Jeremy, I give you a lot of credit for putting aside any bias and going into this open-minded. I have heard a lot of negative things about pellet smoker favor, so it was nice to hear some positive comments. Great video and enjoyed seeing you go slightly out of your comfort zone.
I’ll admit that I don’t have any interest in a pellet grill (love my offset), but Eric was incredibly interesting to listen to. Found his run down of each smoker very informative and well explained.
Cory, I love my GMG prime grill. It for the most part is better than a regular grill.......except steaks. You just can't get the char sear on the steak that you want. That is why I'm looking at the Yoder brand that has the ability to open up to the direct auger and let flame touch the meat. Once all the pellets have that open flame ability, it will be the best of all worlds!
@@B-H76and @ CoolJay77 You do have a point about the Weber SF, as I've heard similar complaints from people who own them! They are deserving of credit for noticeable enhanced flavor, but one thing they barely touched on, and tried to deflect from, are real grease fires! Yes! what you read on the Inet does have some validity! The Weber SF can be used for smoking at lower temps and grilling at much higher temps. When grilling at the higher temps, there's an increased risk of grease fires from the greater amounts of fat that runs off the deflecter plates! If not cleaned often, grease builds up over time increasing fire risks. If you do not clean it regularly, you will have a grease fire for sure. The Weber SF is a great cooker for the price, but maintenance is required more often than the other cookers. I bought the Yoder YS640 in 2017, now knowing it was nearly 3 times the cost of the Weber SF. At that time, the Weber SF was still in development. If you compare how each are built and the materials used to build them, the Competition YS640 weights around 500lbs and built like a tank. The smoke box and fire chamber are made of thick metal, heavy-duty stuff! Well built and made to last, made in USA! They didn't touch on the durability and quality of each smoker. The Yoder YS640 has a heat defuser or deflector plate that has a cut-out just above the firepot on the left side and you can use grill plates over it to sear steaks! I believe the cut out deflector plate is still optional. So it's versatile to smoke or grill. I'll be honest, it does fall on the milder side when smoking, but nothing a smoke tube can't fix! When I need that off-set stick burner smoke quality, I load up a smoke tube with pellets, light them and place it on the right edge of the deflector plate! I can match any stick burner without the fire pit management time. One of the main issues with the Yoder pellet smoker, even thought they are made well, they are powder coated with flat black stove paint! It will develop some rust spots and more so if you live in a humid climate. Yoder is aware of it, that's why they provide you with a can of touch up spray paint. I've already had to sand down some areas and spray paint them. The good part is after it's done properly, it looks like new! Knowing I spent a bit more money, I believe it to be the better buy, as this Yoder YS640 will most likely out last me! Do your own research before you buy! Loved their cook comparisons, but maybe they should do a quality and durability comparison as well...
I've owned the Weber Smokefire EX 6 since June 2020. I noticed a few things about the early TH-cam videos back in February/March 2020 that I would describe as user error. The biggest was doing large fatty cooks (two or more pork butts) without a drip pan. The drip pan isn't completely necessary but what ended up happening is that users would raise the temp at the end to hasten the end of the cook. Since there was still fat in the bottom of the cooker, raising the temp would get the temperature of the grease past the flame point (which was assisted by having the burn pot in the center throwing sparks). Grease catches fire and all of a sudden you have a really interesting TH-cam video. The fix? Use a drip pan and most of all be patient on the cook and you'll be fine. I could understand making these mistakes from a novice user like myself (in terms of using a smoker, not cooking in general). But the videos usually were posted by people who should have known better. The biggest fixes Weber has done midstream in the Smokefire's life was redesigning the auger which tended to fail in year one (all owners got the new one no charge and the new auger is the difference between the Gen 1 and Gen 2 units. Replace the auger and you're Gen 2 now. The second improvement was steady improvements to the firmware with the biggest improvement coming in May 2020. The iPhone/Android apps also got substantially better later in 2020. Flaws? The hopper design is still sub par since Weber was looking for a sleek low profile design instead of having a nice chimney use gravity in your favor. There are things users do in order to prevent pellet starvation but a redesign would be helpful. The food is outstanding which I agree with the outcome of this video. But the real advantage of the Smokefire is being able to credibly do high heat cooks (burgers!) like an actual charcoal or gas grill. When I was in the market for a pellet grill, I had a problem where I needed to replace a cheap barrel Char-Grill charcoal grill that I used for when I needed more real estate than a Weber kettle. And I only had space for one product. The Smokefire can grill and smoke and do both effectively. The Smokefire can do 600 degrees F which is great but I haven't had a situation where I've needed more than 550. In fact, the highest settings can easily damage Weber's temp probes since they aren't that good. Fortunately, the ones from Thermopen are more durable at higher temps and work just fine with Weber's computer. If you've never used a pellet grill and you need to actually grill stuff, it's a great product to check out. The biggest issue in learning this or any pellet grill is translating recipes from gas or charcoal grills since there is no such thing as direct and indirect cooking. But it's not hard to figure out after a few cooks. Once I figured out the reverse sear method for steaks, my wife loves the taste so much that she will never go back to the old way I cooked on the kettle. It's that much of a difference.
Well said!! I have the EX4 Gen 2 and it’s been fantastic. It’s replaced my kettle grill so I’m able to do long low ‘n slow smokes and high heat stuff like burgers, steak, and chicken.
Exactly, the biggest hurdle with most pellets is the ability to make burgers and chicken and other more common bbq cooks (I know it’s possible but everyone I know with a treager admits that the flavor isn’t quite there because the lack of direct flame). I do think there were legitimate issues with the first generation units, but if I was going to get a pellet grill, I’d recommend the smokefire 2nd gen or the new stealth model they’re going to release later this year to people for that reason, it’s a hybrid pellet smoker and regular grill. I’m a charcoal person myself (I have the Weber summit Komodo), but if I was ever in a situation where I needed more convenience I’d consider the smokefire over gas grills and other pellet smokers
This is great and informative. Question though. Won’t the drip pan get in the way of the direct flame preventing the flavor Eric is talking about in the video? Other pellet grills have that deflector/drip tray which probably gets in the way. What is your take?
@@papacito2982 other grills have the same thing, albeit some have small holes all over the tray/cover. The thing is when doing low and slow you rely on smoke and heat, not direct flame. So the drip tray is for those exact situations. But when doing steaks, burgers, chicken drumsticks etc, that’s where this grill has the advantage of direct flame.
If it requires a drip pan for longer cooks it should come with it as part of the "design". Yeah there are workarounds for MOST things but should you have to pay money for something that has so many known issues? Also, WTF is up with all the ash. Is it a smoker or an ASHER? They need to redesign the fan system and rethink the fat management.
I just traded up to a Weber Smokefire EX6. I love it so far. I’ve had a Treager for 3 years, and it’s been great for me. Did I mention I Love the features of the Smokefire. I smoked a prime rib for Christmas and it was perfect. I love your approach to BBQ. Thanks
I’m confused, because in at least two other of Jeremy’s videos, he criticizes pellets in general. (For example, at the end of his fire management video.) Am I missing something?
I have the EX6 Gen 2 since July 2021. I absolutely love it. I've made some fantastic food on it, brisket, ribs, chuck roast, short ribs. I'm very happy with it!
I started out in 1999 with a Traeger competition model. Was always a good reliable smoker. Upgraded to a Yoder YS1500 in 2014. Had nothing but problems. Had a defective controller right out of the box, then the igniter went out, had multiple burn plates that kept warping and used enormous amounts of pellets. Also, the YS1500 is a nightmare to clean. Finally gave up and sold it. Then bought a new RecTec and still have it. Best pellet smoker I've ever had and never any problems.
Yoder YS640 owner here and I absolutely love it. I have had it since 2018. I have it in a corner of our garage and then vent it through a chimney outside. This lets me use it year round in central NY. Now I am looking into an offset.
Great video. Interesting the cheaper units outperformed the premium units. I’d love to see a comparison of the Smokefire Gen2 vs Camp Chef Woodwind Pro. These two units have both got significant design differences vs the majority of pellet smokers, and seem to produce the most smoke flavour of the units on the market. I’d love to see this comparison test. Long time fan!
I have a Yoder640, and this was a great video to compare these pellet grills. I couldn't help but notice that Jeremy wrapped the ribs on the Weber and GMG, put the ribs fat side down (or bone side up) to get a tighter wrap and then put them back on the grill that way. The other two were done differently from what I saw, but who knows if that made much of a difference. #2 and #4 were rated higher though ... lol .
I bought a Pitts and Spitts 850 mainly because it's made in America. 4 years later it's put out the best meat I've ever cooked with absolutely zero problems.
Great video and nice to see Weber get some love in the pellet grill market. Got mine when it was released and Weber did right by sending me all of the upgrades for free. Take care of it and it will give you some great smoked meat. The temp range really makes it a great pit to keep out on the back porch.
