On the fence and need feedback

[Statik]

Hi everybody. I'm new to the forum and relatively new to smoking. I will hop over to the new member forums later to introduce myself, but i thought I'd get to the "meat" of the issue now, so here we go....

I'm in the market to buy either a used pitts and spitts US2426 OR invest in a pellet grill like the Blaz'n grill works Gridiron or Yoder YS640. Living near a farm, I can get all the base wood I can handle for free, but with the pitts and spitts, I need to clean it up a bit. I have a friend that can powder coat the frame with ceramic coating (1800 degree temp rating) to make it look new (the current paint isn't all that bad). The stainless still looks new. I'll also have to get some fire rope to help seal off a few leaks around the oven and back of the smoke chamber door. The plus to this, is I know it was well taken care of despite it's age and that it's already seasoned. Price for this is $1300 not counting my upgrades that I'll have to do.

I was considering the Blaz'n gridiron ($1200) because of the location. I don't know much about them other than I haven't seen a bad review. The other pellet i was considering was the Yoder 640 $1399 with second rack.

Now, I've always been the kind of guy that never respected pellets cause lets face it...it's set it and forget it. I love being hands-on with my weber kettle, but I don't know that I have the time to tend to a stick burner for long smokes. I really want to get into cold smoking (don't know if the A-maze-n thing works for pellet smokers), and right now my wife and I just do ribs, holiday turkey, pizzas, fajitas, different types of chicken, etc. My weber works fine for just us, but we like hosting a lot of backyard parties, so I'd like something to start doing more in the brisket and butts dept. I want to really master the art of BBQ, and some people say sticks are the best smoke, others say they are the same depending on pellets, and some say no difference period.

Sorry for the long post, but I'm looking for feedback to help me make a decision on which to get. To me, it seems like i can justify a pellet easier because I always have time to use it, but if the stick is truely the way to go, then i'll do it right.

Thanks

 

[gtr]

Dang! I just wrote a long ole post, navigated off the page and lost it! :doh:

Basically what I was saying is whatever you think you're actually going to use the most - get that. If you're really going to take the time to tend a stickburner, have at it (I like my stickburner best, but I don't always have the time to run it, so I have other cookers for when I'm busy). The free wood thing sounds pretty fantastic btw. There are awesome cooks who use pellet grills, and awesome cooks who use stickburners - it's really all about the cook, so I wouldn't get bogged down into what kind of smoker is supposed to be more authentic. A stickburner you rarely use probably isn't going to be as satisfying as a pellet grill that you use often.

I have no experience with any of those particular brands so I can't speak to those except that I haven't heard anything bad about them.

You might want to take into account what you think is going to last the longest as well. Shipping costs are another consideration.

Good luck!

 

[Lake Dogs]

+1 what gtr said.

 

[Wampus]

+1 on what LD said. :becky:

 

[Bbqin fool]

+1 on what Wampus said

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[Ron_L]

GTR said it well.


Only you can decide whether you want to tend the fire or not. Pitts and Spitts makes good smokers, so it would be hard to go wrong with that if you decide to go that way.

I'm not at all familiar with the Blaze'n pellet smoker. It looks very much like a Green Mountain Grill smoker to me. I've seen the Yoder in person and it is built like a tank. I've never cooked on one.

Not to add more confusion to your decision, but take a look at the Hearthland Products Memphis line of pellet grills/smokers. I have the Memphis Pro and I and very impressed by the temperature stability and evenness across the grate, and since it is double wall construction it uses less pellets. It can also cook at temps from 180 up to 600 degrees.

 

[landarc]

+1 all of the above...but....

A lot will depend on your taste as well, if you like a lot of smoke, a pellet machine may not be the right choice for you. Each cooker has it's own plus and minus issues. There is also the issue of volume and why you cook. If I get another cooker and cost is not an issue, it will be a offset stickburner with at least a 5 foot chamber, as I want the ability to cook more meat. If I am cooking more meat, then I will make the time, in which case, the offset would be my choice. If what I am looking for is to cook one or two items, often, maybe several times a week, then a pellet machine is a better choice.

 

[landarc]

On edit: Although I said offset, I have lusted after a Spicewine for some time now, and think a insulated cabinet smoker is an option you should consider as well.

