Bbq Bubba
somebody shut me the fark up.
If that helps you sleep at night. :thumb:
FEC-300 vs. Ole Hickory
- Thread starter Bigmista
- Start date
If that helps you sleep at night. :thumb:
Plowboy
somebody shut me the fark up.
Actually, pellets do help me sleep at night. I recall leaving a pellet cooker running this weekend and getting a full night at a hotel about 8 miles away.
fireman_pete
Full Fledged Farker
^^^^^^What He Said!
SmokinOkie
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the biggest different in "smoke on the FE line is the number of burners. A 100 and 300 have one burner, a 500 has two and the 750 has three. Obviously with two or three pots going you'll have that much more "smoke".
I know I've seen some comparison on running them I'll see if I can find it.
You need to price pellets, then figure out which unit and what "average" temp.
For the gassers, will you be running 100% gas (come on now, some do) or will it be a blend on one log and mostly gas or will it be all logs. Then you have to figure out food costs.
Are they all great units. Yes. SP and OH have been around a long time, the FE may be a new unit out there, but it gives you great options. You can mix / match the wood. Try to keep 5 or 6 types of wood logs around.
Russ
I know I've seen some comparison on running them I'll see if I can find it.
You need to price pellets, then figure out which unit and what "average" temp.
For the gassers, will you be running 100% gas (come on now, some do) or will it be a blend on one log and mostly gas or will it be all logs. Then you have to figure out food costs.
Are they all great units. Yes. SP and OH have been around a long time, the FE may be a new unit out there, but it gives you great options. You can mix / match the wood. Try to keep 5 or 6 types of wood logs around.
Russ
I do keep 5 or six different logs around sometimes and it can be a PITA and the Farking Bugs that go with the logs...
Do you Pellet pooping guys worry about something malfunctioning whilst sleeping? Can you check temps from your hotel room at comps, etc.? I have been on a comp team where the FEC-100 malfunctioned in the middle of the night and we had to pull McGyver mods to make turn in times.
Bentley
Babbling Farker
I guess if your pit is reliable like mine, no. Do I use Mavericks to moniter temps in case Mr Nimrod(me) forgot to add gas to generator (use promoters electricty, thats a good one) or pellets before going to bed, you bet. Can you moniter a stick burner from your hotel room? I guess you can any pit with a Stoker hooked up to your pit as long as you had computer access at your location.
Pellets were good enough to take 2nd Runner up at the Royal Open this year, does that help?
Bentley
Babbling Farker
Larry Hill from Pelletheads.com has a 500 in Hanford, 3 hours up the road...for two hot links on an Sunday, I will get you in the door if you like...I will even ride with you and watch you cook on it! :bow:
On a serious note, he is coming down to Pasadena on December 4th, might be a stretch, but I might beable to get him to bring it an have you cook on it? Let me know...
Jacked UP BBQ
Babbling Farker
I would stay away from the 300 if it only has one burner. You will not get enough smoke.
fireman_pete
Full Fledged Farker
Larry (rib ticklers) has a FEC 500 I am sure he would be happy to let you cook on or see. He is in Oceanside.
SmokinOkie
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You calling us Pellet Poopers such names as Pellet Poopers is insulating to us Pellet Pooper. You can only call us that if you are one :becky:
We know it's jealousy of our sleep :heh:
Not sure what "checking temps from a hotel means" to this thread, but you can buy a temp probe, hook it up to an internet connection and monitor it form your room. If I owned a restaurant, I'd probably do that, so great idea.
Think about it this way.
If you're using a gasser, do you worry about running out of gas?
If you're using a rotisserie, do you worry about the gear breaking?
If you use electricity, do you worry about electricity going out?
Use a stick burner? How about the weather, falling asleep from an overnight cook (can't stay up 7 nights a way all year)
you better if you're in the business. I've either had it happen or seen ALL of the above happen.
It's pretty old news now when someone who calls them Pellet Poppers points out that they saw one broke somewhere. Does it happen, yes. Often, no. I think preventive maintenance takes care of 95% of common problems.