As somebody who grew up eating burgers, steaks, chicken, etc. off of a good old Weber kettle it makes me happy to see that the affordable Weber pellet smoker still punches above its weight in the blind smoke test. Also very interesting to learn about the technical how's and why's about how each device is put together and what to expect.
Great video. Enjoyed learning about the different systems. Glad you had good results with the Weber. I bought one and it had one good cook then serious problems. So not from the internet, I lived it. They sent me several new parts that I had to replace myself. After 6 months I had to change many parts and finally gave up as I ruined too many meals. Sent it back and bought a Rec Teq and have not looked back. Not even close. Much better. Once again thank you for doing this as helpful for those looking to buy.
Yeah, it’s a bummer for those that have had issues with any brand grill. Every brand I’ve sold has had those lemons, regardless of price point. And I’ve worked on plenty of Rec tecs too. As long as you’re happy and having fun, that’s all that matters.
@@HeroicGear wish I could tell you one way or another. The rec teq has been great and everyone loves the food off of it. I only had a few successful cooks on the Weber and they were very good. I would say very similar in my opinion but as we all know, each of us has different tastes we like. If Weber truly fixed the issues you can’t go wrong with either. Good luck.
It's nice to see an another honest video featuring the Smokefire. I'm not surprised by the results and think you folks did a great job. I did enjoy the rundown on the differences in the controllers. Very informative.
I should have worked through the issues I had with mine, but was scared off based on track record. I switched pellet type during a long brisket cook and had a terrible flair up and a couple issues ongoing and their customer service was absolutely terrible to work with, but still wish I would have given it more time before returning. Went with a MB gravity instead and have issues there as well, but when it works it’s fantastic.
As a pitts and Spitts owner I would definitely say it would come down to your smoking temps. I have had a traeger and the Pitts blows it out of the water. I get some amazing smoke flavors and good bark.
Great video. I’ve had an old school (made in US) Traeger, two GMG’s, Louisiana Grill and the original Weber GarbageFire. After the Weber debacle I bit the bullet and went all in on a MAK. Wow, what a difference. Top notch build, controller and features. IMO, one of the most important elements when considering a pellet smoker is ease of cleaning and overall maintenance. Above all else, that’s why I love the MAK - removable firepot, pull out ash and grease catch, pellet dump hatch. So far I only have to clear out all the ash a couple times a year on the MAK. On all the others I had to remove everything and vacuum out the firepot before every cook if I wanted good results. Since MAK is now direct only they wouldn’t be included in a comparison like this, but I’d love to see it.
Traeger made in China for long time Sir. Yoder is better and I only had to buy one once. Had a Traeger tin can terrible would stall never held Temp. Get American made China makes most of Smoker Sold in US . Yuck!
Very glad I watched this video. Just bought a Smokefire EX4 this week on clearance for $250. The rumors on the internet had me worried but after much research I’ve kinda learned as long as it’s maintained it’s fine. Now I know it cooks great food also!
Love you channel and bbq hq. There right down the street from my house. I had a gmg for about a year and wasn’t happy with it. Eric traded me the gmg back for a 22” Weber Smokey mountain and a 26” kettle. Couldn’t be more happy with that company and the quality of meat from charcoal smoking.
"I think we are breaking bbq rules by taking multiple bite".... "i don't care" this is how you know these are real bbq people. love it. this has been the FIRST showcase that has made me even consider the Weber SmokeFire. great job!
Mad Scientist BBQ and BBQHQ - First Appreciate you both putting this pellet smoker test together. It was a great test that I enjoyed. I consider both of you to be genuine, open, and honest gentlemen. Thanks - Second my wish list for a future video is that you two would compare the following three smokers with a 20 pound beef brisket cook using 50/50 mix of oak and hickory pellets and wood for the stick burner. 1) Webber Smokefire Gen2 EX6 2) Lone Star Grillz 20 by 42 inch Pellet Smoker 3) Mad Scientist BBQ choice of a smaller size offset stick burner A perfect sequel follow-up would be the same smokers and wood with a 20 pound whole turkey. Thanks again for a great smoke off.
Great video! would love to see a deep dive into the new Recteq 1250 (Merry Christmas to me :-) Haven't even assembled it yet. Just came in yesterday. Moving from a Traeger.
I did a lot of research before buying my own pellet smoker (a RecTeq 700) and I learned several new things here! I did not know the difference between the Yoder and the Pitts & Spits, for example, how the Yoder has the firebox on the side intentionally to make it more like an offset. I definitely have friends that are huge fans of Green Mountain Grills. You didn’t mention the price point of the GMG, other than saying it was the least expensive. I’m not sure if I’ll be getting another pellet smoker anytime soon, but this was certainly a strong endorsement both for the Weber Smokefire and the GMG smoker.
100%. I have gone through many pellet brand and have come to the conclusion that the Lumberjack Pellets that I can pick up at Rural King for $8.88 for 20lbs bag are the best by far.
@@amfinkelstein down here in the south we can only find them at Dick’s sporting goods for $15 a bag. Kinda high. I was in the Augusta area earlier this year and stopped by RecTeq and got some of their ultimate blend. 40 lb bag for $20 if you pick it up. It’s more if they have to ship it. That has been my favorite pellet so far.
I've got a Camp Chef Woodwind 36", and I love it. It is most likely that an offset would provide a bit better flavor, but as a dad the pellet grill is just so much more convenient.
Man, I’ve been waiting for you to review pellet smokers. I’ve come to really trust your information. Your video about the pellets themselves was very informative. I’m a backyard BBQ enthusiast but sometimes I just don’t have the time and attention required to run my off set. The convenience of a pellet smoker is attractive but I’ve never been impressed with the flavor that my friends fail to achieve on they’re pellet smokers. Your info is telling me that flavor is possible with the right pellets and smoker. I would love to see you review Lone Star Grillz family of 20” smokers, including the stick burner vs the their pellet smoker and the LSGz pellet vs Weber Smokefire . Thank you and Happy New Year.
You stole my request but happy you did. I'm considering the Lone Star Grillz pellet smoker but would love to see a Mad Scientist review on it....esp. vs the Weber Smokefire since it won over these other grills.
Don't fall for the BS. It's a sell. I've run through dozens of pellet smokers/pellet combos, including an fec-100.. the smoke flavor will never be anything special. Theyre good cause they are convenient. You either cold smoke inside it with some charcoal and chunks for a few hours, then use it, or smoke it on an offset or weber and then xfer it over. Pellet cookers are ovens.
This was excellent because it wasn't sponsored by a particular smoker and it gave real feed back on flavors. I run the GMG with a smoke daddy to get a little extra smoke when I need it and for cold smoke but I believe in the weber theory on burning up that grease and drippings. That's some excellent smelling smoke mixed in with hickory wood pellets.
Great video as always! Have you considered testing drum smokers vs the offset or a pellet grill? It would be super interesting to get your take on the flavour profile differences
Jeremy, great video. Would love to see a video comparing the masterbuilt gravity smokers and more traditional pellet smokers. The master built seems to sit in its own category using traditional charcoal/ wood but having the convenience of a pellet smoker with its digital controls
Team Pit Boss checking in. I've owned the PB 820 Pro Series for 3 years now and it's fantastic! I can produce great briskets with dark bark, mahogany pork ribs, killer reverse seared steaks, juicy pork chops and Thanksgiving turkeys, crispy chicken wings, and a whole lot more! Best thing about the PB brand is they cost a fraction of its competitors too. Best value hands down.
Would love to see review on that he did a semi review on a gravity smoker … but I have the 560 and I love it . The build quality not the best but it does as advertised . I will certainly get my moneys worth .
I have had a big green egg for years and love it and for Christmas the family got me a rectec 1250 , have you ever done a review of rectec grills or their pellets? Is there a big difference over the bge other than the easy start ups?
I've owned a RecTec RT-680 for 4 1/2 years. It's been one of the best purchases I've made. I rarely see any BBQ TH-camr's review them. Maybe because they are sold direct.
How do you like the smoke flavor on the RecTeq vs BGE? I have an offset smoker and kettle grill and the family loves the deep smoky bark, but I’m afraid I’ll loose that if I go team pellet. I’m looking to add a cooker for ease of use so I don’t have to babysit when we are busy but get good results.
@@AnnistonMahn101 That's my biggest concern with a RecTeq. They seem to be great quality with a great warranty and work very reliably, but I've seen a lot of comments on lacking smoke flavor, even for a pellet grill. I have no clue if this is true because there aren't a whole lot of good comparisons out there.
@@AnnistonMahn101 I apologize for the delay in responding, I have been trying to learn how to do brisket and beef ribs,the smoke flavor is definitely stronger on the BGE the tradeoff is the ease of and amount of time the pellet grill saves.
Wow. I was just at the grill store today and was planning on buying a Yoder tomorrow, now I’m really considering the Weber which I have never even considered. I love the quality of the Yoder but at the end of the day it’s all about the flavor.
