Author Topic: New pellet grill from Home Depot  (Read 11230 times)

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Offline muebe

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New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #-1 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.
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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
« 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.
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Offline Pappymn

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New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #1 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.
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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #2 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..............
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Offline KyNola

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Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #3 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.

Offline Pappymn

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New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #4 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
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Offline LostArrow

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Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #5 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
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Offline muebe

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Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #6 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.
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Offline sparky

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Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2013, 12:45:27 PM »
1 stars rule!   ;)
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Offline pmillen

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Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #8 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.
Paul

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Offline muebe

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Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #9 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.

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Offline sliding_billy

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Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #10 on: June 24, 2013, 04:13:02 AM »
Interesting design.
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Offline Hub

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Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #11 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.

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Offline DK117

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Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #12 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.

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Offline Smokin Don

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Re: New pellet grill from Home Depot
« Reply #13 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
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