I would love to see a head-to-head-head of the 3 smokers you mentioned falling into the same category. MB1050, Camp Chef, and Konnected Joe. All have the WiFi connectivity, all will be about same level of effort, all close enough in price. I think it would be a unique and informative video!
Still have my KJ Jr. But stepped into a Recteq 380 pellet intro pellet smoker this past year and love their PID controller. Extremely tight temp control
This is a great break down. Something I never see in these type of side by side reviews is a breakdown on fuel used and that cost. It's definitely something to consider and I appreciated getting that in this video.
These are not only informative and well-made videos, but the host, James, is just a likable fellow with a great delivery. Subscribed after twenty five seconds!
Top notch video. I am often bewildered by those who don't appreciate the flavor advantage generated by stick burners. You have invested a great deal of time with the different types of smokers, which makes this very convincing and valuable. I will share this as a reference with friends who are on the fence , just like I share your 101 cook videos for solid references.
Amazing review and comparison!! Thank you! Finally an honest and non biased comparison between the two styles. I’m still going to buy the woodwind bc I want to be able to spend time with the family and not be 5 steps from the grille all the time. But I feel so much better with the realistic expectations you gave.
Thanks for using the OJoe for the test. I’m getting great results with mine from watching your vids. The smaller splits have been a real game changer. Super clean smoke. Thanks as always!
you bet, i fell in love with it ... sure its a little more work but for the money its crazy good. sad to have sold it but i feel good with where i got the results too
I'm thinking about getting this Camp Chef, thanks for this comparison. I was hoping you would say the smoke flavor was closer to the OK Joe but unfortunately that's not the case. I do own the Ok Joe Bronco and the Highland. I have a pellet grill and it works great for what it does but I think it's time for an upgrade to my pellet grill and the Camp Chef seems to be the ticket for me.
I had a similar issue with cutting logs to chunks on a miter saw, I broke a couple of fences. I purchased a battery powered hand held chainsaw. It works well for cutting logs to chunks. I use it for smoking chunks and also for making small chunks for my tabletop Solo Mesa.
Thank you great job. I completely agree as I have done my own tests in relation to stick burner versus pellets. You just can't get the same kind of smoke ring from a pellet smoker that you do from a stick burner. When I want convenience I use a pellet smoker when I want real deal barbecue I use the stick burner. 👍
Got to be honest James, my first smoker was a weber smokey mountain. It really is set and forget. OK, it's a charcoal water smoker, but if I didn't want to fire manage, I'd use the weber. It runs and runs once set. If I want to fire manage, I use my offset. I can't see me ever having a pellet smoker, I don't want to spent £20 on pellets that don't really add a smoke flavour.
Hello, James! I've had a kamado joe classic for a couple of years now and I've been wanting to buy a offset smoker for a long time. Does it make sense for me to take something cheap like oklahoma joe or the result will disappoint me after kamado joe? And thank you for all the education and inspiration btw
I think you really nailed what has drawn me to pellet smokers, even if I know they can't reach the heights of an offset. If I'm doing a brisket, it usually means I'm having family/friends over in which case I want to spend my day with company we're having over, not necessarily tending a fire. And for most weeknight cooks, the ability to punch a few buttons and get a steady temp is amazing for just me and my wife. Maybe once I'm older and retired I'll pick up a nice offset to spend my days tending. Until then though, the convenience is just too much.
I know this is an old comment, but lately I have been watching a lot of side by side comparisons for things like brisket with people like Mad Scientist BBQ and what seems to be a reoccurring theme I have been seeing is that with a lot of these modern pellet grills that have the ability to have a smoke box, there isn't enough of a difference to justify the work necessary to run an off set, and they seem to be coming up with more and more obtuse reasons as to why you would want to run an offset as opposed to a pellet. This feels a lot like the discussion I had with my brother about how he doesn't like using a sous vide for cooking a steak because it makes all of the work and practice he did for learning how to grill a steak meaningless.
@@SmokingDadBBQ i have a miter too danger at times. I got the alligator just remember to oil each time you use it, crucial. I forgot with my first one and it started smoking. I got a replacement.
I love everything about this series: host, production quality, and valid data to back it all up. Thanks for creating all of these great videos! Quick suggestion (I think you can do it post post) is to add a text overlay at 17:47 highlighting which rack is which (offset vs woodwind pro). Again thanks for this awesome content!
If you want hands off in an offset, use a charcoal basket. If you want Masterbuilt or Kamado Joe style mix of flavours in an offset use a charcoal basket. I use minion plates to make the fire burn in an "S" pattern to get about three hours unattended burns. Great for winter and parties. Load the minion plates in the charcoal basket. Drop a layer of briquettes (for fire longevity) a layer of charcoal (for that kiss of charcoal) and whatever wood chunks you want (for that sweet wood taste). Light one corner with a torch and put a chunk of wood over that spot in five minutes. If you're cooking "Jirby" style, you go a bit dirty with the smoke first and then clean it up, so you put the meat on right away. If not, wait. The burn is not too dependent on airflow anymore, so just use the flue to control the temps in the cook chamber. When the last part of the "S" is almost exhausted, knock the ashes out and fill the now vacant area with briquettes, charcoal and wood chunks and the fire will reverse and go back to the beginning. Vary the flavour profile by using different quantities of wood vs charcoal (the briquettes burn longer to regulate heat), vary the flavour profile by alternating wood chunks. You can have a chunk of cherry light a chunk of maple lighting a chunk of oak (not that I am telling you what woods combine to make the best smoke....yes I am...) I'm telling you, a hot fire in a stick burner is going to give pizza oven flavour if you have the pie high enough and in the right spot...