I've been cooking on a GMG for a long time. Cooked on just about every kind of smoker you can name. Big fan of GMG but you can make pretty good Q on all of them if you'll just invest the time to learn how. Pretty good comparison on four main line PGs. There are some pretty easy add ons and mods that will take them to the next level...would like to see a video on those too!
I got a pellet grill this summer and had some great cooks on it. I am now wintering down south and the pellet grill is in storage up north. I bought a charcoal grill from Waldo Mart. I have to say that just charcoal with no uncharred wood at all is giving me some great flavor. I use a cooling grid in a baking pan to catch drippings so I do not get flare ups. And I keep my temps going with small additions of lit charcoal. It is amazing what you can cook on a grill that cost just 37 dollars. It is a made in USA Americana. I am a pure amateur at this BBQ stuff. I wonder what a really good cook like Jeremy could do with a few under a hundred bucks charcoal grills and some of his premium meats. Then again, another real test of the cooking is some of the meat I got from HEB with lots of sinew and gristle. Trust me that does not end well.
A pellet unit deserving of much more recognition is the Outlaw OL450 made in Boise, ID. 11-gauge cook chamber, short auger with geared motor, Yoder/Louisiana-style burn grate and fire pot, programmed for holding extremely steady temps anywhere from 150ºF to 550ºF, smart controller that adjusts for outdoor temps, best ash clean out system in the business.
Hey Jeremy, thank you for all of your videos 1st off. My question is can you or Eric from The BBQ HQ do a review on the Recteq? Specifically the 590 or the 700. At the very least just talk about your opinion of them. Thank you.
Was very reluctant to buy a pellet grill because I’ve had very mediocre bbq cooked on them before, but have found that not only the grill but the brand of pellets are huge difference makers. Bought a Smokefire gen2 last year and it’s now my favorite grill.
Interesting ! 👍👍I have different Offset, WSM and Pellet. The smoke profiles of all my smokers are different, but you can adjust by temperature, wood, waterpan, meat and chose by the time you have this day. Cheers from Austria, nice video ! 👍👍
Great vid Jeremy. I’ve been thinking about how much wood I burn to do briskets, so been toying with idea of cooking on traditional stick burner for 3-4 hours then finish off cook in a pellet smoker.
@@MadScientistBBQ This is the very same reason I am considering in getting a pellet smoker. After the first 3 1/2 hours on the stick burner in order to get most most of the smoke flavor, transitioning to a pellet smoker would free some of my time. It would be great if you could run a test, and give us your opinion on the final result.
@@CoolJay77 personally i just throw them down around the fire box but it might not be so easy on some models. They sell a tube you can put chips in or you can wrap them in one of those disposable wire grill pans.
Great video Jeremy & Eric! I did an unboxing and assembly right after I purchased a GMG Ledge from a local dealer in Tempe two weeks before this video. You two sold me again on a Green Mountain with the PDI details and 12 Volt advantages. I have been a subscriber to Mad Scientist BBQ for well over a year. I would like to see some videos on cook times and temperatures like how long did you cook the spare ribs? temp? how often did you spray? etc... Again, thank you for all your hard work.
I've been a Weber man since day 1 and you've given me confidence to take the plunge on their pellet cooker. Would love to see y'all do a comparison test with chicken or turkey.
I really needed this. I would never consider a pellet grill because what he said if the smoker burns consistently you don't get great bbq. It's awesome you guys have done indepth with these, awesome.
I just got the Weber Ex4 smokefire and really like it. It outsmokes my othe pellet grills and at higher heat the fats drip on the flavor bars which produces some smoke too. Also..notice the smoke rolling when they opened the weber lid?
Are you content with the cooking size or do you wish you would’ve bought the EX6 instead? Also is the 20lb hopper sufficient for an overnight brisket cook if you have experienced?
Yup, loving my Ex4 and laughing at all the haters! Got mine half price brand new to boot. 2 questions though. What temp did you cook them at and what pellets did you use?
JERMEY I BOUGHT MY STICK BURNER AT HQ A FEW YEARS BACK IN SIMI VALLEY NOW THAT YOU EXPLAINED ABOUT THE EASY BAKE LOL MORE OR LESS I KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR THKS
I have the Gen 1 Weber. I love it. Early on they had some software issues that Weber figured out and fixed. I like the fact that it does so many things that most pellet grills don't do.
I've had a couple issues with mine, but Weber customer service has been amazing, replacement parts were shipped right away, and overall I think it's pretty amazing for the quality of food it produces and it's ability to do whatever type of cooking you want. (I have a kettle, WSM, electric smoker, and a Kamado cooker for comparison. The only think I don't have perspective on is an offset.)
I would love to see a comparison to the Chargriller Gravity 980 with some wood chunks in the hopper! Seams like it would be the ultimate set it and forget it smoker. I’d love to see a review from someone who cares about smoke quality and can comment on it !
Great job guys! Loved the rundown on the controllers too. Although not a geek, I have watched the development of digital controls as I was considered an instrument tech when we used pneumatic controllers and later supervised techs in my roll as a maintenance manager. The controllers on these units are capable of doing great things. Our original unit is a $3200 Memphis Pro we got for 1/2 price brand new. It is an amazing unit but probably more in the line flavor wise with the Pitts and Yoder. We also have a Series 7 vertical that makes food more in line with the GMG. I know this because our second pellet unit was a GMG Davy. Can't tell you how many people I have told that my $300 cheapie camping unit makes the best food. We are a household of 3 so it is the perfect size for quick meals. The MP gets used a lot too because the Series 7 is a pellet hog and good for big cooks. So I will be looking for a Weber down the road LOL My wife will shoot me, we have her propane Weber, a Weber Kettle and a Big Steel Keg. They all serve a purpose but will have to clear something for a new one to fit our patio LOL Appreciate the effort and love the Mad Scientist BBQ
I’ve owned a Traeger,Camp Chef and Yoder out of those three it was Yoder,Camp Chef then Traeger,but none of those three can touch my Req Tec 700 they call The Bull.
Hey Jeremy, please do a video on various ambient temperatures and changes in flavor. I believe colder temps should cause more fuel to burn and more smoke phenols/compounds? I live in northern Canada and during the winter I have been using my GMG pellet grill in -20 Celcius and colder and I find the colder it gets, the more smoker flavor I get, to a point where it becomes almost too rich. Thanks for your great content, keep it coming!
Awesome video!!! I love these head to head challenges!! It would be so awesome to see a Traeger vs Camp Chef challenge!!!!! I would love to see a head to head with those two grills!! Both are headquartered here in Utah, both are super affordable, and both seem to be extremely widely used!!! I have cooked on Traeger's, Camp chefs, and GMGs and I have my preferences, but I would love to hear your takes Jeremy!!
I have a Traeger with the D2 controller and so far I have loved the BBQ off it. It’s not the offset quality to me but that might be because I learned on a offset. What I have loved is the fact that I can do a real slow overnight brisket on the pellet and still get some sleep. If you get a larger Traeger I cook my meats closer to the far side. I find anything in the middle does get a bit more heat. Love the show and keep at it.
Had a gmg daniel Boone and it was a great cooker for starting out doing bbq. Got away from pellet smokers due to flavor profiles not being what I wanted and to many electronics to possibly fail in a cook. Couldn't be happier with my stumps gravity feed smoker.
Great video! how about doing a review on the char griller gravity fed 980? Curious to see how the flavor is with a digital controlled fan and lump charcoal in a typical offset style smoker
I really like my rectec and so does everyone that eats off it I have done about 20 brisket on it and they have all turned out great and so have all the ribs and pork butts.
My dad loves his Treager. He's 79 and doesn't have the desire nor stamina to run an offset. He can make some good bbq with it, but... Can't wait to see how you approach your gas grill smoke off. Love your videos bud. Keep em coming. Hope yall had a great and merry Christmas, and a happy new year to you.
I have a middle-sized GMG. I've made incredible chicken on it. Pretty good ribs. And the brisket was not so great. I found the temp on the brisket was all over the place. The bottom was jerky while the top was pretty good. I'm glad I didn't spring for the Yoder as that was the one I was drooling over. Definitely think 2300 over 659 wasn't a good trajectory. I need to get the upper rack for my GMG.
Absolutely love my GMG!!!! I do briskets alot and people seem to like them and coming back! HUGE TIP get the upper rack it’s a must and always put a water pan right under. Makes a huge difference with all the brisket Cooks
Try doing your brisket next time with the fat cap down. The radiant heat off the deflector will burn the bottom of a brisket. Use the fat as a heat shield. Always go fat down on a pellet grill.
What about Pit Boss, Masterbuilt and Treager? Those three are the smokers that are more readily available in the market place. I know that you'd probably see this as being inferior but I have an electric Masterbuilt and it does a wonderful job.
