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[glitchy]

MAK2* must be good if you have kept it for as long as you have

I think we’re getting close to being the longest tenured pellet grill to work for me No plans yet to find a replacement.

[02ebz06]

The Lone Star Grillz has a huge hopper if that’s a concern for you. Though you can fill them mid cook ;-)

It looks like a nice grill. 40# hopper is massive.

[pmillen]

I'm liking the Yoder a lot.
Only negatives, not stainless and high pellet consumption.
Would probably have to have a hopper extender made to add an extra 6 or 8 pounds.
Only gets 12 hours out of 20 pounds. Guess due to being single wall.
12 hours would be close for doing a brisket.

It's very heavy metal.  The upsides are durability and the ability to rapidly recover from an open pit.  The downside is that it takes a while (a lot of pellets) to heat up all of that mass.

EDIT:  If you look at the costs on a per cook basis, compared to the prorated pit cost and the meat cost, the pellet cost is a bag of shells.

[Bar-B-Lew]

MAK2* must be good if you have kept it for as long as you have

I think we’re getting close to being the longest tenured pellet grill to work for me No plans yet to find a replacement.

Thanks for everything you have shared here about all of the grills that you gave a test run.  I really wish that Weber one would have worked out as I like their gas grills.

[glitchy]

MAK2* must be good if you have kept it for as long as you have

I think we’re getting close to being the longest tenured pellet grill to work for me No plans yet to find a replacement.

Thanks for everything you have shared here about all of the grills that you gave a test run.  I really wish that Weber one would have worked out as I like their gas grills.

Now that you say that, the SmokeFire is assembled in the USA (from globally sourced parts) and has a drop feed system. All of my problems at the end were software related and following some others that still have SmokeFires, the issues do seem to be pretty much resolved. I kinda wish I would have kept the SmokeFire and still bought the MAK. After they fixed the software, I would have just used it for high temps instead of my gasser. The MAK will grill OK, but the SmokeFire was better at high temps and easier. It was just right in the middle of the pandemic and I was grilling 4-5 nights a week and needed more dependability than Weber’s software could deliver then.

The Weber isn’t of the same quality as MAK, Yoder, LSG, Pitts & Spits, etc. though. Thicker steel than Traeger and CampChef though on most parts.

[okie smokie]

Definitely not the Memphis Beale Street.  Structurallly ok, but the control (my second one) not reliable to date. Customer service seems to be only by email, and slow over all. Those folks with the higher end Memphis grills seem to be very happy and loyal but the prices now are in the 5k to 8K range. Cookshack 500 has jumped from $1600 to $3400 in the past 1.5 years!! But it is a good product but no WiFi.
Personally, I will go back to the Recteq if I can't get satisfaction with the BS. And would be happy to own the 590 again or even the new 1070. No direct flame but with high temp range now up to 700* and using GrillGrates to sear, no direct flame is needed IMO. For me the service at RT has always been super with instant pick up and quick call backs. We have two 590's left in our family and have been free of any problems for 3 years now.

 

[02ebz06]

Greg was always good for service with Memphis. No experience with now guy.  My Chinese made Elite came in DOA, needed a new heating rod, had controller replaced as well.
In the old controller I noticed that a capacitor was installed backwards.
No longer a fan of Memphis.
A Yoder YS640S is my frontrunner now.  Still looking though...

[pmillen]

A Yoder YS640S is my frontrunner now.

There's 1½ pages of posts in the PF Yoder section.  I thumbed through them and there don't seem to be many complaints.  Their web site, yodersmokers dot com, has a community forum specific to their brand.  You may find material to your evaluation there.

Good luck in your search.

[Bentley]

I had no idea the PG500 had gone to that price, that is to much even for the quality.  If I ever need another pellet unit it will be a Woodwind with Sidekick I guess!

[BigDave83]

I didn't realize the huge price increase. Last time i looked they were 1900 I think. For the extra 1100 I would go for the PG1000 of I was looking in that direction.

[okie smokie]

I didn't realize the huge price increase. Last time i looked they were 1900 I think. For the extra 1100 I would go for the PG1000 of I was looking in that direction.

PG1000 is now $4500. Wow!

[BigDave83]

I didn't realize the huge price increase. Last time i looked they were 1900 I think. For the extra 1100 I would go for the PG1000 of I was looking in that direction.

PG1000 is now $4500. Wow!

But it is all good SS not xxxxxx stuff like a lot of companies push. If I was going to buy a Cookshack and was looking at the 500 I would have to go the extra.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I think the PG1000 is a much nicer looking grill too.

[Bentley]

Funny, as I think the 1000 is butt ugly and the 500 more stream line!

[okie smokie]

Funny, as I think the 1000 is butt ugly and the 500 more stream line!

Hmmn.  I think they are both butt ugly, but the 500 more convenient in shape. They both have the same cook chamber, and controls, so to me the 1000 just offers a large shelf to work on butt (pun intended) takes up too much space.