I'm trying to decide if the "Cold Weather Cover" is worth while?  I've used my WSM in single digit temps here in Indiana but this will be my first winter with the Rec Tec. 

Is the only symptom of cold weather grilling/smoking with pellet grills that I will use more pellets to achieve/maintain temps?  Are there any other symptoms or downsides to cold weather smoking that I'm not seeing? 

Thank you for your thoughts,
Dan

I haven't found any downside to cooking in the cold. Well I do have to go outside to put the food on the smoker and take it off. 

It will take longer to get up to temp.

Note that the RT cold weather cover is only meant for low heat smoking. If you plan on grilling, forget it.

It will take longer to get up to temp.

Note that the RT cold weather cover is only meant for low heat smoking. If you plan on grilling, forget it.

Yup, nothing over 350*.  Trust me, from experience, just don't do it.

If you are not going to grill with it in cold winter if you have it I would use it.  I have one, but here in WA we do not get the extreme low temps some other people do.  A Welders blanket is also used by many people for the same purpose and probably cheaper.

It will take longer to get up to temp.

Note that the RT cold weather cover is only meant for low heat smoking. If you plan on grilling, forget it.

Yup, nothing over 350*.  Trust me, from experience, just don't do it.

If you are not going to grill with it in cold winter if you have it I would use it.  I have one, but here in WA we do not get the extreme low temps some other people do.  A Welders blanket is also used by many people for the same purpose and probably cheaper.

Only downside is higher pellet consumption. Not sure how much this will be though. I think I would try the Welder's Blanket as the Rec Tec cold weather cover doesn't cover the back of the grill at all. I really don't have a need in South Texas, but there is a cold front coming through today that will have temps down in the 50's by my drive home.....

My assessment of issues cooking in cold weather (other than having to go out to put food on and take off grill and your beer freezing):

1) Longer to get to temp on startup and may even shut down if it doesn't get to smoke temp fast enough for the settings on the controller.
2) If you get moisture in your pellet hopper and it freezes the pellets you may have an issue.
3) Slower to get back up to temp when you open the lid.
4) Potentially not getting to the temp you want if it is a high temp grill.
5) Probably higher consumption of pellets than at normal ambient temp.

 Hoosier Daddy: Down side to cooking in the cold;

 1/Longer warm-up times.

 2/Longer recovery times.  The duration of both 1/ and 2/ are lengthened by wind.  Wind is bad anytime - worse the colder it gets.

 3/More pellet consumption as the heat dissipates at a faster rate in the cold from the surfaces of the pit..The incoming/combustion air being colder takes its toll as well..

 If you don't go with some sort of insulation, make notes that can be compared later if you decide to insulate..If you have an"all wool" blanket you can give it a try. Just be careful if you cover the handle.It gets hot..

 Sorry about that Bar-B Lew,we posted at the same time.

Thank you all for your replies.  I plan to smoke all winter so gives me some things to ponder. 

Thanks again,
Dan

I live in MN, I have been know to smoke well into the negative temps, I think the coldest was -20F.  I don't use a blanket. 

I have a fairly low cost source of pellets, and tent to make pizza's about twice a month so I just don't bother. 

So with the extreme low temps around here lately I've been pondering the cold weather cover. 

I noticed RecTec says the "Lid Cover Flips Up Easily (for when you need to use grill at high temperatures)".

http://www.rectecgrills.com/rec-tec-grills-cold-weather-cover-for-rt-680/

I've decided to hold off. Cooked a tri-tip last week when it was in the teens and it seemed to do ok.  Going to do some ribs tomorrow when the forecasted high is 8dg so that will be another test.  I really don't mind using a few more pellets.

Hi Hoosier... I have cooked a split turkey breast at 350, leg of lamb at 225 and prime rib at 225 the past week in ambient temps in the mid teens with no issues.  All came out the same, if not better (don't know why) than when I cooked in much warmer ambient temps.   Although not single digits, I have not seen a reason to get a cold weather blanket yet.  Other than the one I use to go in and out of the house to the RT.....hahahaha.

I don't use one.  I live in MN.  I have smoked in windy -20F conditions.  Pellet consumption goes up slightly but not terrible.   The thing always has air moving through it which is its major source of heat loss. 

I am turned off by the Rec Tec cover since it has a temp limit, and we cook pizzas above 450F.

I'd consider a welding blanket if I smoked multiple times a week.   

Curious how you cook your pizza?  Do you use a pizza stone? 

Well I smoked a butt overnight last night and during the entire time it was 0dg to minus 10dg.   Cooked lasted 15hrs and I used approximately 25lbs of Lumberjack.  This includes my burn off at the end when I set the temp to "Full" and let it ride at 450dg for about 20min. 

Over all I'm very satisfied with the cold weather performance of my Rec Tec.