Grilla Grilla

[jghorton]

Hello all -

The itch to pull the trigger and buy my first pellet pooper is twitching and on the verge of a full squeeze. I have long been convinced I want a Rec Tec Bull. I like many of the features (PID controller, 40lb hopper, customer service, 5 year warranty, wifi control, multiple integrated temp probes, over 700 sq in of cooking real estate); however, with all of the add-ons I am planning for it, it comes out to a $1600 price tag. Size is a factor too - my condo does not have the space for it, but my girlfriend's house has plenty of space on the deck.

For whatever reason, the Grilla popped in my head. It appears to be a cool smoker. I like seeing the fire going in the burn pot, it comes with a 4 year warranty, there is a big square inch difference between it and the Rec Tec (though one could add an extra half shelf to bump the total space to 630 sq in), and the smaller footprint would allow me to keep it at my place. Additionally, after the add-ons I am looking at a smoker under $1000. From the balanced reviews I could find, and completely assuming, it seems that the smoke one gets from the Grilla is more pronounced than other pellet grills. I tried to track down the fan/owners page, but I didn't get very far - if it is on FB, I don't have an account.

That said, my bigger questions are: (1) How much food can the Grilla handle? (I have seen the "How Much Can I Cook" chart on the website, but I would like to hear from owners or see pictures) (2) Do owners use water pans? If so, where does one place it within the grill - the half shelf, below the main shelf, on the main shelf? (3) Acknowledging external factors that will have an impact (e.g. ambient temp, sea level, lunar phase, days that end in Y), what are some examples of the longest cooks done on the Grilla without reloading the hopper?

Thanks in advance!

[jfmorris]

Paging Potkettleblack and other Grilla owners to the discussion.

I'll comment as a non-pellet smoker owner. I have a Weber kettle with SNS, which STARTS at 384 square inches before you take up 1/3 of that space for the SNS, leaving me about 265 square inches of smoking space. I also have an offset that is similar in size to the RT-700, as my grate in the smoker is 22" x 34" or 748 square inches. I find myself using the kettle+SNS combo for smoking MORE often than I do the 748 square inch offset, all things being equal. Do I use the offset? Sure. But while I *sometimes* feed an army, more often I am cooking for just my family, and am cooking 1 to 2 butts, 2 or 3 chickens, or 3 slabs of ribs (a pack from Sam's or Costco). The last time I fired up the offset was to cook 6 racks of ribs, as the rack for my kettle will only hold 5! Haha.

I think you would be happy with the Grilla as I have yet to hear from anyone who bought one who doesn't love it. I would definitely get the upper rack extension "just in case". Considering that with the diffuser plate on the Grilla, you have the FULL 22" lower grate for smoking, PLUS an upper level, it's going to hold a lot more than my kettle. And I assume you can use rib racks and tricks like that to fit more if you want to.

IF you NEED to cook for a large party, it will just require planning, and maybe cooking stuff in batches, and holding in cambro. The thing I cook most often for parties is pulled pork, and you can feed a lot from the number of butts you can fit on the Grilla. The other thing most cooked when large numbers come over is burgers and dogs, and for those you already have your gas grill and charcoal grill looks like.

I had been thinking "big honking pellet smoker" at some point down the road, but as my kids are starting to move out, I am swinging back to where I will likely look at either the original Grilla or the Grilla Silverbac, if I were to pull the trigger on one any time in the next year or so.

[JGo37]

What rib rack do you use in the kettle? I don't have one yet, so I smoke one big rack at a time.

[jfmorris]

I use the actual Weber rib rack, which will hold 5 on edge. I bought it at Home Depot:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Weber-Original-Rib-Rack-6605/204787276

[Troutman]

Yea Potkettleblack has one and loves it. I have what @jmorris calls a "big honking pellet cooker (they are not technically smokers imo)" so I can't be of help. I think you will be happy with the Grilla or the Rec Tec though. Two good choices !!

"Oh Car PKB where are you .....???"

[Nate]

I think you are more intersted in the Grilla Silverbac than the original Grilla... correct?

[jghorton]

No sir. I am most interested in the Grilla (or the Original Grilla). The one shaped like an hour glass. Not easy to find info on it when the company name is Grilla. :-)

[jfmorris]

CandySueQ and Potkettleblack are the two users I've seen most on the forum that I *know* own the Grilla you are asking about. Now I've paged them both to the discussion.

[jghorton]

Thank you sir. I did search for Grilla on the forum and saw a bit of information from a few users. I hope to learn more.