It seems that different pellet smoker have their preferred pellets (relative to their BTU). It seems that pellets have the ability to produce the flavor IF paired with the right smoker. I have found the Lumber Jack Competition Blend to impart amazing flavor on my Bit Boss vertical smoker. I used the Lumber Jack Oak pellets first, as my BBQ back ground and style is central TX but, the flavor was weak.
I'd love to see you try out a Masterbuilt Gravity Series, I think you'll be suprised how much closer to a stick burner the flavor is compared to a pellet
I will never buy another Masterbuilt again. I got 1 year out of my MB that's it. The controller shorted out. I used all of maybe 6 times. Kept in the gargarage our of the elements, only used when the sun shined. The last time I tried to use it the controller did not work and I smelled electric burn. POS! My next smoker will be 100% American Made nothing from China!
@@jaimebedolla989 the size is adequate, I've smoked a 12lbs brisket and a 12lbs Pork shoulder butt at the same. It really depends on how much you need, unless you're smoking a whole hog there's not one piece of meat that won't fit on the EX4.
My wife surprised me with a GMG Ledge for Christmas…. I have smoked brisket, ribs, a pork butt and a whole chicken on it so far. I have been very impressed. I’m not sure I would say it’s as good as my dad’s offset, but it is REALLY close. I was using a Weber before using the snake method for longer cooks. It is a big improvement over that in my opinion. I still like my Weber, but the GMG seems really versatile.
I know it takes longer, but my family much prefers brisket or chuck roasts more than ribs, so some comparison on how the pellet smokers deal with that longer cook would be great to see.
@The BBQHQ do you think you should get similar results, to the weber, by taking out the drip tray or heat shield of another pellet grill? I know you would have to deal with grease in the bottom
I'd be curious to find out if any of the smokers burned through a lot more pellets than the others. Or if it was pretty similar with how many pounds of pellets were consumed.
I built an 18V-12V charger box that runs off Ryobi batteries, to charge various things while camping (from back before Ryobi made a 12V converter). I was pleasantly surprised when my GMG Davey Crockett tailgate grill ran off it perfectly. Now, they both go with me any time the family goes camping. It's kinda cool knowing that my new Ledge runs off the same charger box, so I can feed the family barbecue, even if there's a power outage. Now, every major tool brand has a 12V inverter, which means the GMGs will all run off tool batteries.
Great video, loved the comparisons and kind of shocked at the results. That said, when you said look at that smoke ring, I knew that was the SF. That's the first thing people notice when I cook on it, the deep smoke ring and awesome bark.
Ever tried a Grilla Grills Silverbac? I love mine-just curious how it might stack up to the grills you tested in this video. Great work. What an awesome job you have!!
Please get your hands on a Lone Star Grillz pellet grill to see how it stacks up, they have a fire board controller that is supposed to create more smoke and be closer to an offset. Would love to hear your thoughts before dropping $2500 on one. Keep up the great vids!
After a year of research I have a LSG on order after talking to LSG about their product it seems like they purposely program their fireboard for the swings in temp to create the most smoke a pellet grill can. So in about 6 to 8 weeks i hope to take delivery. From what i have seen and researched it should pretty much out smoke anything with great smoke. No worries about good smoke vs bad smoke on a LSG it will always be fantastic smoke.
I am considering a pellet grill as I live in the BC Mountains and there is no hardwood out here!! All I can get is Douglass Fir and Yellow Pine. Pellets are available in a few varieties.
My takeaway from this: "If I got this at a restaurant I'd be really happy and say that's a great rib!" Really sad when "BBQ" restaurants aren't outperforming basic pellet smokers, and this mirrors my experience at a lot of BBQ joints. Either they might as well be cooking in an oven or everything is oversmoked, dry and bitter. Having taken up backyard smoking I understand why BBQ is so expensive because of the time investment necessary, but I definitely won't be paying anyone else to do a worse job than I can do.
agreed. I dont live in a BBQ area, (KC, Texas, Carolina, Memphis.....) I have since stopped paying for bbq at restaurants since I have got my pellet smoker a few years ago..
Yeah I'm in southern California. We've got a small "when we're out, we're out" BBQ place that's pretty good, but they get a line and are expensive. I should go back though now that I'm more experienced at the pit and see how they compare.
Jeremy great comparison vid again - now that the new Camp Chef woodwind pro with smokebox is here do you think that the Weber smokefire flavours compare with it judging on the testing you did recently?
Great video! My only disappointment with my Weber EX6 was that I waited so long to purchase it. It has replaced my previous smoker AND my Weber Genesis completely. I’ve used my gas grill only once since I purchased the SmokeFire. In the summer, I use it roughly 5 nights a week on average. In the winter (Wisconsin for ya!) I still use it a couple times a week.
Another great video and comparison. I may have missed this on the beginning of the video but we’re all pillow grills operating at the same temperature and if so what was the temperature set to?
I have a GMG and so does my brother and dad. We hate the 12v plug on the unit. As cool as the "plug it into a car" thing is we'll never use it and the plug on the unit has broken on all of ours. YMMV but here in Texas the plastic just doesnt hold up to the heat and the connection points on them get corroded and have to be wiggled around for the unit to operate. Ive had it shutoff mid smoke several times on me.
I have a rec tec in the fleet. Maybe we can do a video with it in the future. To be honest it doesn’t stand out from the rest but it’s been a while since I’ve done it head to head.
This was an awesome video. I just purchased a GMG Ledge like the one in the video. Excited to smoke on it more! Can anyone please drop a link for the grates (upper and lower) shown in the video for the GMG?
Jeremy, I give you a lot of credit for putting aside any bias and going into this open-minded. I have heard a lot of negative things about pellet smoker favor, so it was nice to hear some positive comments. Great video and enjoyed seeing you go slightly out of your comfort zone.
I’ll admit that I don’t have any interest in a pellet grill (love my offset), but Eric was incredibly interesting to listen to. Found his run down of each smoker very informative and well explained.
Thank you. A lot was left on the editing room floor. Lol. I’m slightly passionate about this stuff.
@ff eater I just talk when they tell me. Lol
@@TheBBQHQ Amazingribs review claims that the SF is prone to jams when using non Weber pellets. Which pellets have you been using on SF?
Cory, I love my GMG prime grill. It for the most part is better than a regular grill.......except steaks. You just can't get the char sear on the steak that you want. That is why I'm looking at the Yoder brand that has the ability to open up to the direct auger and let flame touch the meat. Once all the pellets have that open flame ability, it will be the best of all worlds!
@@B-H76and @ CoolJay77 You do have a point about the Weber SF, as I've heard similar complaints from people who own them! They are deserving of credit for noticeable enhanced flavor, but one thing they barely touched on, and tried to deflect from, are real grease fires! Yes! what you read on the Inet does have some validity! The Weber SF can be used for smoking at lower temps and grilling at much higher temps. When grilling at the higher temps, there's an increased risk of grease fires from the greater amounts of fat that runs off the deflecter plates! If not cleaned often, grease builds up over time increasing fire risks. If you do not clean it regularly, you will have a grease fire for sure. The Weber SF is a great cooker for the price, but maintenance is required more often than the other cookers. I bought the Yoder YS640 in 2017, now knowing it was nearly 3 times the cost of the Weber SF. At that time, the Weber SF was still in development. If you compare how each are built and the materials used to build them, the Competition YS640 weights around 500lbs and built like a tank. The smoke box and fire chamber are made of thick metal, heavy-duty stuff! Well built and made to last, made in USA! They didn't touch on the durability and quality of each smoker. The Yoder YS640 has a heat defuser or deflector plate that has a cut-out just above the firepot on the left side and you can use grill plates over it to sear steaks! I believe the cut out deflector plate is still optional. So it's versatile to smoke or grill. I'll be honest, it does fall on the milder side when smoking, but nothing a smoke tube can't fix! When I need that off-set stick burner smoke quality, I load up a smoke tube with pellets, light them and place it on the right edge of the deflector plate! I can match any stick burner without the fire pit management time. One of the main issues with the Yoder pellet smoker, even thought they are made well, they are powder coated with flat black stove paint! It will develop some rust spots and more so if you live in a humid climate. Yoder is aware of it, that's why they provide you with a can of touch up spray paint. I've already had to sand down some areas and spray paint them. The good part is after it's done properly, it looks like new! Knowing I spent a bit more money, I believe it to be the better buy, as this Yoder YS640 will most likely out last me! Do your own research before you buy! Loved their cook comparisons, but maybe they should do a quality and durability comparison as well...
I've owned the Weber Smokefire EX 6 since June 2020. I noticed a few things about the early TH-cam videos back in February/March 2020 that I would describe as user error. The biggest was doing large fatty cooks (two or more pork butts) without a drip pan. The drip pan isn't completely necessary but what ended up happening is that users would raise the temp at the end to hasten the end of the cook. Since there was still fat in the bottom of the cooker, raising the temp would get the temperature of the grease past the flame point (which was assisted by having the burn pot in the center throwing sparks). Grease catches fire and all of a sudden you have a really interesting TH-cam video. The fix? Use a drip pan and most of all be patient on the cook and you'll be fine. I could understand making these mistakes from a novice user like myself (in terms of using a smoker, not cooking in general). But the videos usually were posted by people who should have known better.
