Time to buy?

[jmccrack650]

This forum seems to have slowed down a bit, so I am hoping it is because there are less issues. I have been watching the forum since Feb, watching the issues, and waiting to buy.

With the solutions at this point (pellet ramp, welded chute, software updates), do people find the grill is to the point that the issues are minimal?

I realize I may need to contact Weber to get these replacement parts.

I can deal with a few hicups as the further sort out the software, but don't want to buy something I will immediately regret.

This will be my first pellet grill, and I really want to buy this model due to the flexibility to smoke and grill. Also... choices are limited here in Canada.

What are people's honest thoughts?

 

[dudemcnally]

someone had asked a similar question about a week ago, had several specific questions. Here are their questions and my response:

1. Pellets not continually moving down the chute
2. Uneven heating - stronger heat on the right side of the grill
3. Challenges getting to/maintaining 600 degrees
4. Grease fires
5. Various application issues
5. etc.

1. Pellets not continually moving down the chute

I've had 5 or 6 cooks now >12 hours, with 3 or 4 going as long as 19 hours...(I'm losing exact count) I've had zero issues with pellet feeding. I've left it alone for as long as 12 hours and I've had no temperature variation or pellet starvation. I do not have the ramp insert and have no plans to get one. In my experience after 10+hrs it can look like it may be having problems feeding (just the appearance of pellets stacking up on one side) but it fed easily enough to keep the fire going. I don't find it objectionable to look at the condition of the hopper and pellets every 12 hours or so.
I attribute my success to having removed the finger guard when I put together the grill, it's not needed and only seems to cause problems

2. Uneven heating - stronger heat on the right side of the grill

Mine is hotter on the right compared to the left. I don't find this to be a problem, once the lid is closed and temps stabilize the delta is approx 25 degrees or so from one side to the other...I'm not concerned by that

3. Challenges getting to/maintaining 600 degrees

Mine has reached 600 within 15-20 minutes every time I've asked it to

4. Grease fires

I have had zero concern or problems with grease fires and I've put roughly 350lbs of pellets through mine so far with no drip trays. I'm using the grill as it was designed and it's awesome

5. Various application issues

The app is the weakest part of the experience to me. Weber deserves a 'F' for it. The app is, at best, barely functional as a temperature monitor. I will have to have the ability to change temps from the app before I'll consider changing the grade. As it stands I use an inkbird to monitor temps and that works well

5. etc.

I bought my smokefire EX6 at the last of February and I love it. I've cooked on it at least 4 nights per week including long smoke sessions on the weekends AND it's given me the ability to cook brisket on a weekday! I absolutely love my smokefire, it sucks some people have had so many problems. I think some are people being nitpicky, and others are legitimate concerns that, it seems to me, weber is addressing correctly. They seem to have been quick to send out parts and responsive. I have not had to deal with their customer service so I can't comment on that aspect

 

[jmccrack650]

someone had asked a similar question about a week ago, had several specific questions. Here are their questions and my response:

1. Pellets not continually moving down the chute
2. Uneven heating - stronger heat on the right side of the grill
3. Challenges getting to/maintaining 600 degrees
4. Grease fires
5. Various application issues
5. etc.

1. Pellets not continually moving down the chute

I've had 5 or 6 cooks now >12 hours, with 3 or 4 going as long as 19 hours...(I'm losing exact count) I've had zero issues with pellet feeding. I've left it alone for as long as 12 hours and I've had no temperature variation or pellet starvation. I do not have the ramp insert and have no plans to get one. In my experience after 10+hrs it can look like it may be having problems feeding (just the appearance of pellets stacking up on one side) but it fed easily enough to keep the fire going. I don't find it objectionable to look at the condition of the hopper and pellets every 12 hours or so.
I attribute my success to having removed the finger guard when I put together the grill, it's not needed and only seems to cause problems

2. Uneven heating - stronger heat on the right side of the grill

Mine is hotter on the right compared to the left. I don't find this to be a problem, once the lid is closed and temps stabilize the delta is approx 25 degrees or so from one side to the other...I'm not concerned by that

3. Challenges getting to/maintaining 600 degrees

Mine has reached 600 within 15-20 minutes every time I've asked it to

4. Grease fires

I have had zero concern or problems with grease fires and I've put roughly 350lbs of pellets through mine so far with no drip trays. I'm using the grill as it was designed and it's awesome

5. Various application issues

The app is the weakest part of the experience to me. Weber deserves a 'F' for it. The app is, at best, barely functional as a temperature monitor. I will have to have the ability to change temps from the app before I'll consider changing the grade. As it stands I use an inkbird to monitor temps and that works well

5. etc.

I bought my smokefire EX6 at the last of February and I love it. I've cooked on it at least 4 nights per week including long smoke sessions on the weekends AND it's given me the ability to cook brisket on a weekday! I absolutely love my smokefire, it sucks some people have had so many problems. I think some are people being nitpicky, and others are legitimate concerns that, it seems to me, weber is addressing correctly. They seem to have been quick to send out parts and responsive. I have not had to deal with their customer service so I can't comment on that aspect

Thanks for the detailed response. This helps.

