I have a Traeger for five years now and no problems. I think all brands are good. The one thing Im going to look for on the next one is the clean up of the ashs. I clean mind out about every 3rd to 5 times cooking cycle.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Buckeye1 wrote:</div>
I would not suggest using home heating pellets for cooking in a pellet grill.Yea I thought the idea was crazy before too when some other people told me about it. I’m sure I have over 500# of them so far and can’t notice a difference.
I’m sure they burn fine. I would be concerned with the additives used in heating pellets vs cooking pellets. They may used unhealthy chemicals to bind the sawdust together.
I have a Treager that’s 6 or 7 years old. Don’t dislike it well enough to sell it and take the beating buying a new one. 25-degree temp swings and needs to be kept very clean. Also, random shutdowns mid cook more than I would like. With that said. The newer ones are supposed to have improved electronic controls. I’ve learned to deal with its short comings. But if I bought another, would definitely shop around. It could be the newer style Treager, not sure. But wasn’t impressed with customer service. They pretty much admitted the problem with the earlier units control panel. But only offered a full retail newer panel as a fix. Having 50 years experience fixing and fabricating. I feel they are built well. If they have the controls figured out it may be a good choice. Also, my smoker with the new style controls can be bought for about $600 this time of year. I gave $800 when I bought mine.
I’m sure they burn fine. I would be concerned with the additives used in heating pellets vs cooking pellets. They may used unhealthy chemicals to bind the sawdust together.
there are no added chemicals or binders. 100% hardwood sawdust which is pressed and when pressed it increases the temp of the wood and the natural binding agents in the wood are activated which keep the pellet together.
i dont care if you use them or not just sharing what i and other friends have been using for years and saving alot of money
Who carries RecTeq and/or Camp Chef? Or are they only online?
I’d like to buy a pellet grill myself but would prefer to see them in person if possible
Who carries RecTeq and/or Camp Chef? Or are they only online?
I’d like to buy a pellet grill myself but would prefer to see them in person if possible
req teq is all online. thats the reason why i never gave them much thought because i want to see things in person before i buy them also
I got a Pit Boss Laredo 1000 from Walmart. It works well and has a slide out for ash clean up. It does take 15-20 minutes to get up to 400 degrees but there is very little ash compared to charcoal
ReqTeq hands down. I bought the 1250. The temperature control is so precise. Wifi app lets you monitor and adjust the temp from your phone.
Just watch of few comparison videos.
Reqteq no question! Absolutely the best bang for your buck in the pellet grill game, and by far the best customer service of any company I’ve owned a ‘big’ product from.
Don’t worry about not seeing them in person, seriously, they are made in the USA with HEAVY DUTY materials. All stainless steel hardware that’s like overbuilt/engineered to last. They are solid as a rock and will last many many years. Everything from the hardware, to the firebox, to the grates, are just super heavy gauge stainless.
I have one of the early models of the RT-680, I’ve ran probably 2000 lbs of pellets through it and it’s still in great shape. The only parts I’ve replaced are:
– Side shelf (they used to use powder coated steel, all units now have a full stainless steel shelves). Either way, they sent me a brand new stainless steel shelf for free, it was an ‘unfinished’ one from their line, which just meant it didn’t have some grommets installed.
– Ignitor: Again, they’ve upgraded their ignitors to now be like 10-20 year parts. Since I had an original one, instead of just sending a new ignitor for me to install, they sent me a whole new firebox with the new ignitor installed, so all I had to do was take a few bolts out and slide the new one in. Again for free.
– At one point I needed an extra bolt (I think to mount the new controller or side shelf), and they sent me a whole new set of hardware. I still have all of it as backups, it was probably $40 worth of hardware and they just shipped it to me like next day for free.
– I upgraded to the newer wifi controller, my choice, old one worked fine but I wanted to control by the app.
I’ve had a couple other things that needed some help, like a fuse went out at one point I think. But with all of these things, I picked up the phone and called them and immediately had someone on the other line who was SO helpful. They were able to troubleshoot over the phone and everything is so well designed it’s very easy to ‘fix’ anything that needs fixing. They engineered these grills to be very easy to swap out parts if something goes wrong.
I can’t recommend them enough, once you see one in person you’ll see the traegers at costco or something and just go, ‘man, these things are cheap and flimsy’, and they are comparably priced!
I can’t believe that people question the build quality or “having to see it first” with all the reviews that are out there and first hand testimonials for recteq. They are an amazing company and make great products with topnotch customer service.
I will likely buy another one at some point if I can convince the wife to ditch the gas grill that we never use but she says “I know how to use this”. Heck the bullseye I have is easier than the gas grill you just have to add pellets. I don’t have temp swings like most of the other brand are prone to. 5 to 10 degrees at most.
I can’t believe that people question the build quality or “having to see it first” with all the reviews that are out there and first hand testimonials for recteq. They are an amazing company and make great products with topnotch customer service.
I will likely buy another one at some point if I can convince the wife to ditch the gas grill that we never use but she says “I know how to use this”. Heck the bullseye I have is easier than the gas grill you just have to add pellets. I don’t have temp swings like most of the other brand are prone to. 5 to 10 degrees at most.
I’ve done full prime ribs on new years eve when it was -10 degrees out and the temperature on my recteq never got more than 5 degrees off it’s target! They are absolutely awesome.
Mookie coming in hot with the 1050!
Offset smoker flavor, easy as a pellet grill, temps from 150 to 700 and a front shelf.