The biggest fixes Weber has done midstream in the Smokefire's life was redesigning the auger which tended to fail in year one (all owners got the new one no charge and the new auger is the difference between the Gen 1 and Gen 2 units. Replace the auger and you're Gen 2 now. The second improvement was steady improvements to the firmware with the biggest improvement coming in May 2020. The iPhone/Android apps also got substantially better later in 2020. Flaws? The hopper design is still sub par since Weber was looking for a sleek low profile design instead of having a nice chimney use gravity in your favor. There are things users do in order to prevent pellet starvation but a redesign would be helpful.
The food is outstanding which I agree with the outcome of this video. But the real advantage of the Smokefire is being able to credibly do high heat cooks (burgers!) like an actual charcoal or gas grill. When I was in the market for a pellet grill, I had a problem where I needed to replace a cheap barrel Char-Grill charcoal grill that I used for when I needed more real estate than a Weber kettle. And I only had space for one product. The Smokefire can grill and smoke and do both effectively. The Smokefire can do 600 degrees F which is great but I haven't had a situation where I've needed more than 550. In fact, the highest settings can easily damage Weber's temp probes since they aren't that good. Fortunately, the ones from Thermopen are more durable at higher temps and work just fine with Weber's computer.
If you've never used a pellet grill and you need to actually grill stuff, it's a great product to check out. The biggest issue in learning this or any pellet grill is translating recipes from gas or charcoal grills since there is no such thing as direct and indirect cooking. But it's not hard to figure out after a few cooks. Once I figured out the reverse sear method for steaks, my wife loves the taste so much that she will never go back to the old way I cooked on the kettle. It's that much of a difference.
Well said!! I have the EX4 Gen 2 and it’s been fantastic. It’s replaced my kettle grill so I’m able to do long low ‘n slow smokes and high heat stuff like burgers, steak, and chicken.
Exactly, the biggest hurdle with most pellets is the ability to make burgers and chicken and other more common bbq cooks (I know it’s possible but everyone I know with a treager admits that the flavor isn’t quite there because the lack of direct flame). I do think there were legitimate issues with the first generation units, but if I was going to get a pellet grill, I’d recommend the smokefire 2nd gen or the new stealth model they’re going to release later this year to people for that reason, it’s a hybrid pellet smoker and regular grill. I’m a charcoal person myself (I have the Weber summit Komodo), but if I was ever in a situation where I needed more convenience I’d consider the smokefire over gas grills and other pellet smokers
This is great and informative. Question though. Won’t the drip pan get in the way of the direct flame preventing the flavor Eric is talking about in the video? Other pellet grills have that deflector/drip tray which probably gets in the way. What is your take?
@@papacito2982 other grills have the same thing, albeit some have small holes all over the tray/cover. The thing is when doing low and slow you rely on smoke and heat, not direct flame. So the drip tray is for those exact situations. But when doing steaks, burgers, chicken drumsticks etc, that’s where this grill has the advantage of direct flame.
If it requires a drip pan for longer cooks it should come with it as part of the "design". Yeah there are workarounds for MOST things but should you have to pay money for something that has so many known issues? Also, WTF is up with all the ash. Is it a smoker or an ASHER? They need to redesign the fan system and rethink the fat management.
I just traded up to a Weber Smokefire EX6. I love it so far. I’ve had a Treager for 3 years, and it’s been great for me. Did I mention I Love the features of the Smokefire. I smoked a prime rib for Christmas and it was perfect. I love your approach to BBQ. Thanks
Anyone else consistently get the feeling after watching Mad Scientist videos that Jeremy is just a really honest and genuine guy? Haha
That he is. One of the best individuals you’ll ever meet.
I've thought that for a very long time. I've been watching him for a couple years now.
Yeah but I’m this vid I definitely heard some Weber bias. Overall though yeah I think you’re right
I’m confused, because in at least two other of Jeremy’s videos, he criticizes pellets in general. (For example, at the end of his fire management video.) Am I missing something?
@@Kasper623 Because it produced a better quality product that tastes more like a traditional smoker. Why wouldn't you praise the superior product?
I have the EX6 Gen 2 since July 2021. I absolutely love it. I've made some fantastic food on it, brisket, ribs, chuck roast, short ribs. I'm very happy with it!
I started out in 1999 with a Traeger competition model. Was always a good reliable smoker. Upgraded to a Yoder YS1500 in 2014. Had nothing but problems. Had a defective controller right out of the box, then the igniter went out, had multiple burn plates that kept warping and used enormous amounts of pellets. Also, the YS1500 is a nightmare to clean. Finally gave up and sold it. Then bought a new RecTec and still have it. Best pellet smoker I've ever had and never any problems.
Recteq baby! I have the 700 and the 380 never ever any issues!
Yup, I have a 590 and couldn’t be happier !
@@Proto6789 I've noticed there are lots of recteq haters out there too lol
@@Trumpetmaster77 love mine
@@Trumpetmaster77 it makes them feel better I guess, makes them feel better about their purchase of a lesser product
Yoder YS640 owner here and I absolutely love it. I have had it since 2018. I have it in a corner of our garage and then vent it through a chimney outside. This lets me use it year round in central NY. Now I am looking into an offset.
Great video. Interesting the cheaper units outperformed the premium units. I’d love to see a comparison of the Smokefire Gen2 vs Camp Chef Woodwind Pro. These two units have both got significant design differences vs the majority of pellet smokers, and seem to produce the most smoke flavour of the units on the market. I’d love to see this comparison test. Long time fan!
I have a Yoder640, and this was a great video to compare these pellet grills. I couldn't help but notice that Jeremy wrapped the ribs on the Weber and GMG, put the ribs fat side down (or bone side up) to get a tighter wrap and then put them back on the grill that way. The other two were done differently from what I saw, but who knows if that made much of a difference. #2 and #4 were rated higher though ... lol .
I noticed that as well.. interesting
I bought a Pitts and Spitts 850 mainly because it's made in America. 4 years later it's put out the best meat I've ever cooked with absolutely zero problems.
Great video and nice to see Weber get some love in the pellet grill market. Got mine when it was released and Weber did right by sending me all of the upgrades for free. Take care of it and it will give you some great smoked meat. The temp range really makes it a great pit to keep out on the back porch.
Same!
I agree. Owned gen1 with upgrades. Never a issue and always great food!
Agreed💯
As somebody who grew up eating burgers, steaks, chicken, etc. off of a good old Weber kettle it makes me happy to see that the affordable Weber pellet smoker still punches above its weight in the blind smoke test. Also very interesting to learn about the technical how's and why's about how each device is put together and what to expect.
Been loving my GMG for a couple years now. Bang for the buck cant be denied
Great video. Enjoyed learning about the different systems. Glad you had good results with the Weber. I bought one and it had one good cook then serious problems. So not from the internet, I lived it. They sent me several new parts that I had to replace myself. After 6 months I had to change many parts and finally gave up as I ruined too many meals. Sent it back and bought a Rec Teq and have not looked back. Not even close. Much better. Once again thank you for doing this as helpful for those looking to buy.
Yeah, it’s a bummer for those that have had issues with any brand grill. Every brand I’ve sold has had those lemons, regardless of price point. And I’ve worked on plenty of Rec tecs too. As long as you’re happy and having fun, that’s all that matters.
Would either of you boys say the Smokefire delivered better smoke flavor than the rectec?
@@HeroicGear wish I could tell you one way or another. The rec teq has been great and everyone loves the food off of it. I only had a few successful cooks on the Weber and they were very good. I would say very similar in my opinion but as we all know, each of us has different tastes we like. If Weber truly fixed the issues you can’t go wrong with either. Good luck.
It's nice to see an another honest video featuring the Smokefire. I'm not surprised by the results and think you folks did a great job. I did enjoy the rundown on the differences in the controllers. Very informative.
I should have worked through the issues I had with mine, but was scared off based on track record. I switched pellet type during a long brisket cook and had a terrible flair up and a couple issues ongoing and their customer service was absolutely terrible to work with, but still wish I would have given it more time before returning. Went with a MB gravity instead and have issues there as well, but when it works it’s fantastic.
I love my second gen ex4. Produces such good food. Made some smoked queso just last night.