For those (like you) having success, do you still use a traditional gas grill occasionally? Wondering if I can make due with only the Smokefire (at least for a while). My gas grill is on its last legs...

 

[dudemcnally]

Thanks for the detailed response. This helps.

For those (like you) having success, do you still use a traditional gas grill occasionally? Wondering if I can make due with only the Smokefire (at least for a while). My gas grill is on its last legs...

Prior to buying the smokefire, I used a charcoal grill, and an offset smoker. Since buying the smokefire, I have used neither. The smokefire has completely replaced my other outdoor cooking grills...which was my hope.
I cook outside at least 4 nights per week, if we cook proteins for a meal, it's cooked outdoors year round. The smokefire is as easy to use as a gas grill, IMO...and with much better flavor (Hank Hill faints)

The SF isn't perfect, I have little annoyances with it. Right now, the thing that immediately comes to mind is that if I try to open the hopper lid on mine by grasping the far right corner, the lid twists and 'grabs' a little on the far left corner. Really?! a $1200 grill has a flimsy lid? That annoys me...but name another grill on the market that can do what it does...there isn't one.
I truly believe that in a year or so, thjere will be other manufs offering SF-like grills, at that point we will have options and the market will push all the manufs to be better...but right now, if you want one grill that does everything, the SF is it

 

[Beerman1969]

This forum seems to have slowed down a bit, so I am hoping it is because there are less issues. I have been watching the forum since Feb, watching the issues, and waiting to buy.

With the solutions at this point (pellet ramp, welded chute, software updates), do people find the grill is to the point that the issues are minimal?

I realize I may need to contact Weber to get these replacement parts.

I can deal with a few hicups as the further sort out the software, but don't want to buy something I will immediately regret.

This will be my first pellet grill, and I really want to buy this model due to the flexibility to smoke and grill. Also... choices are limited here in Canada.

What are people's honest thoughts?

Hey i will have mine for 2 weeks tomorrow and it is awesome.

 

[Beerman1969]

Hey i will have mine for 2 weeks tomorrow and it is awesome.

I hope this helps. They have corrected a lot of issues and this is my first pellet grill. It has done everything And i almost bought a traeger

 

[Beerman1969]

Thanks for the detailed response. This helps.

For those (like you) having success, do you still use a traditional gas grill occasionally? Wondering if I can make due with only the Smokefire (at least for a while). My gas grill is on its last legs...

I haven't had any issues either

 

[Beerman1969]

This forum seems to have slowed down a bit, so I am hoping it is because there are less issues. I have been watching the forum since Feb, watching the issues, and waiting to buy.

With the solutions at this point (pellet ramp, welded chute, software updates), do people find the grill is to the point that the issues are minimal?

I realize I may need to contact Weber to get these replacement parts.

I can deal with a few hicups as the further sort out the software, but don't want to buy something I will immediately regret.

This will be my first pellet grill, and I really want to buy this model due to the flexibility to smoke and grill. Also... choices are limited here in Canada.

What are people's honest thoughts?

I have the EX4

 

[Beerman1969]

I haven't had any issues either

Smoke fire is all i have needed. I kept our old grill and i am bringing it to the dump tomorrow after 8 years. This baby does everything and enough smoke to not choke your taste but enough to satisfy. My girlfriend was worried about ot because she said she didn't like smoke taste. She wont go back since I've done shrimp scampi, pork butt, ribs, hamburgers, ribeyes, baked beans only going on the second week. Cooking chicken breast first time tonight. Yes you have to do minimal clean up but nothing like i had to with our gas grill. Trying pizza this weekend

 

[Brad S]

Agree with all the posts here. I've been close to throwing in the towel a couple times and replacing with a rec tec or a grilla og but now that it's working well and we are all starting to understand the quirks and workarounds, I think those other grills would be a step backwards. Don't get me wrong, they're great grills but I like having the option to crank it to 600, and I like that there are flavorizer bars instead of a solid sheet below because I believe (and I could be wrong) we get more smoke penetration due to the more direct flow of smoke, and I like the way the company has stood behind the grill to work out the problems. So, unless my grill blows up on me in the next few days while I can still return it, It's a keeper.

 

[Beerman1969]

It's great once we learn and i am still learning my first pellet and i am sold. Almost bought a traeger rec tec

 

[Beerman1969]

Brad what do you cook your chicken breast at?

 

[Brad S]

Brad what do you cook your chicken breast at?

I did some wings yesterday at 225 for 30 min and then 350 until internal temp of 165. Today I'll do breasts and wings and I'm just going to follow the app's directions which iirc is 350.

 

[Brad S]

It's great once we learn and i am still learning my first pellet and i am sold. Almost bought a traeger rec tec

Another interesting one is the masterbuilt gravity series. It uses lump or briquettes but I'm not sold on their durability. People like them but talk to me after a couple years. Be nice to see some other manufacturers come out with one. Very few moving parts - just a fan and temp controller.

 

[Beerman1969]

Ok i know they are trying to add more recipes to the i grill app. I saw 500 degrees. I don't doubt it this thing is da bomb and hasn't disappointed yet. I do a cooking with Beers show (my last name) lol on FB. So i will post it. My kids want me to do YouTube