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[okie smokie]

Just got a notice that RT is having a Thxgvg sale for a week. The 380 looks tempting to me in its new form with PID control and stainless barrel. Current price is $399 with no added accessories. Not sure what will be offered on the sale. Watched all the video reviews by various gurus. They all liked it with only scant negs.  May leak grease after long fatty cooks, this can be avoided by placing aluminum foil pan on the heat diffuser, to catch the majority of drippings.  The others will then be easily burnt off after (at high heat).  Also, I spoke with them and suggested a wide drip pan to hang from the bottom base(it holds the firepot) just to catch any late drips. I don't think it is a problem at all on short high heat cooks. 
Temps are 225* to 500* regular, and then can be turned up to a "Riot" mode setting that goes up to 749*!!!  I am happy with my 590 but my wife C/O not enough searing effect on steaks, chops. While I am happy overall, I must admit that I like a bit more mailard effect without risk of over cook.  Also, it is lightweight at around 60 lbs and would be easy to carry to picnic cooks and campouts. My main interest then would be for quick hot cooks and then do the low and slows on my 590. Also appealing is that it is quick to heat and easy to clean; making it more ideal for a quick cook and clean up. Same size as the Weber 22" charcoal pit. Only thing I don't care for is that they have switched from porcelain over cast iron to porcelain over steel wire grates. However, GrillGrates are available at extra cost. Either that or you can buy after market cast iron/porcelain by Aura for $65. (for Weber, but is same size.) 

Now check it out and tell me I don't really need it, BUT___maybe I've just been locked up to long?

[okie smokie]

Went for it although they did not offer any special deals on the RT 380. Good deals on the 590--i.e. competition base and wheels at no cost. Also a good deal on the 700,  a free Matador Wok. etc.  380 is $399, and expected to go up to $499 after initial sales?? (has not happed since introduced new model in June '20.)
So 380 and cover ordered. Don't think I will need the GrillGrates for this one. May buy after market grates later if not satisfied with the standard grates. No delivery date yet. 

[okie smokie]

Anyone have one of these new model 380?

[okie smokie]

380 arrives today. Also, I purchased a replacement stainless grill grate for it (the current grate is 3/16 steel wire-ceramic coated).  The replacement is from Bid Daddy Smokers and is 1/4" stainless with two 1/3" cross braces. Its a personal thing. I really like the SS grates on the 590, so wanted to have the same on the 380.  Looks like RT did not want to jack the price up on 380 so they went with the cheaper grate. Will take pics of the unpack and assembly. 

[okie smokie]

Here are the pics of arrival and setup. The grate covering the underside of the control and hopper section was suspected as happening before shipment in China, since the box (which was very substantial) was not damaged when I received it. Since it was underneath, it was not seen. I removed the under cover screen and called RT service and obtained immediate replacement request, now ordered. Meanwhile I was able to restore it adequately to re-install. Not perfect but will do until replaced. All else went as scheduled. Burn in at 400* without a hitch and also today, I tested RTD temps against my own temp probe and found that 380 ran hotter than it measured. About 50* hotter in the center when I set it for  225*, and 30* hotter in center when set for 500*. I called RT to see if I should adjust, but was advised not to do at present. The reason being that they feel that the overall average temp in the entire cooking area matches their RTD. I am dubious about that, but will cook a familiar item and see if the time to completion is as expected. At the high end I see no problem, but if the low end is correct, I will have to adjust the control to compensate.  Over all I am satisfied for the most part. I do believe that unlike their other pits, the non-stainless metal on this unit is marginally stout on the hopper structure and I passed that opinion along to the service folks as a friendly comment. More to follow on that one. Here are the pics, note my sheet metal restoration was not perfect, but adequate:



After a little adjustment, decided to stop here.




After burn in at 400* The aftermarket SS grill grates fit perfectly!

[okie smokie]

Interesting testing.  With all the settings at factory default, I find that the 380 runs hotter.  Ex. when set at 225 and actual temp is shown as 225*, my own two separate probes show temps around 50 to 60* higher (they are both about the same). I tested both center, and peripheral areas of the grate and results are similar. There is an adjustment on the control settings that will increase or decrease the readout on the control by up to 20%. But first I called customer service on two occasions and spoke to two different people.  Both said not to adjust, since the settings are based on average temps throughout the cooking area (in 3 dimensions). They say that if the pit is set for 225 and reads 225 actual on their control, that the result will be correct for 225*. Also, at setting of 500* I measure 534*--so not so bad. 
Any suggestions as to what I should do. Frankly, I am dubious as to the accuracy of their explanations, but don't know why they would not adjust the settings? Any comments?  Bentley, do you think that what they say is so?

[Bentley]

You bought it to cook at what temperatures?

[okie smokie]

You bought it to cook at what temperatures?

