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Less than 5 degrees plus/minus

1 (3.6%)

5-10 degrees plus/minus

5 (17.9%)

10-20 degrees plus/minus

12 (42.9%)

20-30 degrees plus/minus

10 (35.7%)

Total Members Voted: 24

[Rick]

I'm just curious.  I've been thinking about this for awhile.  I'm removing any brand names.  I can't recall if that was appropriate or not.

I hear a lot about temperature control with pellet cookers and how some brands didn't have tight enough control.  I'm wondering what you consider acceptable.

I could be WAY off on my theory, but here it is:

I think Pellet cookers that have very tight variances in temperature swing produce less smoke.  I'm wondering if they produce less smoke flavor.  On the other hand, I've seen some popular (and some expensive) brands that seem to do a better job of putting smoke flavor onto the meat.  I also hear some folks say that these same brands seem to have greater temp swings.

I remember seeing a certain high end pellet cooker at the Royal in 2015 (with PH.com).   It seemed to put out a lot more smoke than other pellet cookers. 

On the other hand, my pellet cooker did not have any temp swings.  It was usually within 5 degrees of the setting.  I didn't think it put much smoke flavor out.  And it certainly didn't have smoke coming out of the stack, outside of start up.

Is it possible (and this is my theory), that temp swings create more smoke flavor in the world of pellet cookers?  The firing and smoldering of pellets in the pot produce more smoke than a constant, clean burn?

I know smoke flavor is subjective.  Some folks love it.  Others hate heavy smoke.  I consider myself some where in the middle and leaning to the LIGHT Smoke flavor. 

Your thoughts? I would love to hear from those that have used multiple brands of pellet cookers.

[hughver]

IMO, temperature swings are inevitable in pellet grills (or any cooking device). The tolerable amount is probably a function of percent of set temperature and product being cooked rather than a fixed variation, i.e., a 20* variation at a set temp. of 500* is most likely acceptable but 20* at 150* not so much. 

[Clonesmoker]

Seems that I get more swings the higher temp I go. This is from left to right. Below 200 it is pretty stable across. I go to 300, I get around 20 degree difference from left to right with the right side hotter.

[LowSlowJoe]

Let's not confuse temperature swings and temperature variations.

Temperature swings should refer to temperature that swings above and below a average temperature that is measured somewhere inside the grill.

Temperature variation is what I think of as the variation of temperature as measured at different points around the inside of the grill.  Side to side variations for example... or front to back... or right rear to left front.

These are totally different things. 

[Bobitis]

My Jr will swing 50-60 degrees and it cooks just fine. When I 1st got it, it would do 120+. THAT was a problem.

[Rick]

I do like the Yoders for that reason.  It's on my short list.  How is it for Grilling (using grill grates)?

[Bobitis]

IMHO...

I think folks put too much emphasis on visual smoke.

I have an 18" Weber WSM that will lay on more smoke than most would like. Running properly, you can barely see any smoke at all. Just a simple wisp of blue smoke once in a while. It was a pain to babysit that thing when it was running and I finally got tired of it.

My JR puts out copious amounts of blue smoke up to about 275 deg. It doesn't come anywhere close to the smoke flavor laid on by the WSM.

I've no idea why... The only thing I can imagine is the use of chunk wood vs sawdust wood. Again with the why...

[dshaffes]

I have some of the same questions as Rick.  My Traeger with the Pro Controller holds temp very well (+/- 15) and pumps out sweet blue smoke as it go through its cycles.  I have an opportunity to upgrade to a Smoke Daddy PID, but think it might produce less smoke flavor.  What does everyone think?

[Canadian John]

 dshaffes; I would stay w/ the "stock" controller for more smoke for sure..The temp swings you are encountering are darn good. As you should know by now from the results of several cooks,the Pro the controller did a good job.  A PID will be able to tighten swings at the cost of less smoke...If you are a numbers man go w/ the PID.  Just my thinking.