Pellet Grills vs Stick Burners

[JohnPaul]

I like sticks n charcoal. I do have a pellet plopper, it's super easy & convenient. I just haven't much cared for the results. I'm sure there ways to make it better, but honestly I'm not willing to learn 'em. So I'll just keep playing with fire.

[jfmorris]

I think pellet cookers are a great convenience for many, and while I could see having one some day, I think I will always have a charcoal grill/smoker and a gas grill of some sort, as I don't like to be tethered to an extension cord with my grill, and the places I have outlets in the back yard are somewhat limited. I like to move my grill collection around too much to be stuck next to the same outlet forever...

Not to mention the fact you cannot cook without power on the pellet smoker...

[Rod]

I'd love to have a good stick burner. I just wouldn't be able to use it very often due to the time needed to tend to it. So it could only be on weekends. Even then, weekends can be busy too with yardwork, running around and miscellaneous tasks I can't do through the week.

[captainlee]

Living in a high altitude valley we deal with tons of wind. The pellet pooper works great in those conditions. I think a stick burner would be fun, but not practical for year round cook when you want to conditions that we deal with here.

[captainlee]

It doesn't end, most of Colorado is getting a significant snow storm this weekend. Snow and low temps in the 20's here. I'm still smoking that rotisserie chicken this weekend.

[rlozinak]

I like the convenience of my pellet grill. Set it up and forget it till it needs more pellets. Now I have thought of getting a stick burner, but then I would need to get wood to burn. Not sure how to do that.

[jfmorris]

Most tree cutting services double as firewood delivery services as well, and can deliver oak that is seasoned and split right to your door.

[radiodome21]

I was looking at different stick burners in January while I had a butt on my pellet smoker. It was single degree weather outside. I asked myself if I had a stick burner would I be outside and without batting an eye I said hell no. It was also windy out on top of the snow and ice in the backyard. Haven’t researched them since. I also don’t bother with my WSM in the winter either and only use the Silverbac. The Weber summit charcoal is what my MCS is channeling me though if it won’t hold up to the temps in the Chicago cold then I don’t know if I would buy it. I was looking at the grilla Kong which was on sale this past weekend and almost made a purchase of that. But I held back because I like my WSM. I don’t mind managing fire however I really hate being out in the cold.

[jfmorris]

The summit or a kamado like the Kong would likely fare better than your WSM in the cold, but like you say, the Silverbac is even more hands off and let’s you stay inside where it is warm.

[rickgregory]

While Seattle isn't cold like that in the winter, it is chilly (upper 30s to mid-40s) and often rainy. For the little smoking I did this winter, the kettle was fine and a kamodo would be even better... but there's no way in hell I'm outside in 40F rain to tend a fire for 8+ hours.

If I was doing a lot of brisket etc I can see pellet for the convenience but... I don't. So... charcoal baybeee....

[ILMsmoke]

I think we all should just get both. I have owned a few of both and I can say this with certainty. The Charcoal and wood tastes better than the pellets, but I can't say there's enough difference to out weigh the convenience of pellets. I think both work best in their rightful place!

[Jfrosty27]

My thoughts as well. I have both and use them as the situation dictates.

[CaptainMike]

That is exactly where my journey has lead. The new LSG pellet pooper will be here next week and that'll fully sate my MCS appetite. My lineup will be LSG offset and PP, Weber SCG and gasser, a Santa Maria grill, and the Blackstone flattop. Plus the SnS portable grill and SomkeDaddy portable PP for the RV. Quite an investment, for sure, but it's what I love to do.

[captainlee]

Captain Mike..... I'm so jealous!!!!! Nice line up there, you have bbq totally covered.

[Bad Hat BBQ]

I love my stick burners. First one was from Barbecues Galore (forgot the name of it), after many years of use and 1 divorce, I went to Okie Joe Long Horn (she's about 10 yrs.old). Mid-June I pick up my EOS (Rocket Grillz...check em out on FB)

[DavidNorcross]

Two totally different spectrums in my view. Cant really compare. I have a pellet cooker for many reasons but mainly for the convenience based upon my schedule and how much time I can allow. Works great for me at this time. Perhaps one day things will change.

[Huskee]

Condo or farmhouse? Same end goal, different path and slightly different experience when there.

[Steve B]

Keep your condo. I’ll take the farmhouse every time.
Been down both roads. It’s a no brainer.

[SmokeyGator]

This is like saying "sports car or super duty truck". One goes really fast and handles great but cant haul a sheet of plywood, the other can haul a 10,000 pound boat on a quad axle trailer but rolls over if you try to take a corner going faster than 15 mph.

[bbqLuv]

That sounds like an auto-response. I hope my tire joke doesn't go flat.

[Redwng]

I have both from LSG and they separately have their time to shine depending on what I have going on, time, weather and mood.

[Oakgrovebacon]

I have both - I start pork butts on Friday evening after work in the stick burner for about 4 hours then move to the pellet burner for the overnight. Get great results and a good nights sleep. The stick smoke adds a lot of flavor that pellets don’t if cooked all the way there.

[smokenoob]

PBR or Pale Ale?
depends on my mood…..

[DaveD]

Pellets for me all the way: because I have space for only two cookers (gas grill is my other one) and noplace to store wood properly; because consistency and reproducibility are vastly more important to me than playing with fire; because I can do full up cooks on those weekdays I'm working from home; and I am freed up to do lots of other things beside being tied to the fire pit every 20 minutes or whatever.

I knew I'd be able to get just one thing besides the gas grill we already had, so the vertical p-smoker won out on the basis of the above. I have not regretted my choice for an instant, and nobody has complained that there's not enough smoke flavor in the food...

[Panhead John]

Know what ya mean about the lack of cooker space….I can relate.

[Joey877]

I understand why you chose your cookers, but I'm not sure I understand the "consistency and reproducibility" part. I use my stickburner all the time and get very consistent and reproducible results with pork butt, ribs, brisket, etc. I would think once you know your cooker you should be able to relatively consistently reproduce favorable results, regardless of the fuel source...at least I can with all of my cookers, and the only thing I'm lacking is a pellet. Maybe I am missing something?

[DaveD]

Joey877 - fair point, I could have been clearer. I neglected to include that I was brand-new to smoking meat, and judged that I could get to consistency & reproducibility more easily with the p-smoker, that's how I should have said it. Side note, I also really like how little T gradient there is inside the chamber, less than 10F top to bottom.