pellet s versus stick burners

[glitchy]

I made that same turkey once, never cooked a bird in my electric smoker again. Several electrics just don’t get hot enough to do poultry right. It cooked beef and pork fine though.

[DrJimmy2112]

Another option - using a smoke tube like Amazen tube or LizzQ for extra smoke as needed in a pellet grill. I have an OG, have not felt the need to use my LizzQ on it, but have used it in my weber gasser. It allows some delicate fine tuning.
I have a friend whose smoked turkey done on his (electric I think, maybe propane) smoker tastes like an ashtray. Not that I'd tell him that...

[STEbbq]

I will say certain pellet smokers offer more smoke than most pellet grills, mainly MAKs, the SmokeFire, and the OG Grilla due to the different designs. But not as much as stick.

[PBCDad]

In short, yes. The first time I smoked a pork shoulder on my offset stick burner, it was several steps above what I have had off of any other cooker I've had. I'm not producing competition-worthy food, but it's enough that I'm only really impressed by competition-worthy food.

I will add a couple caveats

1. It is work. I think it's fun work, and most other stick burners do too, but I can't leave it for more than 30 minutes without at least checking on it. There's also a big learning curve on how to get clean smoke. Pellet grills are on the opposite side of the spectrum. I think the amount of time you want to dedicate to a cook should be the main deciding factor on which one you go with, not the smoke taste, because
2. While the smoke taste is so good on an offset, I also enjoy food cooked on electric smokers. It's a game of inches, not leaps and bounds. Are you able to sample food off of people who have each type of cooker?
3. Each cooker really shines at what it's able to do. My stick-burner can produce a small amount or an enormous amount of slow-cooked food that tastes amazing. My kettle with SnS can smoke and grill, and can be left mostly unattended with a remote thermo. My PBC still makes the best chicken out of any of my smokers, but that's about all I use it for now.
4. Sourcing wood is either a lot of work or expensive, plus you need space to store it and you may need to season it and split it.

Again, I'm really happy with my stick burner and I use it whenever I can. Due to the points above though, that's not every time I cook outdoors.

[CaptainMike]

I'll let you know in about 10 days.

[bbqLuv]

That is a matter of opinion. The best BBQ is the BBQ you like.
The consense is Stick Burners produce more smoke than Pellet Grills. I assume that is the reason Traeger has added Super smoke mode to their new grills.
But don't listen to me, "Luv Me Pellet Smoker/Grill".

[DavidNorcross]

Interested in this thread. Two very different cookers obviously with totally different techniques. I would say that a large part of your decision is time spent during cook. You will have to tend the stick burner much more.

[ofelles]

Flavor profile is very subjective. Pellet cookers put out less of a smoke profile so less of a smoke flavor. Some people prefer a pellet some not. I have a Yoder YS640 and love it, very good flavor and ease of use. I do not have a stick burner but I do have a insulated cabinet smoker that uses charcoal and wood chunks and It flavor profile is stronger smoke wise. I love it also and use it most of the time.
A stick burner puts out the strongest and most recognizable flavor. It also requires more attention and feeding. The pit barrel style cookers also put out a great smoke profile.

If I have left anything out or need to be corrected I sure someone will chime in.

[MBMorgan]

Better? Different for sure. Depends on how much smoke flavor you like (pellet cookers are lighter).

[cookinjack]

is the flavor profile of stick burners that much better then pellet smokers?thanks cookinjack