I think it is safe to say when you start buying different styles of smokers you go all out your set up looks like some sort of a showcase in a museum in the best sort of way!
sure its better than some pellets, but i don't find it better than other smart grills like the MB or the KJ Konnected for similar money and more versatility
Great video James! I’ve owned every generation of Camp chef pellet smokers since 2015 and the WW Pro is by far the best pellet grill I’ve used and the best smoke flavor from a pellet.
I agree, i have not experienced a pellet grill that does as good let alone better out of all the ones i have used ... not an extensive list by any means, but against the traeger pro, ironwood, timberline, pellet joe, green mountain and gen 1 weber smoke fire i would take this any day .... if you want to tend to your fire manually all day you can do better but to be able to get a result better most restaurants serve for next to no effort its a compelling value proposition
You've compared things like the Kamado, offset, and pellet type cookers. Have you done a comparison of things like the offset to old style pit cooking over direct coals or Santa Maria style? Wonder how those cooking styles compare. Thanks for the great content.
Wow that was a lot of testing and information! Thanks James for explaining what you are doing and why as it allows me to understand more what is happen. Your details really do help me learn what are the strong and weak points to each grill. I hope youtube allows this to post because my post have been failing to post for months now.
Nice to find the Canadian version of me on TH-cam. Thanks for the well researched, educated, informative review. Really appreciated and you got a new sub!
If you haven't done one yet, do a membrane versus no membrane comparison with spares. One camp says leaving membrane on results in a juicier rib, while another camp says taking membrane off permits more smoke and rub penetration. You seem the unbiased type, so I would believe you.
Great experiment. I will say the pellets you use will make a difference too. The best smoker with average pellets will not get good smoke flavor all through the meat regardless of the smoke box
I was convinced that I wanted to add a pellet grill, namely the Camp Chef Woodwind Pro or Grilla Silverbac, until I watched this video. You’ve convinced me to just focus on upgrading my OK Joe Highland to a better offset. I really wasn’t too keen on allowing a controller to manage the fire for me anyway. I was just curious about cooking on a pellet grill.
I am bias to gravity and own Char Griller 980. (Masterbuilt and Char Griller are the same parent company.) you can get really close to an offset profile. If you’re one of those people that like the charcoal flavor it works for you.
I commend your dedication to maintaining your wood fires. To me the cost of wood and your time makes the ribs about $100.00 a rack. I prefer to sleep while while I bbq so I will continue to use my kamado style and my reverse flow cabinet smokers with charcoal and wood. You do excelent comparisons. I just can't justify being locked to a stick burner. I would love to see you do a blind taste test on ribs cooked by another bbq guy. Your results are always spot on though. I was loking at pellet grills but I always go back to charcoal and wood chunks.
Great job, some of the best barbecue content for the average person. Absolutely do Camp Chef vs Master Built and then I’ll make my decision.what to buy.
Instead of a miter saw, you could try a small electric chain saw or even a manual bow-style pruning saw. Those are much safer when cross cutting logs/splits.
As an owner of the Masterbuilt who was thinking about the much-hyped Woodwind Pro, very much looking forward to the next one. Sounds like I might be safe, however. 😁
New sub, been watching your videos religiously as of late. 2 questions, have you tried the Kingsford charcoal pellets for a higher temperature ? 2nd question will you be testing the camp chef apex ? I'm torn between the two, I would be adding the smokai smoker it works great on my broil king 500. So i would be adding it to either pellet grill.
In addition to comparing to an offset and MB, a direct comparison to a "regular" pellet grill would be interesting! You're one of the most forthcoming content creators out there, so seeing if the ww pro is actually substantially better than the baseline pellet would be a huge help!
Got it, so without using the smoke box it's about the same as any other pellet grill (makes sense) but including the smoke box it is the top of the pellet grill pack, but still not close to an offset. For me that's a great takeaway. I recently got my ww pro for precisely what you said in the video. I wanted the convenience of a pellet grill but the best flavor I could get from it. I think I'm going to be very happy with my choice.
Lonestar grillz pellet is supposedly the closest to an offset you can get. Currently I have timberline and custom offset by big Phil’s smokers but you just can’t beat the offset.
ya i watch some videos when people say that it does and maybe they have covid and their pallet is off or they aren't getting the same offset experience that i have had
Love the video, and THANK YOU for talking about your fix for the App connectivity issues. Will try it today with my Camp Chef WW Pro. One thing that isn't discussed in the manual is the openings of the vents. I have absolutely no idea if I should have them all the way open or closed and what the difference is. Any thoughts?
the fan will get the temp no matter what but closed improves efficiency (burn less pellets) and will reduce the wood chunks burning open flame to smouldering.... fully open vents allows enough smoke to exit that the wood chunks burn more cleanly like an offset and worsens efficiency on the wood burn and increases fuel consumption .... for low smoke things like poultry i would do open, for ribs and brisket you can clamp down some
As you said, if you could only have one you'd want something that covered as many bases as possible which is why I couldn't look past the MB Gravity series. 150f to 700f in one oven at the click of a button. Low and Slow, grill or flame sear and option for accessories like rotisserie, griddle or a pizza oven. Throw in some splits and run it like an offset for a similar experience and end result, or just top it off with charcoal and a few lumps of wood and go entirely hands free. Only other grill that comes close imo (and probably beats it in the fuel efficiency department) is the Konnected Joe, with it's only downfall being that it requires to be topped up mid cook. However I think the MB gravity beats out the joe on price and cooking space. Waiting patiently for the comparison between those two!
@@SmokingDadBBQthat's good! The konnected Joe wasn't an option when i bought my masterbuilt or i would have seriously considered one. I liked the KJ range but wanted wifi connectivity/ease of use and in Australia the KJ range is significantly more expensive than masterbuilt.
