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[Th3Batman86]

AmazingRibs has an exclusive first look at the new Weber SmokeFire (that is a dumb name IMHO).

Go to their web site to see review.

Interesting design I will give them that. Flavorizers instead of drip tray would allow for more heat to come up. And I like the pellet drop instead of straight feeding and I the ash falling out of the pot design is intersting. I don't like that everything isn't stainless (deflector, grill grates). They didn't specify what type of controller though. I don't know that I have seen one with a centered temp sensor. Or one with a low pellet warning. Double walled is nice for heat retention

[Brushpopper]

It is an interesting design.  I agree with you on the name, too.  My GMG has a low pellet warning and it's nice, but I've never let them get that low.  Guess we'll wait and see what they think about it.

[Th3Batman86]

My GMG has a low pellet warning and it's nice

I didn't know that about GMG. Nice!

[glitchy]

This really looks like a game changer if it works as well as it's features. IMO, all the features of a MAK or Memphis for the price of a RecTec or Traeger. I like the back vents as smoke stacks are a pain when I keep my grills covered. Nice double walled construction, pellet drop delivery, etc. I also really like not having a grease can hanging on the side, but that also worries me about susceptibility to grease fires. I also feel like their flavorizor bars made food from their gas grills taste better than food from just about any other gas grill and is probably why just about every gas grill out there tries to copy that design now. I'm not saying that gas grill food tastes anywhere near as good as wood fired food, but it will be interesting to see what flavorizers do on a pellet grill, especially with steaks, chops, burgers, etc.

Obviously, this probably doesn't compare in construction quality to MAK, Memphis, Cookshack, Yoder, etc. However, I bet Traeger, RecTec, GMG, and Dansons are in a major panic this morning and pulling the secret bourbon stashes from their desks to mellow the morning. Assembled in Illinois, more features, brand presence already everywhere brick and mortar and online. This could really change the pellet grill world.

[Bentley]

"At long last, a pellet grill that really knows how to grill!"

Sorry, but when you make a statement like this, you lose all credibility with someone who has been cooking on pellet units since 1997.  It just tells me you or your staffs depth of knowledge regarding pellet units is weak to say the least...and I will leave it at that!

But I am biased, I have never trusted sites that do "reviews" and then accept money for advertising or product placement on their site from manufactures.

[rdsbucks]

I have a PG 500 and it can grill quite well. It can also smoke quite well. Up until now, I believe it represented one of the best advances to make grilling possible on a smoker. Now I must say I have never been a big fan of how some pellet smokers "grill". It is more of a baked approach, IMO or one that required swapping grill grates for the smoker grates or doing some other adjustment to make it work. I have liked not having to adjust my smoker to grill or to fire up another grill/take patio space for it. But the downside of the PG500 is that the grilling space is limited and it is hard to see what you are grilling and tight to work in that space. To me, this new grill is clearly the best approach I have ever seen.

[pmillen]

I'll probably never cook on one or eat a meal from one, but I'll have to give Weber their props...the finish on their kettles would be a welcome addition to most of the pellet pits and drums I've been around.  I think it's something that sets them apart from their competition yet they don't seem to emphasize it.

[Maynerd]

I wonder if those holes in the burn pot will clog up and cause some issues.

[glitchy]

"At long last, a pellet grill that really knows how to grill!"

Sorry, but when you make a statement like this, you lose all credibility with someone who has been cooking on pellet units since 1997.  It just tells me you or your staffs depth of knowledge regarding pellet units is weak to say the least...and I will leave it at that!

But I am biased, I have never trusted sites that do "reviews" and then accept money for advertising or product placement on their site from manufactures.

Like any 'reviews' versus the more scientific performance tests you do, they do have to be taken with a grain of salt. I usually look more to the cumulative of multiple reviews to gauge any products worth if I cannot find something like your performance tests. I've read some of that other site's stuff and they are definitely biased to direct/infrared heat for what they define as searing or grilling (as am I for steaks at least). We know here the Cookshack, MAK, Memphis and a few others can already do this and pretty well, but many people look right past these grills as they would never spend that kind of money on any cooker. I think they also mentioned that other pellet grills have direct flame inserts but the cooking space shrinks considerably with it only being effective right over the fire pot.

I am so exited to see one of these Webers that I am actually debating just pre-ordering when it opens up on Cyber Monday.

[Bentley]

I have no doubt, either with time or right now it is a good unit.  I guess I despise "reviews".

[RanrocSmoker]

I have no doubt, either with time or right now it is a good unit.  I guess I despise "reviews".

I agree. I think Weber will put out a quality product and support it as well or better than anyone else out there. And I’m a little disappointed that AmazingRibs would make bold statements like that based on very limited usage and not a full blown test. It’s a bit misleading at this point in time. Makes me question their whole review section.



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[GatorDave]

I don't like how the grease just drips down into the bottom.  It's going to make cleaning it a bear.

[dk117]

I see we have some conflicting opinions here (expert opinions).  I confess I wanted to hate this pit but I'm kind of impressed.

The one thing that really bothers me is that Joe Traeger built the drip pan to eliminate any chance at a flare up.   That picture on the site referenced above as promoting a nice sear?  That's a huge problem of a flareup!  That's what I expect from my gasser.   (and cleanup looks messy to me.)  I'm fine if Memphis has solved this problem, Webber looks to have exacerbated it. 

So I'm a low and slow guy, no need for this to become part of my arsenal, but I'll be watching closely and if another friend takes the plunge to pellet units, this will be on the list I have them check out. 

[okie smokie]

I don't like how the grease just drips down into the bottom.  It's going to make cleaning it a bear.

Looks like the grease dripping into the same pot as the pellet ash is a guarantee for grease fire.  Especially on a long low-slow.  :2cents:I would certainly wait and see before jumped into any commitment .

[Osborn Cox]

I agree with Bent and others, when I read this earlier today I was immediately turned off by the blanket statement regarding pellet grills not being capable of a decent sear.   I’ve long had a skeptical view of AmazingRibs content, Much of it has seemed to be very flavor of the day, basically whoever is sponsoring us this month has got the greatest products.    That said, I am intrigued by some of the features of this new Weber and to be sure, it has had lots of R&D, it’s not like they rushed it to market.    How it performs out in the wild remains to be seen once it’s in that hands of unbiased pellet enthusiasts, hopefully by some of our members.    I look forward to hearing more.