I am a fairly decent cook, particularly Italian...even my wife agrees. I have grilled my whole life (mostly on gas), but am still just an amateur. Fortunately amazingribs.com and Meathead have been schooling me on BBQ, and I hope to become much more skilled, particularly at smoking (which I have never done). I am ready to make a real purchase and commit to back yard cooking. I live in Northern California, so I can grill almost 12 months of the year and it rarely gets too cold. I have two small kids so I can get busy/distracted from the grill. With all that said, I'm leaning towards a pellet grill/smoker, realizing there are always tradeoffs. But I like the idea of having a single device for both cooking and smoking that I can set and forget. If you started with a blank sheet of paper and had nothing but a budget of say 1200-2000, what would you do? Love to get some advice. Regards, Jeff
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First Grill/Smoker Purchase
Hello All,
I am a fairly decent cook, particularly Italian...even my wife agrees. I have grilled my whole life (mostly on gas), but am still just an amateur. Fortunately amazingribs.com and Meathead have been schooling me on BBQ, and I hope to become much more skilled, particularly at smoking (which I have never done). I am ready to make a real purchase and commit to back yard cooking. I live in Northern California, so I can grill almost 12 months of the year and it rarely gets too cold. I have two small kids so I can get busy/distracted from the grill. With all that said, I'm leaning towards a pellet grill/smoker, realizing there are always tradeoffs. But I like the idea of having a single device for both cooking and smoking that I can set and forget. If you started with a blank sheet of paper and had nothing but a budget of say 1200-2000, what would you do? Love to get some advice. Regards, JeffTags: None
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You have so many options with that budget! For maximum flexibility I'd go with a ceramic or a Meadow Creek PR36 as my one and only cooker. Perhaps even a Good One Open Range. I live in the south where we get nice weather most of the year so I don't need an insulated cooker, but you may want to check out an insulated cooker like a Backwoods or ceramic kamado simply for their fuel efficiency and consistency. With that budget you could afford a Weber kettle and Weber Smokey Mountain. Personally, I'd buy an expensive offset and a Weber 22" kettle with that budget, but those choices reflect my oddball preferences! Might push your ceiling to $2,500, but you can do pretty much anything on your kettle and reserve your offset for low and slow. Your final choice will hinge on a lot of factors: cooking experience, location, preference for fuel, favorite things to cook, time you have to spend, etc.
Have you checked out the AR review database yet? Lots of good equipment reviews and articles on selecting a cooker. There's also a Top Ten list Meathead publishes that gives you a selection of the best value smokers that span pellet, charcoal, insulated, offset, etc.
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Moderator
- Jun 2014
- 10890
- East Texas
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Pit Barrel Cooker "Texas Brisket Edition"
Weber One Touch Premium Copper 22" Kettle (gift)
Slow 'n Sear for 22" Kettle
Weber One Touch Premium Black 26" Kettle (gift)
Slow 'n Sear XL for 26" Kettle (gift)
Weber Smokey Joe Gold
Weber Rapid Fire Chimney
Vortex
Maverick ET-732 White
Maverick ET-732 Copper
2- Auber SYL-1615 fan systems(Awesome!!!!!!!!)
Thermoworks Thermapen w/ Back light (gift)
Thermoworks Timestick
Cambro Model 300MPC110 w/ Winco SS Pans
B & B and Kingsford Charcoal
B & B Pellets
Myself with a $2,500 ceiling, I would get a Rec Tec pellet grill with the package that has all the pellets and stuff, and a 26-inch Weber kettle with a Slow and Sear.
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JeffCBBQ - First, welcome to The Pit and welcome to The Obsession! We're glad you're here.
As for a cooker in the $1,200 - $2,000 range, I would urge you to consider to consider the Kamado Joe Big Joe. That is a kamado and kamados are the single most versatile cooker on a patio. Kamados are convection ovens. You can use them for smoking, braising, grilling, baking, etc. Anything you can cook in your kitchen you can easily do on a kamado. It combines all the different types of cookers found on patios and combines them into a single unit.
I recommend the Kamado Joe because right now, I think it has the best combination of quality, accessories, performance, and customer service. Many kamado manufacturers sell their accessories ala carte. For the most part, the KJ is ready to go out of the box with its Divide and Conquer cooking system.
You might also think about a Weber Summit Charcoal Grill. It's a very fine cooker and it has just recently been introduced to the market. It doesn't have all the accessories that you'll find for kamados at this point, but those will come in time. I've cooked on one and it is a very solid unit.
Finally, think about a Weber Kettle and getting a Slow and Sear. That is a powerful combination and is very affordable. Kettles have been around for a very long time and are a powerhouse in the backyard arena, especially now that the Slow and Sear is available.