Starting following your channel for the Kamado joe videos. Bought a pizza oven after watching your videos. I am not going to get an offset but im still here for the content! 😂
No. It cannot in terms of smoke flavor. However if you want to just walk away and not deal with maintsina fire sure. BTW you can accomplish the same smoke performance on any pellet smoker with the Smokey Daddy Inc Heavy D accessory.
Thank you for another well thought out video James. How do I get on the short list to purchase one of those beautiful offsets once you choose your favorite? 🤓
What about a Weber kettle with a spider venom wifi fan assist. Compare that with all wifi assist setups, because Weber/venom would be like connected joe at significant price difference. Just a thought keep up the good work!
I cringed every time you used your miter saw for wood splits, but never wanted to tell you what to do. Now i am very sorry to have stayed quiet. Any time using a spinning blade the wood should be already machined flat and be firmly secured. What I wanted to suggest was a band saw which is much safer on non-dimentioned wood, like firewood splits. I'm sorry to have not said something before you got hurt.
Were you running the baffle full open or partially open for the woodwin camp chef pro? the drawer you put the wood chunks in, I've seen others say it's too clean of a burn when it's full open and takes away the extra smokiness you would want, so they open it maybe 1/3 rather than full to make it more smokey. If you had it full open, maybe retest?
Alright new experient for us lazy folks. Brisket -> 4 hours smoking on a cheap offset. Then set and forget it on the pellet grill versus a full cook on the offset. You can switch up the meat but only use the offset for as long as the smoke penetration “matters” and finish it on the pellet. Long the content lately! Subscription added. I appreciate how approachable you make cooking.
I gave up my offset... it was too big and heavy for me to use and getting good wood where I live is a PITA. Looking at Camo Chef now, but I cant find one to see in person.
here it is against the Gravity series... thats a closer compare ... i kinda lean gravity for the price and versatility advantages - th-cam.com/video/1bA6dC_JhSQ/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the quantitative comparison, it's really helpful to hear "8/10 rib" from your experience. I'm in the market for something hands-off, connected or not... Can you compare the flavor from a Kamado vs pellet at their best?
i am on the fence of doing that... i did record the masterbuilt and while it was closer it still didn't win (spoiler alert lol) ... against a normal pellet grill, it wins every time. i believe that .... against almost everything else i have / have used its not putting up a really good fight. Its been a few years so my new methods work better but this was my head to head with the traeger before i got rid of it - th-cam.com/video/G5MHTE1Gwds/w-d-xo.html
@@SmokingDadBBQ Thanks! I'm proud of the poultry and pork from my GMG at 225F, but brisket is a whole different beast and I wonder what I'm missing. I've spotted Al at my local watering hole, I might try to sweet talk him into giving a class. 😅
Great video James. Watching your videos has got me curious about purchasing an offset smoker. Do you have a recommendation for a quality offset thats less then 3000 US dollars?
Thanks…i will check it out for sure!! There are so many offsets out there and its very difficult to figure out which is a decent quality even in the higher price range. They all advertise themselves as great quality whether they are at the higher price range or the lower price range. I would hate to spend a lot of money on an offset and find out it is junk
It was cheaper than this when i got it so maybe look around but this is the one - bbqsmokermods.com/lavalockr-smoke-stack-lowering-kit-for-oklahoma-joe-s-highland.html
I have this same Oklahoma Joe. I like your mods! I bought the heat baffle plate and an extended smoke stack and that stabilized my temps a lot. But I'm interested in trying the smoke stack lowering mod you show here. I went to buy one and the site says they do not recommend combining a heat baffle plate with the smoke stack lowering kit. Do you have any thoughts about a heat baffle vs the smoke stack lowering kit?
I'm surprised you didn't get deeper penetration of smoke with all those chunks. Great color though! 🍻 I think you need the firebox mod for the MB to see how that does :)
Metal inserts are designed to burn away, there really isn't any need for the SS firebox insert imo. The manifold cover and drip tray/water reservoir however is a great idea though!
I did that same thing with my miter saw, i was trying to cut a piece of hickory log when it grabbed the wood and shot it out of my hand and broke off the fence on the way out
@@SmokingDadBBQ Well sometimes smoking meat has its draw backs and preparation problems, like Chopping wood , it's 2023 and still we can't make a miter saw that can cut hard woods and logs without trying to kill you, all i want to do is smoke a Brisket , i should not have to pay a higher premium on life insurance just because of the hazards of smoking Brisket
Oh, and when you get tired of that Master built, you can send it my way , i will take it off your hands , it's the closet thing to an off set you can get , Like me you enjoy a Offset , but I think you would enjoy a smoke house even more , especially after the first year smoking in it and all that flavor that's built up in the wood over months, thats a very hard flavor to match with any cooker , maybe some day you will build one , i think you would even enjoy it more than using your big offset
Man, I love your collection of cooker but my wife would KILL me. Love the channel! Agree with your finding, and add that pellet smokers are so easy to use and require far less nursing your protein.
i am in purge mode lol... 2 offsets gone, solo stove pi and fire pi gone... one more offset to sell. this will go to a charity in town that needs a grill and the MB gravity has a new home as well
Hi James, another excellent vid; will be interested to see the MB/CC camparo. Which reminds of a former youtuber named Trendkill BBQ who tried wood in his MB 560 and after a few cook, the damper flaps between the firebox and cook chamber melted away. Have you seen anything similar?
This is actually a commonly reported "issue" with the MB that is actually part of the design, so much so they have addressed it on their website. The thin metal inserts that cover the firebrick are only there for transportation and for the first few cooks until the firebrick hardens and sets in place and are designed to burn away. There are firebox mods you can buy online (a stainless steel insert that sits in the firebox) that covers the firebrick back over, however these are totally optional and serve no other purpose than to try and stop the inserts from burning away as they are designed to do.
