Weber smokefire shipped

[drunkenmeatfist]

To me the most pressing question has to do with the flavor bars. If someone uses a drip pan under the food won't that block the transmission of flavor from the flavor bars to the food? Would cooking directly on the flavor bars be a one way ticket to flavor town or would the user OD on flavor?

[OneHump]

Originally Posted by drunkenmeatfist

To me the most pressing question has to do with the flavor bars. If someone uses a drip pan under the food won't that block the transmission of flavor from the flavor bars to the food? Would cooking directly on the flavor bars be a one way ticket to flavor town or would the user OD on flavor?

I think that, if you're smoking, the flavor bars don't really apply. Like I said, I'm new to pellet grills, so someone please correct me.

In the case of going high temp for steaks and such, you'll get flare ups, as you would with any cooker, coal, gas or otherwise, but that's a good thing. :)

[ebijack]

Originally Posted by OneHump

I think he clearly had enough grease built up to ignite with a high flame. Weber recommends a drip tray, which I think anyone who doesn't want to deal with a mess would do anyway. The fire chamber in my FEC 120 is isolated, yet I still put drip pans under my meat. They also tell you not to cook with the lid open.

This could be a case of having your cake and eating it to. I've not owned a pellet grill and have done a lot of research lately after being impressed by the quality of cooks on the Smokefire. The Memphis Elite was one that I was considering, but it doesn't smoke well. Mak smokes well but doesn't have the searing capability of the Memphis, even with FlameZone. It's possible that Weber is trying to do too much, making their cooker more prone to a fire than some. I've had grease fires on gas grills and watched my father in law nuke his Traeger with a grease fire. The reason that I bought an FEC 120 instead of a 100 is because of grease fire complaints. I get it.

In the case of BabyBackManiac, he had the lid open, and that results in a decent flame. If you have grease on your rails, and the flame hits that grease, you're going to have a fire. I could also cook a few burgers, turn up my temp or open my lid and show you a video of a grease fire. I guess my point is that, if used and maintained properly, I don't think there's any more of a risk with the Smokefire than any other cooker.

So your saying you can not open the lid if you are cooking heavy fat proteins.
Have fun with your EX6. I won't be buying one.

[OneHump]

Originally Posted by ebijack

So your saying you can not open the lid if you are cooking heavy fat proteins.
Have fun with your EX6. I won't be buying one.

Weber does not recommend cooking with the lid open.

[sudsandswine]

What happens if you want to probe the meat, add something new, take something off, wrap something...seems a bit unrealistic of an expectation. How much time are we talking here before it's considered "cooking with the lid open"?

[stan5677]

I've been saying there should have been a removable drip tray with the flavorizer bars for high heat grilling.

[Shadowdog500]

I’m glad your cooker is at leas kind of working, but when several knowledgeable influencers who Weber invited to the Chicago meet and greet and offered free cookers to are having problems, Then there is a problem. Baby back maniac specifically asked the drip pan/ grease fire question at the meet and greet in Chicago and the Weber reps told him it wasn’t recommended because grease fires aren’t an issue ant it would interfere with the air flow of the cooker that they put so much work into. It almost sounds like Weber is changing their tune because grease fires are now a real issue.

[OneHump]

Originally Posted by stan5677

I've been saying there should have been a removable drip tray with the flavorizer bars for high heat grilling.

Yeah,that would have been smart. Both Mak and Memphis have done some cool things with grease management and searing, but then I don't like the idea of having to take grates out and put plates in after an indirect cook if I want to sear. Like I said, this might just be Weber trying to have their cake and eat it too.

[OneHump]

Originally Posted by Shadowdog500

Yeah, but the sleeve they came out with was my best iPhone case to date. :) Maybe Weber will come up with something that improves grease management.

[DUBBAGA]

Originally Posted by OneHump

I think he clearly had enough grease built up to ignite with a high flame. Weber recommends a drip tray, which I think anyone who doesn't want to deal with a mess would do anyway. The fire chamber in my FEC 120 is isolated, yet I still put drip pans under my meat. They also tell you not to cook with the lid open.

I have just reviewed the SmokeFire Owner's Manual (https://weber.mizecx.com/retrieve/s3...6096_51779.pdf) and feel it necessary to clarify your above statement (in bold).


Weber advises that a disposable drip pan is to be used in the "Ash and Grease System Drawer". On page 32, Maintenance, Recommended Cleaning, #8, it states "Frequently replace the disposable drip pan before igniting the grill to reduce the risk of a grease fire.". This is not the same as giving instructions requiring the use of drip pans within the body of the smoker, as that is why there is a "grease system" to drain it away.


