Let's Talk BBQ

Outdoor Cooking Equipment => Grills & Smokers => Pellet Grills and Smokers => Topic started by: muebe on June 23, 2013, 10:41:22 AM

Title: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: muebe on June 23, 2013, 10:41:22 AM
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Englander-SearMaster-788-sq-in-Pellet-Smoker-and-Grill-21-PG100/204306398?N=12le#.Ucb-gsu9KK1

An Amercian made pellet grill by Englander that makes pellet and wood stoves. If your wondering why it looks like a FEC clone well it is and licensed by Fast Eddy.

It is not powder coated but a baked enamel process that they use on their pellet stoves. This should hold up much better than powder coating over the years.

14 gauge steel.

Same "3 cooking zone" design with a grill zone as other FEC cookers.

The controller is a PID so there is no HHT and HLT adjustments like with other FEC's. Although these settings allow for more smoke/temp flexability they can create more confusion and flameouts IMHO for those who don't know how to use them. I think this was a smart choice. Otherwise Home Depot could get a lot of returned units because people get frustrated with flameouts & temp issues.

18lb hopper.

IMHO the $1199 price is pretty good for an American made pellet grill like this. But being sold by Home Depot allows you to get 0% interest payments through their store card and have it delivered to your local Home Depot for pickup.

I like the design of the FEC but don't care for the limited space however due to the deducated divided zones.

It is good to see a big box store carrying a pellet grill like this and I hope the trend continues.
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: smokeasaurus on June 23, 2013, 10:43:12 AM
It is in the process of being evaluated at another "forum".......I agree with ya on the limited space with the different cooking zones.
Title: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: Pappymn on June 23, 2013, 11:03:09 AM
Interesting......that design never floated my boat.

I think for similar money I would go with the Mak 1 star.

Would like to see pellets in the store. With their buying power my guess is it would be a good value.
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: smokeasaurus on June 23, 2013, 11:10:11 AM
Another thing that doesn't cut it for me is the doors. You are going to lose every bit of heat in the pit every time those doors are opened..............
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: KyNola on June 23, 2013, 11:11:10 AM
Yeah, does anyone besides me think that looks suspiciously similar to a MAK 1 Star design?  With the MAK 1 Star you have larger total cooking surface and the fully programmable Pellet Boss for essentially the same money.
Title: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: Pappymn on June 23, 2013, 11:15:44 AM
Interesting boast......

Finally, we’ve put many hours of R and D into our digital control system (we believe it is the best in the industry, bar none). The push-button board allows you to set temperatures in increments of 5 degrees for maximum accuracy, and it has our own ‘Trouble-free Smoking’ convenience so that you can actually spend time with your friends and family
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: LostArrow on June 23, 2013, 11:56:19 AM
For the price difference I'd get a Yoder , it may not be the best cooker but I lust for one :o
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: muebe on June 23, 2013, 12:38:03 PM
The Fast Eddy design is unlike any other pellet cooker. He does have a patent on it's design. I do like the dedicated grill zone in it and it's downflow design but my issue is almost 200 square inches is dedicated to that. Having an optional flame zone allows you to use it when you need it and then have the extra space when you don't.

The MAK 1 Star is also in this price range with the best controller out there.

But the MAK is not available at Home Depot however. Having this grill available at a big box home improvement store with financing options is a smart move IMHO. There is a huge audience out there now that have no clue what a pellet grill even is. Then they see it available at Home Depot on their website. Have a Home Depot credit card. Finance it for 0% interest and pick up at their local store.
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: sparky on June 23, 2013, 12:45:27 PM
1 stars rule!   ;)
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: pmillen on June 23, 2013, 07:08:32 PM
Another thing that doesn't cut it for me is the doors. You are going to lose every bit of heat in the pit every time those doors are opened..............

I have the Cookshack PG-500 with similar doors.  I don't experience overly large or long temperature drops when opening a door.  They are front doors so the top stays closed and I usually just need to open one side.  Then too, pellets provide the BTUs for rapid recovery.  Others' mileage may vary.

My gas grill has the typical roll top opening that opens the complete top.  The heat goes up and is gone.  The same with the Weber kettle, maybe worse.  My worst problem is with the Bradley smoker that has a large door that exposes the complete interior and only a 500-watt heating element (and the puck burning hotplate) for recovery.

I haven't used the Bradley since I bought the PG-500.  I should sell it.
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: muebe on June 23, 2013, 07:37:24 PM
Paul the 900w element mod will turbo charge your Bradley ;) And then add a convection fan like I did and it is even better.

I use my Bradley for cold smoking and anything that requires critical temp control like when smoking Salmon.

Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: sliding_billy on June 24, 2013, 04:13:02 AM
Interesting design.
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: Hub on June 24, 2013, 08:16:08 AM
Been expecting this one for over a year now.  I think they had lots of licensing and production volume issues to settle but finally got them worked out.  It is a complex design and unit.  HD may still suffer from some customer problems due to folks not studying up on how to use it properly and who have strange expectations.  We'll see. 