I do a lot of smoking on my Weber Kettle believe it or not, but I wanted to get a pellet grill and I was REALLY eyeballing the Woodwind Pro, but it is not availible in Canada yet! I would love to see more cooks on it if you could, turkey, pork butt etc. Thanks!
I would be shocked if you'd be ok with the level/type (more mild) smoke flavor you'll be getting out of a pellet smoker vs what your tastebuds are used to being that you've been smoking on a kettle for a while. I've also bee REALLY interested with these Woodwind Pros but the more I see honest review like we seen here, the more I'm coming to grips with the fact I probably would be in large part, wasting $1,400+. I have a pellet grill & a Kamado Kettle & 99 times out of 100 I'd much rather have food off the kettle type cooker vs the pellet smoker.
Hey where can you get the camp chef woodwind pro in canada? I have yet to find it locally even camp chef authorized dealers cant get it.. its very annoying ! Anyone know?
It was cheaper than this when i got it so maybe look around but this is the one - bbqsmokermods.com/lavalockr-smoke-stack-lowering-kit-for-oklahoma-joe-s-highland.html
i did do a new one vs the MB but not sure i will do any more, I agreed to take the grill under the condition i can give it to a charity who needs a grill so they are coming to get it soon
When smoking on the camp chef using wood chunks, try setting the smoke setting to 1 and not 10. You’ll get more of a offset smoke profile than a pellet smoke profile.
Sorry but more like `off putting smokers.` Not my thing at all after my horrendous attempts on a bargain basement offset smoker. I`m a firm Kamado man...
my next / scheduled last one with this pit is the MB... but at a similar price as the konnected joe if you absolutely need wifi i would go that way in the name of versatility
I don't get why every video I've watched regarding the pellet grill, you insist on cooking so hot. Big surprise.... you cook ribs at 300 degrees of course you won't get as much smoke from pellets. Both have different ways to get the best results.
I used the same wood to focus on the burning and circulation of air and how it flavours the meat. You could do the same with both but it wouldn’t change the lack of depth IMO
I would love to see a head-to-head-head of the 3 smokers you mentioned falling into the same category. MB1050, Camp Chef, and Konnected Joe. All have the WiFi connectivity, all will be about same level of effort, all close enough in price. I think it would be a unique and informative video!
i did record a new one already against the MB gravity
Add the Yoder YS640S-640s... I think you have enough room on the patio for that.
LOL -- I take it that one (or both) of your grandmothers are not in a position to watch your videos...
@@SmokingDadBBQ looking forward to seeing this one
Still have my KJ Jr. But stepped into a Recteq 380 pellet intro pellet smoker this past year and love their PID controller. Extremely tight temp control
This is a great break down. Something I never see in these type of side by side reviews is a breakdown on fuel used and that cost. It's definitely something to consider and I appreciated getting that in this video.
glad you liked it
These are not only informative and well-made videos, but the host, James, is just a likable fellow with a great delivery. Subscribed after twenty five seconds!
I second that. Quality content delivered with a sense of decency.
appreciate you
Smart dude!
I echo that and he responds to questions all around great guy
Top notch video. I am often bewildered by those who don't appreciate the flavor advantage generated by stick burners. You have invested a great deal of time with the different types
of smokers, which makes this very convincing and valuable. I will share this as a reference with friends who are on the fence , just like I share your 101 cook videos for solid references.
greatly appreciated
Amazing review and comparison!! Thank you! Finally an honest and non biased comparison between the two styles. I’m still going to buy the woodwind bc I want to be able to spend time with the family and not be 5 steps from the grille all the time. But I feel so much better with the realistic expectations you gave.
thanks, happy to help!
Love your videos! Detail, honesty, pros/cons and dedication to accuracy help immensely as i am trying to choose my next smoker/grill. TY
glad you like them!
Thanks for using the OJoe for the test. I’m getting great results with mine from watching your vids. The smaller splits have been a real game changer. Super clean smoke. Thanks as always!
you bet, i fell in love with it ... sure its a little more work but for the money its crazy good. sad to have sold it but i feel good with where i got the results too
I'm thinking about getting this Camp Chef, thanks for this comparison. I was hoping you would say the smoke flavor was closer to the OK Joe but unfortunately that's not the case. I do own the Ok Joe Bronco and the Highland. I have a pellet grill and it works great for what it does but I think it's time for an upgrade to my pellet grill and the Camp Chef seems to be the ticket for me.
Great Video do you have a Link to the wood you use in your Oklahoma Joe??
I had a similar issue with cutting logs to chunks on a miter saw, I broke a couple of fences. I purchased a battery powered hand held chainsaw. It works well for cutting logs to chunks. I use it for smoking chunks and also for making small chunks for my tabletop Solo Mesa.
i see one of these in my future
Thank you great job. I completely agree as I have done my own tests in relation to stick burner versus pellets. You just can't get the same kind of smoke ring from a pellet smoker that you do from a stick burner. When I want convenience I use a pellet smoker when I want real deal barbecue I use the stick burner. 👍
agree
Got to be honest James, my first smoker was a weber smokey mountain.
It really is set and forget. OK, it's a charcoal water smoker, but if I didn't want to fire manage, I'd use the weber. It runs and runs once set.
If I want to fire manage, I use my offset.
I can't see me ever having a pellet smoker, I don't want to spent £20 on pellets that don't really add a smoke flavour.
