Rec Tec vs Pellet Pro vs Smoke Fire = I'm confused!

[bbqLuv]

Keep it out of the the dogs reach.
An electric "fencing", they will only touch it once or twice and never go back.
Top of the line Traeger timberline grease is in a drawer.

[glitchy]

Don’t fear the SmokeFire. I’m still problem free with the updates after 4 months of pretty heavy use. I’d put it up against any pellet grill for smoke output and I’ve tried a few. You have to be willing to use drip pans under LnS cooks though.

[randy56]

When your not smoking put the grease bucket up high somewhere. pellet poopers have come a long way in 10 years. Get one.

[DetectDave]

I have the RT 680 and 2 labs both in excess of 100 lbs that run free out here in the country. They refuse to even get close to my external grease pan which surprised me a whole lot because they are pigs and will eat anything like a damn goat. I wonder if something in your pup's diet is making them crave it or maybe pups are telling me I suck at cooking?...LOL

[Fog2100]

Thanks for the replies. I googled it and found a post in another forum where a guy rigged a milk jug and a funnel. I thought a smaller laundry detergent jug would be thicker plastic. I’m only worried about a big cook of several butts. It’s nota huge deal, I guess I’m looking for a nudge to help me pick one over another. I have a Yoder dealer in my home town but dang the price and I’m a 240 lb farm boy but I have a bum elbow and dang it hurts when I open that lid. What’s it going to be like 10 yrs from now. I’ll have to have an actuator to open the lid.

[snookduff]

You could get a cover like they use here in PA when it’s maple syrup time. I have a RecTec and I’m sure you could easily design a cover for the bucket just like the ones used when you tap a maple tree.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

But he asked about ways to keep dogs out of the drip cup, if you have a tip for the RecTec I'm sure he'd appreciate that

[Bobby Q's]

Get the Rec Tec and don't look back. Unmatched customer support and a Great Product. My 2 cents

[fracmeister]

Don't ask me, I am a Yoder man

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

I've seen people gate off their smokers and such, but the only 2 100% safe ways are to buy a pellet grill with an internal grease trap, or use your smoker where the dogs never are. Don't forget Camp Chef has a sidekick and a side burner option for their pellet units as well.

[SipIt]

Not exactly the advice you were asking for, but thought I'd mention it because I had the same issues with my PBC. The thing had a mind of it's own and was really hard for me to know when food was going to be done, causing multiple issues. I purchased the CyberQ fan control setup a couple of months ago and couldn't be happier. Have gone to sleep overnight while cooking brisket and have made ribs where the temp doesn't fluctuate more then 5 degrees on either side.

[Fog2100]

For the past 10 years or more I have hated pellet grills based on one of the early Traegers I owned. I am a PBC fanatic but recently cooked ribs with a friend on his rec tec and honestly was shocked at how good and how easy it was. Now I'm thinking the 80 deg swings in the PBC have never really produced bad results, but it sure would be nice not to babysit quite as much and I like the option of having a little different flavor profile. I would never get rid of the PBC it is too good, but I want to add a pellet grill. I was all set to get a Rec Tec, then I thought about the Smoke Fire until all the controversy, then I found Pellet Pro and thought hey these guys might have the best thing going with their sear station because I still want a grill for brats and burgers and other misc things. Then I watched a video on the Smoke Fire and it mentioned the enclosed grease tray to keep dogs out. I have two Golden's that love the grease on the bottom of the grill. A month or so ago I had projectile vomiting for hours when one of them got in my fish fryer grease after it cooled and I was distracted with friends and beer.

So finally my question: Is there an easy fix to the grease bucket/dog issue? I have to think it will be a problem.