JMO but an ash drop is very low on my list of features. I'm going to vacuum out the barrel of the cooker any way so it only takes a few seconds to suck out the ash pot.  One less moving part to cause an issue down road just like a pellet drop is not an important feature for me.

you rake you Zen garden in a soothing pattern with your tiny rake.

That'll be the day.
        Buddy Holly

Anyone want to see any more in depth pictures of certain area or feature?  If so, let me know, other wise I am moving on the Performance Test portion.

Pic of the inside of the pellet hopper without pellets would be nice to see on all tests.

The pellet dump is a savior if you need to remove an auger jam or turn the grill on its side to make any sort of repair.

Bentley,

Is that protection screen in the pellet hopper really necessary? Yes! I'm sure it's a "CYA" thing for the manufacturer, and why that little rake is provided also, but during assembly could it have been removed and just left out? When my unit is in operation I don't stick my hand down in the pellet box, but when changing out pellets, it would be far easier to get you hand in the box to move the pellets rather than having to use that rake. ..... And I'm not knocking the rake.

I was certain I had.  Thank you for bringing this to my attention!  It has been added to PT thread.

Pic of the inside of the pellet hopper without pellets would be nice to see on all tests.

For the Manufacture I know it is.  For the end user, once it is theirs, well...
It come this way, as you look at the photo, I am sure you could figure out a way to remove it as an owner...

Is that protection screen in the pellet hopper really necessary? Yes! I'm sure it's a "CYA" thing for the manufacturer...
but during assembly could it have been removed and just left out?

And on a completely separate note, I like the magnet to hold down the pellet hopper lid.  Have I ever had issues with any of my pits keeping their lid on when sitting on my patio, no.  But put your unit on a trailer and go 70mph to a competition and things may change...

As the unit is burning in, thought I would take the time to share some features.  The Woodwind has a "Feed" setting on its controller.  What that does is turn the auger to either clear pellets from the auger tube, or charge the unit for the 1st time, or in the event the unit has run completely out of pellets. 

The controller modes are "Shutdown".  Should be used at the end of every cook to burn off pellets.  "Low Smoke", smoke setting and temps should be around 160°f.  "High Smoke", temps around 220°f and "should produce large amounts of smoke". The controller then has setting from 170°f-400°f in increments of 25°f. And finally "high" setting that "can be used to achieve temperatures up to 500°f depending on ambient temperatures."

That magnet may have helped water from getting inside my MAK hopper once and a little bit inside my Elite hopper too.  I also like those extra features on the controller.

I have had my Woodwind for about six weeks, so far I am very happy with it. 

I got it as an upgrade from a Traeger Jr that I got on sale at Costco in March.

The sear box is good for hitting some meat with high heat, but I don't think it will work all that well for a pot.

OK CaptJerry, you've had your unit for 18 months.

What is the condition of the powdercoated metal?
This is a sore spot with my MAK. Powdercoating does not hold up

I will try not to be so lazy tomorrow and knock some out!  Got it burned in today, think we will start doing the pellet consumption as the 1st test from now on!

Still waiting for the Manufacture to get back to me on whether it is powder coated or painted.

I have had my Camp Chef SE for a year. And the coating is still in good shape.


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Excellent input from owners on longer term durablity.

On Pellet Consumption.  In previous Performance Tests we have always used the temperatures of 200°, 300°, & 400°f.  I don't even remember why Larry and I chose those.  As I sat waiting for the Woodwind to come up to 400°, I thought who cooks at 400°?  Baking, biscuits, pies bread, yes but that is 20-60 minutes tops?  Why not have low (which on this unit will be 175°f), 350°f (either a hot n fast temperature, meatloaf or baking cake temp) and high (which on this unit is just that high setting & manufactures says should be 500°f) we all grill on high right...These temperatures at least to me seem more real world.

So that is what we will be doing with PT on Pellet Fan, and I go to start the high consumption test right now.  And from now on, a Tappecue Graph will accompany each consumption test.

Excellent input from owners on longer term stuff.

On Pellet Consumption.  In previous Performance Tests we have always used the temperatures of 200°, 300°, & 400°f.  I don't even remember why Larry and I chose those.  As I sat waiting for the Woodwind to come up to 400°, I thought who cooks at 400°?  Baking, biscuits, pies bread, yes but that is 20-60 minutes tops?  Why not have low (which on this unit will be 170°f), 350°f (either a hot n fast temperature, meatloaf or baking cake temp) and high (we all grill on high right) which at least to me seem more real world.

So that is what we will be doing with PT on Pellet Fan, and I go to start the high consumption test right now.  And from now on, a Tappecue Graph will accompany each consumption test.

I always thought that 225F was the most popular temp for low and slow. Might be good to do a survey to get an idea of temps that most folks cook at.