't have room.

 

[flatbroke]

Lots of different thoughts about them. Some people Can not stand them. Some people have them and use them in the rotation with other smokers they have. Some people use a tube while cooking to add extra smoke. Some people find the pellet smoker doesn’t provide enough smoke flavor for them and others find it adequate.
Some prefer to use a pellet smoker over a sticker burner they have stored and others only use a stick burner.
It really is hard to mess up a cook on a pellet smoker and probably is what the big draw to them is. The nice thing about bbq is we get to decide what works for us and ours and go with it. Sounds like you found what works for you.
I have owned 2 pellet smokers and 1 was sold and the other soon to follow. I will stay with the stick burner.

 

[sawhorseray]

I agree 100% with flatbroke 's assessment! I know a great many folks on this site who produce outstanding cooks using a pellet smoker, just ain't for me. A power outage, tripped breaker, or clogged pellet feeder and your entire cook can be ruined. Nothing will give you the true smoke flavor of a stick burner, and you are the primary in the entire cook. Meat, wood, fire, and steel, you and only you are in charge and responsible for the outcome, not a electrical outlet, it's all so primal. I feel I can get as much smoke flavor using my Weber kettle as a pellet popper will provide, it's just up to each individual as to how much effort they want to put into every cook. RAY

 

[old sarge]

Always best to go with your gut rather than advice. When I tired of my old offset stick burner (got old and somewhat lazy), I went electric; held on the the offset for quite awhile, then let it go. Convenience trumped convention. In your case, it seem to be the opposite.

 

[BB-que]

I’m a pellet user at the moment cause convenience, for the time being, trumps the negatives. But once the 3 little ones are a little more independent, I’ll be getting a stick burner in addition to or in place of the Rec Tec. But for now I do way more cooks than I would otherwise so it’s the right fit for the time being.

 

[pineywoods]

I have both and while I feel nothing compares to food coming off the stick burner I use the pellet smoker a lot more because it's so easy. I don't smoke anywhere near as often as I used to in general with more time being taken up with other things but it would be even less if all I had was the stick burner because of the time it takes tending it. So for me I'll keep both because the stick burner produces the best but the pellet pooper even without the tube produces better food that the oven or stove top. If I could only have one I honestly don't know which I would own and think it would be a different answer for different people.

 

[mike243]

I would like to have 1 of ever smoker design, I dont sell them as they all perform different, I can understand having to pick 1 and glad I have no limits, well other than the wife lol

 

[Bud J]

Although I do not have a pellet smoker I use an Amazen tray with Pellets since I could not get my wood chips to smoke efficiently in my electric.
After using the tray about ten times, I am now doing what ever I can to get the chips to work. To me, I get better smoke flavor with the chips. Pellets are convenient but the flavor is just not there as it is with wood.

 

[tag0401]

Pellet smokers....you either love them or you don't. I have never used one however if it was me and I needed room for something else and the pellet smoker was not producing the results I wanted then I would let it go. Tough decision letting go of convenience, I had that issue going from electric to offset. My results are so much better with the offset and its worth the extra attention in my opinion.

 

[SmokinAl]

I have never owned a pellet grill, but do have a Smoke Vault propane smoker. I have to agree with Piney that the convenience of the propane makes me use it more. Even though I have a Lang, and a WSM. The Q is not quite as good when using the SV, but as said above sometimes ease of use trumps quality. If I have the time I always use the Lang.
Al

 

[Winterrider]

Pellet and electric owner.
The ease of use with the pellet is awesome. I do use a tube always for a couple hrs of extra smoke. Use more for the higher temps such as for chicken or butts. Otherwise the lower temp cooks have a tendency to dry things out some with the fan operation.
The ease of use with electric/PID is easier yet IMO. Tube or tray in mailbox, set temp, and walk away. Much more versatile also. Easily maintain lower temps for fish, sausage, jerky, etc.