As a pitts and Spitts owner I would definitely say it would come down to your smoking temps. I have had a traeger and the Pitts blows it out of the water. I get some amazing smoke flavors and good bark.
i believe that because looks like pitts and spitts pellet grills smoke constantly
Great video. I’ve had an old school (made in US) Traeger, two GMG’s, Louisiana Grill and the original Weber GarbageFire. After the Weber debacle I bit the bullet and went all in on a MAK. Wow, what a difference. Top notch build, controller and features. IMO, one of the most important elements when considering a pellet smoker is ease of cleaning and overall maintenance. Above all else, that’s why I love the MAK - removable firepot, pull out ash and grease catch, pellet dump hatch. So far I only have to clear out all the ash a couple times a year on the MAK. On all the others I had to remove everything and vacuum out the firepot before every cook if I wanted good results. Since MAK is now direct only they wouldn’t be included in a comparison like this, but I’d love to see it.
Second the idea of having MAK in this.
Traeger made in China for long time Sir. Yoder is better and I only had to buy one once. Had a Traeger tin can terrible would stall never held Temp. Get American made China makes most of Smoker Sold in US . Yuck!
Great video! What brand and flavor of pellets did you use?
Compare the Smokefire against an offset and a gravity smoker, like the Masterbuilt 800 or Chargriller 980, see how big the difference is.
With the winning pellets. Jealous devil or knotty wood
I like wood better than charcoal anyday, charcoal good on chicken, no way on beef
Very glad I watched this video. Just bought a Smokefire EX4 this week on clearance for $250. The rumors on the internet had me worried but after much research I’ve kinda learned as long as it’s maintained it’s fine. Now I know it cooks great food also!
Love you channel and bbq hq. There right down the street from my house. I had a gmg for about a year and wasn’t happy with it. Eric traded me the gmg back for a 22” Weber Smokey mountain and a 26” kettle. Couldn’t be more happy with that company and the quality of meat from charcoal smoking.
I got a recteq, try one of those. They pretty much all simular I guess.
"I think we are breaking bbq rules by taking multiple bite".... "i don't care" this is how you know these are real bbq people. love it.
this has been the FIRST showcase that has made me even consider the Weber SmokeFire. great job!
Great test! I'd love to see a camp chef wood wind, and a masterbuilt gravity series charcoal tested too!
Mad Scientist BBQ and BBQHQ
- First Appreciate you both putting this pellet smoker test together. It was a great test that I enjoyed. I consider both of you to be genuine, open, and honest gentlemen. Thanks
- Second my wish list for a future video is that you two would compare the following three smokers with a 20 pound beef brisket cook using 50/50 mix of oak and hickory pellets and wood for the stick burner.
1) Webber Smokefire Gen2 EX6
2) Lone Star Grillz 20 by 42 inch Pellet Smoker
3) Mad Scientist BBQ choice of a smaller size offset stick burner
A perfect sequel follow-up would be the same smokers and wood with a 20 pound whole turkey.
Thanks again for a great smoke off.
Great video! would love to see a deep dive into the new Recteq 1250 (Merry Christmas to me :-) Haven't even assembled it yet. Just came in yesterday. Moving from a Traeger.
I have had my rectec about 2 years. I love it all my food has turned out really good
Reqtec for the win!
Curious about the reqtek you should do an assembly and first cook video!
I have recteq 590 ...I cook everything in it...I love it
I did a lot of research before buying my own pellet smoker (a RecTeq 700) and I learned several new things here! I did not know the difference between the Yoder and the Pitts & Spits, for example, how the Yoder has the firebox on the side intentionally to make it more like an offset. I definitely have friends that are huge fans of Green Mountain Grills. You didn’t mention the price point of the GMG, other than saying it was the least expensive. I’m not sure if I’ll be getting another pellet smoker anytime soon, but this was certainly a strong endorsement both for the Weber Smokefire and the GMG smoker.
All the grills are similar, I have a recteq that I like. The pellets I think are key to the foods you cook.
100%. I have gone through many pellet brand and have come to the conclusion that the Lumberjack Pellets that I can pick up at Rural King for $8.88 for 20lbs bag are the best by far.
@@amfinkelstein the knotty wood plum pellets are fkn awesome dude
@@amfinkelstein down here in the south we can only find them at Dick’s sporting goods for $15 a bag. Kinda high.
I was in the Augusta area earlier this year and stopped by RecTeq and got some of their ultimate blend. 40 lb bag for $20 if you pick it up. It’s more if they have to ship it. That has been my favorite pellet so far.
@@TViper2369 I’m down in Florida and our Dicks doesn’t sell them only Rural King lol
I've got a Camp Chef Woodwind 36", and I love it. It is most likely that an offset would provide a bit better flavor, but as a dad the pellet grill is just so much more convenient.
Neighbor has this and loves it.
I have one too and an offset. A Charcoal or offset will give you a MUCH better smoke profile. Pellet cookers are basically ovens.
Man, I’ve been waiting for you to review pellet smokers. I’ve come to really trust your information. Your video about the pellets themselves was very informative. I’m a backyard BBQ enthusiast but sometimes I just don’t have the time and attention required to run my off set. The convenience of a pellet smoker is attractive but I’ve never been impressed with the flavor that my friends fail to achieve on they’re pellet smokers. Your info is telling me that flavor is possible with the right pellets and smoker. I would love to see you review Lone Star Grillz family of 20” smokers, including the stick burner vs the their pellet smoker and the LSGz pellet vs Weber Smokefire . Thank you and Happy New Year.
You stole my request but happy you did. I'm considering the Lone Star Grillz pellet smoker but would love to see a Mad Scientist review on it....esp. vs the Weber Smokefire since it won over these other grills.
Don't fall for the BS. It's a sell. I've run through dozens of pellet smokers/pellet combos, including an fec-100.. the smoke flavor will never be anything special. Theyre good cause they are convenient. You either cold smoke inside it with some charcoal and chunks for a few hours, then use it, or smoke it on an offset or weber and then xfer it over. Pellet cookers are ovens.
This was excellent because it wasn't sponsored by a particular smoker and it gave real feed back on flavors. I run the GMG with a smoke daddy to get a little extra smoke when I need it and for cold smoke but I believe in the weber theory on burning up that grease and drippings. That's some excellent smelling smoke mixed in with hickory wood pellets.
Great video as always! Have you considered testing drum smokers vs the offset or a pellet grill? It would be super interesting to get your take on the flavour profile differences
Thanks for the confirmation. I’ve been looking at the Weber for awhile. Great job as always guys.
Jeremy, great video. Would love to see a video comparing the masterbuilt gravity smokers and more traditional pellet smokers. The master built seems to sit in its own category using traditional charcoal/ wood but having the convenience of a pellet smoker with its digital controls
Agreed. Would love to see Jeremy review a gravity feed
Team Pit Boss checking in. I've owned the PB 820 Pro Series for 3 years now and it's fantastic!
I can produce great briskets with dark bark, mahogany pork ribs, killer reverse seared steaks, juicy pork chops and Thanksgiving turkeys, crispy chicken wings, and a whole lot more!
Best thing about the PB brand is they cost a fraction of its competitors too. Best value hands down.
Awesome video!!
Would love to see your experience and share your thoughts on a master built 800.
Would love to see review on that he did a semi review on a gravity smoker … but I have the 560 and I love it . The build quality not the best but it does as advertised . I will certainly get my moneys worth .
Got a Pit Boss 1150 pro a month ago am happy with for now but when I upgrade definitely going with Rec Tec
I have had a big green egg for years and love it and for Christmas the family got me a rectec 1250 , have you ever done a review of rectec grills or their pellets? Is there a big difference over the bge other than the easy start ups?
You got a great grill in RecTeq. I have two and love them both.
I've owned a RecTec RT-680 for 4 1/2 years. It's been one of the best purchases I've made. I rarely see any BBQ TH-camr's review them. Maybe because they are sold direct.
How do you like the smoke flavor on the RecTeq vs BGE? I have an offset smoker and kettle grill and the family loves the deep smoky bark, but I’m afraid I’ll loose that if I go team pellet. I’m looking to add a cooker for ease of use so I don’t have to babysit when we are busy but get good results.
@@AnnistonMahn101 That's my biggest concern with a RecTeq. They seem to be great quality with a great warranty and work very reliably, but I've seen a lot of comments on lacking smoke flavor, even for a pellet grill. I have no clue if this is true because there aren't a whole lot of good comparisons out there.
@@AnnistonMahn101 I apologize for the delay in responding, I have been trying to learn how to do brisket and beef ribs,the smoke flavor is definitely stronger on the BGE the tradeoff is the ease of and amount of time the pellet grill saves.
Wow. I was just at the grill store today and was planning on buying a Yoder tomorrow, now I’m really considering the Weber which I have never even considered. I love the quality of the Yoder but at the end of the day it’s all about the flavor.
I've been cooking on a GMG for a long time. Cooked on just about every kind of smoker you can name. Big fan of GMG but you can make pretty good Q on all of them if you'll just invest the time to learn how. Pretty good comparison on four main line PGs. There are some pretty easy add ons and mods that will take them to the next level...would like to see a video on those too!