As many have already said, when Weber debuts their pellet cooker the game will change drastically.  I'm betting Weber will license and manufacture something we pellet cookers are already familiar with -- possibly from MAK or Hearthland.  They are taking their time.

I am curious what kind of pellets HD will sell, though.

Hub
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: DK117 on June 24, 2013, 11:36:39 AM
Hub is wiser than I.  However I see something slightly different.  I can forsee HD coming out with a Traeger or Traeger knock off at $499 (or even $399).  That indeed would be the game changer to compete with the gassers in that general range.  I'm not understanding how FE and HD think they can mass market a 3 cooking zone pellet unit at a price point north of $1K.   To me that screams local BBQ store.

DK117
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: Smokin Don on June 24, 2013, 11:41:13 AM
I always liked this ver. from Fast Eddy. The one from Home Depot looks pretty nice but if I had $1199 to spend on one might see if I could spend the extra $400 for the all stainless one from Cook Shack. I always admired Fast Eddy, I imagine he is pretty well off and he did it the hard way. Don
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: muebe on June 24, 2013, 11:48:12 AM
Well I doubt you will see these at the stores anytime soon but being available on their website is what's important. Many people will go to a store's website to look and see what is available before even going to the store.

And there are Weber and other gas grills in the 1K plus range that people have no problem buying.

My point is that the financing and ship to store is a real selling point.

I will be curious to see a year from now if the pellet grill is still available and if there are any reviews for it.
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: BMC.ret on June 24, 2013, 11:55:06 AM
@dk117   HD has the Brinkman pellet grill for $499.99, I saw them first last summer and still see them there along with the Lil Devil pellets.
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: DK117 on June 24, 2013, 11:56:23 AM
I don't disagree and you've got some good points, but I'm thinking about the guy who's going to HD saying, oh crap, I'm hosting 4th of July this year, I need to make burgers and hot dogs.  That guy is going to purchase a $400 gasser 99 out of 100 times.  It's that market that we want to see converted to pellets to really see this community take off.

DK117
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: smokeasaurus on June 24, 2013, 02:13:57 PM
The Camp Chef model has lots of features at a really good price. The name Camp Chef is well respected in the outdoor cooking world, and it is nice to see them offer a pellet pooper.
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: sparky on June 24, 2013, 07:27:26 PM
As many have already said, when Weber debuts their pellet cooker the game will change drastically.  I'm betting Weber will license and manufacture something we pellet cookers are already familiar with -- possibly from MAK or Hearthland.  They are taking their time.

Hub

when weber comes out w/ a pellet grill I will be 1st in like to buy one.  I am a true weber fan.  been cooking on weber since i was a wee lad.  and if they come out w/ 49er color pellet grill (like they should) I will get 2 of them.   :D
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: knucklehead on June 25, 2013, 09:56:44 AM
I think that this should be interesting to see how it plays out at HD.  I suspect that it may end up similar to the Bubba Keg of a few years back where they were around for a year or 2 and then went away.  As far as the PG-500 goes, I don't have any issues with the LHT/HHT.  They are about as simple as the P settings on the Traeger.  One of the features missing on the HD version of the PG 500 that I would miss is the warming drawer.

As to Hub's comments about a Weber pellet grill...I am not certain which will come first - Weber Pellet Grill or Kingsford pellets.
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: smokeasaurus on January 01, 2014, 09:36:40 AM
Home Depot is offering the Englander with free shipping.

and my neighbor told me about seeing this model in Costco last week:

http://www.costco.com/Homcomfort%C2%AE-36%22-Pellet-Grill-and-Smoker.product.100083843.html

Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: TMB on January 01, 2014, 09:22:58 PM
Home Depot is offering the Englander with free shipping.

and my neighbor told me about seeing this model in Costco last week:

http://www.costco.com/Homcomfort%C2%AE-36%22-Pellet-Grill-and-Smoker.product.100083843.html
That's the grill made just a few miles up the road but they wouldn't let me visit the factory  :(
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: smokeasaurus on January 01, 2014, 10:18:41 PM
They are probably not ready for it to be modded yet Tommy  ;) ;)
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: TMB on January 02, 2014, 09:38:46 AM
They are probably not ready for it to be modded yet Tommy  ;) ;)
They were not ready to tell me they built grills when I called.  If you remember the thread, I made a phone call to them and had to talk to 4 or 5 people before they admitted to making a grill but that's all they would say.   

Scary to buy something from them when they wouldn't talk to me about it.   Could you imagine  Rec-Tec, PBC, GrillGrates or any of our GREAT sponsors to act like that?   

I wouldn't own anything from a company that won't talk to me over the phone
Title: Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
Post by: teesquare on January 02, 2014, 10:16:08 AM
Does anybody else here recognize the similarity between Louisiana grill and this design? The controller appears to be common to a lot of manufacturers….not that many sq. inches….