With which grill/smoker did you replace your faulty Smokefire?

[Dubs]

Most of the local folks I know who have grills say they are really happy with their Rec Tec grill and also with Trager (of course). Don't know anyone that has a Camp Chef unfortunately.

My hope (wish) is that while my SF is still in the return window, that we get a post from Weber that's says "We have come up with a solution to problems experienced and will be sending out the parts to make the fix". I know it's dream, but IMO only, the SmokeFire is still one of the coolest looking grills, so I give Weber an A+ for that at least.

 

[primeone]

Traeger is always a safe bet! Please do share with me!

I think the Traeger works great as a smoker/outdoor oven. I think it lacks in the grilling department. That's why the SmokeFire appeals so much to me.

 

[Billybo]

I don't disagree with you, the SmokeFire is a solid, fine-looking grill. The pellet chute concept is a terrific safety innovation that other brands should look at copying. With that said, the simple fact that Weber is sending out new parts and fixes clearly indicates that they botched the launch but are at least trying to make things right. I'm just not comfortable spending that kind of money to be their beta tester. I was under the impression that they had already tested the crap out the SmokeFire prior to release.

 

[Dubs]

I don't disagree with you, the SmokeFire is a solid, fine-looking grill. The pellet chute concept is a terrific safety innovation that other brands should look at copying. With that said, the simple fact that Weber is sending out new parts and fixes clearly indicates that they botched the launch but are at least trying to make things right. I'm just not comfortable spending that kind of money to be their beta tester. I was under the impression that they had already tested the crap out the SmokeFire prior to release.

Sorry my post was hypothetical, Weber has not sent out a note. I'll update my post.

 

[Billybo]

I think the Traeger works great as a smoker/outdoor oven. I think it lacks in the grilling department. That's why the SmokeFire appeals so much to me.

Agreed, and I can respect that. I'll just make do with a reverse sear on my Weber Genesis II. I honestly hope everyone who sticks with their SmokeFire is as happy as a pig in...well, you know the saying.

 

[arod757]

Oklahoma Joe's Rider DLX update...

Smoked a brisket low and slow. Temp stayed steady, no flame-outs, couldn't have been easier. Smoker did its job. I on the other hand screwed up a little and probably should have pulled it from the smoker an hour earlier. It came out just a touch dry. Regardless, the smoker performed well.

 

[Billybo]

Picked up my Traeger Pro 780 this afternoon. Assembly was a breeze and the unit fit and finish is solid. The temperature here was hovering around freezing all day. The LCD display doesn't like cold temperatures and was a bit hard to read. I did discover if I looked down at the display instead of head-on I had no trouble reading it. I didn't get into connecting it to my wifi. The priming and initial burn-in was no problem. I seasoned up a package of split wings and put those on and they turned out well.

No complaints so far, but I've hardly put it through its paces yet.

My soon-to-be 3-year-old niece is really going to love the "Traeger cabin" that you can make out of the box! A nice bonus for the kidlets. Kudos to Traeger for thinking of the little kids and the big kids.

Update: I'm having no luck connecting the Traeger to my eero mesh dual-band router...As near as I can tell, the grill seems to require a dedicated 2.4 GHz connection, but I am still investigating the issue. My first attempt at chicken wings were good but not as good as my Kamado. Jerk chicken spatchcock style was really good. Also did salmon filets for my wife that she enjoyed. Overall, I'm happy so far at least with my purchase. I'm still learning my way around this grill plus it is my first pellet cooker so there is bound to be a learning curve. It's a different beast for sure. As far as the WiFire connection goes, I'll be patient and systematically troubleshoot it, but I definitely want to get that working.

I'm still hoping that those who stuck with the SmokeFire are pleased!

 

[BarreBQ]

Traeger is always a safe bet! Please do share with me!

After watching hours of videos for the Weber and competition I decided to open my box today and put it together.
I really am happy that I did. I found it very helpful to have so many “do this” and “don’t do that” type of advice available. Several of the things that I noticed on the install I would not have had without all of the problems.

My journey has begun. The worst that can happen is that I am disappointed and send it back. But I’ve waited this long - so I might as well give it a fair shake. (Made is to 600 degrees in 14 minutes!)

 

[gchristian3]

I think the Traeger works great as a smoker/outdoor oven. I think it lacks in the grilling department. That's why the SmokeFire appeals so much to me.

Agreed, but as the Smokefire now requires a foil drip pan, how is it ant different.

 

[gchristian3]

I don't disagree with you, the SmokeFire is a solid, fine-looking grill. The pellet chute concept is a terrific safety innovation that other brands should look at copying. With that said, the simple fact that Weber is sending out new parts and fixes clearly indicates that they botched the launch but are at least trying to make things right. I'm just not comfortable spending that kind of money to be their beta tester. I was under the impression that they had already tested the crap out the SmokeFire prior to release.

There are other pellet grills out there that were already using the pellet chute, but they are much more expensive.

 

[Blues1]

Well, I hadn't purchased the Smokefire yet....had all intentions of doing so. Now I think I'm glad I didn't pre order. Think the Rec Tec 700 will replace the would have been Smokefire. Amazon has a deal on the 700 with 200 lb of pellets and a cover. (not to mention a 6 year warranty). Once you buy all these for the Smokefire, it's a wash

 

[Brian Vallotton]

Well, I hadn't purchased the Smokefire yet....had all intentions of doing so. Now I think I'm glad I didn't pre order. Think the Rec Tec 700 will replace the would have been Smokefire. Amazon has a deal on the 700 with 200 lb of pellets and a cover. (not to mention a 6 year warranty). Once you buy all these for the Smokefire, it's a wash

I ordered mine last Friday. They are having a 29% off sale on accessories at their site. So I bought the sear grates and the front folding shelf. They have a big forum where you can learn more. www.rectecforum.com I am there.

 

[Billybo]

There are other pellet grills out there that were already using the pellet chute, but they are much more expensive.

Thanks, I was unaware of that.

 

[Blues1]

I ordered mine last Friday. They are having a 29% off sale on accessories at their site. So I bought the sear grates and the front folding shelf. They have a big forum where you can learn more. www.rectecforum.com I am there.

Yep. Just saw that. I've filled my shopping cart and will press the order button next weekend before sale is over. I'll be signing up on the forum too...

 

[Jackie Funk]

I bought my SmokeFire from BBQGuys.com. They eventually agreed to let me return the unit for a refund. I had to completely disassemble the unit and repackage it like it came. They did pay for freight which was reassuring. I have now ordered the Yoder YS640S.