Author Topic: New Pellet Grills  (Read 8493 times)

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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #29 on: January 01, 2018, 09:34:32 AM »
I checked out the Pits and Spits cookers (made in Houston)

now if Yoders have terrible pellet consumption with a 10 gauge body the Pits and Spits might be worse. They have a 7 gauge body on their offerings. That mass is going to take a great amount of time to come up to heat.

Pellet grills do not have to be built like stick burners to be efficient.

Have you narrowed your list down any???  Would like to see which way you are leaning.
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Offline Jaxon

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #30 on: January 01, 2018, 11:49:26 AM »

Pellet grills do not have to be built like stick burners to be efficient.

Please tell me more about this Smoke.
I'm thinking just the opposite, but what do I know? 
Are you saying a lightweight pelletizer can be efficient?
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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #31 on: January 01, 2018, 12:26:59 PM »
Well, the best way I figure it is that when burning wood, you need the metal mass to heat up so you don't burn half a tree to keep your temps constant.

When I was testing the Yoder for Simi Pellet Grills all those years ago, I was also testing a Rec Tec and a Camp Chef and a GMG Daniel Boone. The pellet consumption on the Yoder was pretty bad. Even at 225. If cranked up for grilling, you better have a bag nearby to refill the hopper.

Well, I might be over-dramatizing it a bit but during the testing the large Rec Tec had great pellet consumption at 700 square inches vs the 480 square inches of the Yoder.

I think having a constant clean burning fire in a pellet smoker you do not have the drastic temp changes that a stick burner has.

I am sure Tee and Tent and Hub will get on here and probably explain it better, but I have had all units going at the same time and the Yoder just ate the pellets like a hungry bear.

In fact, Eric brought over the Yoders 200 dollar thermal blanket and we used it on the Yoder and the consumption was still not near as good as the other units. Also keep in mind that it was springtime in So-Cal when I was doing the testing and the weather was usually in the mid 70's.
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Offline teesquare

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #32 on: January 01, 2018, 12:48:23 PM »
The actual size of the fire is smaller..but much more efficient use of BTU output in a pellet grill. Just look at the size of the typical pellet grill burner. Total volume ( which is NEVER full...) is probably 2 cups of pellets? But - again you will never see one with more than 1 cup of smoldering pellets in it.
But, because the fan is controlled by a temperature probe, feeding this data to a microprocessor "controller" to adjust the needed  amount of BTU's. Much more efficiently than we could do using splits by hand. For a number of reasons. Variablity in wood itself too dry? Not dry enough? Species? Growing condition/nutrition/cellular density unknowns?
One of the things that we do know about pellets is a pretty close BTU output based on oak, and some of the other woods have been tested.
The controller, fan and auger don't get sleepy or forgetful. If the temp is above or below the hysteresis or "dead band" - then the grill adjusts the rate of pellet feed, and or fan on/off or fan speed on variable speed models. They really cook like a wood fired convection oven - constantly moving the heated air around rather than relying on jus the convection/drafting of the chimney on a stick burner.

I know that the common belief is held that the thicker the steel...the better a grill is. That is only partially true. It is more durable perhaps. But, it does not "hold heat" much better. Steel is a great thermal conductor. We know this from the scars on body parts that have come in contact with a hot grill... :D :D :D It radiates the temperature right thru it. Steel is not a window or door that can be closed and contain heat. It is more like a screen door. Yes, it will slow it down a little....But the thicker the steel - the MORE BTUs required to "load" or pre-heat the steel of the cooker itself in order to get it up to the decide heat. AND....the more BTUs required to maintain the desired level of heat.
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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #33 on: January 01, 2018, 04:24:04 PM »
Thanks Tee. I knew it could be explained better....heck..I even understand it...............
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Offline Pappymn

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New Pellet Grills
« Reply #34 on: January 01, 2018, 04:53:27 PM »
Thanks Tee. I knew it could be explained better....heck..I even understand it...............
Now if you could just explain it to me. ;)
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Offline teesquare

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #35 on: January 01, 2018, 05:09:48 PM »
Thanks Tee. I knew it could be explained better....heck..I even understand it...............
Now if you could just explain it to me. ;)

(..pssst.....Pappy....I can explain it to you...but I can't understand it for you.... ;) ;D :D)
BBQ is neither verb or noun. It is an experience.
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Beer, Butter and Bacon make everything better.
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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #36 on: January 01, 2018, 05:47:47 PM »
Well one thing is for certain.......overly thick metal+high pellet consumption= unhappy grill owner
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Offline TentHunteR

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #37 on: January 01, 2018, 08:11:10 PM »
Here's another MAK recommendation.

