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Rec-Tec 590 Stampede owners -- Trying to convince my friend's wife...

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    Rec-Tec 590 Stampede owners -- Trying to convince my friend's wife...

    They are in the market for a new "grill". Their old charbroil, that she uses 3 times a week, is nearing the end. He wants to purchase the Stampede, She's not confident it will allow her to "grill". Since I have the rt-680, they asked me... I have a grill for grilling, and I have my pellet pooper for smoking, so I cannot give them any real, honest, life learned, answers... So, I am asking those of you that do have the stampede...
    1) Can she fire it up, probably using GrillGrates, and fire off a few hamburgers?
    2) What is the max temperature that you have personally seen the smoker/grill reach?
    3) Do you keep it outside?
    a) Covered?
    i) how does it hold up?
    ii) How about the pellets, do they get damp? (here in VA, it gets quite humid)
    b) How does the finish look after being outside for a while?
    c) Do you see any signs of mold, critters, etc?

    4) and finally: If you were asked by a good friend, that fully trusts your opinion and will run with it, could you recommend the Stampede as a replacement for grilling with the option for low-n-slow?

    I appreciate everyone's time and responses. They are on a cruise this week, so they won't be making the decision for a little while anyway. If it is the wrong choice, I will certainly tell them so... I just don't have enough information to truly sway them one way or another. I have been apprehensive in stating "It'll do it", instead replaced with "Well, with the GrillGrates, you can get better temps, but I don't know the top end of the Stampede..." I just want what's best for them, and if it is the Stampede, great. If not, that's fine too.

    #2
    I'm sure the stampede is the same equivalent to the 680. Have had RT 680 for 3 years, and use it at least once a week. I cook everything but steak on it with great result's. Tryed grillgrates on it but made no differance, Rt 680 got up to 480 degrees, Keep it in garage, also keep pellets in garage. Yes would recommenced to a friend.
    I use a PK charcoal grill for steak. With grillgrates, As Rec Tec do no get hot enough to suit me. It may for other's.

    Comment


      #3
      I have had my Rec Tec 680 for almost 5 years. To sear (Burgers, steaks typically) anything I found the newer flat GrillGrate worked better for me than the GrillGrates with the holes. I do keep my 680 covered and I keep my pellets in a Suncast deck box with no problem of the humidity (I live in St. Cloud FL) affecting the pellets and certainly no sign of mold. We use ours about once a week and it still looks good although I do clean out the firepot every 12 hours of cooking and clean the outside regularly. The max temp I have seen is 480 at grill level with the Smoke from ThermoWorks. My wife will use it also as all she has to do is hit the start button, adjust the temp, add pellets and it is good to go. Her meatloaf or salmon is a great surprise when I get home from work. I love the 6 year warranty, have had to use twice and the customer service was fantastic. Had one on the wheels bend on my deck and Rec Tec sent me two and the handle broke during a move (which I told them) and they sent one at no charge. They do use heavy duty stainless steel and mine weighs 205# with pellets but it still moves easily with the wheels they have. We would easily get another when that time comes.

      Comment


        #4
        Nearly each of your questions can be answered with a positive, Stampede supporting statement, but there's always a qualifier for just about any piece of equipment on the face of the planet. Just for fun I'll give you a pic of mine at max temp. Good number for a lot of things, but, the qualifier is that it won't hold that as soon as the lid is opened to put the food in. You'll lose 30 or so degrees right away and it's a slow recovery, say 20 min to half an hour to gain back what was lost in less than a minute. Yes, grill grates work (best on the right side), better if the factory grate is removed, and many are happy with the results.

        Normally I don't think it's good form to drive viewers to a similar forum, but in this case, since you're looking for a wide range of options for a brand/model specific I would suggest she research at rectecforum.com (not affiliated with the company) as there are many posts from a variety of users that address pretty much every question you have there.
        Attached Files
        Last edited by Uncle Bob; June 16, 2019, 07:31 AM.

        Comment


          #5
          I don’t have a pellet grill, but have been researching and window shopping them for years.

          i don’t think any pellet smoker - and they are really smokers for the most part - is going to give the direct grilling performance your friend’s wife will expect. It will be slow to reach high heat, use a lot of pellets to do so, and slow to recover once the lid is opened. This is part of the reason CampChef tried to solve the pellet searing and high heat issue with a side gas Sear box on their pellet smokers.

          I have both a 2002 and 2019 Weber Genesis gas grill - both equipped with a full set of Grillgrates. I can fire up either and be at 500 to 700 in 10-15 minutes, and often do so for direct grilled, quick cooks, when I don’t want to spend 30-45 minutes waiting on charcoal.

          i think you always need the right tool for the right job, and even if I do get a pellet smoker, I would sure have a gas grill on the side for searing, and for things like burgers and chops.

