Wasn’t sure whether to post this here or in the charcoal grill section (forgive me I’m new to this). I’m looking to automate my low and slow cooks a bit more without breaking the bank and am wondering which is a better option, getting something like the GMG trek or modding my Weber kettle 22’ with a fan/controller. Thoughts? Suggestions? Just shut up and tend the fire?
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It’s all what you want. There’s pluses and minuses to both. Heck, get both
A pellet grill will be a little easier, but not all that much on shorter cooks. Do you have a SnS for your kettle? If you are really thinking hard about pellets, you might want to think a little bigger if you can swing it. Unless portability is your ultimate goal. The 22-24†models are really the sweet spot. You can fit quite a lot of food on them if you need to, but still pretty efficient for smaller cooks. Pellet grill capacities are a little over exaggerated as they list the whole grate, but you really don’t want food past the edges of the drip tray or you risk fires.
A kettle with a SnS and fan is pretty low maintenance, but then you only have one smoker. That just seems wrong if you’re hanging out here, lol.Last edited by glitchy; July 16, 2022, 12:02 AM. -
GreaseShirt we are looking for almost the same thing.
1) Smoker
2) produces quality food
2A) versatile for me
3) high quality
4) low price
I was thinking either a PBC or OKJ Bronco. I want to be in the $400 dollar range for new. I am always open to pre-owned but that's another discussion.
The Bronco comes in orange. Very sharp.
I wish you good fortune and good hunting.Comment
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I use a fireboard with my Primo XL. When I ordered the Primo I also ordered as BBQ Guru controller, so my primo has been used in full auto mode quite a lot. Many times overnight. The BBQ Guru developed problems, most likely from being stored outside in the humidity of South Florida. My fault there. But I DO like Fireboard much better. With the app, it is so much easier to use. And it has its own battery in case the power blips at 2 AM and I do not notice it because the AC is not off for long enough.
So here is how I see it..
Fireboard: You get a snazzy controller to automate the Weber. You can also keep using the Weber without the controller for those hot and fast direct heat days. In automatic mode you will find that you can make charcoal last longer, and you will not have to check on stuff as often. If you get another charcoal grill later, the Fireboard will work with that one too! It can even work with an offset. With something like a WSM or BGE it will work like magic.
Disadvantage (up front). You spend more money, but do not exactly get a new cooker. Your Weber can run itself, but it is still a Weber kettle. Nothing wrong with that, but you have the same options as before, with the addition of convenience.
Pellet grill: A new cooker. And it will be fully automatic out of the box. Add pellets, set the temperature, then nothing. Like an electric oven only with smoke. If your indoor oven is smoking, that is probably a BAD sign. You will probably get a larger capacity as well. With two cookers, you can do fancy stuff like putting chicken wings in the pellet cooker at 325 - 350 degrees and then grilling veggies on the Weber. For things like Thanksgiving you can almost do everything outside, keeping your house cooler. Unless you live where it freezes, maybe then you WANT to heat up the kitchen? But anyway a pellet cooker is basically an oven, you can put the turkey in it and then the kettle can do things like smoked cornbread! OH YEA! Good stuff there. ANYTHING that you would cook in an oven can be put in a smoker. Just match the temperatures and times as called for. Above 350 and the pellet grill is going to use A LOT more fuel and will produce less smoke (because the pellets will be burning, not smoldering) so for higher temperatures charcoal has the edge.
Disadvantage: Should you get another charcoal cooker, it will just be like your Weber only larger. Or better insulated. Or whatever. But as far as operation, very similar. And the cost to automate it will be the price of a new controller, as opposed to the cost of a new adapter plate.
If it were me, I think I would lean HEAVILY towards the pellet cooker and then put the fireboard on my wish list. IF I find myself using the kettle in low and slow smoker mode even with the pellet grill, then maybe what you really want is a WSM or BGE with a controller. If you find yourself using the Weber more as a direct heat grill, or as a short cook time smoker (for things like fish or chicken wings) maybe you do not need the controller at all.
But take your time to consider all options. And remember that "breaking the bank" is more complicated than what you buy now. IF you buy something that is not a good fit for what you want to do, you will spend even more fixing the error. Lets say you get the Trek for $375, then after using it realize it is too small for what you had in mind. Well for $600 you could have had the Daniel Boone model, which is around twice the size. And $225 more up front. But now you will spend $600 to get it, plus the $375 already spent - you could have had the Peak for only $50 more.
Take it SLOW. Ask questions. Evaluate your needs. You are going to find that you will zero in on something. And you will be happier with the purchase, knowing it is what you wanted for a given budget. I went from an electric smoker I bought as an open box return at Home Depot for a steep discount, then I found the book and this site. From there I went to looking at a Camp Chef pellet. Then to a Rec-Tek. Then to a BGE. Then to the Primo XL. Progressively more money, but the Primo XL turned out to be EXACTLY what I wanted. The Camp Chef would have been fine, but not exactly what I really wanted. I bought the Primo 5 years ago, and not once have I thought "I need another smoker that is just a little bit <add your own excuse to buy a new grill here>".Comment
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Pellet smokers are great, you put pellets in and set the temp and you are all set to go. From there you can monitor the meat. Now you can use the fireboard to monitor the cook for you. I have both a traeger pellet grill and a fireboard to keep an eye the temps for me. Good luck in your search for a new cooker.Comment
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I can run my 26†kettle or pk360 with a fireboard controlled fan for 12+ hours @225 without refueling. Set and forget. Fireboard can set alerts/alarms in case I really forget.
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That’s shows plots for the PK360. I can go just as long or longer on the 26†kettle I just don’t have any plots of it.
The key for me is dense briquettes that don’t have a lot of filler, like B&B briquettes. For the really long runs I use B&B char-logs, as they are the densest fuel I can cram into an over filled basket. -
Lump isn’t as dense so I don’t get anywhere near those long cooking times. It does burn nice and clean though.
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