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I do however like the Idea of the weber with SnS and the KBQ. If money were no object, i'd be getting a KBQ tomorrow and the SnS the next day. Both however would require a bit more attention than a Kamado would.
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You just described 2/3 of my setup minus the SnS SoonerBQuer!
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Sounds like a nice setup gon4good20 . Just gives me more items to buy, haha.
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Charter Member
- Dec 2014
- 6387
- Grew up in New Orleans, lived in Texas for 20 years, lived in Mandeville, LA for 22 years. I now liv
If you want versitality and are concerned about two small children touching a hot grill, I would get a Kamado. While they can get hot on the outside it would be nothing like touching the metal of a gril with equal internal temperatures.
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Thanks everyone!!! Please keep suggestions coming. Definitely some interesting choices. I did not know about the Pit Barrel Cooker, very interesting. And I know the BGE guys rave about them. I wonder if maybe I should have a combo of gas for convenience and charcoal for flavor (i.e. when I have a full day to cook).
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Club Member
- Sep 2015
- 7308
- Colorado
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> Weber Genesis EP-330
> Grilla Grills Original Grilla (OG) pellet smoker with Alpha/Connect
> Pit Barrel Cooker (gone to a new home)
> WeberQ 2000 (on "loan" to a relative)
> Old Smokey Electric (for chickens mostly - when it's too nasty out
to fiddle with a more capable cooker)
> Luhr Jensen Little Chief Electric - Top Loader circa 1990 (smoked fish & jerky)
> Thermoworks Smoke
> 3 Thermoworks Chef Alarms
> Thermoworks Thermapen
> Thermoworks IR-GUN-S
> Anova sous vide circulator
> Searzall torch
> BBQ Guru Rib Ring
Originally posted by JeffCBBQ View PostI wonder if maybe I should have a combo of gas for convenience and charcoal for flavor (i.e. when I have a full day to cook).
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Moderator
- Nov 2014
- 11952
- Land of Tonka
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John "J R"
Instagram: JRBowlsby
Smokin' Hound Que
Minnesota/ United States of America
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Grills/Smokers/Fryers
Big Green Egg (Large) X3
Blackstone 36" Outdoor Griddle 4-Burner
Burch Barrel V-1
Karubeque C-60
Kamado Joe Jr. (Black)
Lodge L410 Hibachi
Pit Barrel Cooker
Pit Barrel Cooker 2.0
R&V Works FF2-R-ST 4-Gallon Fryer
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Thermometers
FireBoard (Base Package)
Thermoworks ThermaPen (Red)
Thermoworks MK4 (Orange)
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Accessories
Big Green Egg Plate Setter
Benzomatic TS4000 Torch X 2
Benzomatic TS800 High Temp Torch X 2
Bayou Classic 44 qt Stainless Stock Pot
Bayou Classic 35K BTU Burner
Digi Q DX2 (Medium Pit Viper Fan)
Dragon VT 2-23 C Torch
Eggspander Kit X2
Field Skillet No. 8,10,12
Finex Cat Iron Line
FireBoard Drive
Lots and Lots of Griswold Cast Iron
Grill Grates
Joule Water Circulator
KBQ Fire Grate
Kick Ash Basket (KAB) X4
Lots of Lodge Cast Iron
Husky 6 Drawer BBQ Equipment Cabinet
Large Vortex
Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum
Marquette Castings No. 13 (First Run)
Smithey No. 12
Smokeware Chimney Cap X 3
Stargazer No.10, 12
Tool Wizard BBQ Tongs
Univex Duro 10" Meat Slicer
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Fuel
FOGO Priemium Lump Charcoal
Kingsford Blue and White
B&& Charcoal
Apple, Cherry & Oak Log splits for the C-60
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Cutlery
Buck 119 Special
Cuda 7' Fillet Knife
Dexter 12" Brisket Sword
Global
Shun
Wusthof
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Next Major Purchase
Lone Star Grillz 24 X 48 Offset
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Charter Member
- Jul 2014
- 6004
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My toys:
Weber Summit Charcoal Grilling Center (WSCGC) aka Mr. Fancypants
Pit Barrel Cooker (which rocks), named Pretty Baby
Weber Summit S650 Gas Grill, named Hot 'n Fast (used mostly for searing and griddling)
Weber Kettle Premium 22" named Kettle Kid, eager to horn in with more cooks in the future
Camp Chef Somerset IV 4-burner outdoor gas range named AfterBurner due to its 30kBTU burners
Adrenaline BBQ Company Gear:SnS, DnG, andLarge Charcoal Basket, for WSCGC
SnS for 22" Kettle
Elevated SS Rack for WSCGC
SS Rack for DnG