          If they want to replace the Char-Broil with something that lasts longer, I highly recommend the Weber gassers. Sure, they cost a little more up front, but they are highly available, have a long warranty, and replacement parts are available for decades. If they want to get into smoking and true low-and-Slow BBQ, have them look at a Rectec, or possibly the Grilla, which takes potentially less patio space, and is cheaper.

          Comment


            #6
            I have had my Stampede for 6 months now. I absolutely love the thing. I use it at least twice a week. Everyone knows I treat my tools like tools, so looks is not an issue for me.

            Mine lives outside under a patio cover. Hot and humid. The stainless does have some pretty good surface rust. Not an issue for me. I keep the 30 pound hopper full at all times ready to go. Never an issue with pellets.

            Now, this is a smoker. Dang good and fun to use too. It can sear, but not always worth the effort to try. Actually I did a 2.5 lb Porterhouse last night for an early fathers day. I have never had mine reach 500, because I ain't got all day to wait! It takes mine about an hour to get up around that mark.

            Like said, once you open the door it's all over. Takes forever to get back up to these temps.

            I love the thing! I use it more like an outdoor oven than anything. Long low and slows, to meatloafs and really anything you would cook in your oven. This is what it is absolutely great for. Not searing which seems like the main purpose they are after. I would not think they would be happy with a machine that is built to do exactly the opposite if what they need it for I am afraid.

            Hope this helps Brother!

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            Comment


            • jfmorris
              jfmorris commented
              Editing a comment
              That is a very disappointing amount of surface rust for stainless after just 6 months. This makes me think they should have stuck with their painted models like the red RT-690.

            • Uncle Bob
              Uncle Bob commented
              Editing a comment
              This is not a criticism of Lonnie, to each his own on how to maintain their equipment. But to the comment from jfmorris; Lonnie lives on Galveston Bay which is a tougher ambient environment than most. The body is 430 stainless so isn't going to be as corrosion resistant as 304, but then this isn't a $2500-3000 cooker either. Can't attach a pic to a comment as far as I can tell so will do a post below, but with a small amount of maintenance that minor corrosion can be tamed.

            #7
            Pellet grills are very inefficient grills as has been pointed out, I don't know if even a high end one that I could never afford could have a proper grilling section. All the ones I have tried have been given away. Since I am retired I am down to a Char-Broil gasser and a new Weber kettle that I HATE. It is made of thin steel, the handles get so hot I need silicon gloves to remove the lid(I bought the month before they put the heat shields on), the lid leaked from the box, if I'm not careful the legs come out of there holes. You know thinking I was getting a quality product I bought the top of the line without the cart.

            I can't be more than a short distance a way as it go up or down 10-15 degrees in a short time.

            Well that are my feeling and I bought my first kettle in 1979 and have cooked thousands of hunks of meat through them in prior years. Can't wait for this piece of junk to fall apart so I can get a PK-360.

            Comment


            • ItsAllGoneToTheDogs
              ItsAllGoneToTheDogs commented
              Editing a comment
              I can provide input for the semi-high end. Granted MAK has an upgraded controller now that goes a few 100 degrees hotter than what I have, but my 2 Star grills well enough that I'd be ok with it as my only grill IF I had to. For a reverse sear it's just faster to have a gasser available. If I did more burgers than low n slow I'd probably be unhappy with only a pellet unit.

            #8
            In reference to the corrosion discussion above, when I did that 500+ cook above the high heat triggered some surface corrosion that I felt needed to be dealt with to satisfy my OCD. Attached is a pic of the partial cleaning I did using Bar Keepers Friend liquid. This product contains oxalic acid (mild stuff, but users should still be respectful) which is a good corrosion cleaner. The cleaned portion to the left is the result of just a few minutes of mild effort. I had to go all the way around the lower portion of the housing and probably had around a 1/2 hour total time involved. As for the "normal" operation differences, Lonnie lives on the Gulf so has a salt air environment. I'm a couple hours inland and don't see what he has at all.
            Attached Files

            Comment


            • HawkerXP
              HawkerXP commented
              Editing a comment
              We love that Bar Keepers Friend.

            #9
            Thanks all! All of this info falls in line with what I was expecting, and most of what I already shared with them. I feel that 'he' wants a smoker, and 'she' wants something easy she can cook with quickly. I'll share your comments, privately, with them and let them decide.

            Comment


            • jfmorris
              jfmorris commented
              Editing a comment
              Just tell them they need a new gasser AND a smoker. If budget is an issue, point him at a PBC or WSM.

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