Pellet Fan

All Things Considered => General Discussion--Non food Related => Topic started by: Bar-B-Lew on May 18, 2020, 01:01:34 PM

Title: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on May 18, 2020, 01:01:34 PM
This may already be a thread somewhere.  I just noticed that I got my first pellet grill in early May 2011.  It was the Traeger XL.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Canadian John on May 18, 2020, 01:23:15 PM

 If my foggy memory serves me well, it was 2013 or 14. A Traeger Li'L Tex was it... Things have changed a lot since then.  Back in those days temperature swings were just starting to be addressed. Direct flame

cooking was experimental and igniter failures were common place. Pelletheads was full of experimentation and people seeking resolution to the teething problems of the day.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: hughver on May 18, 2020, 01:27:18 PM
I got my first one in late 2013. Second one in mid 2014.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Osborn Cox on May 18, 2020, 01:34:21 PM
4/22/14- I had to look at the receipt to remember.    Traeger lil Tex from Costco $499.99 plus a hot dog and soda for $1.50 more ;D
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: dk117 on May 18, 2020, 01:59:03 PM
ha!  I knew my signature file would come in useful someday!

Traeger Texas March/April 2010 (2009 china model) still got it, but only use a handful of times a year.  Gator Pit Texas Premier II June of 2018. 
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Big Bear on May 18, 2020, 02:04:29 PM
2004 - Lil Tex from the Traeger Barn...
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Kristin Meredith on May 18, 2020, 02:05:27 PM
Bentley got the first one, but I did cook on it some and did things at comps -- I believe it was 2003, but may have been 2002.  He will have to post. Traeger.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: reubenray on May 18, 2020, 02:11:22 PM
I got my Traeger Junior in 2013 and the GMG Daniel Boone in 2015.  I had a stick burner before that I got in 2010.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: BigDave83 on May 18, 2020, 02:48:25 PM
2013 I think, rec tec. then 2015 gmg DC and 2018 pit boss CH7, sold the rec tec shortly after, needed room and it was collecting dust. Would like to have another but not sure what I would want. If a better company takes the masterbuilt gravity design and makes a better product I could see me wanting one of them.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Canadian John on May 18, 2020, 03:05:02 PM

 Just love those "think" + "can't rember" words. Glad I wasn't the only one.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on May 18, 2020, 03:21:35 PM

 Just love those "think" + "can't rember" words. Glad I wasn't the only one.

I had to go back and look at the meta data on the photo file to see when they were taken to figure out the date.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: slaga on May 18, 2020, 04:26:38 PM
I had to look at my signature. It was a 2010 Trager Lil Tex. I sold it but as of a couple months ago, it was still cookin' for someone else.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: GREG-B on May 18, 2020, 04:53:37 PM
I'm with the ???? camp.  Think it was 1016-17 maybe.  If I'd only known there was going to be a test, I woulda studied. :P
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Bentley on May 18, 2020, 04:56:46 PM
Trager 075, 2002.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: cookingjnj on May 18, 2020, 05:02:35 PM
March 2016.  RT680.  Yep I am one of the newbies around here.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: pmillen on May 18, 2020, 06:08:45 PM
Ordered it from Larry (Pelletheads) in December 2012.  It was delivered in January 2013.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: yorkdude on May 18, 2020, 06:49:31 PM
It was 2011 at Christmas time. Traeger 44 mag, we bought it from Sams club, which I think was the only place that they sold them through.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: okie smokie on May 18, 2020, 07:16:47 PM
Traeger Lil Tex 2013.  Sold it and bought Blaz'n GS in 2015, then June of 2019, sold Blaz'n and bought RT 590.  Lotta water under the bridge since 2013. 
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: W6YJ on May 18, 2020, 07:28:09 PM
Wow, looks like I am the newbie here as I bought the Firecraft Q450 in 2018.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Trooper on May 18, 2020, 07:29:28 PM
2009
A mighty MAK II Star.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: TravlinMan on May 18, 2020, 08:18:51 PM
Believe it was 2011 or 12. 

It was the Traeger PTG.  I bought it under the 'excuse' it was for the 'camping trailer' 8).

The journey has proceeded and evolved from there.. :clap: :cool: :bbq:
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: smokin soon on May 18, 2020, 11:16:18 PM
Trager 070 2008. Still working.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Brushpopper on May 19, 2020, 09:04:50 AM
I started looking at them in the summer of 2016 and got a Traeger Tailgater as a gift in February 2017.  Then the 2011 GMG DB in late summer 2017 and the Pitts & Spitts Maverick 850 early this year.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: jdmessner on May 19, 2020, 10:58:18 AM
I have probably posted this story before, but since you asked... In the summer of 2016 my son was attending a Lions All State Band camp in our area. Our local Lions Club put on a dinner for the camp. After the dinner the camp manager asked if I would be interested in a grill. He had this very large old Traeger taking up space in his pole barn. He had been with the camp a number of years and never used it. He wanted the storage space. I knew nothing about pellet grills and had no idea how or if it worked. I decided to go out on a limb and offered him $100. I had to wait for camp board approval, but they eventually accepted.  Figured I either just wasted $100 or got a heck of a deal! With the help of some good folks at the former site I was able to do a little refurbishing and got the grill up and running. As they say, the rest is history!! Things did go full circle when our club did a dinner for the camp again last summer and I cooked it on the grill. I was glad I had a chance to let the manager know how much I appreciated the grill. He then tried to guilt me into paying another $50 (but it didn't work)!

