A Barbecue/Smoker Question - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

YakDout · 01-08-2019, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by popo50

I have friends that us the Trager, Green egg. I purchased the Pit Boss from Wal Mart and have had great success at a third of the cost....Happy Smoking..

Not sure which pit boss you have, but the equivalent pellet smoker to the one I have on Walmart’s website shows for $349. The small green mountain grill named Davey crockett (the one I own) is $339 on Amazon. And you get an app in which you can monitor grill temp, meat temp, change grills temp, turn on off grill, etc..

Hunters Pa · 01-08-2019, 07:25 AM

Good question here. There are factors on both sides. I use a weber smokey mountain. It is charcoal fired and I use chunks of wood for the smoke. Brief summary of factors i took into consideration:

Pellet

positive
Set it and forget it capability
capacity
consistent quality

Negative
Have to use pellets (big factor for me)
- Variety limited to what the manufacturer produces
- what if they go out of business and no longer make pellets?
- Cost factor when there are only a few makers of the pellets
Need electricity
Cost - these things aren't cheap (but I have no problem paying for a quality product that will last)

Electric

positive
Plug it in and set the temp and it can self regulate
Do not need charcoal for heat
Can use chips, chunks or pellets
Typically cheaper
Higher capacity

negative
Need power access
Most do not seem "built to last"

Charcoal based

Positive
no power needed
can use chips, chunks, pellets
Can double as picnic or camping grill
mid range cost
Replacement parts lower cost
Aftermarket items for "hot rodding" available

negative
capacity
need to buy & ignite charcoal
more "hands on" unless you invest in aftermarket mods

I went with the smokey mountain for a couple of reasons. I have an awesome outdoor kitchen with a 42" Twin Eagles grill, multiple kitchen-style stove burners and a 18" wide griddle. The smoker is for smoking or to take camping, to the beach or whatever. I did not want to be reliant on having a power supply. I also did not want to have to buy a product made by a handful of manufacturers that may or may not be around in 10 years, or that may decide to double their prices when to number of manufacturers goes down. Wood chunks are more readily available and in greater variety. You really do get a different result when using something like cherry or olive. The capacity was the main point of hesitation, but the way I smoke food i can transfer to my built in gas grill at the foiling stage and start the next round on the smoker. This does not apply when i smoke fish, so I just need to plan appropriately, but it is the exception rather than the rule when I am using the smoker.

The best thing I did, though, to taking my use of the smoker to the next level was to take a quality class. This significantly shortened my learning curve. The class I took was offered by Harry Soo at slapyodaddybbq.com. He does them mainly at his house in Diamond Bar. A good class will not be cheap, but it will move you forward exponentially.

Just my 2 cents

Hunters Pa · 01-08-2019, 08:00 AM

All that said, I am still kicking around the idea of getting a pellet. If I do it will be from Costco as they seem to have the most competitive pricing, I have the exec membership so there is the additional rebate, and they have an awesome return policy.

But I have not had any complaints on my results with the WSM.

Baja_Traveler · 01-08-2019, 12:11 PM

Just because you buy a Traeger does not mean you have to buy Traeger pellets. Any cooking pellet will work, and there are many different manufacturers of pellets to choose from. My favorite are the Bear Mountain pellets, but I've used Traeger branded and others over the years.
I currently have three smokers, and use pellets in all of them (though one is a dedicated cold smoker). My two hot smokers are both Green Mountain - chose them over the Traeger because of build quality. Unfortunately both are made in China - but materials are just a bit better in the GMG, and the controller is more robust as was mentioned before.
You can cook anything in a pellet smoker, I've baked cakes, smoked home grown paprika, made mesquite smoked salt and made pizza in addition to the normal stuff you associate a smoker with. I'm particularly fond of smoked pizza - especially on a camping trip. The Davey Crockett shown has been upgraded with Grill Grates - which when the smoker is cranked up to 550* put an excellent sear on any steak...

01-08-2019, 07:25 AM	#2
Hunters Pa Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fullerton Posts: 1,361	Good question here. There are factors on both sides. I use a weber smokey mountain. It is charcoal fired and I use chunks of wood for the smoke. Brief summary of factors i took into consideration: Pellet positive Set it and forget it capability capacity consistent quality Negative Have to use pellets (big factor for me) - Variety limited to what the manufacturer produces - what if they go out of business and no longer make pellets? - Cost factor when there are only a few makers of the pellets Need electricity Cost - these things aren't cheap (but I have no problem paying for a quality product that will last) Electric positive Plug it in and set the temp and it can self regulate Do not need charcoal for heat Can use chips, chunks or pellets Typically cheaper Higher capacity negative Need power access Most do not seem "built to last" Charcoal based Positive no power needed can use chips, chunks, pellets Can double as picnic or camping grill mid range cost Replacement parts lower cost Aftermarket items for "hot rodding" available negative capacity need to buy & ignite charcoal more "hands on" unless you invest in aftermarket mods I went with the smokey mountain for a couple of reasons. I have an awesome outdoor kitchen with a 42" Twin Eagles grill, multiple kitchen-style stove burners and a 18" wide griddle. The smoker is for smoking or to take camping, to the beach or whatever. I did not want to be reliant on having a power supply. I also did not want to have to buy a product made by a handful of manufacturers that may or may not be around in 10 years, or that may decide to double their prices when to number of manufacturers goes down. Wood chunks are more readily available and in greater variety. You really do get a different result when using something like cherry or olive. The capacity was the main point of hesitation, but the way I smoke food i can transfer to my built in gas grill at the foiling stage and start the next round on the smoker. This does not apply when i smoke fish, so I just need to plan appropriately, but it is the exception rather than the rule when I am using the smoker. The best thing I did, though, to taking my use of the smoker to the next level was to take a quality class. This significantly shortened my learning curve. The class I took was offered by Harry Soo at slapyodaddybbq.com. He does them mainly at his house in Diamond Bar. A good class will not be cheap, but it will move you forward exponentially. Just my 2 cents

01-08-2019, 08:00 AM	#3
Hunters Pa Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fullerton Posts: 1,361	All that said, I am still kicking around the idea of getting a pellet. If I do it will be from Costco as they seem to have the most competitive pricing, I have the exec membership so there is the additional rebate, and they have an awesome return policy. But I have not had any complaints on my results with the WSM.

01-08-2019, 12:11 PM	#4
Baja_Traveler Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Table 17, Bay Park Fish Co. Posts: 943	Just because you buy a Traeger does not mean you have to buy Traeger pellets. Any cooking pellet will work, and there are many different manufacturers of pellets to choose from. My favorite are the Bear Mountain pellets, but I've used Traeger branded and others over the years. I currently have three smokers, and use pellets in all of them (though one is a dedicated cold smoker). My two hot smokers are both Green Mountain - chose them over the Traeger because of build quality. Unfortunately both are made in China - but materials are just a bit better in the GMG, and the controller is more robust as was mentioned before. You can cook anything in a pellet smoker, I've baked cakes, smoked home grown paprika, made mesquite smoked salt and made pizza in addition to the normal stuff you associate a smoker with. I'm particularly fond of smoked pizza - especially on a camping trip. The Davey Crockett shown has been upgraded with Grill Grates - which when the smoker is cranked up to 550* put an excellent sear on any steak...