Hello, James! I've had a kamado joe classic for a couple of years now and I've been wanting to buy a offset smoker for a long time. Does it make sense for me to take something cheap like oklahoma joe or the result will disappoint me after kamado joe? And thank you for all the education and inspiration btw
I think you really nailed what has drawn me to pellet smokers, even if I know they can't reach the heights of an offset. If I'm doing a brisket, it usually means I'm having family/friends over in which case I want to spend my day with company we're having over, not necessarily tending a fire. And for most weeknight cooks, the ability to punch a few buttons and get a steady temp is amazing for just me and my wife. Maybe once I'm older and retired I'll pick up a nice offset to spend my days tending. Until then though, the convenience is just too much.
I know this is an old comment, but lately I have been watching a lot of side by side comparisons for things like brisket with people like Mad Scientist BBQ and what seems to be a reoccurring theme I have been seeing is that with a lot of these modern pellet grills that have the ability to have a smoke box, there isn't enough of a difference to justify the work necessary to run an off set, and they seem to be coming up with more and more obtuse reasons as to why you would want to run an offset as opposed to a pellet. This feels a lot like the discussion I had with my brother about how he doesn't like using a sous vide for cooking a steak because it makes all of the work and practice he did for learning how to grill a steak meaningless.
great video James! Alligator loppers! they work great for cutting splits down safely.
Ya i was thinking about getting them after seeing you use them but after this mitre saw near miss definitely lol
@@SmokingDadBBQ I did the same thing last year, almost cut my fingers off
@@SmokeTrailsBBQ 😳
@@SmokingDadBBQ i have a miter too danger at times. I got the alligator just remember to oil each time you use it, crucial. I forgot with my first one and it started smoking. I got a replacement.
The WSM is a the perfect inflection point for flavor vs effort IMO.
I love everything about this series: host, production quality, and valid data to back it all up. Thanks for creating all of these great videos! Quick suggestion (I think you can do it post post) is to add a text overlay at 17:47 highlighting which rack is which (offset vs woodwind pro). Again thanks for this awesome content!
Glad you enjoy it! Good idea
If you want hands off in an offset, use a charcoal basket. If you want Masterbuilt or Kamado Joe style mix of flavours in an offset use a charcoal basket. I use minion plates to make the fire burn in an "S" pattern to get about three hours unattended burns. Great for winter and parties.
Load the minion plates in the charcoal basket. Drop a layer of briquettes (for fire longevity) a layer of charcoal (for that kiss of charcoal) and whatever wood chunks you want (for that sweet wood taste). Light one corner with a torch and put a chunk of wood over that spot in five minutes.
If you're cooking "Jirby" style, you go a bit dirty with the smoke first and then clean it up, so you put the meat on right away. If not, wait. The burn is not too dependent on airflow anymore, so just use the flue to control the temps in the cook chamber.
When the last part of the "S" is almost exhausted, knock the ashes out and fill the now vacant area with briquettes, charcoal and wood chunks and the fire will reverse and go back to the beginning.
Vary the flavour profile by using different quantities of wood vs charcoal (the briquettes burn longer to regulate heat), vary the flavour profile by alternating wood chunks. You can have a chunk of cherry light a chunk of maple lighting a chunk of oak (not that I am telling you what woods combine to make the best smoke....yes I am...)
I'm telling you, a hot fire in a stick burner is going to give pizza oven flavour if you have the pie high enough and in the right spot...
If I didn’t have other charcoal grills I would for sure try it out to get some hands off options
This is an awesome explanation, bravo!
I think it is safe to say when you start buying different styles of smokers you go all out your set up looks like some sort of a showcase in a museum in the best sort of way!
haha thanks Scott. Starting to thin out the pack ahead of spring
Great video, you have an amazing ability to translate what you are tasting into words!
Thanks 🙏
Thanks for doing this. I've been eyeing a Woodwind pro to upgrade my current pellet smoker, and it looks like it is probably not a worthwhile upgrade.
sure its better than some pellets, but i don't find it better than other smart grills like the MB or the KJ Konnected for similar money and more versatility
Exactly where I was on this.
If they get sub $1000 I would most certainly buy one.
Great video James! I’ve owned every generation of Camp chef pellet smokers since 2015 and the WW Pro is by far the best pellet grill I’ve used and the best smoke flavor from a pellet.
I agree, i have not experienced a pellet grill that does as good let alone better out of all the ones i have used ... not an extensive list by any means, but against the traeger pro, ironwood, timberline, pellet joe, green mountain and gen 1 weber smoke fire i would take this any day .... if you want to tend to your fire manually all day you can do better but to be able to get a result better most restaurants serve for next to no effort its a compelling value proposition
You've compared things like the Kamado, offset, and pellet type cookers. Have you done a comparison of things like the offset to old style pit cooking over direct coals or Santa Maria style? Wonder how those cooking styles compare. Thanks for the great content.
Wow that was a lot of testing and information! Thanks James for explaining what you are doing and why as it allows me to understand more what is happen. Your details really do help me learn what are the strong and weak points to each grill. I hope youtube allows this to post because my post have been failing to post for months now.
thanks, and yes i see this one
Nice to find the Canadian version of me on TH-cam. Thanks for the well researched, educated, informative review. Really appreciated and you got a new sub!
thanks!
As always excellent controlled test James. I so enjoy these comparisons. Thanks.
Looking to buy my first BBQ, looking like the Wood Wind might be the way to go, thanks so much for sharing your experience with us!!
Glad to help!
If you haven't done one yet, do a membrane versus no membrane comparison with spares. One camp says leaving membrane on results in a juicier rib, while another camp says taking membrane off permits more smoke and rub penetration. You seem the unbiased type, so I would believe you.
its recorded 😊
Great experiment. I will say the pellets you use will make a difference too. The best smoker with average pellets will not get good smoke flavor all through the meat regardless of the smoke box
Very true!