Of course I bought it to cook at high temps, but I am compulsive about things in general, and expect a grill control that says 225* to be close to accurate at center grill level. I would agree that if I just use it for high temp cooks, why worry?  However the problem is now resolved:
I retested and confirmed for myself that the answer RT gave me was Baloney.  It measured the same high temp error at every spot on the grates and even more so at higher positions in the chamber. I found two others on the net that had the same problem. Probably because chamber is smaller has no drip pan in the middle and 380 uses the same auger motor, and circ. fan as the larger pits. So I used the control settings instructions, went to "offset" and with some trial and error, I was able to get the 225* setting on the control to equal the same on the center grates.(it fluctuated from 213 to 235 rather evenly) and at higher level I used 450* on control (so as not to burn my probes) and got 482 on the grates.  Very satisfactory but required me to add +15 to the offset.  I believe that RT knows they did not get their controls properly calibrated, but did not want to admit that and start negative reviews. They may have that resolved quietly in future without having to talk about it. Was able to do a tenderloin last PM at 350* until internal temp was 120*, took it off and wrapped in foil, turned grill up to near 700 in "riot" mode (it will go to 749). Then put the steak back on for about 1 minute on each side, had mild flaring at the end and had a perfect medium steak with charred edges. Made my wife very happy. Perhaps being shut in because of CV makes it easier to do unnecessary things for entertainment.  ?

[okie smokie]

Found a video on YT of a guy who found the same problem and one other who said he had the same problem as well. Neither were apparently aware of the adjustable control to resolve the problem. Does not come with manual; you have to download it from rectec.  One reports he demanded and got his money back from RT.(he was doing videos of his experience and I'm sure they were glad to mollify him)  If anyone is interested, I will continue to use and report on  the performance of this grill. Gonna do thick lamb chops today. 

[okie smokie]

Did five chops: They are done and about to go onto the reversed grill grate for searing. I did the whole thing at 500* since we like our lamb well done.

Here they are done.

On the plate. Simple low cal meal. (I have lost 13 lbs). They were super good, with lots of juice still in them despite the hot cook.

In spite of the char black looking surface there was no burn taste at all. Just one minute per side on the GG's did it.  I did not get a temp on the GG. Temp on the SS grates was at 538* when previously tested.

[Bentley]

Is this the same type unit that pmillen sent back?

[okie smokie]

The first 380 was not the same (not aluminum body)and was replaced by this model. It did not have PID control, just had a temp knob in 25* increments. Temps were not well controlled and had lots of grease fires. Just communicated with P. Millen and he was looking for more smoke flavor and was disappointed, so he sold it. I find that in Lo mode this puts out lots of smoke. But have come to the conclusion, that pellets won't produce the same smoke flavor as stick pits.  Probably because grinding wood into sawdust allows many other volatile substances to evaporate from the finished product. I suspect that those substances contribute to smoke that contributes the stronger flavor. Not sure but is IMO. I use Lumberjack pellets which have both the outer cambium layer and the bark included.  I think I get more smoke flavor that way but is hard to be sure. However, for hot and fast cooks, this pit is ideal. Just finished a patty melt meal. Set the temp for 450* as that seems to be plenty for burgers. Had great results. Have not done a low/slow cook yet but not really interested in using 380 for that. Have seen several low slows on You Tube, and in the hands of the right people, they looked and were reported great. They all placed a disposable aluminum drip pan under the grates with some water in it. Results--no grease fires. One fellow did a 15 hour pork butt (12 hrs at 225) then wrapped, and into a cooler for 2-3 hrs. It looked black when finished but was not burnt, and he shredded it with his hands in about 30 seconds, and it was moist and reported a winner by his two daughters (in buns).
I might say that there are some very untalented contributors to YouTube who think they are master chefs, and one in particular that made so many mistakes on his 380, that RT gave him a full refund (perhaps to get him from further embarrassment).  I plan to keep mine but will report any problems.  It sure is easy to use and clean up!! I find that the fire pot keeps the ash down low enough that the lower air holes are completely open, so while ash accumulates in the bottom of the chamber, you won't have to vacuum frequently. However, after a low/slow with fatty meat, I would always clean the greasy bottom before any high temp cook.

[BigDave83]

Did you have issues putting it together. Almost everyone that bought one in some of the FB groups just complained about holes not lining up and bolts not going in, the hinge failing, people really upset with the caps to hold the wheels on. People were posting list for things needed when you went to lowes to buy stuff to put it together. I saw where RT started sending out self tappers to put in the threaded holes in the legs.

 It never really seemed to meet with the quality product the RT wants people to believe they put out, but it is cheap so I guess people kept buying them.

Hopefully they fixed all of that. From all of the reading i had done my biggest issue would not have been the construction so much as the burn back and the hopper catching on fire frequently. Their response to that in the beginning was to ball a piece of foil and put under the lid to hold it up. I think they make a spacer for it now.

[okie smokie]

I had no trouble putting the legs on but agree that the caps for the axles were not easy to place and hammer on,--but they went on! Lock nuts would have been a better idea. But doubt that the caps will ever come off. I was a little disappointed with the gauge of the sheet metal on the hopper and control assembly and noted that when lifting the handle on the hopper end, that there is some flexion of the hopper cage due to the weight on that end. However, the auger motor, auger tube and fan assembly are firmly fixed to the grill assembly and do not distort at all--so no problem there. I think if they had used heavier gauge steel in the hopper end that the unit would be more rigid. And would have not cost much more. But it is ok as it is and I don't expect any ill effects. All in all, a nice looking unit and the cover for it is super quality and heavy like on their other units.

[Bentley]

It sounds like it is serving you well!