I have a Treager that’s 6 or 7 years old. Don’t dislike it well enough to sell it and take the beating buying a new one. 25-degree temp swings and needs to be kept very clean. Also, random shutdowns mid cook more than I would like. With that said. The newer ones are supposed to have improved electronic controls. I’ve learned to deal with its short comings. But if I bought another, would definitely shop around. It could be the newer style Treager, not sure. But wasn’t impressed with customer service. They pretty much admitted the problem with the earlier units control panel. But only offered a full retail newer panel as a fix. Having 50 years experience fixing and fabricating. I feel they are built well. If they have the controls figured out it may be a good choice. Also, my smoker with the new style controls can be bought for about $600 this time of year. I gave $800 when I bought mine.
Steve, have you ever thought of replacing the thermostat and controller? That solved my issues on a Pit Boss Copper 7 that I picked up from a fella that was never plugged in.
there are no added chemicals or binders. 100% hardwood sawdust which is pressed and when pressed it increases the temp of the wood and the natural binding agents in the wood are activated which keep the pellet together.
i dont care if you use them or not just sharing what i and other friends have been using for years and saving alot of money
You guys talked me into a RecTeq. Just pulled the trigger on the 590!
And… as I was checking out it offered me to add the 340 for $299 (normally $699). So I added that on and will have a second unit I can bring up to the cabin.
You guys talked me into a RecTeq. Just pulled the trigger on the 590!
And… as I was checking out it offered me to add the 340 for $299 (normally $699). So I added that on and will have a second unit I can bring up to the cabin.
I just ordered the same thing along with the 340 for $299. Awesome deal.
I’m looking at upgrading my 20 year old Menards smoker.
Going to get into the pellet world.
It will go to the cabin and used every other weekend, most of the time cooking for a small group but smoking large cuts of meat.
WIFI is critical. Price not so much.
After reading this thread and doing some research it is between –
Recteq RT-1070
Yoder YS640S
Treager Timberline 850
Thoughts???
I am still waiting to buy one but from everyone I have talked to it is Recteq hands down. I am planning on picking up the Bullseye soon.
I am still waiting to buy one but from everyone I have talked to it is Recteq hands down. I am planning on picking up the Bullseye soon.
Going on a year with mine and I love it! Its a fantastic grill/smoker. I use it all the time. Just make sure to have a drip pan under the grate when you are smoking something as it will cause a massive grease fire the next time you cook something at high temps. Hasnt happened to me because I have done this since day 1.
this day and age i think you really cant go wrong with any of them. i had a traeger for many years and worked great and now have a green mountain which works great also. only reason i didnt look at req tecs is because they dont sell them locally and i wanted to see them before i dropped a thousand bucks on a grill.
Hands down get a Recteq! I have the Bullseye same as Captain and its the best grilling/smoking machine! It has basically replaced my gas grill and gonna say something controversial but my charcoal weber too.
Hands down get a Recteq! I have the Bullseye same as Captain and its the best grilling/smoking machine! It has basically replaced my gas grill and gonna say something controversial but my charcoal weber too.
that should be illegal to replace the ol trusty weber 
only reason i didnt look at req tecs is because they dont sell them locally and i wanted to see them before i dropped a thousand bucks on a grill.
That is the only downfall to them. They really should get them in stores and they would sell a lot more. I took a chance and no regrets.
That is the only downfall to them. They really should get them in stores and they would sell a lot more. I took a chance and no regrets.
if they were in the stores that would be great and help them sell alot more. maybe would even bring the price down on some of the other big brands also. some of the new traegers are getting pretty spendy ive noticed in the stores. ive watched many youtube videos on the rec teqs and they seem nice but like i said i think they are all nice now days.
Just make sure to have a drip pan under the grate when you are smoking something as it will cause a massive grease fire the next time you cook something at high temps. Hasnt happened to me because I have done this since day 1.
Thanks for the heads up Captain!
They really should get them in stores. A guy I know bought the 1250 and uses it at his camper all summer and then hauls it home for the winter, he cooks/smokes every weekend with it and swears by them.
I just use a pellet tray in my electric smoker. Works good for me.
New Traeger owner (since December). Get the digital controller that can connect to your phone. I have done slow cook pork and ribs and high heat steaks …
I chose Traeger because I could inspect them in the store and a friend had one at their cabin (so saw one in use). I purchased direct from Traeger when on a deep discount sale … asked the local retailer if they could match price … nope (even though Amazon had that lower price).
Pretty easy to assemble … comes on a skid and the delivery guy dropped the pallet inside my garage. He took the wood pallet away, but you can keep it if you want it.
Clean-out is simple, the foil liners make clean-up a breeze … have not tried (yet) the off brand liners.
I am using standard Traeger pellets and found little incentive to change. Sure is easier to have a 20# bag of pellets laying around vs. an extra 20# propane cylinder or running for a cylinder fill when you are planning to entertain and your tank is near empty.
In the summer I will still use my Weber charcoal grill on my best cuts of meat.
I have Traeger and no complaints. I don’t use it a ton. I have no issues with it keeping temps accurate. Going on 4 years old.
IF I was buying now it would be a rectec. My .02
I referenced it in another thread but FF has a sale on Oklahoma Joes – i think it ends tomorrow (3.11). I’ve been thinking about pulling the trigger, sounds like they used to have some issues but have worked out the bugs with most recent models. This according to multiple reviews/videos online. It’s kind of barebones and does not have wifi control which is not a deal breaker for me. Still thinking about it, will go look one more time tomorrow.
Heading over to the ace hardware in Emily to pick up the Traeger timberline 850 tomorrow
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