Pellet Cookers-Fad or Future

[rwalters]

I see pellet grills pulling from every category of the current market-share... from the stick burner guys/gals, to the charcoal/chunk guys/gals to the gas grill guys/gals. Why is this so? Convenience and results. Bottom line, it seems to me that there is something attractive about pellet grills to a wider audience than any other type of grill/smoker on the market today... and because of this, I find it hard to believe that pellet grills are a passing fad. I have had every major category of cooker go through my backyard over the past 25 years. Many of them I have enjoyed the heck out of... but none have allowed me to cook more often and with more consistently tasty results than my pellet grill/smoker. I can assure you that "lust" is not the reason I cook on a pellet grill... no, it's quite the opposite. I have found pellet grills to allow me to cook way more often for the ones I "love" and free up huge chunks of time to be more involved with friends/family all while still producing a very desirable end result. A win win if you ask me :) That said, I am still a charcoal junkie at heart. I just cannot see myself without some type of "manual drive" cooker in my backyard. Love my 26" kettle! :)

[BKING!]

What I like about the pellet grill is the consistently good results. I have owned my Mak. for 8 months now, use it multiple times a week, and I still haven’t farked up a meal yet. This idiot likes idiot proof grills lol.

[arclite]

I have 0 interest.

Going by my track record they're here to stay.

[sleebus.jones]

Unlikely a fad and definitely the future until someone invents a time machine that can insert 15 hours into a day for me to throw logs into a firebox.

[Rockinar]

They have their niche. They are not going anywhere, just like gas grills are not going anywhere.

[cowgirl]

Originally Posted by Capt

I hope that pellets never ever replace stick burners or any live fire cooking method. Tending a fire is cooking with love / tuning a temp and filling a hopper is cooking with lust

I tend to agree.
Maybe it will go full circle like ditching the latest rubs, injections, etc., and going back to good ole S&P. KISS has always been my favorite.

A stack of wood, shovel and a match might be the future. :)

[qnbiker]

I can see poopers replacing Masterbuilt electric smokers or Bradleys, but not gassers - they are not close to the same thing. If I could only have one smoker, the GMG Daniel Boone would be gone, but since I don't have to choose, there is definitely a place for it on my deck. With Walmart, Academy, Amazon, Cabela's, etc. selling them and more and more cheaper poopers on the market, I think they are here to stay. I'm curious as to what quality/price range will end up dominating. Will we end up with a rusting $200 pooper on every patio? Jeez, I hope not.

[Nuco59]

Well- when that EMP blast knocks out your fancy electronics, who's laughing then?

Well, probably no one (because the crap has officially hit the fan at that point)

My vote is - not a fad. But I pray the day never comes that all the other methods of turning out great bbq have been lost and forgotten.

[boogiechillen]

They definitely have their niche carved out.

I think they bring in a wider audience of smokers. To some, it will be gateway into other forms of smoking, while others will just stick with it when otherwise they wouldn’t have gotten a smoker at all.

Three of the four coworkers I know that have smokers have Traegers (the fourth has propane). They all enjoy them and I don’t see any of them switching over to any other type of smoker any time soon.

[tom b]

Not a fad. I enjoy cooking with real fire but I think there will always be a pellet smoker in my yard, even if it is solely for my wife's use.

[charcoalwilly]

Originally Posted by sleebus.jones

Unlikely a fad and definitely the future until someone invents a time machine that can insert 15 hours into a day for me to throw logs into a firebox.

Damn that was funny

[16Adams]

Originally Posted by Czarbecue

I must have missed it. When did you sell your Davy Crockett?

Guessing 2-3 months ago. Big reduction /Declutter in “stuff” from closets to patio.

It’s a work in progress. Feels really good too.

[SlowmotionQue]

Anything which saves time, and gives good to great results is unlikely to end up being a fad unless something more efficient and/or giving equal or even better results comes along.

Pellet grills are unlikely to end up being a fad.

As they get better, and easier to use, they will command an even larger share of the backyard market.

And they’re getting better seemingly with each release. PID controllers, built in temp probes, WiFi control, it’s hard for gassers, Kamados, stick burners, drums to compete with that for convenience.

Charcoal and wood cookers still hold the taste edge over pellets. But how much longer can they keep it or even keep the current taste margin?

The gap is liable to close as grill tech and not to mention perhaps, pellet manufacturing tech gets better.

Someone is liable to come out with a pellet which yields a flavor profile better than today’s pellets.

[Servo]

Electric requirement is my deal breaker currently. Though I could run a long cord from garage to patio. But seems such a restriction for an outdoor appliance IMO

[BKING!]

Originally Posted by SlowmotionQue

Anything which saves time, and gives good to great results is unlikely to end up being a fad unless something more efficient and/or giving equal or even better results comes along.

Pellet grills are unlikely to end up being a fad.

As they get better, and easier to use, they will command an even larger share of the backyard market.

And they’re getting better seemingly with each release. PID controllers, built in temp probes, WiFi control, it’s hard for gassers, Kamados, stick burners, drums to compete with that for convenience.

Charcoal and wood cookers still hold the taste edge over pellets. But how much longer can they keep it or even keep the current taste margin?

The gap is liable to close as grill tech and not to mention perhaps, pellet manufacturing tech gets better.

Someone is liable to come out with a pellet which yields a flavor profile better than today’s pellets.

Flavor is subjective. My family and I prefer the pellet cooker to charcoal on most things I cook.