 

[Wrench_H]

How attached are you to the options that you list? There are quite a few others out there as well. I don't have a stick burner, but do have a couple of Traegers. I'll tell you that I love my traegers, and use them probably 2-3 times a week year round. They cook great low and slow, and also produce decent burgers, chicken, and fish at higher temps. My one complaint is that you don't get as much smoke flavor from the pellets as you do from wood or even charcoal, but at the same time, I have tasted many a rib that has been blasted with way too much smoke from a stick burner. I also recently won a backwoods in a raffle on here, and so far I love it as well. It gives you the opportunity to play with fire a little more, but also allows for a good night's sleep when wanted. This doesn't fall into either of your categories though, so if you are only wanting pellets or a stick burner, disregard that part. All that said, I would also say +1 on what landarc said as it really comes down to what you will use and enjoy the most.

 

[Statik]

Thanks everybody for the great advice. Kinda sounds like I can't go wrong either way. I will say that we are on my weber kettle atleast 3 times a week, so it makes sense that the pellet grill would be utilized more. I was looking at those two pellet models because they were local and in my price range. As far as the Pitts and Spitts, a buddy of mine has it and just upgraded to a yoder chisolm II. The pitts and spitts does have a grill grate over the firebox, so i guess i can use it as a grill too. Does anybody have any experience with cold smoking in a pellet grill with things like the A-maze-N tube/tray?

 

[IamMadMan]

I agree with the other posts, you should do you homework before making a decision.

As far as a pellet smoker, don't worry about set it and forget it attitudes. My job recently over the last year causes me to travel longer distances. The set it and forget it allows me to leave it unattended for hours. I feared flare-ups but I keep the unit clean and there has been no problems.

Yes there is less smoke from pellets, but it does produce a good meal with the ability to have to babysit the smoker or get a good nights sleep. Sometimes I will add the A-maze-n smoker with a 3 - 4 hour load of dust to add more smoke to my bacon and hams. I have no regrets adding a pellet smoker to my collection.

.

 

[Statik]

Well after a LOT of communications back and forth with Yoder and Blaz'n, I think I've ruled out the Yoder. I reviewed a test log with temps and on days that it was 22-55 degrees outside, the test grill was set for 375+ and was maintaining an average of 225 grate temp. That is an issue of some kind and they wouldn't comment. Blaz'n assured me that their grills do not perform like that and it's really uncommon as to why the Yoder did.

The problem with the Blaz'n, is it's $1200, and if you want a color, it becomes $1299. Insert an insulated door and the price goes to $1358. If you want the smaller drip pan to do direct grilling the price is $1457. So it quickly becomes more expensive than the used pitts and spitts at $1300.

I've got a Webber 26.75" kettle, so I have the "grill" capabilities, so right now I THINK i'm leaning towards the Pitts and Spitts, but that's like a 60/40 decision at this point. I guess I can always add a BBQ guru lol. You guys have all added great input, and if any other feedback comes in, I'll gladly listen.

 

[Statik]

Does anybody know the cost difference between stick and pellet? From most research I've done, without the aid of PID controller, it looks like about $.75 to $1.00 per pound of pellets if you assume sales, shipping, etc. Most pellet grills I've seen burn about .6-.7 pounds of pellets per hour at 225-275 degrees and about 1-1.25 pounds at 350 degrees. That being said a 20 lb ($20 with shipping we'll say) bag of pellets would last approximately 28.5 hours at 225 degrees(all other factors considered equal). I haven't really been able to figure out how much the sticks would cost/last. But from what I've seen, it appears the pellets aren't any more expensive?

 

[Pyle's BBQ]

That is if you are resourceful and get your wood for free. But, there is the time involved in getting free wood.

 

[Statik]

That is if you are resourceful and get your wood for free. But, there is the time involved in getting free wood.

I have unlimited access to base wood like white oak and white/green ash. But I don't, however, have access to any flavor woods. That being said, it would be nice to know how much it costs to feed a stick burner base and flavor woods (both purchased) for the same time period as above for pellets. Also, it would be nice to see how much the cost is since I only have to buy just the flavor woods.

At this point, the used stick burner and the two pellets I'm looking at are pretty much the exact same cost, by the time you figure upgrades, taxes, etc. So it's really going to come down to which is the cheaper of them to fuel. I figure I enjoy tending the Q already, so time isn't an issue. But if I get a pellet, I'll find something else to do w/ my time like take up home brewing .