Ceramic vs Pellet if space for only one?

[jgandy]

Hi all - If you had a natural gas grill and could only add one more cooker, would you go with a ceramic or pellet?
Some notes for my situation:

• We are renovating outdoor kitchen and have space for two cookers. Going with gas grill for one because
  • wife would use that one often Mon-Thur cooking whereas she wouldn't use much else
  • we already have a natural gas line at the space
  • want the ability to get high heat for searing
  • looking at either Texas Pit Crafters PM 7000 (30k btu/burner, 32k sear, 40k pressure), or
  • Blaze Lux 36 - I like the heat zone separators and heavy duty hexagon grates and lifetime warranty
• Thinking of going with a 24" griddle insert so it will cover 2 burners for 2 heat zones, but not taking up space with a dedicated flat top.
• In a different part of the property next to a fire pit I'll eventually have an offset smoker - just because I like that craft. Probably going with the Mil Scale 94 for that. But I would only use that on long weekend and entertaining type events.
• So for more every week, slightly easier, type smoking, and possibly baking, I was looking at a ceramic for the 2nd cooker in our outdoor kitchen, and leaning toward a Primo. But I've never used a ceramic or pellet so wanted to get some thoughts between the two options.
• Attached is a mockup of the space. The cut-out for the ceramic would between the grill and the cold zone.

Thank you for your feedback - much appreciated!

[smokenoob]

I would go with pellet until you make room for ceramic.

[STEbbq]

A couple of things come to mind:

Start-up: The Primo will likely take 30-45 minutes to reach temp depending on what you want to do and require some monitoring. The pellet will requires a few button presses and be ready usually a bit faster with no further work.

High Heat: Virtually all pellets will top out at 500 or so. If you are thinking about pizzas, the Primo will easily reach 800-900. Not sure what you might be baking but the Primo has probably more options.

Cleaning and maintenance: The pellet will require cleaning after every cook and it is usually 10-15 minutes. The Primo is likely 30 seconds to dump the ash.

Durability: I am not sure how handy you are or if this is a lifetime type of investment for you but the Primo can probably last decades with careful maintenance. The pellet electronics are almost certainly going to start to break down within 5-10 years and require more parts to be replaced or controllers to fail.

[bbqLuv]

I like to clean the grease out before any high-temperature cooking and before and after a long cook that will take 10 plus hours.
My Traeger notifies me when it is time to clean, but I clean it a little more often.

[DaveD]

Keep in mind that with this vertical form factor, the collected grease/juices are disposed of after every cook, they don't just pool inside the box. There is buildup on the walls of course, and left uncleaned for a long time, that would pose a problem. I probably clean mine 4-5 times a year.

[Thunder77]

I have two Primos: the Junior and the XL. I have used my son-in law’s Traeger, and I was not terribly impressed. On a windy day, temps were all over the place. If you want to change smoke flavors you have to empty the hopper first. The grill I used went through pellets at a pretty rapid pace. Granted, it was probably a low end model.

I love my Primos. There are several different grate arrangements you can do with the Primos, and the oval shape is great for two-zone cooking.

[MBMorgan]

From a safety standpoint, I'd honestly be leery of either type set permanently so close to the wall of your house (even if it's apparently brick) plus directly under a window. You might want to consider something like a cabinet smoker (NG or even electric) instead?

Another consideration for a smoke-producing cooker in such close proximity to the house is ... smoke. I have a pellet rig on a small 12x12 deck just outside the kitchen and when smoking something for a long time (more than 2-3 hours) I have an awful time keeping our relatively new and tightly sealed house from gradually smelling heavily of smoke throughout ... even when I park the smoker as far away as the deck will allow. I see you've got a door nearby and that previously-mentioned window pretty much directly over the new smoker so you may find that you have a similar issue.

[Panhead John]

I agree. In addition to the smoke possibly permeating indoors, the ceiling of your patio will prevent a lot of the smoke from escaping, even if all your patio sides are open. I could see where a lot of the smoke might hang around inside the patio, making it uncomfortable for everyone.

[GroceryBoy]

I also agree with MBMorgan. Not only safety but you will be surprised at the amount smoke that gets caught under that roof. I have a separate structure apart from the house and also have a gas grill. I was surprised how the smoke seems to hang under the roof. I would stay away from both smokers and look at a built in griddle. That is the most used appliance in my outdoor kitchen and very little smoke.

When you buy smokers, just wheel them out from underneath the roof.

[Old Glory]

Besides what PHJ and MBMorgan mentioned, a Pellet and Kamado are two completely different types of cookers.

Pellet is for convenience. Set it and forget it. Runs like an indoor oven - set the temp you want and let it run. A convection oven. Great for roasting and indirect cooking. Good smoker. Low smoke profile.

A Kamado is more versatile. Can be used as a grill for direct cooking. A smoker, and an oven. Can be tricky to modify/control termps. Charcoal flavor good smoker when using wood chunks.

What are you looking for in a cooker?

To further elaborate I have a gasser, BGE, Pellet, PK360, and an offset. I use the pellet the most. Reverse sear steaks and chops, roasting chicken, ribs, chicken thighs, pulled pork, sausage, all come out great.

[Draznnl]

Before we get to my answer, I have one question. Have you given any thought to moving someplace where you could fit more cookers?

I too live in a space restricted environment and have two cookers, a gas grill and a pellet cooker. But, you should probably listen to MBMorgan and Panhead John

[DaveD]

Now THAT is what I call MCS enabling! Get a whole new house!