I got a pellet grill this summer and had some great cooks on it. I am now wintering down south and the pellet grill is in storage up north. I bought a charcoal grill from Waldo Mart. I have to say that just charcoal with no uncharred wood at all is giving me some great flavor. I use a cooling grid in a baking pan to catch drippings so I do not get flare ups. And I keep my temps going with small additions of lit charcoal. It is amazing what you can cook on a grill that cost just 37 dollars. It is a made in USA Americana. I am a pure amateur at this BBQ stuff. I wonder what a really good cook like Jeremy could do with a few under a hundred bucks charcoal grills and some of his premium meats. Then again, another real test of the cooking is some of the meat I got from HEB with lots of sinew and gristle. Trust me that does not end well.
Can you make video for pellets and tell us which one is the best brand for flavor And which one did you use today?
That’s in next weeks video!
A pellet unit deserving of much more recognition is the Outlaw OL450 made in Boise, ID. 11-gauge cook chamber, short auger with geared motor, Yoder/Louisiana-style burn grate and fire pot, programmed for holding extremely steady temps anywhere from 150ºF to 550ºF, smart controller that adjusts for outdoor temps, best ash clean out system in the business.
Hey Jeremy, thank you for all of your videos 1st off. My question is can you or Eric from The BBQ HQ do a review on the Recteq? Specifically the 590 or the 700. At the very least just talk about your opinion of them. Thank you.
Was very reluctant to buy a pellet grill because I’ve had very mediocre bbq cooked on them before, but have found that not only the grill but the brand of pellets are huge difference makers. Bought a Smokefire gen2 last year and it’s now my favorite grill.
I’ve always thought my Smokefire put out an awesome flavor - glad to see my experience is not uncommon. Great video!
Interesting ! 👍👍I have different Offset, WSM and Pellet. The smoke profiles of all my smokers are different, but you can adjust by temperature, wood, waterpan, meat and chose by the time you have this day. Cheers from Austria, nice video ! 👍👍
Great vid Jeremy. I’ve been thinking about how much wood I burn to do briskets, so been toying with idea of cooking on traditional stick burner for 3-4 hours then finish off cook in a pellet smoker.
Not a bad idea. You could do 6-8 hours on the smoke and then just put it in the oven if you want
@@MadScientistBBQ This is the very same reason I am considering in getting a pellet smoker. After the first 3 1/2 hours on the stick burner in order to get most most of the smoke flavor, transitioning to a pellet smoker would free some of my time. It would be great if you could run a test, and give us your opinion on the final result.
@@CoolJay77 why not just add some wood to your pellet smoker for the first few hours to get that extra smoke... that's what I do.
@@FearRua How do you do that? Wood chips in aluminum foil?
@@CoolJay77 personally i just throw them down around the fire box but it might not be so easy on some models. They sell a tube you can put chips in or you can wrap them in one of those disposable wire grill pans.
Great video Jeremy & Eric! I did an unboxing and assembly right after I purchased a GMG Ledge from a local dealer in Tempe two weeks before this video.
You two sold me again on a Green Mountain with the PDI details and 12 Volt advantages.
I have been a subscriber to Mad Scientist BBQ for well over a year.
I would like to see some videos on cook times and temperatures like how long did you cook the spare ribs? temp? how often did you spray? etc...
Again, thank you for all your hard work.
I've been a Weber man since day 1 and you've given me confidence to take the plunge on their pellet cooker. Would love to see y'all do a comparison test with chicken or turkey.
So how do you like the Smokefire now that you own one?
Awesome video. Would love to see a MAK in a side by side as well. What temp did you smoke the ribs at? Thanks!
I happen to own a Webber SmokeFire so I was delighted with the results. I have been very happy with this product.
I really needed this. I would never consider a pellet grill because what he said if the smoker burns consistently you don't get great bbq. It's awesome you guys have done indepth with these, awesome.
I'd love to see the Camp Chef Woodwind
I just got the Weber Ex4 smokefire and really like it. It outsmokes my othe pellet grills and at higher heat the fats drip on the flavor bars which produces some smoke too. Also..notice the smoke rolling when they opened the weber lid?
Are you content with the cooking size or do you wish you would’ve bought the EX6 instead?
Also is the 20lb hopper sufficient for an overnight brisket cook if you have experienced?
@@jaimebedolla989 in cold weather I don't think you'd get an overnight cook. I think it has plenty of room..I don't need the ex6 imo.
Yup, loving my Ex4 and laughing at all the haters! Got mine half price brand new to boot. 2 questions though. What temp did you cook them at and what pellets did you use?
JERMEY I BOUGHT MY STICK BURNER AT HQ A FEW YEARS BACK IN SIMI VALLEY NOW THAT YOU EXPLAINED ABOUT THE EASY BAKE LOL MORE OR LESS I KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR THKS
Great video! Maybe could do this test on some other mainstream smokers like Pitboss , Traeger , req Tec etc
I have the Gen 1 Weber. I love it. Early on they had some software issues that Weber figured out and fixed. I like the fact that it does so many things that most pellet grills don't do.
Pretty sweet comparison! Weber is at the top of my wishlist, would be cool to see this go up against a gravity fed charcoal cooker and maybe a kettle.
You should check your local lowes there are people finding them marked half off right now in stores only.
The Weber Smokefire is a great value, especially if you only have room for 1 grill it can do everything
I wouldn't. My Smokefire was trash. Just saying.
I've had a couple issues with mine, but Weber customer service has been amazing, replacement parts were shipped right away, and overall I think it's pretty amazing for the quality of food it produces and it's ability to do whatever type of cooking you want. (I have a kettle, WSM, electric smoker, and a Kamado cooker for comparison. The only think I don't have perspective on is an offset.)
I would love to see a comparison to the Chargriller Gravity 980 with some wood chunks in the hopper! Seams like it would be the ultimate set it and forget it smoker. I’d love to see a review from someone who cares about smoke quality and can comment on it !
Great job guys! Loved the rundown on the controllers too. Although not a geek, I have watched the development of digital controls as I was considered an instrument tech when we used pneumatic controllers and later supervised techs in my roll as a maintenance manager. The controllers on these units are capable of doing great things. Our original unit is a $3200 Memphis Pro we got for 1/2 price brand new. It is an amazing unit but probably more in the line flavor wise with the Pitts and Yoder. We also have a Series 7 vertical that makes food more in line with the GMG. I know this because our second pellet unit was a GMG Davy. Can't tell you how many people I have told that my $300 cheapie camping unit makes the best food. We are a household of 3 so it is the perfect size for quick meals. The MP gets used a lot too because the Series 7 is a pellet hog and good for big cooks. So I will be looking for a Weber down the road LOL My wife will shoot me, we have her propane Weber, a Weber Kettle and a Big Steel Keg. They all serve a purpose but will have to clear something for a new one to fit our patio LOL Appreciate the effort and love the Mad Scientist BBQ
I’ve owned a Traeger,Camp Chef and Yoder out of those three it was Yoder,Camp Chef then Traeger,but none of those three can touch my Req Tec 700 they call The Bull.
agree 100%
Agree 110% love my bull!
Why don’t they ever mention ReqTec?
@@scottboyer8990 likely because RecTeq only sells direct so this dude can’t sell them lol
@@scottboyer8990 RecTeqs are only sold thru the website, no retailers. Unless they send one for free,,, the youtubers have to buy one
Hey Jeremy, please do a video on various ambient temperatures and changes in flavor. I believe colder temps should cause more fuel to burn and more smoke phenols/compounds? I live in northern Canada and during the winter I have been using my GMG pellet grill in -20 Celcius and colder and I find the colder it gets, the more smoker flavor I get, to a point where it becomes almost too rich. Thanks for your great content, keep it coming!
Awesome video!!! I love these head to head challenges!! It would be so awesome to see a Traeger vs Camp Chef challenge!!!!! I would love to see a head to head with those two grills!! Both are headquartered here in Utah, both are super affordable, and both seem to be extremely widely used!!! I have cooked on Traeger's, Camp chefs, and GMGs and I have my preferences, but I would love to hear your takes Jeremy!!
I have a Traeger with the D2 controller and so far I have loved the BBQ off it. It’s not the offset quality to me but that might be because I learned on a offset. What I have loved is the fact that I can do a real slow overnight brisket on the pellet and still get some sleep. If you get a larger Traeger I cook my meats closer to the far side. I find anything in the middle does get a bit more heat. Love the show and keep at it.
Had a gmg daniel Boone and it was a great cooker for starting out doing bbq. Got away from pellet smokers due to flavor profiles not being what I wanted and to many electronics to possibly fail in a cook. Couldn't be happier with my stumps gravity feed smoker.
I had a Stumps for many years but it finally rusted out last year.
Great video! how about doing a review on the char griller gravity fed 980? Curious to see how the flavor is with a digital controlled fan and lump charcoal in a typical offset style smoker
Try the RecTec vs smoke Fire next! Great video!
Wow like the Blind test but missed out of the cook temp , wrap temp and final pull temp. Also what was the spray mix??