We've owned a MAK since 2011 and have never regretted our decision ever.  We now have the latest MAK 1 Star with the optional 2017 FlameZone and dang does it rock!  I can hot-smoke, do low & slow BBQ, or get great grilling results with it.  It is truly an all-in one grill/smoker.

With the full upper shelf in place, it can easily fit 8 pork butts.  Pellet consumption is moderate, and smoke production is pretty impressive for a pellet cooker.

« Last Edit: January 03, 2018, 06:48:26 AM by TentHunteR »
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Offline slothritis

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #38 on: January 02, 2018, 10:10:32 AM »
I checked out the Pits and Spits cookers (made in Houston)

now if Yoders have terrible pellet consumption with a 10 gauge body the Pits and Spits might be worse. They have a 7 gauge body on their offerings. That mass is going to take a great amount of time to come up to heat.

Pellet grills do not have to be built like stick burners to be efficient.

Have you narrowed your list down any???  Would like to see which way you are leaning.

yes....rec tec or mak....still leaning more towards rec tec, but I would love to see a mak for myself before I make a decision.  Plus I am in no rush, and I hear rec tec is releasing new pellet grills this year so I may wait for those.

Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #39 on: January 02, 2018, 10:45:50 AM »
I would lean towards the Rec Tec due to what you get for the price......however I did see a MAK 1 Star at a fireplace store in San Bernardino, California.

There was a Green Mountain Grill Daniel Boone sitting next to it.

The MAK made the GMG look like a kids toy...................

I mean, you can actually see the quality from across the room.

MAK or Rec Tec.........smoked foods will taste great off of both.........MAK you cry once.............Rec Tecs however have modular components and are very easy to work on when replacing parts...................

............and ALL pellet grills will need part replacements throughout the years of ownership......................

some just need to be worked on more than others..................
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Offline Jaxon

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #40 on: January 02, 2018, 05:13:06 PM »
I almost understood what Tee said...Howsomever, I'm wondering if a pelletizer with thinner steel will be harder to hold the cooking temp than one of thicker steel. Is there a definite correlation there?

Using the Max and Daniel Boone examples - Certainly there is a difference in quality and build, but is there going to be a big difference in the way they heat and cook?  That's my question and I'm sticking to it.
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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #41 on: January 02, 2018, 09:03:52 PM »
Most pellet grills are 16-14 gauge Jack. They have no problems holding temp with this gauge of steel. The monster pellet grills that have the 10 gauge and thicker bodys use the most pellets. It just takes to long for that little clean burning fire in the fire-pot to get that thick metal hot.

Now I have noticed that even though most pellet grills have 16-14 gauge bodies, the lids are thicker, more closer to 12 gauge.

So I get to thinking, is the thicker lid to give us the "feel" of a stout build or since heat rises the thicker lid helps retain heat in the cooking chamber.

We ran our pellet grill the other day when it was 30 degrees outside and it had no problems getting to temp and staying there................now if I had a 10 gauge body pellet grill that darn thing would probably still be heating up...............
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Offline Jaxon

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #42 on: January 02, 2018, 10:25:33 PM »
And you almost told me which pellet grill...if it's a secret, please send me a PM

What I'm getting at is this:  will it take a Pit Boss or GMG long to get to temp and will it hold there?
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Offline bspitt

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Re: New Pellet Grills
« Reply #43 on: January 03, 2018, 08:11:24 AM »
And you almost told me which pellet grill...if it's a secret, please send me a PM

What I'm getting at is this:  will it take a Pit Boss or GMG long to get to temp and will it hold there?

Ive been running my GMG Jim Bowie in sub freezing weather without a blanket with no issues whatsoever. It gets to 225 within less than 10 min after start-up and holds well. Granted its under a covered deck with protection from wind on two sides. However, Its the only pellet grill I have ever owned, so I have nothing to compare it to.

BP