If you're worried about it in a restaurant, you'll probably worry about anything you have.
HoDeDo
Babbling Farker
Depending on if Neil is planning on keeping it inside or out, that may be driving some of the decision making... They developed the 300 to have a model that would go into EXISTING buildings. Many times a 500 is too large to fit through the openings, etc. if you are trying to build it into the kitchen. A 300 was designed to fit through a set of dbl doors, both height and width wise. I dont believe a 500 will. So if you are going to have the room to get it in the bldg, or you are going with an outdoor unit... go with the FEC500. IF you are trying to get indoors, into an existing kitchen/tighter space, go with the FEC300. Having said that Neil, you know we have a buddy who has one on his showroom floor that he would make you a heck of a deal on 
Now my cartage fee to CA might erase all that to bring it to ya!!!! <insert evil laugh> but the girls would love to play with Morgan...
Now my cartage fee to CA might erase all that to bring it to ya!!!! <insert evil laugh> but the girls would love to play with Morgan...Big Poppa
is Blowin Smoke!
whatever you get ...get one size bigger than you need...it is a great rule of thumb for media whor....types!
I've been told, by more than one person that has one, that a 500 turns out a better product than the 100. Whether it's the extra pots, the volume of meat and the moisture it gives off, I don't know.
I'd suspect you'd get some sort of break on insurance as well because you are buring wood, instead of having compressed or natural gas around. Storage of pellets will take up less space than storing cords of wood as well, and they come in sealed bags to protect them from the elements.
As for dependability, I think you can probably order a spare controller board, and a few other parts to go along with the cooker if you are looking at an investment that size. As Bentley pointed out, there are ways to monitor the pit. If you've got a problem it's not a big deal to replace a board, pin, auger if you have to.
I'd suspect you'd get some sort of break on insurance as well because you are buring wood, instead of having compressed or natural gas around. Storage of pellets will take up less space than storing cords of wood as well, and they come in sealed bags to protect them from the elements.
As for dependability, I think you can probably order a spare controller board, and a few other parts to go along with the cooker if you are looking at an investment that size. As Bentley pointed out, there are ways to monitor the pit. If you've got a problem it's not a big deal to replace a board, pin, auger if you have to.
NorthwestBBQ
somebody shut me the fark up.
I'll bet my list of successful BBQ restaurants that use SP or OH is much longer than your FEC list.
jbrink01
is One Chatty Farker
So they make money. Is their BBQ any good? The FEC 500 cooks better food than the OH, IMHO.
NorthwestBBQ
somebody shut me the fark up.
Real wood fired BBQ blows compressed sawdust out of the water every time, bro.
Jacked UP BBQ
Babbling Farker
i have a fec750 and i would beg to differ
NorthwestBBQ
somebody shut me the fark up.
Any experience with a SP or OH?
HoDeDo
Babbling Farker
Not sure where you came up with this... esp. since those pits typically use GAS for the fuel source, and have a firebox to provide flavor/secondary heating source. Gas brings the pit up to temp, and typically kicks on to maintain temps. (unless the owner is choosing to run it on wood only.) Gas can impart a flavor other than wood... pellets on the other hand don't impart any flavor other than wood.
I'm not trying to say who produces better BBQ, But there are some large names using FEC pits in thier local and in chain restaurants. I wouldnt think the "list" of restaurants would be that big an issue...
They are both excellent, and proven pits, but Pellets have been proven to provide a better yield, and typically they are cheaper than gas to run. Those are the types of things that I would hope someone looking to use it in a commercial setting would be considering.... not just the list of who cooks on what.
And yes, I have cooked on all 3 OH, SP, and FEC. So outside of the tests done to show the cost advantages (better yield, lower operating cost, etc) , I can tell you my personal experience is that the FEC puts a better color on the meat, and does produce a consistent product. You wouldnt go wrong with any of those cookers. I just happen to like the FEC the best, having cooked on all three many times over.