I was convinced that I wanted to add a pellet grill, namely the Camp Chef Woodwind Pro or Grilla Silverbac, until I watched this video. You’ve convinced me to just focus on upgrading my OK Joe Highland to a better offset. I really wasn’t too keen on allowing a controller to manage the fire for me anyway. I was just curious about cooking on a pellet grill.
you should have seen the face my wife made when tasting them inside after... the OKJ was in a league of its own
I am bias to gravity and own Char Griller 980. (Masterbuilt and Char Griller are the same parent company.) you can get really close to an offset profile. If you’re one of those people that like the charcoal flavor it works for you.
i recorded that already, comes out a week today
I commend your dedication to maintaining your wood fires. To me the cost of wood and your time makes the ribs about $100.00 a rack.
I prefer to sleep while while I bbq so I will continue to use my kamado style and my reverse flow cabinet smokers with charcoal and wood.
You do excelent comparisons. I just can't justify being locked to a stick burner. I would love to see you do a blind taste test on ribs cooked by another bbq guy. Your results are always spot on though.
I was loking at pellet grills but I always go back to charcoal and wood chunks.
it makes me cringe adding up the cost lol
Great job, some of the best barbecue content for the average person. Absolutely do Camp Chef vs Master Built and then I’ll make my decision.what to buy.
Thanks, I try. i recorded that already, comes out a week today
If you added more chunks to the smoke box do you think the camp chef wouldve had a better smoke profile?
Appreciate including the fuel cost comparison .. great episode!
Thanks
Both absolutely killer looking ribs, cooking location aside!
Instead of a miter saw, you could try a small electric chain saw or even a manual bow-style pruning saw. Those are much safer when cross cutting logs/splits.
yes i am done using the mitre lol
As an owner of the Masterbuilt who was thinking about the much-hyped Woodwind Pro, very much looking forward to the next one. Sounds like I might be safe, however. 😁
i recorded that already, comes out a week today
@@SmokingDadBBQ HYPE!
New sub, been watching your videos religiously as of late. 2 questions, have you tried the Kingsford charcoal pellets for a higher temperature ? 2nd question will you be testing the camp chef apex ? I'm torn between the two, I would be adding the smokai smoker it works great on my broil king 500. So i would be adding it to either pellet grill.
In addition to comparing to an offset and MB, a direct comparison to a "regular" pellet grill would be interesting! You're one of the most forthcoming content creators out there, so seeing if the ww pro is actually substantially better than the baseline pellet would be a huge help!
i dont have another handy to test, but from memory without adding the wood its exactly like every other pellet grill i have used / no advantage
Got it, so without using the smoke box it's about the same as any other pellet grill (makes sense) but including the smoke box it is the top of the pellet grill pack, but still not close to an offset.
For me that's a great takeaway. I recently got my ww pro for precisely what you said in the video. I wanted the convenience of a pellet grill but the best flavor I could get from it. I think I'm going to be very happy with my choice.
@@txg1275 congratulations
Lonestar grillz pellet is supposedly the closest to an offset you can get. Currently I have timberline and custom offset by big Phil’s smokers but you just can’t beat the offset.
ya i watch some videos when people say that it does and maybe they have covid and their pallet is off or they aren't getting the same offset experience that i have had
I had no idea you were a Canuckian! Awesome video, I subbed. You do an excellent job conveying info.
Thanks for the sub!
Love the video, and THANK YOU for talking about your fix for the App connectivity issues. Will try it today with my Camp Chef WW Pro.
One thing that isn't discussed in the manual is the openings of the vents. I have absolutely no idea if I should have them all the way open or closed and what the difference is. Any thoughts?
the fan will get the temp no matter what but closed improves efficiency (burn less pellets) and will reduce the wood chunks burning open flame to smouldering.... fully open vents allows enough smoke to exit that the wood chunks burn more cleanly like an offset and worsens efficiency on the wood burn and increases fuel consumption .... for low smoke things like poultry i would do open, for ribs and brisket you can clamp down some
As you said, if you could only have one you'd want something that covered as many bases as possible which is why I couldn't look past the MB Gravity series. 150f to 700f in one oven at the click of a button. Low and Slow, grill or flame sear and option for accessories like rotisserie, griddle or a pizza oven. Throw in some splits and run it like an offset for a similar experience and end result, or just top it off with charcoal and a few lumps of wood and go entirely hands free. Only other grill that comes close imo (and probably beats it in the fuel efficiency department) is the Konnected Joe, with it's only downfall being that it requires to be topped up mid cook. However I think the MB gravity beats out the joe on price and cooking space. Waiting patiently for the comparison between those two!
I didn’t have to top up the Konnected on a brisket cook. It can run 12 hours no problem
@@SmokingDadBBQthat's good! The konnected Joe wasn't an option when i bought my masterbuilt or i would have seriously considered one. I liked the KJ range but wanted wifi connectivity/ease of use and in Australia the KJ range is significantly more expensive than masterbuilt.
Starting following your channel for the Kamado joe videos. Bought a pizza oven after watching your videos. I am not going to get an offset but im still here for the content! 😂
thanks Phil, got lots of good KJ stuff coming out soon (like a long 11hr rest using the Joe residual heat brisket etc.)
Great info throughout. I enjoy the videos you post
I appreciate that!
Very informative James... especially for the offset work issue. I was considering one but perhaps when I retire. :)
its so fun... and so hands on lol
Scale of 1 - 10, can you compare kamado, offset, this campchef, a reg pellet grill with smoke tube, and mb gravity?
The grandma analogy was perfect, haha!!! It's true how when I eat the leftovers, I get a much better taste of what my guests actually tasted.
