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[Kristin Meredith]

MSRP is $1150 -- pricey until proven in my book, especially with so many proven units to pick from.  I was going to suggest a member funded test of it, but that price tag is too prohibitive for that.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I am pretty sure Meathead lives in the Elmhurst, IL area which isn't terribly far from where the Weber factory is located.

[glitchy]

MSRP is $1150 -- pricey until proven in my book, especially with so many proven units to pick from.  I was going to suggest a member funded test of it, but that price tag is too prohibitive for that.

MAP is $999 and actually what they have listed on their EX4 product page, not that it makes that much difference for a member funded review. Weber is weird like that and usually MSRP on their own site and MAP everywhere else.

[pbison]

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 .

That was my first thought too.  I don't understand how that could work well, but I also can't imagine Weber making a serious mistake.  Will wait and see I guess. 

Embers falling onto the floor caught my attention too.  To be fair it's not a production unit...but...yikes.

[BigDave83]

I think a lot of it is name recognition, not so much Weber as the other site. They have the name out there everyone things they are top dog, I see so many things referenced in FB pages on recipes and such like they are the only ones that know how to do it right.

I worked in automotive area, I had many customers that used nothing but Fram filters, I would tell them mine were better an they would argue with me. I said Fram doesn't need to make a top line product they have brand recognition, people will buy it because it says Fram on the box. I would then give them 5 bucks for one of their Fram filters that was the same application as mine and we would go back in the shop and cut them open. They didn't argue with me any more and before long I was selling them filters.

The other site doesn't be have to be the most accurate or best recipes, because people see the name all the ime so they just figure they have to be the best and most knowledgeable.

I was disappointed that the hype was they got to cook on it, but the video was a commercial for the unit no actual cooking video.

[Bentley]

The above or below post, depending on how you have your computer set up, sums it up for me, including the statement about the oil filter I use! 

So what should I be using Dave?

[pbison]

My dad owned an auto parts store, he used to have cut apart filters on display.  I believe a WIX salesman showed him that.  Yes, Fram oil filters are cheaply made junk and they built their reputation with marketing.  To this day I'll never put Fram anything in my vehicles because of that.

Weber, however, has built their reputation with good quality products over decades.   No, they are not the only quality grill maker out there by a long shot, nor the best, but you can pretty much count on their products to compete on the premium side of each market they are in.  Combined with their huge market presence, that makes this smoker a pretty big deal.  It's a real threat to Traeger.

I love that they are making them in the US at that price, though I'd rather pay a bit more for stainless steel grates.  I would guess there are more models coming.

[Bentley]

Let me make clear, I have no issue with Weber, I have owned their products and know their quality...my beef lies else where!

[BigDave83]

The above or below post, depending on how you have your computer set up, sums it up for me, including the statement about the oil filter I use! 

So what should I be using Dave?

I sold at the time and still use Hasting filters.

[BigDave83]

My dad owned an auto parts store, he used to have cut apart filters on display.  I believe a WIX salesman showed him that.  Yes, Fram oil filters are cheaply made junk and they built their reputation with marketing.  To this day I'll never put Fram anything in my vehicles because of that.

Weber, however, has built their reputation with good quality products over decades.   No, they are not the only quality grill maker out there by a long shot, nor the best, but you can pretty much count on their products to compete on the premium side of each market they are in.  Combined with their huge market presence, that makes this smoker a pretty big deal.  It's a real threat to Traeger.

I love that they are making them in the US at that price, though I'd rather pay a bit more for stainless steel grates.  I would guess there are more models coming.

I wasn't comparing to Weber but the site that did the review. 

[GatorDave]

Found this video on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPcYxx6s_5s

[melaleuca727]

Found this video on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPcYxx6s_5s

Impressive!!

Thanks for sharing.

[Kristin Meredith]

I know that this is completely irrational and somewhat unreasonable, but I am still going to say it. 

I am just put off by someone like Weber coming to the party 20 years after pellet grills were invented -- after all the hard R&D has been done, after the field has been prepared by manufacturers like Traeger, Green Mountain, Memphis, FEC, etc to accept these pits as the real deal, the marketing, the sponsoring of teams at comps, the advertising, the getting the public use to the concept -- and then acting as if they have just discovered this new, marvelous way of cooking.  Or, at least, that is how the Weber folks cooking in that video come off. Look at how it cooks this -- look at how it cooks a steak -- look at how it does a brisket.  And they aren't inviting pellet cooking teams to their launch party, they are inviting Harry Soo who cooks on Weber bullets with charcoal -- and apparently paying their way to the party! (and I know and like Harry, he will tell you that Bent and I got him started in comp bbq, so nothing against him.)

I get the business model.  The pellet pits have finally become main stream and you want to capture a market share. Great.  I even get if you want to promote maybe your strengths, such as the finish of the pits as pmillen points out.  But where were you 20, 15, even 10 years ago when the things were being developed and improved if you want to brag on how marvelous and advanced your pit is and the variety of things it has done.  Sorry, lots of other pellet pit trail blazers have been there, done that way before this pit was around.

[GatorDave]

MSRP is $1150 -- pricey until proven in my book, especially with so many proven units to pick from.  I was going to suggest a member funded test of it, but that price tag is too prohibitive for that.

I would definitely be willing to pony up some $ for a member funded test on this one.  You should do a poll and see if there would be enough interest to make it feasible.

[Bar-B-Lew]

MSRP is $1150 -- pricey until proven in my book, especially with so many proven units to pick from.  I was going to suggest a member funded test of it, but that price tag is too prohibitive for that.

I would definitely be willing to pony up some $ for a member funded test on this one.  You should do a poll and see if there would be enough interest to make it feasible.

Challenge will be how to get it to the winner of the raffle as disassembly and boxing/palleting could be difficult.  Option could be a donation to the site and then the owners donate the pellet grill to the local fire department after testing.