[SmokeyGator]

1. The website says the main grill area is "21". I assume that is 21 inches and round. So it’s about the same size as a Weber 22 inch kettle. Slightly smaller but not by a significant amount. You can get an idea of how large (or small) that is at any big box hardware store. They all sell kettles, and 22 inches is 22 inches even if it doesn’t say Weber.
2. How much food do you need to cook? You will have enough space for a large pork butt, which can feed an army. You will also have room for things like a large turkey or a couple chickens. Ribs might have to be cut to half racks, but that isn’t a huge deal. A full packer brisket should fit, but then again might not. It depends on the cut really.

On a side note, given a choice I would go larger than what I think I need. Not that much larger, clearly I don’t need (or want) a huge pit on a triple axle trailer. So larger but within reason. However, I once had a 12th floor apartment with a small balcony, if you lack space for something then that is all there is to it!

Also before you buy.....how are the "condo commandos" in your building? And what are the rules? I wasn’t supposed to have a grill at my apartment....but then again there are a lot of things I’m not supposed to do. So I took a calculated risk and just didn’t worry about it, moving the gas grill in at 11 PM on a Friday of a three day weekend when nobody was around to stop me. But if the condo commandos are thick they WILL be all up in your grill if outdoor cooking is against the rules.

[jghorton]

I have a small patio and my gasser is on it all the time. We are not allowed charcoal grills, so that is up at the GF's place. I have had my old electric smoker out there plenty of times kicking up smoke. One of my neighbors doesn't care for the HOA, so he has a charcoal grill just in spite of them. Sure does make me hungry when I smell that thing fired up.

[SmokeyGator]

jghorton sounds like you are golden then. If the rule is no charcoal nobody can argue wood pellets are not allowed. So if you lack enough space for any other cooker, what you have in mind will be a step up from the electric smoker.

[JGo37]

HA - I wasn't supposed to have a grill at one of my last hotels either, but I did. Maybe they made that rule up after they saw my grill?

[Bogy]

I just recently got a Grilla. Although I just got it, it's about 3 years old, and was a dealer demo unit from when they had dealers. I have the older control panel, and a few other minor differences, but essentially, it's the same cooker. That's my disclosure.

I am loving the Grilla. I have not had any problem with enough space yet, and since most of the time I'm cooking for 2 or 3, and even when the family is home, 10 to 14, I don't anticipate not having enough space very often. I plan on ordering the extension rack in the future, but it hasn't been a priority. I've got a fairly good sized deck, but it already has a Weber Genesis, and a lot of furniture, and the Grilla fits real nice in one corner. I really like how it cooks, haven't really done any long cooks with it yet, tomorrow I'm doing a pork butt, so I'll find out how that goes. So far I've done steaks (both pork and beef), chicken breasts, salmon and shrimp, and a couple of pizzas. So I've cooked at temps from 225 to 540. Did a couple of boneless/skinless chicken breasts last night, no flip, Simon & Garfunkel Rub, they picked up some nice smoke, and when my wife stuck her fork in hers to cut it, she commented she's never had juice gush out of a breast like that one did. Still getting used to it, but very pleased so far. I haven't posted the pics from last night, so I'll show one here of the chicken (and the rest of dinner) here:



Here are a couple of the Facebook pages I have joined that deal with the Grilla:
The first two are closed groups, but getting access is not difficult, and while they aren't official Grilla pages, Grilla reps have a presence.
My Grilla Grill Smoker: https://www.facebook.com/groups/8232...12140/?fref=nf
Grilla Tech Questions (tech page for the same group): https://www.facebook.com/groups/522951794789899/

This is the official Grilla Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GrillaGrills/

[Bogy]

Re-reading the original post, one of the questions I forgot to address was the water pan. I have not yet used a water pan. Prior to this I had an cabinet propane smoker (which my son how has) and that used a water pan. I've also used a water pan in my gasser when I was doing indirect cooking, using it as a smoker. As I said, I have not yet used a water pan in the Grilla, but I have not had a chance to do any long cooks yet either. Going to try the butt tomorrow without, and see how it goes. If you look on the Facebook sites I linked people are adamant that there is no need for a water pan. if I decide to use a water pan I will probably put it on the lower grill and put the meat on the upper grill. It's been a long time since I put anything other than water in a water pan (other than vegetables when I was going to use the drippings to make gravy) because it isn't adding moisture to the meat, but the humidity does seem to help the smoke stick.

[jghorton]

I’m excited to head how your long cook goes tomorrow. Best wishes with it.

[Potkettleblack]

Pellet smokers generally don’t require a water pan. The Grilla certainly doesn’t.

I have not had to trim ribs to get them on. I’ve done two racks at a time, with room for a third, maybe. Probably get six on a rack, without using the top shelf.