Cast Iron GriddleGrill Grate for SnSGrill Grates: five 17.375 sections (retired to storage)
Grill Grates: six 19.25 panels for exact fit for Summit S650 gasser
2 Grill Grate Griddles
Steelmade Griddle for Summit gas grill
Fireboard Gear:Extreme BBQ Thermometer PackagePit Viper Fan (to pair with Fireboard Fan Driver Cable)
Additional control unit
Additional probes: Competition Probes 1" (3) and 4" (1), 3 additional Ambient Probes. 1 additional Food Probe
2 Driver Cables
Pit Viper Fan new design (to pair with Fireboard Fan Driver Cable)
Thermoworks Gear:Thermapen MK4 (pink)Maverick ET 73 a little workhorse with limited range
Thermapen Classic (pink too)
Thermoworks MK4 orange
Temp Test 2 Smart Thermometer
Extra Big and Loud Timer
Timestick Trio
Maverick ET 733
Maverick (Ivation) ET 732
Grill Pinz
Vortex (two of them)
Two Joule Sous Vide devices
3 Lipavi Sous Vide Tubs with Lids: 12, 18 and 26 quarts
Avid Armor Ultra Pro V32 Chamber Sealer
Instant Pot 6 Quart Electric Pressure Cooker
Instant Pot 10 Quart Electric Pressure Cooker
Charcoal Companion TurboQue
A-Maze-N tube 12 inch tube smoker accessory for use with pellets
BBQ Dragon and Dragon Chimney
Shun Classic Series:8" Chef Knife
6" Chef's Knife
Gokujo Boning and Fillet Knife
3 1/2 inch Paring Knife
I've had a Weber Summit gasser for years and added a Pit Barrel Cooker almost 3 years ago. For me, that's a perfect combination. You've got the convenience of the gasser for short cooks, and a smoker that is as close to set/forget as it charcoal can be and puts out amazing food to boot.
The pellet grills do not produce as smokey a flavor which may/may not be an advantage, depending on the flavor profile you're looking for.
Back when I was in the market for a smoker, I read all that Meathead and Max had to say about pellet smokers, then read Max's review of the Pit Barrel Cooker, and my mind was made up. The PBC provides great volume (8 racks of ribs, 2-3 briskets, etc.) and great flavor.
Kathryn
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I wish I had 2 grand to spend right now, I would go straight to Costco and plop down the price of the biggest Komado Joe they have and the rest of it on meat to cook. Yippi Ki Yah!!!
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Charter Member
- Nov 2014
- 5008
- Winchester TN
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Hardware
grilla grills Silverbac.
Blackstone 36” Griddle, removable hard top, soft cover.
Slow 'N Sear Deluxe Kamado & Kettle.
Slow 'N Sear (1.0, Deluxe, 2.0).
DnG Pans/Racks, Easy Spin Grates, Elevated Cooking Grates.
Weber Chimney Starters (regular and compact).
Joule, Instant Accu Slim.
GrillGrates.
Maverick XR-50, ThermoWorks Smoke & Gateway, Thermapen, Thermapop, ChefAlarms, DOT, probes.
SnS-100 and SnS-500 thermometers.
Consumables / Favorites
BBQ’rs Delight pellets (20 lb fuel & 1 lb flavor).
Royal Oak 100% Charcoal pellets.
KBB (short cooks), Weber (long cooks), B&B Hardwood Briquettes when I'm out of Weber.
Ribs (beef & pork), Pork Butts, Chuck Roasts, Pork Tenderloins, Shrimp, Fajitas.
SnS Grills salt free rubs: Not Just for Beef & Rocky’s Rub.
MeatChurch Holy Cow. MMD, BBBR, S&G, Herbs de Provence, SPG.
Meathead's rubs.
Welcome to The Pit JeffCBBQ. It's great to have you here and thank you for your support. You've gotten a lot of great recommendations.
Since this is your first post, please check out our homework assignment post for new members. It contains a few how-tos and please-dos. This will help you learn your way around so you can get the best experience from our forum.
Also, it's very important that you add the domain AmazingRibs.com to your email safe list in case you are ever drawn as our monthly Gold Medal Giveaway winner!
See you around The Pit!
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Charter Member
- Oct 2014
- 4746
- PA
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Large Big Green Egg, Weber Performer Deluxe, Weber Smokey Joe Silver, Maverick 732, DigiQ, and too much other stuff to mention.
First, gassers are GREAT. You can make amazing food with a gas grill.
Second, WOW, what a budget! For that kind of money, you can go in almost any direction! People tend to recommend what they already use, and I'm no exception, but if I were you I'd keep the gasser and go with something smoky, like the PBC (I haven't used one), a Weber Bullet (likewise), or a Weber Kettle (nice unit, I'm still learning mine).
My reasoning is that even though you have a nice budget, all of those are extremely effective units, and they are also very affordable, and well made. You can stash the rest of the money until you get a better handle on charcoal, then splurge.
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