What does everyone think of their Smoke Fire now

[abmet]

My Kettle and WSM are not feeling as much love since the EX6 came to the grilling center.

Yeah, my poor WSM has essentially turned into a SmokeFire Cover holder. I don’t think I’ve used it once since I got the SF.

 

[SCTwist]

So far I love it.
Got it last week and since I have 100 days to make up my mind I decided to put it through it's paces.
First evening - seasoning: 15 minutes to 600 degrees F.
Next evening: same, just to see if it would. Yup, same.
Following evening: Used it as an oven so to speak to bake a loaf of leberkaese @350 - delicious!
Evening after: Made 2 boneless butts using hot and fast. Best pulled pork I've made.
Last night: Shallow-fried some chicken wings using the weber GBS griddle pan @ 400...next time I'll try 450 or 500. Wings were good, but not quiet the deep-fried texture.

 

[bbq4ever]

Yeah, my poor WSM has essentially turned into a SmokeFire Cover holder. I don’t think I’ve used it once since I got the SF.

exactly the thing at my place

 

[OGauge4Me]

Glad to know I am not the only one. LOL The SF really only takes care of fire management to keep the temps constant. You still need to cook. I use a drip tray to make the clean up easier. I have found that the grease catcher can liner to be useless. Keeps making the ash tray next to impossible to remove. A shop vac is handy too.

 

[Canuck55]

I'm still waiting on the warranty request (3 years, <2 to go), I submitted Monday. Was going to make a brisket this weekend, but guess I won't be doing that!

Just feel like i shouldn't be replacing all the parts multiple times on my $1k grill within a year and a half. So far i've replaced the main board once, control panel 2x, auger/chute once, sheered off the cotter pin, and had to replace the pot shield and flavorizer bar racks.

I’ve replaced the thermocouple and the controller and still have issues. I’m actually monitoring the grill temp separately and see that there are wild swings in temps even though the co troller says everything is perfect. I wonder how many other people out there are not checking the actual cook temps and think everything is perfect. When I set mine to 225 the actual cook temp ranges from 180-205. I cannot cook a brisket at 225 because the temps are not high enough. Mine is going back. Really good customer service. Maybe in a couple of iterations I will pick one up. And I fully agree that for a $1000+ grill it shouldn’t take so much effort to use, and shouldn’t have to be replacing parts. What’s going to happen to this in 4-5 years time when the warranty is over? Throw away and buy new?

 

[OGauge4Me]

I’ve replaced the thermocouple and the controller and still have issues. I’m actually monitoring the grill temp separately and see that there are wild swings in temps even though the co troller says everything is perfect. I wonder how many other people out there are not checking the actual cook temps and think everything is perfect. When I set mine to 225 the actual cook temp ranges from 180-205. I cannot cook a brisket at 225 because the temps are not high enough. Mine is going back. Really good customer service. Maybe in a couple of iterations I will pick one up. And I fully agree that for a $1000+ grill it shouldn’t take so much effort to use, and shouldn’t have to be replacing parts. What’s going to happen to this in 4-5 years time when the warranty is over? Throw away and buy new?

I turn off and unplug my EX6 from the outlet after every cook. So far I have had a fuse blow one time. At 72 YO it was a PITA to replace. If you do not unplug your grill you might want to put a surge protector on the AC line cord.

 

[Bruno]

Yeah, my poor WSM has essentially turned into a SmokeFire Cover holder. I don’t think I’ve used it once since I got the SF.

I probably won’t use mine again, I’d give it away but it reminds me of R2D2 and it looks cool. I’ve gotten back on the charcoal for grilling but I couldn’t imagine smoking on anything besides my SmokeFire.

 

[Bruno]

I’ve replaced the thermocouple and the controller and still have issues. I’m actually monitoring the grill temp separately and see that there are wild swings in temps even though the co troller says everything is perfect. I wonder how many other people out there are not checking the actual cook temps and think everything is perfect. When I set mine to 225 the actual cook temp ranges from 180-205. I cannot cook a brisket at 225 because the temps are not high enough. Mine is going back. Really good customer service. Maybe in a couple of iterations I will pick one up. And I fully agree that for a $1000+ grill it shouldn’t take so much effort to use, and shouldn’t have to be replacing parts. What’s going to happen to this in 4-5 years time when the warranty is over? Throw away and buy new?

Love my SF but…. If you want to go freaking crazy monitor it with a separate high quality thermometer, the ####ing thing is all over the place.

 

[Pschiller86]

Love my SF but…. If you want to go freaking crazy monitor it with a separate high quality thermometer, the ####ing thing is all over the place.

I find the SF holds temps fairly well, however the ambient temp probe typically shows 10-15 degrees below what the SF tells me it is. I just adjust accordingly.