[Draznnl]

Aw shucks DaveD it was just an innocent question. You know, trying to see if there was a creative solution to the problem? I think the corporate folks call it "THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX."

[DaveD]

I can't give you any comparative notes because I own only a (vertical) pellet smoker (Pit Boss Copperhead) and have never had a ceramic cooker. The main reason I opted not to get one is that I read in many places that if one happens to overshoot one's target temp by any significant amount, it can take quite some time for it to cool owing to its thermal mass - one of its main design features of course, it's not a bug but a feature.

Not being retired like some of the good-fer-nuthin layabouts you'll find around these pages I tend to plan my cooks for the factors I can control, chief among which is time. Having a long delay suddenly crop up would harsh on my proverbial gig in a big way.

I've seen nothing but great cooks from ceramic cookers here, and have no doubt they turn out very fine results. I've been at this thing for only about 2 years, and roughly halfway through that time it became possible for me to add one more cooker of about the size footprint we're talking about here. Again I opted away from a ceramic, and got a kettle instead, and once again that factor was an important one. I'm loving the Copperhead and can turn out very good food with it, and for a guy like me, its reliability and totally consistent behavior is key. Gotta let things run 60-90 minutes on a p-smoker's low-T "smoke" or "turbo" setting before going to target temp, that is where you get the most smoke flavor from one. A data point on the p-smoker side

Good luck, looking forward to seeing what you choose and how your great patio project turns out!

[Redwng]

I have not had a ceramic but have studied them for years and have had a pellet smoker for 10 years, for us I would have to say the pellet. My LSG is a smoking machine and I have done 8 overnight briskets with it that come out really good (after resting). My LSG has a baffle that does allow it to sear not like a ceramic but it easily hits 700. We really like the pellet as my wife will frequently use it because it is so easy plus I can control it on my Fireboard app on my phone. Let us know what you decide.

[jfmorris]

I share some of the safety concerns with the grills being up against the house, especially after a grease fire in my Weber Genesis a couple of years ago that damaged the grill. Thankfully it was NOT under a roof. The other issue is soot and smoke eventually discolor the roof. I had the ceiling fan blades on one end of my pavilion - open on all sides - get sooted up and greasy and caked in dust because of cooking at that end of an open pavilion.

Back to grill selection. I've got 5 cookers - flat top (griddle), offset, kettle, kamado and conventional gas grill. If I ever do a built in outdoor kitchen, it will be a flattop and a kamado. I personally think a kamado for you would let you smoke low and slow, grill, or even do high heat indirect and use it as an outdoor pizza oven. I find my kamado and kettle to be my two most flexible cookers, with the ability to do high heat giving the edge to the kamado. With a gas grill for quick cooks, I think the 30+ minute startup time for a charcoal grill would not be an issue. Any kamado will outlast a pellet grill with electronics and fans and other parts that fail. And pellet smokers typically don't easily reach high temperatures - putting the advantage for high temp baking (like pizza) with the kamado. I routinely do high temp indirect for pizza on my kamado. I've found that for me and my typical crust recipe, 650F is a sweet spot. I tried 750-800 one time and things moved too fast for me, haha.

The reason my other built in grill would be a flat top is that I find I use a dedicated flat top much more than I use my conventional gas grill.

[Spinaker]

" And kamados typically don't easily reach high temperatures."

Never found this to be the case with any of mine. I would be curious to hear how you are lighting, venting and/or setting up your rig.

[jfmorris]

Spinaker I typed that on my phone last night! It was supposed to say PELLET SMOKERS don't easily reach high temps. I can get my kamado as hot as I want... but find I don't really want to go much past 650 or so. I found my pizza crust recipe burns too quick at 700+!

Just edited the post, since I now see that mistake being on the computer.

[Spinaker]

Ah, I was gonna say.........you might be doing it wrong. LOL.

[jhapka]

Ceramic

[Alan Brice]

+1

[bbqLuv]

Friends refer to the pellet grill as an easy bake oven. I say a smoking easy bake oven.
They just get the smoking and cooking done.
I am now the Pit Master of my backyard--LOL

I suggest go Pellet Grill.

[Alan Brice]

Ceramic, gasser for hot n fast n doubles as a griddle. Other than that a big kettle. Keep the rabbit food for the rabbits.

[BBQPhil]

Ever since I got a Yoder pellet gril about 8 yrs ago, my BGE is rarely used. I like to smoke briskets and ribs, and it's a struggle to keep the BGE at a constant temp for hours and hours, especially if you need to add lump charcoal.

[Murdy]

Leaving aside all the concerns about safety and proximity to the house, I'd go with the Primo (confession: I want one) as they are more versatile and you can smoke on one as well, and probably get a stronger smoke profile on your meat (assuming you like such things).

[Spinaker]

I would go with a Primo all day. Way more versatile. High quality, made in the USA. Smoke, grill, sear, bake, cook pizzas etc. Kamados are one of my favorite cookers, so I will admit my bias.

Fill the firebox with good, quality lump and let it go all weekend if you really wanted too. (At low and slow)

In my mind Kamados are the best cookers to own when it comes to versatility, quality and ease of use. They take more time to learn, sure. I would argue that it is part of the fun and satisfaction of cooking outdoors. Pellet cookers take that away for me.

[jfmorris]

Good advice! Who needs an easy bake oven (pellet cooker)? We already have those inside the house!

[Oak Smoke]

I agree, but will also admit to having a bias. With a kamado you can get the set and forget temp control you want. I use a smobot, but there are several options that work great. Moisture retention, good smoke flavor, and versatility are all characteristics of a good kamado. My vote is for the Primo