Most of the pellet grills function the same way and have similar features, with differentiation coming in areas like controller temp regulation, inclusion of multiple probes, WiFi options, etc. I’m curious what technological advances are in the pipeline that maybe your average enthusiast like me may not have heard about.

Should be posted in the non-food area.

Most of the pellet grills function the same way and have similar features, with differentiation coming in areas like controller temp regulation, inclusion of multiple probes, WiFi options, etc. I’m curious what technological advances are in the pipeline that maybe your average enthusiast like me may not have heard about.

Good question. Seems like WiFi is the biggest thing going. Not sure what else is out there.

Sliding drip pan to have direct access to higher temps, wifi, side searer (propane), improved ignitor rod, easy access ash dump, programmable controllers

Not sure if the Rec Tec Bullseye would qualify in this area since other pellet grill makers offer a direct grilling component to the pit's low and slow features.  The BE is designed as a direct grilling machine using pellets for fuel.  I have not seen one in person, just going off what I have read and seen in print, forums and videos .

Most of the pellet grills function the same way and have similar features, with differentiation coming in areas like controller temp regulation, inclusion of multiple probes, WiFi options, etc. I’m curious what technological advances are in the pipeline that maybe your average enthusiast like me may not have heard about.

I do like this question, it's totally relevant.   But my response is why?

Up until a few years ago all pellet grills were Traeger clones.   I just don't understand the obsession with a single pit for all jobs.  Direct sear, cold smoking box, wifi.   All nice to have, but all could be done with other devices.    I for one am pretty happy with a regular pellet grill and gasser.    I'm not terribly excited about technological advances.  Sous vide doesn't interest me at all, should all pits now come with a water bath?

DK

I simply think advancement is inevitable. Pellet grills make more use of technology than other smoker products so assumed they will continue to lead with ongoing improvements. If pellet grills hit a wall with advancement then it will come from somewhere else.

I am starting to pay more attention to the evolving industry but know some of you may have more insight (insider or other) and would love to hear about it.

 I would think igniter life should be an area to improve upon.  As there are so many manufacturers out there competing, features can't help but be more commonplace as well as new ones..Heavens, lights, some gassers have light-up everything. The list goes on. 

geez I think I'm getting old.  Pellet smoking is a time for me to escape from technology.   It's a lazy guys way to experience BBQ of old.   Taking large tough cuts of meat and making them succulent. 

Inevitable sure I guess.   Over complicating a proven winner I am concerned about.  If you could put a packer brisket into a computer and have the best brisket you've ever tasted in 5 minutes, would you?   That would just kill it for me. 

DK

geez I think I'm getting old.  Pellet smoking is a time for me to escape from technology.   It's a lazy guys way to experience BBQ of old.   Taking large tough cuts of meat and making them succulent. 

Inevitable sure I guess.   Over complicating a proven winner I am concerned about.  If you could put a packer brisket into a computer and have the best brisket you've ever tasted in 5 minutes, would you?   That would just kill it for me. 

DK

I’m not disagreeing, I do enjoy leisure time with a cold beer and wonderful smoke wafting across my property. But many will opt for convenience - just look at us using a pit to make it easier than an open fire and meat on a spit. Also look at those new Instapots that have sold 100,000’s of units to drastically speed up what many of us do in a crockpot. These Instapots are taking over by storm and cook everything in minutes that previously took all day in the low and slow crockpot.

And the advancements don’t necessarily mean faster or easier. Just “better” which is up to the individual consumer to define.

Wow!  Gotta say that would be sweet!

  Sous vide doesn't interest me at all, should all pits now come with a water bath?

DK

Up until a few years ago all pellet grills were Traeger clones.   I just don't understand the obsession with a single pit for all jobs.  Direct sear, cold smoking box, wifi.   All nice to have, but all could be done with other devices.

Oh...There may be a couple of reasons.

• Manufacturers need a way to differentiate themselves from other brands.
• Many users don't have space for more than one cooker.  My deck was 17'×17' but it had a lot of furniture on it.  I had it enlarged but still moved everything but the gasser to the patio below. 

I for one am pretty happy with a regular pellet grill and gasser.    I'm not terribly excited about technological advances.

I didn't know that I needed a word processor, spreadsheet and database until I had them.  I didn't know that I needed a cellular telephone until I had one.  Now I have a smartphone that answers my questions.  I'd rather leave home without my wallet than my smartphone.  (In some places I pay with my smartphone and don't need my wallet.)

Another member that does competition cooks once commented that on his cooks he noticed the food had a better/heavier smoke flavor that he preferred when he cooked on rainy days. Something I have been interested in, but have not had time to fiddle with yet, is something that would introduce humidity into the cooker. Either a humidifier type thing before the air enters the grill or a mister that would spray a fine mist periodically, or even some combination of both. A pan of water just does not put enough humidity into the pit.

Another thing is a hybrid type system so the fire pot would run at a low setting and produce maximum smoke all of the time and a gas burner just to produce heat. I am kind of torn on this one.

Pulsating fans to produce more smoke. A setting that modulates the fan so it blows 100% for some amount of time to get the pellets red hot and then slows down and allows the pellets to smolder some to produce more smoke. This already exists on some grills but I see a move in this direction for the more economical units. It would be an easy way to produce more smoke at minimal cost for production.

I understand how natural convection works for a stick burner with no fan. I never understood why manufacturers of pellet grills, other than Fast Eddy, choose to have the same flow of heat where the chimney is so high above the grate and the fire is below. It is required for natural convection like a stick burner but when you have a fan there is absolutely no need for the chimney at the top. I see a run on top down cooking systems. They require less fuel to heat the same amount of area and due to natural convection, they have a more even temperature gradient across the grate.

This may be far fetched, but I would love to see some type of overhead infrared sear burner added to my MAK (or any other pellet grill for that matter). Not sure how it would work, perhaps a burner that has a snap on cover (to keep clean) that can easily be removed when needed... perhaps it could be low profile and be permanently mounted to the top inside of the lid, and just flip down when needed... and perhaps it could be powered by the electricity that is already being fed to the pellet cooker vs a separate gas connection.

Doesn’t hurt to dream

Up until a few years ago all pellet grills were Traeger clones.   I just don't understand the obsession with a single pit for all jobs.  Direct sear, cold smoking box, wifi.   All nice to have, but all could be done with other devices.

Oh...There may be a couple of reasons.

• Manufacturers need a way to differentiate themselves from other brands.
• Many users don't have space for more than one cooker.  My deck was 17'×17' but it had a lot of furniture on it.  I had it enlarged but still moved everything but the gasser to the patio below. 

I for one am pretty happy with a regular pellet grill and gasser.    I'm not terribly excited about technological advances.

I didn't know that I needed a word processor, spreadsheet and database until I had them.  I didn't know that I needed a cellular telephone until I had one.  Now I have a smartphone that answers my questions.  I'd rather leave home without my wallet than my smartphone.  (In some places I pay with my smartphone and don't need my wallet.)

I enjoyed your response.  I'm in my early 40's and in IT.   I still however assert my opinion that I like to keep things simple when smoking.   I also use the correct appliance for the desired outcome.  Being a pellet cooker with an electric controller and fan was quite revolutionary 20 years ago.  I'm probably on the wrong side of this discussion, but simple and reliable are all I'm going for, not new functionality. 

DK