Great video! Maybe I missed it but do you have a link to the wood you use in your offset? Thanks!
I’m using Furtado farms (Canada only)
No. It cannot in terms of smoke flavor.
However if you want to just walk away and not deal with maintsina fire sure.
BTW you can accomplish the same smoke performance on any pellet smoker with the Smokey Daddy Inc Heavy D accessory.
Thank you for another well thought out video James. How do I get on the short list to purchase one of those beautiful offsets once you choose your favorite? 🤓
The Carlisle Gen 2 is the last available for sale. Email me for the details
Outstanding video. So much good information and well produced video.
much appreciated
What about a Weber kettle with a spider venom wifi fan assist. Compare that with all wifi assist setups, because Weber/venom would be like connected joe at significant price difference. Just a thought keep up the good work!
That’s a good setup for sure
New sub here. Really enjoying your content. Keep up the good work!
Thanks
Would some sort of extra cook chamber insulation aid in lessening the temperature fluctuations?
Not really as the spikes are driven by the btu of fresh wood combusting. A larger volume and or larger firebox smooths those out
I cringed every time you used your miter saw for wood splits, but never wanted to tell you what to do. Now i am very sorry to have stayed quiet. Any time using a spinning blade the wood should be already machined flat and be firmly secured. What I wanted to suggest was a band saw which is much safer on non-dimentioned wood, like firewood splits. I'm sorry to have not said something before you got hurt.
Were you running the baffle full open or partially open for the woodwin camp chef pro? the drawer you put the wood chunks in, I've seen others say it's too clean of a burn when it's full open and takes away the extra smokiness you would want, so they open it maybe 1/3 rather than full to make it more smokey. If you had it full open, maybe retest?
I ran it like an offset so maybe 30% open ... didnt want smoulder and didnt want bush fire with no flavour
Alright new experient for us lazy folks. Brisket -> 4 hours smoking on a cheap offset. Then set and forget it on the pellet grill versus a full cook on the offset.
You can switch up the meat but only use the offset for as long as the smoke penetration “matters” and finish it on the pellet.
Long the content lately! Subscription added. I appreciate how approachable you make cooking.
Thanks Jake. I try and make it approachable
I gave up my offset... it was too big and heavy for me to use and getting good wood where I live is a PITA. Looking at Camo Chef now, but I cant find one to see in person.
here it is against the Gravity series... thats a closer compare ... i kinda lean gravity for the price and versatility advantages - th-cam.com/video/1bA6dC_JhSQ/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the quantitative comparison, it's really helpful to hear "8/10 rib" from your experience. I'm in the market for something hands-off, connected or not... Can you compare the flavor from a Kamado vs pellet at their best?
i am on the fence of doing that... i did record the masterbuilt and while it was closer it still didn't win (spoiler alert lol) ... against a normal pellet grill, it wins every time. i believe that .... against almost everything else i have / have used its not putting up a really good fight.
Its been a few years so my new methods work better but this was my head to head with the traeger before i got rid of it - th-cam.com/video/G5MHTE1Gwds/w-d-xo.html
@@SmokingDadBBQ Thanks! I'm proud of the poultry and pork from my GMG at 225F, but brisket is a whole different beast and I wonder what I'm missing. I've spotted Al at my local watering hole, I might try to sweet talk him into giving a class. 😅
Outstanding comparison!! You are doing Great 👍 👍
thanks
Great video James. Watching your videos has got me curious about purchasing an offset smoker. Do you have a recommendation for a quality offset thats less then 3000 US dollars?
don't get carried away on the options and a workhorse 1975 is under 3k - www.workhorsepits.com/product-page/1975-1
Thanks…i will check it out for sure!! There are so many offsets out there and its very difficult to figure out which is a decent quality even in the higher price range. They all advertise themselves as great quality whether they are at the higher price range or the lower price range. I would hate to spend a lot of money on an offset and find out it is junk
I noticed you have several offsets in your backyard. Is one of them from the workhorse company?
Great video, thanks for all the info Where do you get that intake lowering kit? I've never heard of.
It was cheaper than this when i got it so maybe look around but this is the one - bbqsmokermods.com/lavalockr-smoke-stack-lowering-kit-for-oklahoma-joe-s-highland.html
@@SmokingDadBBQ how do you attach it? Thank you
@@AngryBullBBQ 4 screws. Here is my install vid and why I switched from the dryer vent - th-cam.com/video/XE9rh7uwZCc/w-d-xo.html
@@SmokingDadBBQ not sure how I missed that video. Maybe I saw it a while ago and forgot because I’ve seen most of yours but again thank you
I have this same Oklahoma Joe. I like your mods! I bought the heat baffle plate and an extended smoke stack and that stabilized my temps a lot. But I'm interested in trying the smoke stack lowering mod you show here. I went to buy one and the site says they do not recommend combining a heat baffle plate with the smoke stack lowering kit. Do you have any thoughts about a heat baffle vs the smoke stack lowering kit?
I didn’t do the baffle. If you’re getting even temps left to right I would leave it as that’s what I was after
Saw dust pellets grills will never beat offset grills . Pellet grills were made for convenience , Almost like an outdoor oven .
100%
I'm surprised you didn't get deeper penetration of smoke with all those chunks. Great color though! 🍻 I think you need the firebox mod for the MB to see how that does :)
i ran the MB on just wood the entire time for the next one
Metal inserts are designed to burn away, there really isn't any need for the SS firebox insert imo. The manifold cover and drip tray/water reservoir however is a great idea though!
Out of curiosity, what manufacturer was the 1st offset you were mentioning? The high-end one.