Last fall I got a smaller used Pit Boss and have really enjoyed it.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: acguy on May 19, 2020, 11:05:37 AM
I bought a GMG DB in Apr 2013. I haven’t been able to use it much the last few years due to family commitments and generally xxxxxx summers and winters. I’ll be retiring next year so I am thinking about upgrading yo a DB Prime this year.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: slaga on May 19, 2020, 01:54:02 PM
I have a decent story about my 2nd pellet grill. It was a deal I just could not pass up. There was a guy on Pelletheads named Grumpy. He bought a Yoder 640 and after multiple complaints and replacing fans, controllers, etc. for a year or so, he got so fed up with it that he posted, if anyone wants this piece of "junk" (not his actual word he used but junk is more family friendly), they can have it for free. Just come and get it. As I recall he was about 5 hours from where I lived and I contacted him and said if he was serious, I was on my way. Next thing you know I drove 5 hours, loaded up a Yoder YS640, thanked Grumpy, and brought it home. I then contacted Yoder asking for a manual. Yoder asked me how I came about the YS640 and I told them about the link on pelletheads and the story. Well Yoder then decided to give me everything I needed to bring it up to current spec. New fans, wiring harness, chimney, firmware updater and I cannot remember what else, all free, including shipping. A couple years later they upgraded the heat shield and sent me one of those too. I never had any problems cooking with it like the previous owner. That is my Yoder story. I googled to see if I could find the story cached on the internet and this is the only thing I could find.

Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: scdaf on May 19, 2020, 02:47:36 PM
November 2010,  GMG Jim Bowie.  Drove 300 mile round trip to a propeller shop at fisherman's wharf on Puget Sound.  Had to go on a Saturday, when the shop was closed, so they put the grill in the back of a van parked out front and put the key to the van above the door to their shop   Wrestled it into the back of my Isuzu and put the key back above the door.
Early "no contact" delivery.   ;)
Gave the GMG to my daughter last year after getting a Memphis Advantage.  GMG still running strong.  Only repairs: hot rod shortly after purchase and control board, which I upgraded to a remote control, no wifi.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: ylr on May 19, 2020, 11:07:30 PM
Easy enough to remember, since it was my 50th birthday, December 2014! My better half gave me the Pit Boss 820, which I'm still using!
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: glitchy on May 19, 2020, 11:35:12 PM
1/9/2014 - Traeger Junior Elite
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Jimsbarbecue on May 19, 2020, 11:39:52 PM
2009 Royall which I returned and got a MAK 2Star
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: lil moose on May 20, 2020, 08:43:00 AM
Cooked on them since 2011 with friends that had them but didn't pull the triger till 2016 due to $$$$ issues and things going on in life
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Bentley on May 20, 2020, 10:22:30 AM
I remember that pit well!



2009 Royall which I returned and got a MAK 2Star
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Free Mr. Tony on May 24, 2020, 07:30:06 PM
2010- traeger lil Tex
2012- Fe pg500
2014- Louisiana whole hog
2018- pit boss vertical
2020- z grills

Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Free Mr. Tony on May 24, 2020, 07:38:13 PM
I have a decent story about my 2nd pellet grill. It was a deal I just could not pass up. There was a guy on Pelletheads named Grumpy. He bought a Yoder 640 and after multiple complaints and replacing fans, controllers, etc. for a year or so, he got so fed up with it that he posted, if anyone wants this piece of "junk" (not his actual word he used but junk is more family friendly), they can have it for free. Just come and get it. As I recall he was about 5 hours from where I lived and I contacted him and said if he was serious, I was on my way. Next thing you know I drove 5 hours, loaded up a Yoder YS640, thanked Grumpy, and brought it home. I then contacted Yoder asking for a manual. Yoder asked me how I came about the YS640 and I told them about the link on pelletheads and the story. Well Yoder then decided to give me everything I needed to bring it up to current spec. New fans, wiring harness, chimney, firmware updater and I cannot remember what else, all free, including shipping. A couple years later they upgraded the heat shield and sent me one of those too. I never had any problems cooking with it like the previous owner. That is my Yoder story. I googled to see if I could find the story cached on the internet and this is the only thing I could find.

I recall the situation very well from the old site. That guy was one bitter buyer.
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: egmont on May 24, 2020, 11:57:04 PM
March of 2014 - GMG Daniel Boone. 
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: hokiepop on May 25, 2020, 07:47:18 AM
August 2017. Kuma

December 2017 Memphis Elite
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Herb on May 25, 2020, 10:34:58 AM
2007 Traeger 124
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: DE on May 25, 2020, 11:33:40 AM
Fathers Day 2011/PG1000
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: KeithG on May 25, 2020, 12:39:40 PM
July 2014
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Hammer on May 27, 2020, 09:40:56 PM
2015 Traeger 34
Just ordered my PG500!
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: okie smokie on May 27, 2020, 09:49:28 PM
2015 Traeger 34
Just ordered my PG500!
Congrats.  Hope you enjoy it.  I've watched them make them in Ponca City.  Essentially hand made.  Be sure and send us pics :clap: when it arrives and when you do some cooks. :clap:
Title: Re: When did you get your first pellet grill?
Post by: Hank D Thoreau on May 30, 2020, 09:08:27 PM
December 2018. I was primarily an indirect charcoal cooker. It was when I had to cook a brisket on my Weber kettle for Thanksgiving that I decided that maybe I should look for a better way.

I had never heard of pellet smokers. I discovered them during my research which was originally leaning heavily toward the standard Weber smoker. I liked the pellet concept, and especially liked the wifi.

I have had two Ronco Showtime Rotisseries. I like the set it and forget it approach to bbq'ing when it involves long time periods.