 

[Goneincognito]

I find the SF holds temps fairly well, however the ambient temp probe typically shows 10-15 degrees below what the SF tells me it is. I just adjust accordingly.

That's the way to do it! Too many people fuss over the temp fluctuations and differences instead of just making adjustments and moving on.

 

[Don D.]

After trying over the last month to get my EX6 working correctly, I've given up !! It's going back. I really really love the looks and how great the food it cooks tastes but it's been frustrating. I now have gone through 2 controllers and two motherboards. Weber CS has been great, they always are. After shipping out the third motherboard and controller, they called me not to install it yet, they want to send tech out to install all new electric parts, as there might be a short somewhere. I requested a new grill, as I felt it might be in the wiring and not corrected by just replacing parts. Weber said they can't do that and if I'm not happy they'll take it back.As much as I hoped this was a keeper, for me it's not. Kinda jealous of the ones who have great working SFs. I think I'll pick up a Costco LG700 special at $299 for the meantime. I'll wait for the SF to be perfected or a new design and then I'll purchase another one. Kids would take the LG gladly when I'm done with it.

 

[Okifire]

After trying over the last month to get my EX6 working correctly, I've given up !! It's going back. I really really love the looks and how great the food it cooks tastes but it's been frustrating. I now have gone through 2 controllers and two motherboards. Weber CS has been great, they always are. After shipping out the third motherboard and controller, they called me not to install it yet, they want to send tech out to install all new electric parts, as there might be a short somewhere. I requested a new grill, as I felt it might be in the wiring and not corrected by just replacing parts. Weber said they can't do that and if I'm not happy they'll take it back.As much as I hoped this was a keeper, for me it's not. Kinda jealous of the ones who have great working SFs. I think I'll pick up a Costco LG700 special at $299 for the meantime. I'll wait for the SF to be perfected or a new design and then I'll purchase another one. Kids would take the LG gladly when I'm done with it.

I just hope the return goes smooth. I requested a return and they were 2 weeks picking it up which seemed all right but I am over 9 weeks since initial contact and over 7 weeks since they picked up the grill with no money or grill. They have approved the refund and 15 email exchanges it will be before the end of October.......

 

[JpsBBQ]

After trying over the last month to get my EX6 working correctly, I've given up !! It's going back. I really really love the looks and how great the food it cooks tastes but it's been frustrating. I now have gone through 2 controllers and two motherboards. Weber CS has been great, they always are. After shipping out the third motherboard and controller, they called me not to install it yet, they want to send tech out to install all new electric parts, as there might be a short somewhere. I requested a new grill, as I felt it might be in the wiring and not corrected by just replacing parts. Weber said they can't do that and if I'm not happy they'll take it back.As much as I hoped this was a keeper, for me it's not. Kinda jealous of the ones who have great working SFs. I think I'll pick up a Costco LG700 special at $299 for the meantime. I'll wait for the SF to be perfected or a new design and then I'll purchase another one. Kids would take the LG gladly when I'm done with it.

Yeah, I hate hearing about some of these outlier issues like motherboards and etc. most folks had serious issue with software/firmware in beginning followed by the auger assembly swap out, but after that and some late software updates last year, it’s been a dream. Your attitude is very commendable. I do know the frustration you describe. I absolutely understand the notion of just wanting your stuff to work. It’s not too much to ask. I just hope people take the opportunity to eliminate potential variables by utilizing the proper pellets and following proper startup procedures. Good luck and I hope Weber has something for you soon that can recapture your heart. Cheers!

 

[Don D.]

Yeah, I hate hearing about some of these outlier issues like motherboards and etc. most folks had serious issue with software/firmware in beginning followed by the auger assembly swap out, but after that and some late software updates last year, it’s been a dream. Your attitude is very commendable. I do know the frustration you describe. I absolutely understand the notion of just wanting your stuff to work. It’s not too much to ask. I just hope people take the opportunity to eliminate potential variables by utilizing the proper pellets and following proper startup procedures. Good luck and I hope Weber has something for you soon that can recapture your heart. Cheers!

I started off using Weber pellets, then found out Lumberjack makes Weber and Cabela's, so I started going to Cabela's, right near my office and curbside delivery. I actually called two weeks ago to have it picked up and before the freight company called to pick it up, I changed my mind, cuz I really wanted to make it work... But this time it's final. I'll wait till the next revision/redesign.

 

[catpowered]

I canceled my order back last winter because of all the problems they were having. Now over a year later I was wondering are all the bugs worked out? For the one’s that have owned theirs a while, are they worth it or should I look elsewhere for a smoker. I still notice some people are having problems.

Mine has been nothing but a nuisance. All the updates have been done. I finally worked a deal to get a summit charcoal to replace it. Personally I wish I'd never bought it.