 

[Chasdev]

I use my pellet burner for ribs and chicken, in other words for meats that don't need tons of smoke flavor.
For beef, it's Masterbuilt 560 all the way, burning more oak than they recommend to mimic stick burner flavor.

 

[phanman]

I am on the fence as well. I love the thought of the convenience of a pellet smoker but still haven't pulled the trigger due to the lack of smoke flavor you speak of. My buddy uses a pellet smoker and always reminds me that I like to use my ceramic grill for cooks as I seem to get a better smoke flavor and ring. Quick story, I went to a local BBQ joint the other day that was supposed to be the rave of town, I had the brisket and pork and neither had any smoke flavor to it and just tasted like baked meat. I asked how they cooked the meat and was told using a commercial pellet smoker. I then could pin-point that it tasted just like my buddies because he always uses a pellet smoker but never has any bold smoke flavor in brisket or pork. I know some say to use the smoke tube to get that extra flavor but again, taking away from the convenience of the "set it and forget it". If I am going to tend to a smoke tube then I can tend to my ceramic or even a stick burner. I am in the hunt for a good Masterbuilt though as I would like to try my hand at one of those, just can't seem to find the right one.

 

[Tcurrin]

I use a pellet smoker with a tube for extra smoke the first couple of hours. I have a short tube that goes about an hour and another that will go 2 hours. Before I got the tubes to provide the extra smoke I considered looking for something else. Now, I get plenty of smoke and can easily change wood types to get different flavors. My next step will probably be electric for even more convenience.
You may want to give a smoke tube a try before dismissing it as inconvenient. All I do is load, light, and forget about it. They are very easy to use and cheap to purchase.

 

[noboundaries]

I no longer worry about convenience, but I remember when I did. My wife bought me a gasser (pre-pellet era) because I wasn't Weber Kettling enough. I used the gasser for several years, and yes, it was convenient, but the flavor just wasn't the same as the Kettle. No matter how much I tried, I could not get the woody flavor I was missing. Out came the Kettle when I decided to learn to smoke meat. The gasser is a rusted out cabinet for my propane bottle(s) and single-burner Camp Chef coffee roaster. I have zero interest in a pellet grill/smoker but certainly understand the allure. Sometimes expectations and reality meet; sometimes, they don't.

 

[Berettaclayshooter]

I don't own a pellet, A friend does and his pulled pork was great that i had form it. Another friend has a MES and I DID NOT like what came off of it, maybe it was because it was pretty new to him. But the meat tasted like a poorly run fire on an offset. I personally feel it's cheating if your not cooking with live fire and feel that's the best way for me anyway. Yes it is a hassle at times, but I know going into a cook that my day is devoted to the cook.

 

[Hawging It]

Got 2 stick burners and love em. Want a WSM 22” to add to the arsenal.

 

[bbqbrett]

I use an offset and love it but I love tending to the fire etc. On the other hand I have both friends and family that still put out some pretty decent food with pellets. I think you got to follow your main feeling on this but if there is a way for you to have both that would be the way to go. I don't have a pellet smoker myself but there are definitely times the convenience would be nice.

 

[Watchinfire]

I think I've found my peace with both. I love sitting up all night with my old stick burner, especially during the Covid - it is very peaceful. I also have a PitBoss Copperhead 5 pellet oven that works great for finishing everything after that 6-8hr mark on the stick burner and/or when other things need to be done once the sun comes up. There was a time though when the pellet oven fritzed out due to a bad thermostat right at the time I was about to put all the meat on it; thankfully I had plenty of wood and the stick burner doesn't "break". They both have their place, but I think the offset produces a superior product, to me, than anything I make entirely on the Pitboss, but; it's all good eating!

 

[daspyknows]

I used a Weber kettle for years but it was on its last legs. Did the research and chose to go all in with a stick burner and also replace the big kettle with a smaller one. Its more work but the food is amazing so feel like I went the right way.