A thing to be careful about is that the top shelf runs hotter than everywhere on the bottom grate, except around the margins. It’s a very solid convection current, even at low temp, so I take 25 -40 degrees off the recommended temperatures for things.

Love the Grilla. Has elevated my game by leaps and bounds.

[Bogy]

Glad to see your comment about the top shelf tonight. I have not used the top shelf yet, or checked the temp on that shelf. Had thought about using the top shelf. Someone, someplace, had said something about more smoke at the top of the chamber. That was always my thought with my old smoker, with the vent on the top, but with the vortex on the Grilla, I am skeptical.

[jghorton]

Great point about the temp on the top rack. I get the same effect on my gasser.

[Potkettleblack]

The Grilla community calls it Top Shelf Magic, because I think you do get smoke up there. But things get done a lot faster up there. It’s not a warming rack like the top shelf on gas with the lid open.

[jgreen]

I have the original Grilla as well, although I keep it at a condo in Phoenix so it doesn’t get as much use as I would like. Great little unit though. I don’t use a water pan, and bought the top shelf extension but have not needed it yet. I have been very happy with the smoke profile, although it does smoke a fair amount at low temps so your neighbors would need to be OK with that.

[Thom Emery]

I have a Grilla
Fine cooker
We have never loaded it to the max because we have a few large smokers

[EdF]

But I wanted to know about the hat - the other parts are obvious!

[Thom Emery]

I’m a Stetson man worn em for years
Not sure which exact Stetson it is
Buy 4 a year
I missed the word lid in your post
😃

[EdF]

Cool. I'm from Danbury CT where they used to make those Stetsons!

[Huskee]

I'm strongly considering the original Grilla now. Never read any post where anyone doesn't like it. Especially when talented cooks like PKB, Thom Emery, and CandySueQ all love theirs. I would mostly use mine for turkeys and roasts, things I don't want a ton of smoke on, so not a lot of grate space is needed and the round small-footprint design of these fits the bill perfectly for what I'm after. I appreciate everyone's thoughts.

[jfmorris]

I'm with you Huskee - if I got a pellet grill, starting to think this is the one. If I just have to cook more than it can handle, there is always the offset to fire up.

[CandySueQ]

The top shelf is a good add-on, but the cover is a must have, even if the Grilla lives under a roof. I'll often cook bacon slices on the top shelf while a beef roast or pork butt, tenderloin or loin is underneath (even a spatchcocked chicken!). Bacon fat makes everything better. I think you can find Grill Grates for a better price, you don't need edge-to-edge grate coverage when using them.

Like Thom Emery if I'm cooking mass quantities, I'll use a larger cooker. So, I can't really tell you capacity. But, for a quick meal, it's easier to use than a charcoal or gas grill. Biggest strengths of the Grilla are its cool look, the side turning door (this goes a long way to keep the heat in the cooking chamber) and the fact that it will do low heat and high heat both very effectively.

Water is not really necessary in my opinion. It's a fine grill!

[Potkettleblack]

Seconding the idea of cooking bacon on the top shelf. I do that over my mushrooms.

[jghorton]

Thank you much! I appreciate the feedback as it relates to the top shelf

[Huskee]

Does anyone have info on how long of a cook you can do (let's say at 225-250*) w/o reloading the hopper? I haven't seen this directly addressed yet. CandySueQ Thom Emery Bogy jgreen

Thanks!

[Thom Emery]

You can do s couple Butts on one load of pelets

[jghorton]

Thanks for asking this again, Huskee. It was one of my original questions.

[CandySueQ]

I can load and test it out this weekend. It's a sipper not a gulper of pellets. Got a butt to cook anyway.

[Potkettleblack]

I ran the Kalua Pork from about 11 to 11 without reloading. It is very slow in taking pellets at low temp. At 400+, it runs a lot more pellets. Anything over 350 or so, I do on the Weber. The gas is more efficient for high temps.

[CandySueQ]

One pellet doesn't give hotter temp than another! The grill's thermostat does that part. Mesquite is ashier than any other flavor, but not "hotter."

[Potkettleblack]

I’ve heard in the Grilla group that it’s easier to achieve higher temps with mesquite. Which I accept, without experimentation, assuming it’s 100% mesquite, based on stick burner testimony about mesquite. At low, PID will likely use fewer pellets.

[Bogy]

CandySueQ My Grilla has the old dial controller, with a High setting. My understanding is that there is a limiter, but I don't think otherwise there's a specific temp the grill is aiming at. On High I've had my Grilla get up to 540, according to my Smoke ambient probe. That was using Lumberjack Competition.