As Justin has already stated, Weber only advocated the possible use of a water pan. This is found on page 14, Grill Operation, Grilling Methods, where it reads "NOTE: When grilling or smoking over a longer period of time, WEBER encourages the use of a water pan inside the cookbox". This is the ONLY reference that I found mentioning a pan inside, and at no point does it suggest that the use of the water pan is to catch grease that the design is insufficiently able to handle.


If your Owner's Manual is different than the one I included the link to, and if your directives are different, then could you please share that information? Otherwise, I am unclear why you feel the need to demean those who are using their new cookers in a reasonable manner (according to Weber's own manual), and assign blame to them.




*** on edit ... adding a screen capture from BBM video which shows he was using the grease drip pan ***

[stan5677]

Originally Posted by OneHump

Yeah,that would have been smart. Both Mak and Memphis have done some cool things with grease management and searing, but then I don't like the idea of having to take grates out and put plates in after an indirect cook if I want to sear. Like I said, this might just be Weber trying to have their cake and eat it too.

I get where your coming from I'm glad i have my old faithful kettle for searing.

[mcyork28]

Good info. Thank you for clarifying.

Originally Posted by DUBBAGA

I have just reviewed the SmokeFire Owner's Manual (https://weber.mizecx.com/retrieve/s3...6096_51779.pdf) and feel it necessary to clarify your above statement (in bold).


Weber advises that a disposable drip pan is to be used in the "Ash and Grease System Drawer". On page 32, Maintenance, Recommended Cleaning, #8, it states "Frequently replace the disposable drip pan before igniting the grill to reduce the risk of a grease fire.". This is not the same as giving instructions requiring the use of drip pans within the body of the smoker, as that is why there is a "grease system" to drain it away.


As Justin has already stated, Weber only advocated the possible use of a water pan. This is found on page 14, Grill Operation, Grilling Methods, where it reads "NOTE: When grilling or smoking over a longer period of time, WEBER encourages the use of a water pan inside the cookbox". This is the ONLY reference that I found mentioning a pan inside, and at no point does it suggest that the use of the water pan is to catch grease that the design is insufficiently able to handle.


If your Owner's Manual is different than the one I included the link to, and if your directives are different, then could you please share that information? Otherwise, I am unclear why you feel the need to demean those who are using their new cookers in a reasonable manner (according to Weber's own manual), and assign blame to them.

[tenpenny_05]

@onehump I tend to agree with you and also commend you for sticking your neck out on your opinions.
I bought a traeger timberline that had a very similar launch that has never given me a single serious issue, yet some people talk like it was 100% unusable out of the box. It makes it hard to empathize for sure.

[KevinJ]

Originally Posted by OneHump

Yeah,that would have been smart. Both Mak and Memphis have done some cool things with grease management and searing, but then I don't like the idea of having to take grates out and put plates in after an indirect cook if I want to sear. Like I said, this might just be Weber trying to have their cake and eat it too.

Can't speak for the Memphis but with the MAK I just pull the front FZ cover and leave the back cover on, cook indirect on the top grate over the back cover and when ready to sear cook on the bottom grate over the open flame zone, can easily cook say 8 Ribeyes or 3 Tri Tips.

Speaking of Tri Tips and easy, even a caveman can do it.

[OneHump]

Originally Posted by Shadowdog500

I’m glad your cooker is at leas kind of working, but when several knowledgeable influencers who Weber invited to the Chicago meet and greet and offered free cookers to are having problems, Then there is a problem. Baby back maniac specifically asked the drip pan/ grease fire question at the meet and greet in Chicago and the Weber reps told him it wasn’t recommended because grease fires aren’t an issue ant it would interfere with the air flow of the cooker that they put so much work into. It almost sounds like Weber is changing their tune because grease fires are now a real issue.

Yeah, I'm not sure. The lady with whom I spoke was clearly very knowledgeable and forthright. That's not to say that Weber either isn't aware of a bigger issue, or not cover something up. She did, however, say that grease fires are not an issue that they've identified and they disagree with what's being posted/published.

Just so everyone is clear, you can open your lid, put your probe in, etc. What Weber is saying in the manual is that they recommend a drip pan and they do not recommend cooking with the lid open. I didn't like that when I saw it either, as I prefer grilling without a lid.

For me, the biggest takeaway is that I'm now a huge pellet grill fan. I'm very much looking forward to getting a Mak. For those who don't want to drop a ton of coin on a higher end cooker, I think the Smokefire is a tremendous value. It doesn't have the paint problems of a Yoder, probably cooks hotter than a Mak and smokes better than a Memphis, all without the massive price tag. Is it a better cooker? Probably not, at least not right now, but it is probably a much better value and will improve in short order.

Those of you who find yourselves angry, frustrated and disappointed might want to avoid early adoption in the future. I had no expectations of this grill and, for that reason, have not found myself disappointed. I actually chuckled last night when my cooker died mid-cook and I had to move my lamb chops to a skillet.