Welcome to the Pit!
What is steering you to a pellet grill and what types of cooking do you primarily plan to do? Do you want to sear a steak? Only Low and Slow? Bake a pizza? What's your budget? Lot's of factors in deciding the best cooker.
I actually really like the SmokeFire. It's a pretty amazing cooker for a pellet grill in it's price zone. Have you had a pellet grill before? Some of the issues with the SmokeFire are actually preconceived notions and a couple of missed promises Weber made pre-release about the product. If you are willing to use drip pans whenever you cook something low and slow that is fatty like a butt, brisket, etc. you greatly reduce the risk of a grease fire.
Are you handy and do you have another grill if the SmokeFire breaks and you have to wait for parts? This grill is not like the other pellet grills on the market and therefore isn't using a lot of what appears to be almost identical parts like the vast majority of the sub $1400 pellet grill market. You will very likely encounter an issue or two that may render your grill inoperable for a week or two (if you can get ahold of Weber support - they're a little buried with calls through this pandemic).
I had a SmokeFire on release day, ran into a couple issues and returned it 2-3 weeks later. I liked it, but was worried if Weber was going to really stand behind it. They were being pretty quiet about the issues users were finding at launch and what little was being said on social media, was coming off as pretty arrogant from one of the Weber 'pitmasters' saying things like even his young daughters can use it without problems. So, I didn't have the patience and was kinda perturbed at the comments from this individual.
Fast forward a few months and I'm still craving the high temp gilling capabilities the SmokeFire provides and Weber has published some updates stating they are fully committed to supporting this grill and will even take them back if they cannot satisfy the customer. So, I bought another one and am currently about 3 weeks in using it multiple nights a week so far (knock on wood) problem free. I sold my gas grill and bought this to replace it. However, I'm very fortunate that if I do have problems I have another grill or two to keep cooking along.
I've documented both trips down SmokeFire lane here if you feel like some light reading:
As mentioned by Spinaker, there are several very thorough reviews of many pellet grills on the free side by the staff that creates this wonderful hangout for us. Myself, I'm just a junkie that's traded around and had 10 different pellet grills myself looking for the dazzling unicorn in a pellet grill that is as versatile as a Kamado. Depending on your budget and your desires there's probably a great one for you, maybe the SmokeFire maybe something else. I have nothing bad to say about Camp Chef and still have my Woodwind. I'm also very intrigued by the Pitts and Spitts Maverick pellet grills and if I felt like parting with enough dough, I'd probably have a Mak.
What is steering you to a pellet grill and what types of cooking do you primarily plan to do? Do you want to sear a steak? Only Low and Slow? Bake a pizza? What's your budget? Lot's of factors in deciding the best cooker.
I actually really like the SmokeFire. It's a pretty amazing cooker for a pellet grill in it's price zone. Have you had a pellet grill before? Some of the issues with the SmokeFire are actually preconceived notions and a couple of missed promises Weber made pre-release about the product. If you are willing to use drip pans whenever you cook something low and slow that is fatty like a butt, brisket, etc. you greatly reduce the risk of a grease fire.
Are you handy and do you have another grill if the SmokeFire breaks and you have to wait for parts? This grill is not like the other pellet grills on the market and therefore isn't using a lot of what appears to be almost identical parts like the vast majority of the sub $1400 pellet grill market. You will very likely encounter an issue or two that may render your grill inoperable for a week or two (if you can get ahold of Weber support - they're a little buried with calls through this pandemic).
I had a SmokeFire on release day, ran into a couple issues and returned it 2-3 weeks later. I liked it, but was worried if Weber was going to really stand behind it. They were being pretty quiet about the issues users were finding at launch and what little was being said on social media, was coming off as pretty arrogant from one of the Weber 'pitmasters' saying things like even his young daughters can use it without problems. So, I didn't have the patience and was kinda perturbed at the comments from this individual.
Fast forward a few months and I'm still craving the high temp gilling capabilities the SmokeFire provides and Weber has published some updates stating they are fully committed to supporting this grill and will even take them back if they cannot satisfy the customer. So, I bought another one and am currently about 3 weeks in using it multiple nights a week so far (knock on wood) problem free. I sold my gas grill and bought this to replace it. However, I'm very fortunate that if I do have problems I have another grill or two to keep cooking along.
I've documented both trips down SmokeFire lane here if you feel like some light reading:
As mentioned by Spinaker, there are several very thorough reviews of many pellet grills on the free side by the staff that creates this wonderful hangout for us. Myself, I'm just a junkie that's traded around and had 10 different pellet grills myself looking for the dazzling unicorn in a pellet grill that is as versatile as a Kamado. Depending on your budget and your desires there's probably a great one for you, maybe the SmokeFire maybe something else. I have nothing bad to say about Camp Chef and still have my Woodwind. I'm also very intrigued by the Pitts and Spitts Maverick pellet grills and if I felt like parting with enough dough, I'd probably have a Mak.
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