I am in IT as well
I am of a similar school of thought. Right tool for the job.
I use my smoker as a smoker and my gasser with the IR burners (1000 degrees plus) to cook some serious steaks.
Flattop for smash burgers
Sous vide for fish and eggs
Charcoal for old school cooks or just for fun
Not limited to the above but I am not interested in the magic 1 device to try and do it all
Just my thoughts and opinion
With all that said... I do think one of my favorite accessories I have seen is the GMG pizza insert!
Don’t have one and have not really read how well it works but that seems like a really smart addition.

IT guys must like this site. I’m there too 

I’m the opposite though, I want to have good multipurpose devices and would love having a grill that has probes and tracks cooks so I don’t have to take independent notes. I love having alerts when my food is done, etc. I also think wood fired just about anything tastes good, so want to be able to smoke and grill with high heat over the pellets. Even cook a decent pizza without another add on would be ideal (not expecting a 800 degree style 3 min pizza).

I also have too many grills sitting around and don’t use them all enough each to want to clean them and keep the occasional mouse from wanting to nest. I can cook any way with what tools I have and have a fireboard to monitor, so I don’t need anything, but would love to only have a do it all pellet pooper and a Performer kettle.

The only advance I want is ability to smoke at temperatures between say 120F and 180F all  year long, with ease and reliability...      In the main chamber of a pellet grill..

So I effectively want a pellet grill with a firepot and auger system that can stay burning , and only add about 50F additional heat above ambient conditions. And produces 'clean' smoke  while doing it...

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.

I am quoting myself but this is exactly what I was talking about.

I saw the Traeger Timberline 850 in action at a BBQ store this weekend and noticed the vent in the back of the unit was about 10"-12" above the bottom grate. I thought this was the perfect example of it would be simple to relocate the exhaust at the back down low below the grate and it would cost next to nothing. I watched their video ("Timberline Features" at the bottom of their web site for this grill) this morning and low and behold, according to the video, they actually do vent the cooking chamber from below the grate. Traeger appears to be getting in on this type of heat flow. For this unit the air is heated by a firepot in the center at the bottom, flows up around the drip tray at the front and back, fills the cooking area, is pushed out the sides around the edge of the double walled sides, flows between the inner wall and outer wall at the 2 end panels to holes below the grate (key point) and then up to the vent you see at the back. I am going to get a closer look at it this weekend and see if the air flow is really as I think it is.

It also has a button on the controller named "super smoke" and I was told that pulsed the fan too but I did not see that working. Traeger is getting in 2 of the advancements I think will become more common in the years to come.

I don't understand why Traeger didn't come up with some sort of direct grilling option for the Timberline...  Seems after all these years, they could figure out a way to do it.

I guess as an owner that has a pit that produces plenty of smoke and get outrageously hot, I feel I have the all in one.  Not a tech guy, have WiFi on another unit, never used it.  So for me, I have the one unit that meets all my needs!  Now capacity is always an issue if you have a large crowd.

I guess as an owner that has a pit that produces plenty of smoke and get outrageously hot, I feel I have the all in one.  Not a tech guy, have WiFi on another unit, never used it.  So for me, I have the one unit that meets all my needs!  Now capacity is always an issue if you have a large crowd.

Do I sense an Elite in your future?!?!

It would have to be a Bentley type deal, and they just aren't out there in my neck of the woods.  Maybe when I am in Bloomington next Sept, they will have a used one at the factory they will get rid of cheap.  I would definitely make room for it in the Ram for the trip home!

It would have to be a Bentley type deal, and they just aren't out there in my neck of the woods.  Maybe when I am in Bloomington next Sept, they will have a used one at the factory they will get rid of cheap.  I would definitely make room for it in the Ram for the trip home!

Just out of curiosity... a $5k (retail) grill... what selling price would define a “Bentley type deal?”

$1500

WOW! You don’t play around. If you can find me one at that price, I’ll wash your truck once/mo for the rest of my life

id like built in temp tracker like tappacue

It would have to be a Bentley type deal, and they just aren't out there in my neck of the woods.  Maybe when I am in Bloomington next Sept, they will have a used one at the factory they will get rid of cheap.  I would definitely make room for it in the Ram for the trip home!

Do they actually have used stuff at the warehouse? I grew up in Richfield, next door to Bloomington and now live about 20 minutes from Bloomington. Never thought about trying to get a used or slightly blemished one for a discount. Now you have me thinking!

I doubt it!  Wishful thinking on my part!  I think workers get 1st shot at this stuff, as it should be, anyway!

I think more and more are going the direct grilling route...even in the sub $700 price range!

I can’t understand why more companies don’t do something like that or have better direct grill features?