I really like my rectec and so does everyone that eats off it I have done about 20 brisket on it and they have all turned out great and so have all the ribs and pork butts.
My dad loves his Treager. He's 79 and doesn't have the desire nor stamina to run an offset. He can make some good bbq with it, but... Can't wait to see how you approach your gas grill smoke off. Love your videos bud. Keep em coming. Hope yall had a great and merry Christmas, and a happy new year to you.
I have a middle-sized GMG. I've made incredible chicken on it. Pretty good ribs. And the brisket was not so great. I found the temp on the brisket was all over the place. The bottom was jerky while the top was pretty good. I'm glad I didn't spring for the Yoder as that was the one I was drooling over. Definitely think 2300 over 659 wasn't a good trajectory. I need to get the upper rack for my GMG.
Absolutely love my GMG!!!! I do briskets alot and people seem to like them and coming back! HUGE TIP get the upper rack it’s a must and always put a water pan right under. Makes a huge difference with all the brisket Cooks
Try doing your brisket next time with the fat cap down. The radiant heat off the deflector will burn the bottom of a brisket. Use the fat as a heat shield. Always go fat down on a pellet grill.
Had the same issue with my gmg. Got ride of it and use a 22” Weber Smokey mountain and will never look back
How about including the lone star grillz pellet on the comparison test. Thanks 😊
What about Pit Boss, Masterbuilt and Treager? Those three are the smokers that are more readily available in the market place. I know that you'd probably see this as being inferior but I have an electric Masterbuilt and it does a wonderful job.
Pitboss nation
He should compare those 3 with the Weber. To see who’s the winner!!
I'd like to see Masterbuilt gravity charcoal grills also.
It seems that different pellet smoker have their preferred pellets (relative to their BTU). It seems that pellets have the ability to produce the flavor IF paired with the right smoker. I have found the Lumber Jack Competition Blend to impart amazing flavor on my Bit Boss vertical smoker. I used the Lumber Jack Oak pellets first, as my BBQ back ground and style is central TX but, the flavor was weak.
I'd love to see you try out a Masterbuilt Gravity Series, I think you'll be suprised how much closer to a stick burner the flavor is compared to a pellet
I will never buy another Masterbuilt again. I got 1 year out of my MB that's it. The controller shorted out. I used all of maybe 6 times. Kept in the gargarage our of the elements, only used when the sun shined. The last time I tried to use it the controller did not work and I smelled electric burn. POS! My next smoker will be 100% American Made nothing from China!
I own a smokefire ex4, absolutely love it, the flavor is near offset profile and Weber backs their products 💯%, great choice for any level griller.
Do you feel that size is adequate or do you wish you would’ve bought the bigger EX 6?
@@jaimebedolla989 the size is adequate, I've smoked a 12lbs brisket and a 12lbs Pork shoulder butt at the same. It really depends on how much you need, unless you're smoking a whole hog there's not one piece of meat that won't fit on the EX4.
You forgot to try the Lone Star Grillz pellet smoker. I heard that is the best pellet smoker flavor you can get.
This! It is truly revolutionary. All currently pale in comparison.
All I see from one of those is a ton of white dirty smoke.
@@RumandCook really? So you own one?
Eric doesn’t sell them so it wasn’t an option for this test
I’ve cooked on one, but didn’t get much time with it. Nothing stood out majorly for me. I plan on getting one and running it through more paces.
My wife surprised me with a GMG Ledge for Christmas…. I have smoked brisket, ribs, a pork butt and a whole chicken on it so far. I have been very impressed. I’m not sure I would say it’s as good as my dad’s offset, but it is REALLY close. I was using a Weber before using the snake method for longer cooks. It is a big improvement over that in my opinion. I still like my Weber, but the GMG seems really versatile.
I know it takes longer, but my family much prefers brisket or chuck roasts more than ribs, so some comparison on how the pellet smokers deal with that longer cook would be great to see.
@The BBQHQ do you think you should get similar results, to the weber, by taking out the drip tray or heat shield of another pellet grill? I know you would have to deal with grease in the bottom
I'd be curious to find out if any of the smokers burned through a lot more pellets than the others. Or if it was pretty similar with how many pounds of pellets were consumed.
exactly what i wanna see
Great point
I built an 18V-12V charger box that runs off Ryobi batteries, to charge various things while camping (from back before Ryobi made a 12V converter). I was pleasantly surprised when my GMG Davey Crockett tailgate grill ran off it perfectly. Now, they both go with me any time the family goes camping. It's kinda cool knowing that my new Ledge runs off the same charger box, so I can feed the family barbecue, even if there's a power outage.
Now, every major tool brand has a 12V inverter, which means the GMGs will all run off tool batteries.
Love to see a chargrill gravity added to taste comparisons
I just visited their store to pickup a ys640s on a comp cart. Great people
Great video, loved the comparisons and kind of shocked at the results. That said, when you said look at that smoke ring, I knew that was the SF. That's the first thing people notice when I cook on it, the deep smoke ring and awesome bark.
Ever tried a Grilla Grills Silverbac? I love mine-just curious how it might stack up to the grills you tested in this video. Great work. What an awesome job you have!!
Please get your hands on a Lone Star Grillz pellet grill to see how it stacks up, they have a fire board controller that is supposed to create more smoke and be closer to an offset. Would love to hear your thoughts before dropping $2500 on one.
Keep up the great vids!
I played with a LSG and it seemed to produce a lot of smoke, I just couldn’t tell if it was good smoke or not. I will buy one and play with it.
@@TheBBQHQ awesome, look forward to seeing your thoughts. thank you
After a year of research I have a LSG on order after talking to LSG about their product it seems like they purposely program their fireboard for the swings in temp to create the most smoke a pellet grill can. So in about 6 to 8 weeks i hope to take delivery. From what i have seen and researched it should pretty much out smoke anything with great smoke. No worries about good smoke vs bad smoke on a LSG it will always be fantastic smoke.
I am considering a pellet grill as I live in the BC Mountains and there is no hardwood out here!! All I can get is Douglass Fir and Yellow Pine. Pellets are available in a few varieties.
My takeaway from this: "If I got this at a restaurant I'd be really happy and say that's a great rib!" Really sad when "BBQ" restaurants aren't outperforming basic pellet smokers, and this mirrors my experience at a lot of BBQ joints. Either they might as well be cooking in an oven or everything is oversmoked, dry and bitter. Having taken up backyard smoking I understand why BBQ is so expensive because of the time investment necessary, but I definitely won't be paying anyone else to do a worse job than I can do.
@Alan Becerra Especially when it can turn a meal into an all-day event with friends.
agreed. I dont live in a BBQ area, (KC, Texas, Carolina, Memphis.....) I have since stopped paying for bbq at restaurants since I have got my pellet smoker a few years ago..
Yeah I'm in southern California. We've got a small "when we're out, we're out" BBQ place that's pretty good, but they get a line and are expensive. I should go back though now that I'm more experienced at the pit and see how they compare.
I can say this for most food though: burgers, pasta, etc. One thing I can't do better than restaurants is sushi :)
@@MikeHeller haha very true
Jeremy great comparison vid again - now that the new Camp Chef woodwind pro with smokebox is here do you think that the Weber smokefire flavours compare with it judging on the testing you did recently?
Love my Rec Tec 700
In all of your testing have you tried a vertical smoker to see if there is a difference in taste and texture against the grill
Great video! My only disappointment with my Weber EX6 was that I waited so long to purchase it. It has replaced my previous smoker AND my Weber Genesis completely. I’ve used my gas grill only once since I purchased the SmokeFire.
In the summer, I use it roughly 5 nights a week on average. In the winter (Wisconsin for ya!) I still use it a couple times a week.
Put some grill grates, flatside up, on your gas grill and you will rejuvenate your gas grill. It's like having a Blackstone to go with your SmokeFire!
Another great video and comparison. I may have missed this on the beginning of the video but we’re all pillow grills operating at the same temperature and if so what was the temperature set to?
I think he's spraying Roundup 😉
I have a GMG and so does my brother and dad. We hate the 12v plug on the unit. As cool as the "plug it into a car" thing is we'll never use it and the plug on the unit has broken on all of ours. YMMV but here in Texas the plastic just doesnt hold up to the heat and the connection points on them get corroded and have to be wiggled around for the unit to operate. Ive had it shutoff mid smoke several times on me.
As others have said, it just doesn’t seem complete without a rec teq in the mix.
Recteq for the win! But Wasn’t included because he doesn’t sell them.
I have a rec tec in the fleet. Maybe we can do a video with it in the future. To be honest it doesn’t stand out from the rest but it’s been a while since I’ve done it head to head.
@@TheBBQHQ which model do you have?
@@MountainMcCumbee the 700
This was an awesome video. I just purchased a GMG Ledge like the one in the video. Excited to smoke on it more! Can anyone please drop a link for the grates (upper and lower) shown in the video for the GMG?
Following for this link