I recently got a RecTec RT-700 and I really like it. It has a very large hopper for pellets. Can be controlled remotely. For long smokes, you can pretty much start it and ignore it. The phone app will alert you if the temperature you set it for varies too much. I used it yesterday as windy as it was, and it did just fine.
Cooked on mine in the wind yesterday as well. Set it on low(180) and it stayed right there.
I bought my RT-700 back when I got my 'Rona bonus check from Trump.
I can't say enough good things about the grill, or about their support. I had a problem once getting it to light. Posted on a Rec Tec FaceBook group about it. I was advised to remove the pellets from the hopper. I did this and found a big wad of sawdust at the bottom. I sucked it out with the shopvac, refilled the hopper and was up and running.
The next morning at 8AM, I got a phone call from a number I didn't recognize so I let it got to voicemail. It was somebody from Rec-Tec wanting to make sure everything was OK. They don't run the various FaceBook groups, but they monitor them.
As to the OP, I thought long and hard about what to get, BGE, offset, pellet, etc. You can cook good stuff on all of them. Hell, I've cooked great briskets and butts on my 22" Weber kettle grill. But IMHO, nothing beats a pellet grill for ease of use and consistency.
If $400 is what you're looking to spend, I'd give this a serious look...
RT-B380 BULLSEYE WOOD PELLET GRILL
It's doesn't have the fancy wifi controller, and it's settings are in 25 degree increments, but it will cook anything you can think of.
A guy I work with said he has a Traeger and loves it. I don't know if I'm completely sold on the whole wifi thing though. I just don't know if I want one more thing around the house that doesn't work when the internet gets finicky. I'm not even sure I want to mess with one that needs to be plugged in because it'd be nice if it works when the power is out.
As a prior Traeger owner, I would pass. For years, they've relied on their name and haven't made any significant changes but they sure jacked up their price. Yoder makes an awesome unit, but they are expensive. However, I can easily get 700-750 degrees on it and still maintain 225-250 for smoking. The other day, I set it at 150 and it held well which is something my Traeger could never do.
For a cheaper option, Lowe's has the Oklahoma Joe. My daughter has one and has been happy. It gets more temperature swings, but it still does a good job. It also has a searing zone which works well.
Wow. That, my friend, is nice.+1 for the ease of a pellet smoker. It feels like cheating.
Just did some bacon-wrapped venison backstraps last week. So good.
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Fond of my green egg. Not enough time to use it in my life. When I retire, a Yoder will join it.
I bought a pallet of Lumberjack at $10/bag. Shortly after, rural king starts selling it. I'm still a little butt hurt about it.
auger fed pellet with wifi gives you a lot more time. put my brisket on at bed time. ready for lunch next day
Anything but pellet. Zero smoke flavor.
Anything but pellet. Zero smoke flavor.
I get Cabelas brand...at Cabelas (which is one exit away from my office), $9.95/20 lbs.
$10 for 40 pounds.
I’d be interested.I just realized rural king sells 20 pound bags. I can get a pallet for almost the same price as 20 pound bags, but I don't want 50 bags. Maybe a group buy?