Smoke north is the first premium one I bought
I did that same thing with my miter saw, i was trying to cut a piece of hickory log when it grabbed the wood and shot it out of my hand and broke off the fence on the way out
i was startled lol
@@SmokingDadBBQ Back to the Ax
@@MrJunglebear1 haha exactly
@@SmokingDadBBQ Well sometimes smoking meat has its draw backs and preparation problems, like Chopping wood , it's 2023 and still we can't make a miter saw that can cut hard woods and logs without trying to kill you, all i want to do is smoke a Brisket , i should not have to pay a higher premium on life insurance just because of the hazards of smoking Brisket
Oh, and when you get tired of that Master built, you can send it my way , i will take it off your hands , it's the closet thing to an off set you can get , Like me you enjoy a Offset , but I think you would enjoy a smoke house even more , especially after the first year smoking in it and all that flavor that's built up in the wood over months, thats a very hard flavor to match with any cooker , maybe some day you will build one , i think you would even enjoy it more than using your big offset
Man, I love your collection of cooker but my wife would KILL me. Love the channel! Agree with your finding, and add that pellet smokers are so easy to use and require far less nursing your protein.
i am in purge mode lol... 2 offsets gone, solo stove pi and fire pi gone... one more offset to sell. this will go to a charity in town that needs a grill and the MB gravity has a new home as well
Hi James, another excellent vid; will be interested to see the MB/CC camparo. Which reminds of a former youtuber named Trendkill BBQ who tried wood in his MB 560 and after a few cook, the damper flaps between the firebox and cook chamber melted away. Have you seen anything similar?
not yet but i don't believe the grill will last forever by any means .... borrowed time lol
This is actually a commonly reported "issue" with the MB that is actually part of the design, so much so they have addressed it on their website. The thin metal inserts that cover the firebrick are only there for transportation and for the first few cooks until the firebrick hardens and sets in place and are designed to burn away. There are firebox mods you can buy online (a stainless steel insert that sits in the firebox) that covers the firebrick back over, however these are totally optional and serve no other purpose than to try and stop the inserts from burning away as they are designed to do.
Great review as always sir
Thanks 🙏
I'm curious where you'd put your best KJ ribs on that scale from 1 to 10.
I have a new tweak recorded that’s coming out soon that’s better. I’d say 7.5 - 7.775 range
Lone star pellet grill you need to try it king of pellet grill
i have heard that its pretty awesome
Awesome… thanks for making this
Cheers
I do a lot of smoking on my Weber Kettle believe it or not, but I wanted to get a pellet grill and I was REALLY eyeballing the Woodwind Pro, but it is not availible in Canada yet! I would love to see more cooks on it if you could, turkey, pork butt etc. Thanks!
it has another appearance vs the MB next week already recorded
I would be shocked if you'd be ok with the level/type (more mild) smoke flavor you'll be getting out of a pellet smoker vs what your tastebuds are used to being that you've been smoking on a kettle for a while. I've also bee REALLY interested with these Woodwind Pros but the more I see honest review like we seen here, the more I'm coming to grips with the fact I probably would be in large part, wasting $1,400+. I have a pellet grill & a Kamado Kettle & 99 times out of 100 I'd much rather have food off the kettle type cooker vs the pellet smoker.
I like pellet grills simple tast just as good imo
Hey where can you get the camp chef woodwind pro in canada? I have yet to find it locally even camp chef authorized dealers cant get it.. its very annoying ! Anyone know?
Not sure. They sent this to me to test
Excellent analysis & presentation (as per normal). Can't wait to see how the charcoal type cooker does against the Woodwind Pro.
thanks, that comes out next week (MB 1050)
Where did you purchase the intake lowering kit?
It was cheaper than this when i got it so maybe look around but this is the one - bbqsmokermods.com/lavalockr-smoke-stack-lowering-kit-for-oklahoma-joe-s-highland.html
Thanks!! You have a great channel. I wasn't looking, but now you have me interested in a Smoke North offset!!
If your seasoning start to clump,drop in a couple of pieces of bread .2 days you're baking business , like new money
Obviously, to ameliorate fuel costs per cook...cook a LOT of items...spatchcock chicken, 2 racks of ribs, etc.
I like that plan
Will you do a kamado, camp chef and the others
i did do a new one vs the MB but not sure i will do any more, I agreed to take the grill under the condition i can give it to a charity who needs a grill so they are coming to get it soon
When smoking on the camp chef using wood chunks, try setting the smoke setting to 1 and not 10. You’ll get more of a offset smoke profile than a pellet smoke profile.
Use oak, hickory and cherry wood pellet. Use lump charcoal in the smoke box
Axe and Crocs don't go well together, safety first cheers!
haha cheers
Well a 36" CC PRO IS ALMOST DOUBLE price of a Oklahoma Joe.
yes the OKJ value for food quality is top notch.... so long as you (and I do) like running the fire yourself
Mitre saws are not forgiving when they hit a knot in a split, scaring the s**t out of you is getting of easy.
i am still nervous at the memory of it lol
Sorry but more like `off putting smokers.` Not my thing at all after my horrendous attempts on a bargain basement offset smoker. I`m a firm Kamado man...
my next / scheduled last one with this pit is the MB... but at a similar price as the konnected joe if you absolutely need wifi i would go that way in the name of versatility
I don't get why every video I've watched regarding the pellet grill, you insist on cooking so hot. Big surprise.... you cook ribs at 300 degrees of course you won't get as much smoke from pellets. Both have different ways to get the best results.
You talk to much
The sponsored videos that say this tastes close to an offset are shorter
Great video. What type of would did use? Oak chunks could help give the woodwind pro a smokier flavor profile on your meat.
I used the same wood to focus on the burning and circulation of air and how it flavours the meat. You could do the same with both but it wouldn’t change the lack of depth IMO