Like said all people have different budgets and expectations. Pellet smokers just about all have the same mechanisms that cause them to do what they do. Also they are all about the same in thickness until you get into the upper level ones that will cost 1k and higher. I'd happily put my pitboss Austin XL up against anything else out there in the same class. Kroger also is now selling blackstones so it's probably unfair to say you can't get a good deal from a grocery storeI look at them once an walked away. Plus any grill sold at a grocery store???
Like said all people have different budgets and expectations. Pellet smokers just about all have the same mechanisms that cause them to do what they do. Also they are all about the same in thickness until you get into the upper level ones that will cost 1k and higher. I'd happily put my pitboss Austin XL up against anything else out there in the same class. Kroger also is now selling blackstones so it's probably unfair to say you can't get a good deal from a grocery store
No disrespect meant on my part just my .02 cents. I have a buddy that has a super tiny pellet smoker that imo is a POS. But he thinks it's the greatest thing ever lol. We all have different means and expectationsI do not have Krogers here in Cal. Blackstone is an outstanding brand. As usual I stand corrected and you are correct budgets are a factor for sure.
I have gotten tired of cookers rusting out and/or falling apart in a few years so I try to buy once, cry once.