Torn between a pellet smoker and a gravity smoker. What do you guys think?

[MooseSpectacles]

Debating between a Traeger Pro Series and a Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050. The gravity smoker seems like the obvious better choice, but it seems like the quality isn't as good? Not really sure of any other pros and cons when comparing them to one another.

Can anyone, with some knowledge of the two types of smokers, provide any input? Thank you in advance

 

[SmokinEdge]

Have two pellet machines. If I did it again would definitely be a gravity fed. No doubt about it.

 

[SKade]

I’ve got a gravity fed. I love it. All the ease of the pellet. Fewer moving parts. Flavor of charcoal and wood chunks. I can run it off of a battery. The app lets me monitor and change the temperature from anywhere in case I have to run out for something or I don’t want to get out of bed on an overnight cook. 150-700f let’s me cook anything from smoking bacon to baking pizza. Holds temp well. I’ve had mine for well over a year and going strong. I’m about to bypass one of the switches on it but that will be my first mod on this grill. All around the best grill I’ve owned.

 

[MooseSpectacles]

I’ve got a gravity fed. I love it. All the ease of the pellet. Fewer moving parts. Flavor of charcoal and wood chunks. I can run it off of a battery. The app lets me monitor and change the temperature from anywhere in case I have to run out for something or I don’t want to get out of bed on an overnight cook. 150-700f let’s me cook anything from smoking bacon to baking pizza. Holds temp well. I’ve had mine for well over a year and going strong. I’m about to bypass one of the switches on it but that will be my first mod on this grill. All around the best grill I’ve owned.

Thanks for the input! Which gravity fed do you have?

 

[SKade]

Thanks for the input! Which gravity fed do you have?

I have the Masterbuilt 560. I would have liked a larger one but the price was better, it uses less fuel, and the wife pointed out I don’t need to feed an army. I’m not sure I agree with her but it’s usually best not to argue. It holds a good amount. I recently did 36 lbs of pork in one cook. On another I did four sides of salmon. It has held two full packers no problem. It gets the job done for me. That said who doesn’t want a larger grill? I love the Masterbuilt and think it’s great. I’ve had great luck with them. You can also check out the Char-Griller gravity fed. It feels pretty solid just kicking the wheels around in lows. I don’t have experience with it cooking but it’s the same principle. The cooking chamber is just a different shape so make sure it will hold what you want to cook. Every grill will have its pros and cons. I don’t think you will go wrong with a gravity fed.

 

[Chasdev]

Gravity feed all the way.
My excellent pellet cooker sits under it's cover, which has not been off for two years since I got my gravity rig.

 

[bill1]

Your fuel costs will be greater with the gravity machines. Even if the money isn't an issue, there is still more hauling of sacks of fuel from store to home. (Similarly some folks go to the hassle of plumbing their gas grills to household natural gas because they don't like the hassle of the 20# bottles.)
The effect is greater for short, high-temp cooks. So if you do burgers 5 times per week, you'll notice it more than just doing a pork butt every other weekend.
That said, I'd still choose the gravity, and I have 2 pellet machines.

And call me a Neanderthal, but I wouldn't sweat the "quality". These both have electronic thermostats and moving parts. Lifetime of the units is a matter of 1-2 decades. The quality of any of them is "good enough". This isn't like a 1/8" wall offset you leave to your grandkids.

 

[negolien]

I am partial I had my GF for quite a while and love it. I am not good enough for a stick burner and not a fan of cheap pellets so this was the compromise for me

 

[chef jimmyj]

I'm excited to see who will be jumping in the Gravity Game for the 2022 season. Seems Char-Grill looked at customer comments on the MB and made some improvements. Next year other companies will have the benefit of both designs and issues. We may see the Best of Both from a third party...JJ

 

[schlotz]

I might be the odd ball, didn't want to deal with charcoal and the mess afterwards. Depending on the pellets used (some leave a lot more ash) I can run 2 or 3 long smokes before bringing out the ash-vac for 2 minutes.

 

[Colin1230]

I'm excited to see who will be jumping in the Gravity Game for the 2022 season. Seems Char-Grill looked at customer comments on the MB and made some improvements. Next year other companies will have the benefit of both designs and issues. We may see the Best of Both from a third party...JJ

Totally agree and would love to see Weber be that 'third party'.

 

[bill1]

guess I'm surprised more gravity users aren't defending the ease-of-cleanup aspect of their machines vs. pellet? The MB's seemed to have the grease management under control, no? Apart from pulling out the tray(s) after each cook, do the gravities need much in the way of cleanup?
Like changing oil in a car, I used to somewhat enjoy cleaning a smoker after a cook. But I'm getting old and lazy....

 

[912smoker]

The MBGF is a breeze to clean. I always use a pan/rack so no grates to clean. And just a quick scrap after searing or crisping up some chicken. Ash dump is also easily handled. I've added a layer of foil to the heat diffuser and change it as needed. Have only done 1 deep clean since Jan and it's in use 3-4 times a week ! Love the charcoal and can easily enhance the smoke flavor with chunks.

 

[whistlepig]

I burn my 560 off at 700 degrees each time before use. Kind of like a self cleaning oven. And this works.